PUERUA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2520, 2 July 1902, Page 39

PUERUA.

Juno 27. — We have had a rerrrrkab'y mild wirter tip to date. We had :i short spell of Tugh weather a while since nnd f"ow on the 1 ills, but very little srow on the lower pround. Wo ha-vc since had a course of dry, mild weather, a day occasionally at noon being like summer weather There has not been much haTd f'ost, except one night, when it was very sc\ere.

The Crops — The harvest seems to have turi eel out better than ;t was anticipated it j wou'd do. Ths amount of damage done Ly j the heavy lain is not bo much as it was thought I it would be. A poition of the oats and ptraw J are somev.hat discoloured, but probably the I rtvurn3 will be up to the a'-era^e, and the j hiph price of oats at piesent ruling is an off-set for the damage done. Those more forward with their ciops did best. Some of the crops wera stacked, aid pome even threshed, while foirc* were yet in stook ar.d some not cut, when tho flood came. There was capital harvest veather till the rr>d of March or beginping of April, at which lime thrre is often wet weather. It seems to me that expedition is the secret, or one of the secrets, of good i

advantage of the present dry weather to get a good deal of ploughing done, but others do not seem to have got a plough on the land yet. No doubt the weather is uncertain here, but as a general rule I think it is seasonable — more rain in spring, and drier weather in autumn. There is a very good crop of turnips this season, and potatoes have fared well, not having been injured much by frosts. Rabbits, though not quito so numerous as in summer, are still plentiful, and doing mischief. Th 9 time of breeding will now soon be on, when we shall have a fresh supply.

Clearing Sale. — Mr Alexander Petrie, one of the first settlers here, seems to think he has had enough of farming for the present, and has just let his farm to young Mr William Dalgleish. He had a very good sale of stock, etc., one horse selling for £46, and cows selling up to £9 10s.

Our Roads.— The roads sre in fair condition for this time of the year, the dry weather being favourable for them. I noticed a surfaceman sorting the metal lately, but I think it is high time the water-tabes should be cleared out again. I shou'd like once more to call attention, to the necessity of laying two or three chains of metal on the road near Mr Dent's ford across the river. Nothing has yet been done towards matung a, roa-d through the Jew's Bush. I hope this wo-k will not be lost sight of, as thi3 road would be highly advantageous, and is much required.

Obituary. — Several of the older settlers here have lately died — Mr James Robertson, aged 89 years, and his wife, aged 93; Mr Alexander Johnston and Mr John Tolrnie, who, with his brother Thomas, was on« of tho first settlers here ; Mi Thoma3 Wilson, late of Catlins River, who, with his father, William Wilson, for a long timo in the earlier days vas a shoemaker, and kept the post office at Puerua. While attending Mr Petrie's tale he caught -a severe cold, -which carried him off very quickly. His father died a few months sinee — I think in the North Island. Dr Smith, who died lately at Balc'.utha, will be missed here. He seems to have been considered a very kindly man.

Social. — Something like the old sixpenny readings have lately been instituted here, to meet once a month — singing, recitations, and music. I hops they will prove a success, a3 they are calculated to do some good.