WETHERSTONES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2396, 1 February 1900, Page 30

WETHERSTONES.

January 29. — In the report of the last meeting of the Education Board Mr Snow's motion against the closing of the Wetherstones School was lost. The chairman of the board made some remarks which I can't say display much wisdom for one in his position. He still kept Larping on the old string — the distance the two schools were apart. lam not aware that the petition from Wether&tones or the deputation from the school committee said anything about how near or how far apart the two schools were — they only mentioned the distance the children would have to travel if they ■went to the Lawrence School; but Mr RamBay and the Dunedin members wilfully ignore ■that. The chairman made another remark to the effect that it was to the interest of the country schools to close the Wetherstones School. What nonsense, o^Avorse. How can it benefit or interest the country schools to close our school? — except to act as a precedent icr the board to close other countiy schools. Perhaps, however, Mr Ramsay meant that it ■was to the interest and benefit of the Lawrence School to close the Wetherstones School. And here let me say of our teacher, that she is as good a3 aay of the female teachers in the district, and of a higher class than most of them. Mr Ramsay, in 'his remarks, deprecated setting countiy against town. I would ask who is to blame for it, and what is the cause of it? I hope the country school committees will take note of the following: — When the motion closing the Wetherstones School was put, all the members residing in Dunedin, or in the vicinity, supported it, and they being in the majority, it was carried. The country schools have a, fine chance at present of altering that state of affairs, and I hope they will embrace the opportunity. There are seven candidates at present for three vacancies on the board. It is to the interest of country school committees to put more country members on the board, so that the small schools may get fair play, and not be treated and dealt with as the Wetherstones School was. The committee of the school and the inhabitants of Wetherstones are getting up a petition to the Minister for^ Education, protesting against the closing of this school.

Farming and Gardens. — The crops in this district are looking well at present. The oat? are heading well, with plenty of straw. I liave heard some estimating that the oat crop ivould go from 40 to 60 bushels to the acre. The ram we have been getting lately is bringing the turnips on very rapidly. There will probably be a fair crop of potatoes, if they don't make a second growth. The tops are rather heavy and long, however. The frost of last week has not injured them, so far. I have heard several of the settlers who have gardens complaining of their cabbage plants taking club root. They blame the seed for it. I heard one settler say that ho had grown cabbages in the same ground for the last 13 years, and he said they were still right. A Lawrence resident told me that he had grown onions in the same bed for 13 years. I had some of his onions, arid they were the mildest-flavoured onions that I ha,ve ever eaten. Indeed, they could be eaten almost like an apple. I made mention some time ago of the frosts of last ■winter killing the gum trees about here. In this I was rather premature. It is a pretty sight to see the same gum trees at present, for they appear as though they were covered •with ivy. The green leaves are coming out (ill around the tiunk and the big branches Those settlers along the river who cut down nearly all their trees are full of regret, aow they see the few they left standing coming to life again.

Fire.— A fire -broke out in Mr W. Tyler's house in Lawrence last Thursday night, between 8 and 9 o'clock. The house, lam informed, belonged to Mr H. Craig, and was insured, but it is stated that there was no insurance on the furniture, Mr Tyler having allowed it to lapse. If theie had been any wind from the S.W. to the N.E., Craig's coachhouse, Mr J. Middlernass's dwelling house and blacksmith's shop, and Oudaille's store would probably all have been burnt. The nic brigade v;o.s in good form, and there v»a9 a plentiful supply of water.

Weather. — Many complain that we have had no summer yet. They don't take into consideration the fact that New Zealand is a long, narrow ' island, running north and south, imd situated in the middle of the Pacific, and not within a thousand miles or more of any large island or continent. The only surprising thing •to me is that it is not worse than it is. With a- cold current coming from the southern ocean on the south and west side, and an occasional current from the north on the east side, we ought to be thankful the weather is not worse. During the past fortnight the weather may be described as having been contradictory. When the barometer was high, as it was on the first day of the Lawrence races, when it stood at 29.50, the weather was wet, and it continued wet all the rest of the week. On the other hand, when the barometer was low (it had fallen to 28.70 on the 22nd inst.) the weather, though gloomy, was dry and warm. There was some thunder the day before, but very little rain ; but the 24th made up for it. It was fine and warm in the forenoon, but suddenly, in the N.W. or towards the Blue Mountains, it became black and gloomy, and before anyone was, aware of it, down came a. heavy shower of rsin and hailstones, it did not extend any distance, for the men who are putting the I>ipes up across the Waipori River for the Golden Crescent raca got none of it. The Blue Spur claim people were going to have a picnic that das', but they had to postpone it till the following Wednesday. A number ot young people from Lawrence were picnicking at Blue Jacket Gully at the time the shower came, and of course they got thoroughly drenched. If the rain had lasted another quartei of an hour there would have been a big flood. The rest of the week was showery, with frost on Friday morning. Rain has fallen on 10 days within the past fortnight. The lowest reading of the thermometer was 46deg at 7 a.m. of the 26th, and the highest 80deg at 3 p.m. of the 21st.