RATANM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2571, 24 June 1903, Page 31

RATANM.

June 21. — "What dreadful weather'" 15 heard on lave-ry side; or, "Did you cv&r se-3 such a wet season as the last"'" It was not cold, but just a nasty, nns'.y, murky drizzle .which has besn the order of tho d2y for the past five, weeks, ■with an occasional frost — very sharp while it lasted, and not for more than 24 hours at a time. To-day the wind is from the S.W. — a complete charge — and showery. Most likely there will be snow now, and perhaps a change for the better. Roads. — JVeecj I say much about them, except that they are in a very sloppy state — anything but pleasant to walk on. Considering the w«t season, they might be considered good, as in pest years they hare many a time been, worse. There are really no very bad ho!e9 in the road, but it is anyfnmg but a pleasant trip to walk from Owaka to Ratanui after dark, or vice versa. Accident. — On Friday afternoon Mr Thomas Leal, sen., had a rather painful accident. He was sledging firewood with a horse, and a piece of timber fell off the sledge. He stopped the 1 horee, n.nd was m tiho act of lifting the stick when trhe animal started off. Ho jndeavoured to stop it, but in trying to catch the reins stumbled and fell, causing a dislocation 01 the shoulder. Dr Stanhouse was at once telephoned for from Balclutba, but it vras haifpast 10 o'clock before it was possible for him to ge!i io Eatanui, a»id Mr Le.vl's sufiexmg can easily be imagined. Seven hours is a long time when one is in great pain. However, he is now doing as well as can b* 1 expected under the circumstances. This is another case in which a great deal of suffering could have been saved had a doctor been living at Owaka, or had there been anyone- within, reach with a knowledge of ambulance work. En Route to the City. — A t;ip to Dtmedin after 12 years an<J a-liaLf spent in the bush 13 what a friend of mine has just experienced. iSTieedleaa to say, mrjiy alterations and improvements were noticeable oa the journey. To begin with, the train only came as far as Romshapa in those primitive days, and the mail was carried by coach from Balclutha. No loed was then open to Ratanui, and good<» end passengers had to be rowed in "flatties" up the lal.e to that centre. Oid tramways were ahrost the only way of getting to echool or church. New theio are partly-metalled roads, bridges, end the train runs to Ovraka every day, while tyro days a week lh«re are two traxn-9 each wcy. A groocJ-sizt<l township now stands wliers only gTass paddocks were to be seen in days goue by. In it are two gGod bnardi'.g houses, four B'.oie«, two butcher, a saddW, a po£t and telegraph office, and many excellent private residences. Lssving Owaka. by train, there is not much of interest ULtil Baldutha is xen-ched, wheie a shopping expedition was promptly stopped by the discovery that it wa3 the weekly half-bo. Say, andi the rain was coming down in ton en's. A slay of four hours was necessary U> <'a+ch tlie Clinton trail. 110-Tc-ver, a rather dull time was made mi'ch cheerier by the kindness of Host Vezey, where a very comfortable waiting room was placed at our disposal. What a capital promenatle tho nc.7 station at Balclutha foims. One wond-ers how ell the people find time to come thc-ie to meet both late and early trains. Hem-ever, time is up again at last, and we ars on "the south train one* more for a short journey to Kaihiku. Foot-warmers are to bo found on all trains now, ard a gieat boon they are to the travelling public. At Kaihiku kind friends meet t's, a.nd soon we ars. st horre around the " ingle neuk" at Greieu Hill, where it tot plea?ant stay was uwde. On looking rouet 5 . Kaihiku not much difference is noticeable dun'ug the p?st 20 year?, except t'^at nV'itations have grown cor=id?rab!y, ard a vtry nice chuTch has been erected : b-it ij the homes what changes a»o noticeable. Houses that v.-ere full to overflowing with jo.ng people arc now nearly rinptv. Mnnv I'avp pore to homes of their own ; somo of the older pcoi/.o havp gone 1o that Lourne whence there is no return. The sohoc'. which at one tmie fu"portetl a married teacher, has now only sufficient pupils to keep a lady teacher. Tliis is not saying much for the young peopiewuo have married and settled down in the places occupied by their forefathers, all of whom had larse families; but the fa&hion Feems t-o be only one or two in a family. No word^r Ihero are" complaints about the falling off of the birlh rate. At no place in all my journovinga did I see so much tussock as at Kaih'ku. 'Whether this »•» a sign of coed fa.rr.urg tr tha contrary I a'ia.ll leave to oder and wiser h<\-d} thui nuLe. Cor ( -uin'y m." l jy acre 3 could be turned to good account by breaking up and cropping.