RIVERSDALE

Otago Witness, Issue 2471, 24 July 1901, Page 31

RIVERS DALE

July 22. — The weatheT during the past mouth ha*, been of an extremely wintry nature, and iprmers have ma-dc but little headway with then work.

Gram Traffic. — There is still a deal of gram coining into the local railway station, and, stiange to say, trucks still appear to be very scarce. What the cause of this is, is very

hard to state, but of course the large anic-uivt of shipping at the Bluff may in a manner account foi it. I Export of Grain. — A laige number of in en have been employed at Messrs Tothill, Watson, | and Co.'s grain stores during the past month filling and despatching 80lb' bags of oats for ' shipment to South Africa. About 20,000 have

I been seat out, besides a lar-ge number of ordii nary bags. The price o? this cereal appears | to be steadily on the rise, and I hear that

, the Gore buyers were offerms; Is 7d on trucks, ; K-iversdale. on Saturday. Ihis is certainly

a highly satisfactory state of affairs, and should l be a good lift 'for farmers who have been for1 tunate enough to hold on to their grain. Stock. — Sheep, also, are gcod property at present Valedictory. — During the pa c t month oi six weeks we have been most unfortunate m losing I some of our most prominent and oldest resij dents. Mr W. A. Donald, who was the first ! to leave us, had been a resident of the plains I for some 30 years. He was tendered a complimentary s&cial prior to his departure, and pre- , sented with a well-lined purse of sovereigns by

, the residents of the district, and Mrs Donald ! was the recipient of a handsome Mosgiel traj veiling ru» from the ladies of the Sewing [ Guild. Mr and Mrs Donald sail for the old | country about the end of the present month, bearing with them our best wishes- for a safe i and pleasant voyage. — Mi Robert Kennedy, a \ prominent and successful farmer, who has . leased hia farms to his son», left about a forfci night after Mr Donald, and way the

recipient of a handsome travelling bag for him- | pelf and a beautiful Mosgiel rug for his quid wife from a few of his friends in the district, and the members of the Sewing Guild presented Mrs Kennedy with a handsome flower vase, — Mr D. J. M'Kay, a farmer in Wendor of some years' standing, was entertained by the residents of that district, and was made the recipient of a number oi handsome presents.

Patriotic. — Though we are but a small community, still we are not one whit lesa patriotic than the large towns, and when we found that _om representative in the fourth contingent, Troopei .7. Banks, was aboard the i'agus, safe and 6ound, we, as previously, ros» to the occasion, and arranged a capital and fitting reception to the trooper, which took the iform of a, social and dance, and came off on Friday evening in the Drill Hall. The hall was gaily decorated with flags, evergreens, etc., the work rf the committee and others, who deserve his»h credit foi the macner in which they carried out this work, toeether with all other

arrangements, everything passing off without a hitch. Air J. Gee \vsi a chairman, and was supported or. the «tage by the guest. Tiooiper Bank*, who is looking well and hearty. Mi James Kelly and ai>ont 16 other lctunicd tioopers were prp-ent at the invitation of the committee. Speeches h f re given by Messrs Gee and Kelly, the toinier lairK excelling himself on thi~ occasion. Songs were given by Misses Smaill and Wallace, and Messrs Tanner and Hushes and Mr A. fcj. Wallace recited in good °ty!e, '"K;ght to Kimberlcy." At the conchi3:on of the concert refreshments (provided by Mis Kellchar) were served on tlie stage, and the hail was cleaied foi dancr g, which was kept up till an early hour. Mr a; d Mrs Maigo, of Goie, provided the mi'sic. and Messrs Ferris and ftosa acted as M.Cs. The enteitariment wtis m all iespeet« a ln^'ih -successful afifau. and the leluincd tionper might we!! be proud of the large lumiber Ihnt turned out to help to make the function «ueh a great success. One word before c!( <=ing to expiess our appreciation of the manner m which the troopc-s behoved t'iemse!\es. Xothmg better fuuid hi vi-hed for, and they all conducted them=c 1 ve<» like gentlemen, which helps tc refiue the I'^a that all this fuss i& spoiling them.