LAKE COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2087, 22 February 1894, Page 22

LAKE COUNTY.

February 17 —Lake County Council held its ordinary bi-monthly meeting last Monday, when a goodly amount of business was put through. Some considerable time ago a movement was set on foot having for its object a presentation to be made to the Hon. T. Fergus, for many years M.H.R. for this district. So far the thing has been bandied about from borough council to county council without much more than talk resulting. At the last meeting of the county council, however, the movement was licked into shape by every councillor undertaking to canvass his riding for subscriptions, and in due course of time something tangible will no doubt be the outcome of the movement. If it be true that public bodies have neither soul nor conscience, they are still not above being harassed by such trifles as bank overdrafts, and perhaps Lake County Council is not the only one of its kind that is so afflicted. Probably in view of the coming licensing elections the bank manager has written the council asking for a reduction of the amount. Singularly enough nothing appears in the published reports of the spirit in which the council treated the polite intimation. Arrangements were made for the proper reception of Mr Murray, the Victorian geologist, placing every facility in his way for inspecting the distinguishing geological features of this district. A goodly amount of routine work was also disposed of. A proposal for an association of county councils, promoted by the Wairarapa County Council, was discussed, und on the motion of the chairman, Mr George, it was agreed to extend the council's hearty co-operation to the movement. Councillor Rodgers took exception to the council going into committee on a matter of concern to ratepayers, but being unsupported his arguments produced no effect on the obdurate councillors. There can be no doubt but that the convenience of going into committee is very often made use of for anything but honourable purposes, and there are more su^h instances than one upon record that I could quote. Anglican.— The local Church of England people have secured the ministration of the ltcv. W. C. Cotes, 8.A., at present Anglican pastor at Mornington. The reverend gentleman comes well recommended by his Mornington congregation, and is also highly spoken of as a zealous worker and an earnest preacher, so that his new flock has every reason to congratulate itself upon the selection made. The Rev. Mr Cotes finds a change desirable for the benefit of his health.

Putting His Foot In It. — Considering that the newspaper correspondent has to open his mouth at regular intervals of time— and sometimes opens it pretty wide, whether he says anything or not — it is not surprising that he should put his foot in it sometimes. This happened only the other week in this column, and as I hold that the man who makes a mistake might be forgiven if he is able to make amends, I essay the present attempt to rectify my previous misstatement, especially as my blunder has been widely canvassed and misconstrued, and that, too, mostly by young ladies. All this rigmarole refers to a paragraph about the restoration to health of a young swain, who has been acting the character of a local Don Juan for some years past, and a prophecy which he had laughed to scorn. As the prophecy was the result of palmistry, as I took particular care to state, it should have been enough to indicate that I did not, and could not, refer in any way to a second party to a certain interesting event —to wit, an engagement. Palmistry connects its predictions with no other person than the one whose hand is being read, and our local Don Juan only laughed to scorn the bare idea of being married, deeming himself in his conceit invulnerable in the regions of the heart, so that it will be seen the blunder I committed wa3 mistaking the intelligence of my readers and employing the language of prophecy instead that of plain fact. This, however, does not explain the avidity — not to say envy and jealousy— with which the blunder was seized upon by so many fair critics, and only those who know the real cause of it personally can understand its raison d'Mre. In all the trouble created by my simple note it is pleasing to say that the young lady most directly concerned treated my blunder and the consequent hubbub with the most becoming and charming sang froid, showing her good sense and the sweetness of her temper, two of the most estimable qualities in woman— and the rarest— and the lucky young swain may well be congratulated upon being about to secure such a great prize in the matrimonial lottery. Lusus Naturae. — A lusus naturae of a singular kind may be seen in Mr John Beier's orchard at Arrowtown. It is a pear tree (Jargonelle) the leaves of which were completely destroyed by the common slug early in the summer, since which time the tree has produced a complete set of new leaves, which are now almost fully formed, and before long will be perfect. Such a phenomenon is, I believe, without parallel, and goes to show that not in all cases is it the weakest tree that suffers most from insects, for it could not have been by any means a weak tree that produced a second coat of leaves the same summer. It may be added that Mr Beier, who farms an orchard of an acre and ahalf, devotes his whole attention to his trees, sparing neither labour nor expense in tending them and keeping down insects of all kinds. It is safe to say that in this district no orchardist has done so much as Mr Beier in keeping down blight and moths, and it is painful to add, with very little effect. The trees are regularly manured and watered, bandaged with rags, and syringed with Paris green, and yet moth and blight are present in overwhelming multitudes. The reason, of course, is not far to seek. One man can do nothing when his neighbours will not take their share in the work of extermination.