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Otago Witness, Issue 2412, 24 May 1900, Page 32

May 20. — The weather has been fairly good during the past week, although somewhat cloudy. Saturday, 19th, was very cold and bleak, and was followed by a showery night, the showers extending at intervals throughout Sir. day, accompanied by a heavy breezy nor'wester. At the time of writing the wind is still howling aiound the corners, and the night is pitch dark, with rain threatening. Farming.— Ploughing is still being pushed al. cad, and a good deal of the early-sown wheat is new through, the ground and looking healthy. The grass, too, is abundant for the season and sheep are in good demand yet, although turnips are very poor up this way. Potatoes, too, are not nearly up to the average. Threshing and chaffcuttmg are still going ahead, and fainiing operations generally look healthy. From present indications there will be a large area in crop again during the coming season, and the rainfall experienced up to date gives promise of land in good heart and a bountiful crop. Piesbytenan Soiree. — The Presbyterian body held their annual reunion last Monday in the shape' of a soiiee. The tea, which vfrs bountifully iKovided by the ladies, took place in Mr Orr's Hall, when a very large number sat down to tea. A feature of the evening was the bachelors' table, with its annual cake, 1 which was, and is always, a source of great fun. After tea an adjournment was made to the church, where a good evening's enteitaiiiment was 02.0vided by the choir and friends. The music rendered during the evening was:" — "Tired," Mrs Morris; " Ora. Pro Xobis," Mrs Ivl'Leod ; "He wipes a tear, Miss Hay; ' Gates of the Wes 1 " and " Consider the lilies, ' JMiss Steven; '" Queen Mary's prayer," Miss G-rr-ham; "Star 01 JJethlehem, Miss Fox; and "The Holy City, 'MrF. H. Hughes. Besides this., the choir rendered Jackson's "Jubilate" in F and the anthems, Oh, give ihanks, ' " Holy is the Lord," an*d " Unto Thee, O Lord," in areverent and pleasing manner. Dnrn.g the evening the pleasant- duiy of presenting the minister (Rev. P. S. Hay; with a fine Oxfoid Bible and the organist (Miss Hay) with a large edition oi " Church Praise " fell to Mr Gordon Murray, who performed the task in a very happy manner, complimenting Mr Hay oa tho successful way in which he had attended lo the church's business during his term of office, and acknowledging the many services of Miss Hay in her capacity as oiganisjb and choirmaster. The rev. chairman suitably responded, and, in doing so, took occasion to thank Mr Murray ior his untiring labours on fiehalf of the church as lay reader, etc., during the past years. He also referred to the growth ot the church during his ministry and other interesting facts. A dozen hymn books, for the use of strangers, were also presented to the church. Tha usual votes of thanks, followed by the benediction and the singing of the National Anthem, brought to a close a very successful and pleasant evening. Exultation and G raiulation. — The tidings cf the relief of Mafeking on Friday set the whole town agog with excitement, and a spontaneous outburst of exuberant loyalty was the result, The school was promptly closed, the bells rung and guns fired, and a toichlight procession was held in the evening, when, headed by Piper M'Leod, about 50 persons proceeded aiound the block, finishing up m front of the railway station, . where a huge bonfire was lighted in honour of the event. Atter singing " God save the Queen, ' and giving three times three, with a few in for good lucky an adjournment was made to the hall, where an impromptu concert was held, consisting of speeches and songs, mostly patriotic, followed by a dance. On Saturday the confirmation cf the news quickly spread, pnd the whole population turned out again. At 8 p-.m. an effigy of Paul Kruger was placed on trial, the hall being used as a tempoTary courtroom. A jury was sworn in, snd advocates appointed to represent the Crown (.and prisoner, the prisoner being charged^ with ' murder, destruction of property, %misuse of the whito flag, and use of explosive bullets. Amidst roars of laughter, cheers, groans, hisses, etc., the witnesses were sworn to " tell, etc.,' so "help, me Bobs," 1 and after evidence given for arid against, and the summing-up by the judge a verdict of guilty was found, " Oorn Paul " being sentenced to be publicly burnt on the village green. A procession was' then formed, headed by the pipes, and the " prisoner '.' conveyed to a bonfire in waiting, and publicly lxirnt, the crowd meanwhile singing the National Anthem and 'giving three cheers for the Queen. An adjournment was then made to the hall, where a dance brought the ■ evening to a close. ' • Monthly Sale.— This sale, which was postponed last week owing to the wet, took place on Friday, 18th inst., ths entries being numerous, and a very large number of buyers being present, the attendance being somewhat increased owing to the fact that the whole of the farm implements from the estate of the late -Mr W. Sutherland (Maerewhenua) were under offer for sale. Three draught horses were offered, two only being sold, one of which — a, mare, broken to farm work — brought £44 ss, and a four-year-old filly, unbroken, £37. About 40 head of homed cattle were yarded, mostly yearlings and two-year-olds. Two-year-olds fetched from £2 10s to £3 6s, yearlings, and calves £1 to £2 83, cows in milk £3 to £4 ss, springers and calvers ranging up to £5 16s. About 1600 sheep were yarded, mostly ewes 111 lamb. Two hundred wethers, nearly fat, fetched 14s, fat ewes 3,15, crossbred ewes "in lamb 10s to 10s 7d, store lambs 9s to 10s 6d, merino ewes 4s to 5s 3d, Ten pigs (weaners) were penned, and sold at 10s each. On the whole the sale was one of the very best ever held here. Parish Meeting.— A meeting of the parishioners of the Anglican Church was held after matins on Sunday morning (20th), when thei pleasing fact was announced that a tender* for th 9 erection of the new church had been accepted and that work would be started at once. A few other matters were discussed, such; as stipend, and fencing the section, etc., and the meeting — an informal one — adjourned. The Library. — I had a look over- the Duntroon Public Library last night, and was considerably astonished at the number and range of ■volumes. The bookcases— two large and handsome ones in the public school — contain over 1300 volumes, 900 of them being works of fiction, the rest ranging over travel, science, - art, reference, music, biography, etc. Complete sets of all the works of the recognised masters of fiction, as well as the leading reviews and magazines, are to be ffountd t on its shelves, and the townspeople are careSul to take full advantage of the really up-to-date collection. Many standard works have been added lately, over £8 having been .spent during the past month. The subscription (5s pei annum), added to the Government grant, is practically all spent in books, and the Duntroon folk may well be proud of the institution. My thanks are due to the genial secretary, Mi R. M'Bean, for his courtesy to me during my visit, also for placing my name on the free list. Winter Evenings. — The lads here are to the fore as usual in .providing physical ani\iaam,ents

as 'well as mental ones for the long evenings. A qttadrille assembly is to be started on the 24th of happy memory, and a large number of ladies and gentlemen are enrolled for that purpose. In addition to this it is proposed to form a g3'mnasium class, and names are coming in fast. So one way and another things appear to be humming here. More power to themj and good luck! say I -