MARTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2666, 19 April 1905, Page 35

MARTON.

April 11 — Harvesting is almost over in this district. Some of the oats were fairly good, but a large quantity were very poor. For the last few weeks the farmers have had a busy time reaping, stooking, and leading in, but now they can look at their stacks with a sigh of relief. Poor bunny will get a bit of attention now, I suppose. I hear that most of the potatoes are affected with the blight •or potato disease. Judging from the appearance of the grass at present, the feed for animals will be very scarce this winter. It is to be> hoped the turnip crop will be plentiful. The milk supply at the creamery is rapidly becoming less. It seems as if winter is not far off, as the last few nights were quite frosty. The yellow leaves strewing the ground and the. red hip and haw berries in the hedges tell us autumn will soon be gone.

Obituary. — The sudden death of a young man occurred here a week ago. He was only about two days ill. Not in ihe autumn of his life, not as a ripe sheaf, was he taken, but i»\ the early dawn of his nianhod. Medic." 1 ! aid was procured, and all that was possible %vas done by loving friends, but in vain. Ine word had gone forth, '"Thou shalt die, and not live." Much sympathy is felt in the neighbourhood for his parents.

Ecclesiastical. — We are greatly bles=ed hero as regards religious services on the Sabbath day. In the morning the Primitive Methodist missionary from Waikouaiti has a. meeting in the school : then in the afternoon the Presbyterian Church services are held. This is a. t cry pretty little building, surrounded by pine trees, with the graveyard close by. The Rev. Mr Finlayson is the minister. He has given the best of his years to this place and people, and is a most excellent preacher. In his sermons there is plenty of food for thought. There is a quiet earnestness in his voice, which, though not loud, is clear and distinct. A young lady fulfils the duty of organist tcs both services, and comes a long way. Wot woather or fine, she is at her post — j> rebuke to Mine of us, who oltc-n feel too Ui-.y or too tired to go to church, forgetting that a iittlo self-denial is good for us.