KELSO.

Otago Witness, Issue 2251, 22 April 1897, Page 25

KELSO.

April 20. — We have had quite a change in the

natuie of the weather during the past few days — ; hard frosts at night with beautifully clear skies, followed by an iuvjg jrating warmth in the day1 hue. This favourable condition of the elements has been fully taken aiivn.nt.ige of by such" of our farmers as had crop still exposed iv stook, so that there is practically no unsecured grain now in this distiict. A large portion of the oat crop — fully one-third ha 9 been more or less seriously damaged by the unfavourable weather which prevailed in the earlier part of the month. 1 Grain Traffic— l imagine that our railway station doss not present quite so brisk an appearance as is usual at this time of the year. At least, there is seldom auy .sign of a rush of grainr Whether this is owing to the peculiarities of the season, a shortage in crops, or an evidence of the ability of the marasempnt there in clearing out the grain, it would be difficult to say, except from an advantageous position. Possibly it is the result of all three. ! Social Amusements. — The residents of this , community have been passing through a period of abstinence in this respect. We hope soon to see and hear the members of the brass band hard at work again, as even the occasional practice helps to liven things up a bit in a small place like this. With the approach of the long winter nights it will be the duty of our grave seniors, who are professedly ever anxious to develop our intellectual capacities, to see what can be done in this direction. The institution of a mutual improvement or some such kindred society has proved the limit of their resource in past years, and these, owing to a want of diveisity of talent and the superabundance of criticism everywhere rampant, have had a very languishing existence. Lecture.— A very pleasant and instructive entertainment was given in Dunnett's Hall on

Saturday night, when a Mr Robson lectured on the recent troubles in the Transvaal Republic, the lecture being finely illustrated as he proceeded by a large number of lantern views. Mr Robson also showed a number of other pictures, which were,' as he claimed, really gem? of art.