LAKE COUNTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2426, 12 September 1900, Page 33

LAKE COUNTRY.

September 8. — Spring weather, with now and then a touch of winter in it, is the older of the day. If there is anything to complain about, it is that there is too much fine weather and sunshine, the ground, generally speaking, being far too dry ior seeding. However, it is still early enough in the season, and m the meantime every advantage is taken for breaking up and turning over the giound. Exodus. — Sales and changes, by people leaving these parts, are a noted icature in our pre-sent-diy existence. Attractions m Dunedin and other portions of Olago prove too stiong for many people, and they make the dive for places whore fields look greener. It must also be pointed out m this connection that the cost of living here has a good 'deal to do with the piesent exodus. The prices of the necessaries of life, compared with what they are elsewhere m Otago, militate much against men with families making the Wakatipu their permanent home. And what mokes this phase of the subject worse is the fact that price 3 are raised by a- sort of rule- of- thumb scale when there is no apparent leason for the rise, and, on the other hand, prices are not lowered again when produce of all kinds is abundant. Without going to extremes, by quoting prices ruling in the back gullies, where the 4lb loaf is lOd, beef and mutton as high ?s 6d and 7d per Ib, candles Is per Ib, sugar 4d, and everything else la proportion, both imported and 'locally produced articles cf food are far too high, azid until their cost is very materially reduced theie will be a continued dimmut.on, instead of an increase, in our population.

Arrow Jockey Club. — This club has arranged for a one day's meet tor the 17th November next. There will be seven events, and the total amount to be inn for will nearly touch £100.

The Bot Fly.— -Whether due to bot fly or not, the mortality amongst the horses m the district refenccl to in my last letter continues. Ihe deaths that have taken place within the past few weeks amount to about eight, and several ammals are repoited to be ailing with a very remote show oi recoveiy. This affliction l-s all the more serious, as it conies when horses are in special and mcrpasing demand. It may be loughly estimated that horses have about doubled tiieir value within the last year or so.

The Bull Again! — The accident which happened to Mr J. Turner, of Speargiass Flat, and which was lecorded in this column the week before last, requires some qualification. It appears that Mr Turner was rushed by a bull, and rather roughly treated by it, but, fortunately, he managed to escape through a fence, and thus got beyond the reach oi the infuiiated animal. Mr Turner is now m a fanway towards recovery — m fact, he has almost completely recovered. Mr John Jenkins, jun., who met with an accident by being thrown from his horse at Crown Ten ace, sustained an injury to his back, from which he is now recovering. StiUT Another Accident.— While, travelling in connection with his- clerical duties, near "the Lower.. Shotover, on Wednesday last, Rev. Mr and Mrs Stevens met with a rather up sty accident. It appears the horss shied very suddenly, arid, becoming unmanageable';_started kicking, smashing the fore part* of the buggy -into -matchwood in no tone. .Mrs Stevens, in tiymg to save herself from the animal, was thrown heavily upon the road, and it is feared she sustained a rather bad injury to her back. -Mr Stevens luckily escaped unhurt, but the buggy is almost past lepair, showing the viciousness of the horse. It was the first time Mr Stevens had driven the .turn out.

Colonial Journalism. — Up-country readeis •were generally, and no doubt pleasantly, surprised by the unexpected arrival of the Witness two days in advance of its usual appearance. The innovation, it is understood, is owing, first, to a desire to place the latest news before its readers in the shortest possible time ; and, secondly, to the increased circulation of the paper, in which the excellence cf the illustrations and the taste displayed in their selection play a principal part. Of the half dozen or so of large weekly papers published in New Zealand, the Otago Witness may safely be called the "colonial State paper," for the greatest portion of Middle Island readers. It would be an interesting inquiry to find out how many of its subscribers really know -what they get for their yeaily subscription. Only those who regularly file thenpapers can form a, roujjh idea of the volume of literature the Witness lopresents. Leaving out advertisements, market leports, and other items that are not strictly literature, the residue reading matter would make a good-sized „6s or 7s 6d volume, and of these the Witness furnishes 52 per annum foe £1 ss. Some of the London weekly publications are held up as a wonderful 6d worth, but for quality and variety of reading matter they are left far behind by the Witness. Some years ago a curious mquiier made a pretty exact calculation as to the number of lettets used in the production of one number of the Witness, finding that it exceeded one million. Since then the paper has been increased by 10 and sometimes 14 images, considerabty raising that number. It is certainly soniplhing for Otago to boast that it produces one of the most varied and voluminous weekly pa-peis m the world.