POMAHAKA DOWNS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 1 July 1903, Page 39

POMAHAKA DOWNS.

June 26 — During the last fortnight we have hrd some frosty nightc and fine days; but last Sunday and Monday evenings there were seen »c\eral flashes of sheet lightning in the skies, foreboding a coming ttorm, and it osrae on Wednesday afternoon, the air beirg bitterly co.d, accompanied by snow showers , whilst on Thursday the ground was covered with a blanket of snow, but as I write tho sun is pruring down his warm rays, and the snow is fast disappearing.

Agriculture.— Ploughing is at present out of th.' que^t.on on sKihMc laid, but lea ground is being turned over whore the settlers have bren fortunate in getting their grain away Thr mill just finished threshing at the lower end a week ago, but I fear the settlers there vill be unable to cross the liver to get over with their gTain to the boat on the Molyneux. Here again crons up the most important question of the bridge. It is no farther ahead than \ r.en settlers were induced to take up land thn-p more than nine years ceo by the Gove-n-imnt marking on the plan nf thr estate, "Site IT a bndpe." To cart the grain to Waipahi ;s, 1 should say, almost impossible, unless they make night and day work of it Besides, the clay Toads v ill not s'an(!> any carting in wet weather. I had occasion to br> carting on a nart o[ the road a fpw days a<;o, and I said to nutdf '"It would break my heart to have to tart my grain over this." I know there are

other places just as badly off for roads, but that doesn't mend matters. If the Government were to economise in other directions ..they could all be metalled. For instance, how many chains could have been motalled with the money spent in tie late parliamentary trip to the Islands?

Threshing. — Ad I said above, the mill is finished at the lower end, andi was pulled m on Wednesdiy last to our neighbour, Mr Diver's, on_the Low«r Wairuna estate. The storm just coming on that evening, no work could be done till to-day. After Mr Trussler finishes there ha will be very welcome with hia chaficutter, for there is a sort of mill famine amongst some of us for chaff. Schoo] Matters.— lt is very pleasing to ho able to note that at last a teacher has arrived to instruct our little ones. The plucky young lady who has dared to come out to tlie' back blocks is Miss Beattie, daughter of a former teacher here, but- who was removed to Waikoikoi. After a considerable amount of talking, writing, visits from the Education B«' 1, and deputations to the Education Board, I understand that our neighbours on the Lower Wairuna Settlement are going to get the Wairuna School shifted to a point nearer to them. This will, I am sure, be especially gratifying to Messrs M'lndoe Bros.

Co-operation Amongst Farmers. — Who would h»ve thought such a thing possible ; few years ago? But we are going to have it. It oaly meana a matter of a little time to get things properly arranged. The Farmers' Union has di ought this about, and the leaders — those behind the soanes, I might say— ere gradually bringing the matter to a point. Some have said to mo, "What is the Farmers' Union doing? It has done no godfl to me. The Fanners' Union has done a great deal, and will do a great deal more yet, and every farmei should nmke a point of belonging to it. There is a prospect o! getting a course of lectures on veterinary surgery by a qualified man to ay ' Clinton branch, and this should prove mo interesting.