POMAHAKA DOWNS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2289, 13 January 1898, Page 26

POMAHAKA DOWNS.

January 10. — Once more we enter on another year, and I hope the few days of idleness and friendly infereoinse customary to thi* sesson of the year will have braced us all up to go forward with our work. The weather haa been remarkably fine during the last fortnight— juat rather toe fine for the crops. What must have }>l*ddened tho hearts of all farmers, however, was the beautiful rain on Saturday evening Since than up to time of writing we have had a onBiderabla amount of rain, accompanied, however, with high winds, which helped to spoil the good done by the r^in. Tbe cropt are, however, looking well after it. In a few instances I sec they are beginning to thoot. Graaa-cutting down Waiwera way has started, and I am glad to see two paddocks of grass for seed down at the lower end of the estate. Mr Joseph Abernethy bestowed a laiga amount of lima and labour in preparing the ground for hrs crop, and though some of it is lying yet Mr Abftrnethy is an expert in reaping and threshing prass seed, and I hope he will get a good return. The turnips are looking well in aomo "parts— notably on p*rt of the Government ground,— but some settlers in the neighbourhood have had to bow theirs over again.

Amusements. — The chief item in the sporting line about this sesson is the Caledonian sports, which took place at Clinton on January 1. Tho flay was fins tnd there was » g.-*)d attendance. JTor my «wa part the chief attraction at these sports is the meeting of fri<-nd\ with the cordial shaking of hands and N-w Year wi •be". Still the dsr-cing and the bicycling are very interesting, and i was very sorry to yeo two of theleoders in the last bicycle race come down over a dog lu'.Miing on the course. There was The umt.il concert in tho evening in tho At' cnneum Hall, but I would udwe the directors of this concert to look to their laurel*, otherwise tiey may not find to many going to it. Mrs Irving, Misses 15 'Neil and Douglas, md Mr F. Youwj did their best to fill up the

evening, but when a long programme is made out and half the performers fail to turn up, it is like getting money under false pietenees. A? for the comic (?) songs of a gentleman, I think that class of song ought to be kept to a lower stage than the concert platform. Accident. — On sth January, whilst Mr John Davidson (Wsiruna) was carting his wool into Clinton, going down one of ths cuttings the brake gave wa.y and he got jammed against tha baiJc, the wheel going over his ankle and breaking it. Mr Davifla'm, the blacksmith, wcut to Clinton for the doctor, who to >k hia pitieat into the Prij.ce of Wales' Hotel, be being an unfortunate bachelor, with no one to attend on him. The fracture of the ankle is rather a bad one, I am sony to hear, and will take a considerable time to he;>l.

Fires. — On the evening cf the sth or morning of the 6th a boarder in Mrs Nelson's Temperance Hotel, Clinton, found his room filling with smoke, and speedily gave the alarm. The hotel was soon empty of its inhabitants and it was discovered the fire had a goo>l hold. Mr Npl-on ma.us.gtd to put it pretty well out with buckets of water ; but the roof had got hold, and soon the building was a mas 3of flumes. Several tbings were saved ; but much sympathy is felt for Mrs Nelson, who has lost her way of making a living, and it is to ba hoped another building of the same kind will coon be put up, as it is required in Ciiaton.

Obituary. — At the close of 1 i&t year Mr D. Camp 1 ' ell, storekeeper, Wnjpabi, was stiunk down with an ap >pleclic fit, and he pasaed away la^t Friday. Ihe funeral took pl&ce yesteiday, and wa« attended by a large number, Mr Campbt 11 having be»n a very much respected resident, both in business end in connection with the Piesbyterian Church