TUAPEKA WEST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2263, 15 July 1897, Page 29

TUAPEKA WEST.

July 12. — The Record Reign celebrations pa(;se<l off here as in other places with great rejoicing. A large number of the residents took a trip to Dunedin to participate in the celebrations there, and also to sco the Agricultural Society's show, which was pronounced a great success. The society deserve great praise for the baautif ul hall they have built and the grand display of* products of the t soil they induced thu country residents to semi in for exhibits. Agricultural.— The weather we have been getting of late might be termed record weather, as such a mild winter h-«s not been experienced for many years. The grouud is very diy, aud in splendid order for ploughing, and the farmers have taken advantage of this and been pushing ou, and are consequently well forward with thuic work. There will be a large area ucder crop this coming season, as the prices have been encouragiug. The roads are in capital order for catting away the grain, which ie pretty nearly all carted, some lots finding their way to Milton and Dunedin, the two local mills being filled up. Rabbits — Rabbit-trapping has been a boon to many here, both rabbiter and land-owner having benefited. The trappers have made money by their labour. Indeed, £G a"nd JE7 a week have been a common thing among them, and the landowner has had his land cleared of the pest. When [ say cleared I do not mean they are extinct. There are a few left yet, aud these will have to ba poisoned before the spring sets in. It has been a great saving in the turnip 3. I have sesn in previous years acres of turnips eaten by the rabbits, but now there i 3 scarcely a mark of any to be seen. The Government has taken advantage of the rush caused by the trapping to dismiss the men they have had trapping on the Crown lands.