LAKE WANAKA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2244, 4 March 1897, Page 25

LAKE WANAKA.

March 2.— The weather seems threatening for rain and the glass is falling, but it may blow off again. The harvest is now all finished except a few odd bits at the Hawea. In case any farmer thinks that his stacks are not built well enough to keep dry and is unable to thatch them, he can make them perfectly safe by pulling out a row of sheaves below the eaves after the stack is finished, and then smoothing down the roof and combing out the butts of the sheaves, all "flags" or ribbons, sorrel, and other rubbish. If the sheaves are over ripe, and the oats shake out into the butts of the sheaves and grow, then they prevents free run of . the water, which will most likely find its way into the stack, more or le*s. In the short and scanty crops this season it was found that the binders did much better work with the plain knives, because they were twice the length of the sickle blades. However, they are so hard that a file will not touch them if they get gapped, they < requiring an emery wheel I Obituary.— l am sorry to record the death of two old Cardrona residents. Mr Thomas Hawthorne was found dead sitting on a atone by the roadside between his hut and his claim. He had ' £4 on him when found. Deceased kept a hotel in Clyde over S6 years ago, when five of his children were carried off by an epidemic, and afterwards his wife died.— -One son remained, but he died at the age of 16 years through eating green gooseberries. Afterwards he waa one of the lucky claimholders on Mount Criffel, but unfortunately did not provide for the morrow. Mr R. M'Dougall held an inquest. The second death was that of Mrs John O'Callagban, who, while on a visit to her daughter, Mrs William M'Loughlin, in Cromwell, took ill and died almost at once of stoppage of the bowels. The body was taken to Cardrona, and interred yesterday. Deceased and her husband were among the pioneer settlers of the Wakatipu, where I believe they kept a hotel. Deceased leaves a large family, all grown up, and Beveral of them married. Court Day.— Our quarterly court day has come and gone for another term. Much interest was shown in the cases, and it took about nine hours to get through the items. A large number were in attendance. The first case was that of R. M'Dougall v. William Monteith for assault. Defendant pleaded guilty, but urged in extenuation the amount of provocation inflict d on him by Mr M'Dougall. After a patient hearing extending over about three houra, Mr M'Carthy delivered a somewhat lengthy judgment to the effect that he fully recognised the improper provocation Mr Monteith sustained, and he also took note of the letter written by Mr M'Dougall to the Cromwell Argus reflecting on Mr Monteith. He also recognised the indignity Mr M'Dougall sustained/ Law and order must be sustained, especially in country districts. Defendant would be fined £5, but without costs, each to be bound over to keep the peace. Mr S. H. Turton appeartd for Mr M'Dougall, and Mr Robert Gilkison for Mr Monteith. A cross action, based on the letter I in the Argus, is to come before Mr M'Carthy at J the next quarterly sittings, and the judgment in ; this case is not to take effect until then. Anyone interested can call on Constable Marsh and, without cost, read the magistrate's decis ; on duly recorded in detail in the court books. The case Alexander Geer v. Charles Colquhov.n and James Mabin, a judgment summons for £45 (is and costs, £2 16s, was then taken, and an order made for the payment of £24 Is on the 23rd March nextf and the balance a month after ■ — failirg payment in either case, one month's imprisonment in Clyde Gaol. William Sachtler v. Robert H. Baker, claim £19 12s ; counter claim .£24 19s.— Adjourned to Cromwell on 11th inst. by consent, costs to plaintiff 21s. T. F. Frewen v. Thomas Tuohy, £10 9s 6d, a disputed account some years old. — Judgment for plaintiff for £9 4s 6d, less £'! 15s 6d paid into court, with costs £2 17s and £1 Is solicitor's fee. G. W. Small v. J. D. M'Lennan, claim £1 53. The parties hold adjoining farms, and keep turkeys, which »trayed, and somehow got mixed up, this case being the result. — Judgment for paintiff for £1 5s and costs Warden's Court. — There was a good deal of business at the Warden's Court, a lot of it being for dams, tail races, and claims directly or indirectly in connection with the New Rldorado claim at Fat Boys. Mr E. C. Hedditch was granted an extended claim for prospecting for quartz reef at Boundary Cheek. The farming class waa well to €h« front, which shows that fthere is something in it. Mr H. C. Barker was granted six heads from the Luggate to the back of hia farm for irrigation. Mr R. Studholm was wanted a water race from Timber Gully to his *arm— a distance of seven miles. J. M'Curthy, J.

D. M'Lennan, Maurice Cm-ran, D. M'Lennan, farmers at Hawea, applied for renewal of order made by Warden ou November 25, 1896, for division of water in Grand View Creek. Objected to by D. Urquhart and J. Fox. Order to be in force for three months, the water to run in one race" ' for 24 hours out of every 72 hours, and in tha other 48 hours out of every 72 hours. Mr M'Carthy • appears to be what one might call a laboriously painstaking magistrate.