LUMSDEN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2409, 3 May 1900, Page 44

LUMSDEN.

.Auril 28. — The weather until within a week ago"" was all that could be desired for he.ivesting purposes, but during the week just gone out it has been simply wretched, and the outstanding crop, of which there is yet a considerable quantity hereabouts, is almost totally destroyed on account of the incessant rain, accompanied by gales and snowstorms. At time of writing, the elements seem to have moderated for at least a sufficient length of time to give the farmers an opportunity of securing the remainder o£ their damaged produce. As to its condition, if I may give a guess, I "should say it Us from mecuiun to bad. Rabbits.— The trapping industry, I am sorry to note, is not so flourishing as at this time last year. When the season opened about two months ago the weather was so hot, that by the time the carcases reached tho depot they were, in su-h a state as to necessitate the rejection of large numbers as unfit for freezing, and now the broken and unfavourable weather is very seriously affecting the industiy, foi the time being, at least. This we all feel, f.s the money earned by rabbit-trapping is inoie evenly distributed throughout a community than * any other returns that I know oK A petition is going lound the district *cr signatures, asking the- euthonties i^ot to compel poisoning by the landowners so long as men can make good wages trap rang and the labbits are of a marketable value. I have no doubt but that every one with a spark of humane feeling within Vflom, and the v. elfare of the ilibtrict ot heart, v.-ill willingly sign the document. Public School Matters.— Tho annual meeting of householders took place on - Monday evening, the 23rd, at the schcolhou-se, and. the lneagreness of the gathering would indicate that the parents and guardians of our iisin% g,euaration are quite satisfied with the efficiency of our teaching staff (which would be hard to baat), and also with the good management of the outgoing committee, who, 1 must say, have worked most harmoniously together auriiig the past .waive months. After handing ovei the keys of office and a handsome neate^g to begin the operations of the incoming ye*i with, the following v/eie elected as the new committee: — Mr A. Sinai) (chairman, for th? fourth time), 1-Cev. J. Lymburn (clerk), Messrs Macalister, Kirkland, Perrms, Crawford, and Fraser. It goes without saying that our teaching staff is good. -Now, let the parents a:id guardians of children supply the material, and enforce {rood sin.il tegulir attendance, and than we shall have one of the best schools of any inland town in Southland.

.Death. — Mi H. Jennings died at his residence here lecently, and left a v.'idow and two chiidicn to mourn their loss. Mr Jeutiia^s who hid held different icsponsible positions in the seivice ol the Railway depaitni'snt for 37 years, was without a doubt one of the most obliging and kind-hearted of officials on the Southland section of the Now Zealand laihv.ivs. That Jennings was a. graad fellow waa

the universal verdict — a faithful servant, a kind-hearted husband, a good and most obliging neighbour. The officers and some of the railway servants deserve great praise 'for the kindness shown in many ways to the widow of the deceased at the time of her sad bereavement, and I am informed that Mr Whitcome, the traffic manager, and our stationmaster here, afforded Mrs Jennings all the facilities at their command, officially and otherwise, in the removal of the body, her family, and effects to Dunedin, at which place the deceased was interred in the Southern Cemetery.

Not Very Dangerous Here. — The piague scara is giving xi 3 much concern, but we console ourselves with, the thought that our climate is plague-proof.

Patriotism. — Although the war news is meagre and rather unsatisfactory of late, yet we are all as patriotic as ever, and still expect much from our Empire and our boys.

March 29. — It is now (Sunday evening) raining heavily and looking very stormy and black all round.