SOUTH MARLBOROUGH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 36

SOUTH MARLBOROUGH.

Lower Conway. March 25. — We returned to Birchde'l to find the ferny, tussocky hills silent still, lulled by the solemn river sound and the slow, ominous roll of the sea. A light nor'--westerly wind 1 blew on Wednesday and Thursday, a sou- westerly cloud drifted up over us on Thursday evening, and light showers fell yesterday — otherwise, the past week was mild. It is a very stilly place. The tender wind from the sea, steals up over the fern; gently aways the dark birches and manuka, and rustles the long ciew-wet grasses. But very slowly the fern is eradicated from the valley, ■nd here we seem to be on the borders of the Xvild *nd far from the restlessness of the times. It is good to go back in spirit to the early days, and to realise that with all our progress there is nothing like the spirit of ieceptivene3s that finds pleasure, beauty, joy r>y quiet, almost desolate ways.

Children in Dairying Districts. — A correspondent with the courage of strong convictions Writes to me : "Don't you think that in some parts of New Zealand we make slaves of the children? I know that in many dairying districts young children are set to milk cows Lefore and after echoal. Why, to make a few more pence, are the children robbed of their birthright — a happy childhood? In jnany instances these children toil night and jnoming, go long distances to school, and on Saturdays are sent to the nearest town for maxsic lessons, with the idea drubbedi tuto them that they are better off than were their parents before them. Why should the children sweat to help to buy those luxuries we eculd very well do without? I think it would be better for us, as a people, if we lived more .plainly, rlressed more plainly, and spoke more plainly, did avray with the sham and the false, and Were true men and women!"

Mr W. P. James established a record at }he Masterton Court recently, 36 cases — 16 )ivil and 20 criminal, including five indictable offences — being dealt with in two hours Hud a-half.

The peach crop in the Paraparaumu disirict, Wellington, this year has been very poor, and tomatoes have also come forward - only in small quantities. The pear trees lire laden with fruit, au3 the crop of plums has also been lar^e*