LAKE COUNTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2407, 19 April 1900, Page 28

LAKE COUNTY.

April 14.- — The farmers aie experiencing most favourable weather for the harvest, and the cutLirg and slacking of crops is now drawing to an end. Owing to the difference m elevation at which fanning is carried on m the Wakatipu, and from some other causes, haivesting work extends over a longer time than 111 most other paits ol Otr.go, but as we can coi-nt with a considerable degree of certainty upon fine weather till the end of April, this does not interfere with getting in the crops. Arrow Hospital Trust. — At the last meeting of tins body it became necessary through the demise of the chi'irnian (Mr H." H. Baivd) to fill ihe vacancy. Mr J. Bevm, manager of the Arrow branch of the Bank of New Zealand, was unanimously elected to the position. Mr Bevm, m thanking the members of the trust for the co.ifidence placed 111 him, said lie would prefer to s.ee tho position filled by one of the old members, who had been t:ustees ever since the hospital had been built, and who were, m fact, the launders of the institution. Mr Bevin's views, however, were overruled, and after taking the position, he thanked the members for the honour conferred upon him, avid feelingly referred to the sterling qualities and capacity for business of the late chaiiman.

Playing With the Light. — It is now shout eight or 10 years since the Queenstown Corporation commenced playing with the electric light, and there are no tangible results yet. This is all the more surprising as the corporation has an excellent water supply, ample to meet all the requirements for generating the electiicitj. At their last meeting the city fathers agreed to draw up plans and specifications for the introduction of the hght, and are taking steps to meet the dime allies in the vay ot legally concluding a contract with Mr J. 'Tyrrell, tinsmith at Queenstown, for its supply. The Martial Wave.— The great impetus given to things military and patriotic is not going to be allowed to pass away without Home permanent outcome. At Queenstown and Airowlown movements have been sel on foot to form permanent volunteer corpa, which are now well advanced, and will no doubt lead to a great deal of good being done. There seems 10 bs a predominating inclination that the movement should take the shape of a mounted rifle corps, but the expense of outfit and maintenance of such a body would- be rather heavy and would exclude a godly number of otherwise eligible volunteers. However, other* corps may be formed without interfering v ith the more ambitious aspirations of the few. At Arrowto.vn a cadet corps has already come- into existence, nearly every eligible lad, from seven i.p to 17 years, having joined, ©r being anxious to do so, and what is more, every one of iiiem is going into the movement wish an earnestness and good will that show they are taking to then* instructions and exercises seriously, and not meiely as fun or a ijleasant diveision. As a proof of this, it may be mentioned that for the short time the youngstcis have been at it they have made surpiising progress, and they deserve every encouragement in order to m5.311tam the spirit with which they have jjojic irlo the affair. The lads have the 1 euefit cE Ihe painstaking instruction of Captain A. M. Mackay, a gentleman who has acquired his military experience and training m the Imperial service, in which, I understand, he still holds a commission.

War and Pestilence. — The twin brothers, who, like the Siamese twins, linked together, stalk the earth at intervals, are once more in evidence. New Zealand, like the rest of Ihe colonies, and for the matter of that of Lho world, ha? hei her influenza epidemic, and since then ha 1 been afflicted by a kind of heat cholpva, consisting of prins in tho stomach and the abdomen, and other aches and inconveniences. Very ' few have escaped these scourges, while t> gient many have been visited by both. Would it be far-fetched to say that there was something, in stellar space through which the eaith in its circling swing passer, and that this "something" taints the air we breathe. One thing is certain, and that is that none could go farther for an idea, for stellar space is so tolerably big a place tlirt it would be difficult to get beyond it. Some tune ago our earth was expected to have passed Ehiough a meteoric shower, the splinter ad fragments of some played-out world. If so, what becomes of its decayed animal and /egelpble matter? — its viius of sickness, pestilence, and — yes, why not — of war? Again, if so, who will deny a field of practical utility for astrology? Besides the eminently scientific end philosophic? l p=pect of these these?, they have their attractions ps a ' jeu d'esr, rife '" (phonetically written '" jcu de spree"), a kind of intoxication of. tho imagination, Read these things

as you will, we are face to face with the two grimmest and deathliest afflictions the human species knows.

Rabbit Works.— Mr Paiddin has fitted up a. cold blast at his rabbit works at Queenstown, and has gone to considerable trouble and expense to provide an efficient supply of pure air of a low temperature. The air is cooled and purified in a tank by showers and sprays of water. From the tank it passes through a powerful fan which ejects it at that part of the works where it is required. Mr J. M'Neil was the contractor and constructor of the appliance, which works with the greatest ease, and gives every satisfaction, the supply of cool air being regular and abundant.