WAITAHUNA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2690, 4 October 1905, Page 40

WAITAHUNA.

September 2 9. — After a continuance £f fine -weather, unprecedented for this time of year, a change took place on Wednesday, the 20th, and, with the exception of one day, it- has been raining off iuid on ever since, finishing up, so far, last night -with a fall of snow, the ground this morning (Friday, 29th), at the time of writing, "laving a coat of several inches ia. places, a cold, piercing wind from tli« W.W. driving up aram and sleet, spelling death to the newlyborn lambs. Many of the settlers hava already suffered heavy losses during the past •week from the effects of the cold rains, but tvhat will be the outcome of the present snow fetorm time alone will tell. All outdoor farm jgojk has, of course, been at a standstill for ttepast eight or nine days. She Waitahiina Horticultural Society ia to

hold its spring show in the early part of the coming week, but the prospects of a successful display of flowers are at present not very encouraging. The Qtago Farmers' Co-operative Association, Dunedin, has finally decided to erect cattle and sheep yards on portion of the Waitahuna Farmers' Club Show Ground; but as the ground is leased 7 and there are conflicting interests involved, it was resolved at the last meeting of the club that the sub-committoe appointed at last meeting be empowered to deal with the matter. The secretary also r-e- ' ported, that the county engineer had been down inspecting the road between Mr Auld's and the club's property with the view of having it opened up to facilitate the carting of timber for the erection of the yards.

The coming county elections are causing a bit of a flutter, and some angry feeling is being displayed by partisans; but from all I can hear I do not think there is likely to be any change in the Waitahuna Riding, as the present representative (Mr F. Oudaille) is, I learn, a velry 'old stager, and one whom it would be difficult to unseat, all attempts in that direction in the past having failed.

Mining matters are very quiet, a number of men being out of work through the closing down of the Gordon dredge. Negotiations for the purchase of the dredge by a- syndicate have up to the present been unsuccessful.