HYDE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2215, 13 August 1896, Page 26

HYDE.

August 10. —We have experienced a week of very hard frost, but it now shows signs of breaking up. The roads beyond Hyde ara pretty badly cut up, but a few dry days will improve thum. Agricultural.— A good deal of ground is ready for sowing, but.th* wot and frost has prevented operations in thi* line so far. OrAGO Ckniiul.— The pile 3at Coal Crack bridge have been driven for somo time, and the pile-driving is now going on at Hyde township. There is another pile budge a faw miles further on, and when this ono isfinisheithe bridges and culverts will be completed to where the railway crosses the Taieri, with the exception of the four bridges which have y<st to get the girderd on. There is a lot of stock traffic on th«j Central line just now, a pretty full load going down every week. A great many trapped rabbits also go daily to Dunedin, and give employment to a number of hand). There is a good opening :n: n this district fora rabbit f tctjry, as thereis a large scope of rabbi t-inft.'3ted ctumW, and if sxne enterprising firm were to Hi .k ; .i .•' ul, I am mi ••.< the venture would hi a success.

Obituary.— L»st week Doatb visited this locality, and the second daughter of Mrs M'Laan was taken away. Shehad been ailing for *ome time andhad been an inmate of theNaseby Hospital for a lengthened pariod bavins; only returned home a few weeka previous to her death. " Oeo fiio " was a favourite with all who knew her, and will long be missed by her many friends aud acquaintances.

NENTHORN. August 10.— We have had very severe fro3to

duiing the past 10 days— harder than anything we have experienced during the winter. Education Board tfLECTioN.-If permissible, I would like to say a few words anent the candidature of Mr P. D. Fraser for a seat on the Kducation Board. This fteutleman, no doubt, has a thorough pranticil knowledge of education matters, and if elected would make a first-claes meiubei' — a far more capable one, I should say, than some of the present membors. What I wish to point out i 8 that hitherto committees have always refused to elect a clergyman (although -not yet ordained, Mr Fraser intends taking orders) to a seat oa the board, as witness the rejection of the Rev. A. Cameron last March, aud the Rev. W. Finlajsjn, of Waitati, two years ago, both very capable men ; also. Mr Thomson, of Port Chalmers, who stood lait March on the Bible-in-scbools platform. It doesn't follow as aue :ess»ry sequence that Mr Fraser would introduce religions matters into the board's business, but I should fancy it would be almost impossible for a man iv his sacred calling to refrain from doing so. Oace introduce religion and farewell to our admirable system of education. I should say Mr Fraier's election would be but the introduction of the thin end of the wedge. MINING. There is very little staring in mining matters here at present. Owing to the late heavy rain?, pverbody is at present engaged baling water. It in a case of " water, water every where. 1 Fortunately we are unlike the "Ancient Mariner" in that we have plenty of it to drink. The Fo.vler brother* have again struck golden stone, and expect to lave a good crushing at grass in aMi irt lime. These young fellows have done fairly w 1) f">- the last two veara or so, and by all app "iuvu.c-s tho'i luck is likely to continue. The Dunedin gentleman who had a large area of ground granted to them here have not yet started operations, nor from all accounts are they likely to; I hear they are waiting for the boom to come this way, whsn they intead to go in and make a rise. Speaking of. mining booms reminds' me that while looking over an illustrated Westralian paper the other day I came across the face of an old acquaintance, Mr L. A. Norman, who was very much en evidence at the booming of Nen thorn nearly eight yeaib ago, and report sayeth made money out of it. He is.at present on Coolgafdie, and is looked up to as a shining light among expert?," I hear from a party who lately returned from the field tint he has, a very good connection and U linking plenty of money. Nine y«ars ago he was on the staff of an up-country newspaper in a small way.