WAIKOUAITI.

Otago Witness, Issue 2430, 10 October 1900, Page 38

WAIKOUAITI.

October 8. — The weather, since I last -wrote has bsen very little but a succession of heavy winds. Occasionally light showers have fallen, but they are immediately dried up by the .winds. The ground is hard and dry on tne surface, although fairly moist underneath. ' Lagoon. — The windmill pump is still lying at the railway station awaiting the contractors. ■I do hope they will soon get at it, as if left much longer it will be of no great use this season.

Railway. — The Postal department has ■wakened up to the veiy inconvenient state of affairs- here, and- have enlarged the cupboaid called a telegraph office, making a fair-sized Doom ot it, fitting in desks, etc., for the transaction of business. It only wants to be .thrown open now^to constitute a real improvement. At any rate, we shall now be able ,<.o call for a letter without having to get wet >hrou,gh while awaiting the {leisure of the 'officers on a wet day. I think it is high time ,-iip ptit a- separate oih'cei: in chaige of post" office .work purely, so that oae need not have to wait always while railway business is being trans acted. The- present officers are energetic and civil, but being railway men, their own proper •■work has -io take precedence, to the great loss erf time to the general public. I ses that Mr Cameron is busy fitting up the telephone apjparatus in the office, and J. hope that once tne •connections are made, a competent man will jbo placed- in full charge of the Postal department.. . l

> Working Bee.— A very successf til working bee was held on Wednesday last (October 5, in !b. Johns Churchyard. Over a dozen 10--vns-imen turned up, and hard graft was the order tPi the day. A lot of very needful work was pot throiigh, and the churchyard, which is one tot the show places ot the parish, looks considerably better. A stro.ig eflort will be made next year to have all the graves attended to. ±ihe net result of Wednesday's work must be very giatifying to the vicar »nd the churchwardens, and it is hoped ,1.0 make the bee ah annual affair and on a touch larger scale. Afternoon tea, served by 'Mis Fracr, assisted by Mesdames Cantrell and jNeill, helped, the time to pass pleasantly -Euchre Match.— Tha last of a series of cauhre matches between Flag Swamp and Waikouaiti was played in the club room on, Wednesday lught, resulting in a win for Waikouaiti by 32 t -to '24. This leaves the Waikouaiti team •.the winneis for the season. A tea and coffee supper, served in their best style by Messrs Crocome and Jamieson, with complimentary >speeches from the captains and cheers from the respective teams, wound up a very pleasant Evening.

Musical. — The local brass band are now supplied with their instruments, and as they .lave been very busy learning the notations, etc., ilor the past few months, we all hope that the band will, under their energetic conductor (.Mr Kerr),. soon give us a taste of their ability. 'I don't think- the subscription lists are in ycfc, but,. l hope that the band's financial pogifcion will be found to be good. While on musical miatters, I might "remark that the Choral So-ciety-ale giving an invitation concert on Thursday, and as an exceedingly good bill of fare is Out, I hope to pass a, very enjoyable couple of, hours.

Patriotic. — The committee are very busy golfing things into order for the "Thanksgiving vliay, ' as we shall have to i/all it if peace ih ttot proclaimed. I have informally seen a- fc«" Nf the settlers in Goodwood and Flag Swarnu.

and also some of the Merton men, and ii om what 1 hear the project will be taken u>. vigorously in those out districts.