Kuri Bush.

Otago Witness, Issue 2299, 24 March 1898, Page 27

Kuri Bush.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib, — Kuri Bush correspondent's letter of the 6th ult. contains various mistakes and misstatements which require correction 1. As regards the roads of the district, they are not in a splendid condition, and consequently we have no reason to congratulate the Taieri County for their good order With, the exception of the Beach road, which is in pretty good condition at present owing to the dry weather we have had lately, the rest of the roads are a disgrace to the county, and m particular to the member who represents the Otakia Riding. They are full ot ruts and some of the water tables have not, to my certain knowledge, been cleaned out for years , consequently whins have grown in them and have now spread over half the road. I measured one place and they had spread Bft on to the loadline. But what else can we expect when the settlers living on the back sections have not seen the road inspector for the last two years, and &3 regards the surfaceman, he lives at the extreme end of the riding, and is seldom seen, I am told, even south of Brighton and more seldom still afe Kuri Bush. It is said that the road inspector is physically unable to come, inspect, and look after the roads. In that case then let the county council appoint another in his place and let the ratepayers get something for their money As regards the surfaceman, he has a farm as well as the roads to look after. j 2. As regards the annual picnic, yorir corvc- ' spondent states that there was a little dissatisfaction evinced at the distribution of the prizes and funds. Well, I say no wonder, when some of the very best prizes were given to children of committeemen without any competition on their part with the other children. Your correspondent also makes a mistake in writing that Messrs J. Dickson and J Keast were the starters and hanclicappers of the races. They were not. It was Messrs King and T. Palmer. In one point, however, I agree with him, when he writes that the dance i held in the school in the evening capped all. I So say I, when I find one of the eomrniltee- % men charged 10s for playing the violin, and another whose duty it wa3 to keep order urging a couple of young men to commit a Jbreaeh of the peace, and that in anything but gentlemanly language. — I am, &c, Resident.

It is estimated thab of the whole populaj lion of tliß globs about 90,000 die every day. Samples of Cheviot petroleum have been received in Christchuroh. From the Lyttelton Times we learn that the oil was obtained by digging a hole about 3ft deep on the Seaward ! Range at a height of about 250 ft above sea level. : The two samples are contained in quarb I bottles, and the bulk of tha liquid in each is of i a muddy description, with about 2in of oil floating on top. The oil is very clear in appearance, and smells very strongly of kerosene. Accompanying the oil is a sample of the blue papa clay from which the oil is obtained, and it appears to be strongly impregnated with kerosene, judging by the smell, Arrangemeuts are in progress to get the Minister for Mines to proclaim Cheviots a mining district, as until thia is done the prospectors who have made the discovery cannot protect their rights. ,From what can be gathered the whole of the Seaward Range is impregnated with petroleum for a distance of over 20 miles from the mouth of the Wafau to the Hurunui River, as it has been fouL,s in ssveral places. , CHRISTOPHER COLUMBCTS discoversd America, where grows the weed from which the celebrfited BEftfiY, tobacco is luanttiac-