WETHERSTONES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2436, 21 November 1900, Page 33

WETHERSTONES.

November 19.— The Prince of Wales's Birtbday was a gala day with the volunteers at the Wetherstones butts. Forty members of the local corps were shooting all day, -from early in- the morning till dusk, the distances beingfrom 200 yds to 500 yds. Th targets are in a very safe but conspicuous place — so conspicuous that there is a very good view of them from. the school, distant about ISOOyds. I-was told that the 'targets can bs seen frm a point on the Waitahuna road, about twe miles irom Lawrence, at a bend of the road called the Devil'a Elbow. Bunny. — The young rabbits are very plentifuT at present, though the cats kill a lo* of them. Tho3e who had the poisoning of the commonage did not take long over it oi take much?., trouble, either. Pollard poison was ÜBed, buf; instead of -, sod being turned up and two or; v three pellets put down, I v.-a*. told that it tHS£

put down in'handfuls, and that on the roads. ''Seine of the> settlers are complaining about it, ' * fearing that their hens may be poisoned ; the poison being thrown down .close to their houses. It is surprising how the sheep escape being poisoned, the commonage being overrun with them at times. School.— The Wetherstones school was examined by Inspector Fitzgerald on the 2nd November. The children acquitted themselves very well, and the teacher (Miss L. Cameron) deserves credit for the way she has brought them on, there being 100 per cent, of passes for five months' teaching, although in that time some of the children were absent through sickness and the whooping cough. There were 26 ( childien present on examination Say, ten of ( them being in the Infant Class. One child in ) *the First Standard was absent, oi\the percent- j age of attendance would have been higher. j - Weather. — The weather during the past fort- : night has been rough, wet, and boisterous ; with • a few fine days thrown in. The holiday on the ' 9th Vas fine, with the exception of a slight shower at noon. Late in the afternoon it was "blowing from N.W., hut fine. The next mornnig there %as thunder, rough showers through- i out the day, and a S.W. gale at night. Last ] ■week there was rain on every day— heavy at times. The 13th and the following day were the ■worst, there being rain, hail, and snow showers from S.W. Last Friday was- the only day in the week that kept fine throughout, but at night lain set in. The following' morning the wind - r - changed, to S.E., bringing up heavy, rain, which ! - lasted nearly 30 hours — the longest spell of rain ' ■we have had here for some time. . All the creeks ; ■were in flood, and the coach or express could f 'not get in from Waipori, as it was stopped at " every creek, there being too much water to cross "in safety. On Sunday forenoon the wind changed to S.W., wheitv it began to clear. . Volunteers. — The Tuapeka Mounted Yohui- s teers were expected to go into camp on Satur- } i day at 5 p.m.,. but- they- had -to postpone it till the following day, when they got the tents (29 in. number) erected. The Waipori section arrived on Saturday on horseback. A horse could cross , Reedy Creek where an express would be swept away. The Waipori contingent had to *' doss down " in the Volunteer Hall for that night. I have heard some men hoping that it •would be wet and dirty weather when the volunteers were camped-out. They have had' their ■wish gratified so far, and by appearances are likely to^ »• haw it gratified during ;the week. TKe-, cherishing such a ."desire' is .worthy " ( of only a 'mean mind. - \\ Miscellaneous. — The barometer was low arid ■unsteady aIJ last' week, and the lowest reading, • -of thermometer was 44deg at ,7- a.m. on the 14th, • the highest 80deg at noon of the 16th, it being close and hot for a few hours, oru that day. The rainfall for October was 2.3 in. There are cold S.W. showers v to-day. . •