TAPANUI

Otago Witness, Issue 2309, 2 June 1898, Page 25

TAPANUI

May 26. — Winter is now upon tis in earnest^ and .this morning the first coating of snow 'for '98 is a. reality. Although not a very .heavy fall in -this low-lying hind, the mountainous country appears to 'have a good mantling. The weather is again bright and clear, an-d it re "to be ; hoped there will y6t be a few favouraTata weeks to -enable the 'end of the harvest to be secured. A few patches of grain here and tthere re- ! main in the stook, but the isolated late fields contain the chaff supplies principally, ©or- i tun&tely a great quantity o£ the gram i-s carted ! and it appears a great deal more -carting would j Tiave been done but "for tTie scarcity of trucks, in ■ the niapaimi branch, railway. In -some parts of ' the district -fche plough, is already in the ground preparing the soil for next spring. i Sales.— "We have had quite a, round of important sales in this vicinity lately. I .understand the clearing sale .of Mr Eobinson's stook, furniture, etc., at Waikoikoi last week, conducted by your Dunedin firm of Wright, Stephenson and Co. and the local auctioneer (Mr W. Quinn), was amongst the most successful displenishing sales ever held in the district. With -good prices going for ia*m produce the tillers of the soil, as a rule, are of a liberal nature, and in many instances recently more than first cost of goods was secured at auction. Basaab. — Tapanui is to have another addition to the places of worship already existing and the Roman 'Catholics open a bazaar to-day in ai3 of a fund to erect a chapel. They have hitherto used the Athenseum Hall, a very Tinsuitable building, and no doubt they "will meet j with liberal response to their appeal for assist- j ance in the present project. JEt cannot be said j that they make many calls -upon the pxiblic purse in connection with religious matters. May 30. —When an agricultural district iis experiencing prosperous times the indications of ' that prosperity are not wanting. At present the building trade is exceedingly .brisk in the Tapanui j district. In the township ittelf some residences have been erected during the paßt few seasons, and just now a shop is being built by Mr J. B. M'Alister for Mr R. O. Rodger, tobacconist and hairdresser, that will fill un a gap in the main street caused by the destruction of a tailor's shop by fire many years ago. In the country districts new homesteads and outbuildings have beeu «reeted on it. great many farms, and some of the • dwellings are undoubtedly excellent advertisements for the land in this part. It is .surprising what an exhilarating effectafewgood seasons have upon the farmer, and one has only to look round the older-settled localities to be convinced, by the general appearance of prosperity, that farming in this Ideality has been a "payable occupation to those who have well wrought -their holdings. Allowing for the difference in seasons and the fluctuations of the grain market, the careful landowners appear to 'be ready to periodically add a little to their selections or settle a son up&n a from of his own. Closer, Settlement.— Of late there has been a pood deal of land in the market, and most of it ha 3 found buyers. When the Minister 'for Lauds visited the district recently a special effort , was made to induce him to favourably consider the purchase of Broeksdale estate by Government for close -Battlement. To see the property this year, however, with its paddocks of thicklystiidded stooks and even crops of turnips was sufficient lecommendation for anyone, and the Minister was not -slow to express 'his admiration of the property. Be promised an early consider*- ' tion of the question, but I understand Government ara not Inclined to take over the estate. Recently a portion of it near Kelso was offered in farm?, but only one section 'found a purchaser. I ' may state, ho v ever, that the portion offered comprised the outskirts of the property, and a similar j slice at the Crookston end would have seen some , spirited competition. As far as providing land for the people was concerned the Minister's visit to the district was fruitless. JtEUGloitS. — 'fapanui is well provided with religious services, and wach Sunday finds the Presbyteiian, Episcopalian, and Wesleyan churches open, with the Salvation Army as an open-air form of worship. In the former the Rev. Adam Begg appears to be doing good work amongst his congregation, ana is retaining the young members of the church by interesting them in work in connection with a Christian Endeavour Society and by social gatherings at the manse snd occasional gatherings in one of the public halls. His discourses from the pulpit are invariably able compositions. Mr Howpll ministers to the spiritual wants of the Wesleyan denomination, and interests himself actively in temperance matters, whilst the Rev. Mr Tosawill conducts services monthly in All Saints' church, the intervening services being conducted by a layman. We are now promised another place cf worship in the form of a Roman Catholic Church, in aid of a fund for which a bazaar was conducted last week. The sale of work was well patronised during the three days it temained open, and with private subscriptions a substantial sum should now be in hand, and the erection of a chapel will no doubt be proceeded with. A 'noticeable feature in con.nection with the bazaar was the absence of i denoroinat-ioEalfem. a.£ tfoe Broffi'ftinnae of musi-

cal items was contributed to by member* of nearly all the religious bodies. Not .sd many years ago this 'intermingling was lookeq upon es .out of place, but such old barriers ar< rapidly being '.broken down, aTid the conxmoß cnuso substituted Whenever the object present* itself as a desirable one.

55.TJ.1 O.O.F.— ihe'Oddfellows' Lodge'ie oneof Hie 'insdtuhionp .that this place has reason to W pioud or, auti "from all accouuts it. is becoming a more poweiful influpuce as time goes on. With a membership of ovor 100 it may be ssen that the medical benefits are participated in '-by a larga section of the community, and with a credit balance of something like £2000 the prosperity of the order may be expected to continue. Careful management has brought the lodge to its present flourishing position, and juaging by the number of young members being enrolled the institutioa has a useful-future before it.

Educational -'Our district has now representalion on the Kducation Board in the person of Mr .Tanies Sim, and a movement is on foot to establish a high school iv Tapanui. Tho project should receive careful consideration, as it would prove of great service to the district. I notice thatTVlr James Mitchell is a candidate for the vacant scat on the "board, and from the position he occupied atltst polling he should have a good chance of election. 'He *is apparently a candidate suited for the post.