WAKA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 35

WAKA.

June 16. — Up t the iast week or so tho weather lias been extremely mild — so rand indeed, hss it been that the volets an>l primroses and some of tlie native sinubs aie in bloom. The other day I noticed a beautiful shiub of veronica in full bloom, and i-i another place a piant jf manuka. Al! Jus is changed' now, and we are having iioais and rain alternately. The farmei is lookii'g forward to a long spe-H'of frost, so that he may ;w.oceed with his ploughing. Obituary. — Sirre my las!: m.otLex of tLe dsai old faces lias riis-appearcd Irom our midst. Mrs Scott, mother 01 Mrs Gieen, of this district, met with an accident &cmc six mouths ago, in which hei thigh was broken ; but I am el?d the poor old lady did not seem to suffer much, andl passed away peacefully at the advanced age of 86 years. The funeTal took place here last wesk, and was conducted by Mr Heaven, Baptist minister. — Iv painful contract to this was i!i» death of a little girl named Mjry Berrje;% who passed away just; before Mio Scott, al tka esriy age of 10 years. Ir.nainn.alio'i a;tackec! the little girl, whe was not over-slroip;, ami a'ic died a lingering- deatli. Much sympathy - .'.=» felt for the parents m thus losirg t!i '.." '.. torn. New Line. — Friday was qtufc -i ?«'-■ i'< r - : our little village, when ras exipjis ca !..••- to Ratanui was opened. The S". 1- ooi children n?.C* a holiday, and 1 they, 'iloiig v.-ith rp.ar.3- o Vurs from all uarts cf the district, were given a f reft lide to Ratanui (oi Catlm's River as ibo i,ew station is called) and back again. W<-> all k^owthat the line was » vsry rough one and very difficult to form, but I think we all get » surprise when Sir Joseph WarJ, in his speech, at the terminus, announced that the three and a-haJf miles had cost £2-3,000. The excursion. tTain which came from Dunedin for the opening: was not well patronised, there only being about 100 passengers picked up on the way. This was doubtless owing to the short notice given. {•■> the public. I beheve the line will not be open for traffic ifor some time, as the river 13 too high to allow the- 'ballasting to be finished.