DRUMMOND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3006, 25 October 1911, Page 39

DRUMMOND.

October 21.—We have had about a week of very rough and stormy weather, Sometimes it got to be very cold, and those whose ewes had not finished lambing were dreading the effect it might, have. However, the ground was dry to begin with', and, it being rather showery than a steady downpour, there has been little or no loss. There is also an abundance of grass, which is early, and that has helped very much as a saving factor. Oops.—The early-sown crops are all looking well. All crops have brairded well, and ntTw appear to be strong and healthy. The birds have in some cases been pulling up the young shoots, and; I think it has been more noticeable; with Dun o.ats than with, shy, bartons. There is . quite sufficient moisture in the ground to carry-on the crops for. a month or more, provided we do not have the very high winds previously experienced. We had them before “this time last year, and up till now wo- have not bad anything to balk of in that way this year. Blossom. —There is a great show of blossom on. fruit trees of all kinds._ We had one night’s frost, which, it is believed, seriously affected the peach trees of those who happen to have any. Still, we have not had anything like the heavy frost experienced further north. The early potatoes-, are looking well, and. have not so far as I have heard, been in any way touched. Electioneering.—With the close of Parliament almost on us, we shall very soon be in the thick of the electioneering campaign in Wallace and Awarua. The candidates have so far been skirmishing on the outskirts; they have, so to speak, been trying their wings for more adventurous aerial evolutions. Mr Carmichael, for Wallace, has been to Riverton, _ and Mr James King to Otautau; and it is likely they will again visit those more important centres. In,, Awarua Mr R. Hamilton, as an untried colt, seems to have been making a good impression. Despite a rough and stormy night, ,he had a go<*3 meeting at Makarewa. Mr W. A. Morris went lame, and for a time got out of the running, but is, I think, in harness again. When Sir Joseph can safely leave Wellington to look after itself he will be bn their track, and following them up in his motor: They may have got a good start, but he will give them what Mr Dive threatens to give the Minister of Agriculture at Egmont, “ the run of his life.” I suppose they will pace it a little faster -when they find the motor at their heels. They will have to take the hint from an ex-mayor of Winton —“be slippy now, be slippy.” I should not be surprised- if we have a second ballot in both Awarua and Wallace. A Call.—The people of Drummond are very much exercised over losing their minister, the Rev. H. H. Barton, who is being translated to the charge at Maori Hill, Dunedin. He and Mrs Barton were farewelled at a social in the Calcium Hall on Wednesday evening, the 18th inst. Mr and. Mrs Barton have won their way into the esteem and affection of everyone throughout the whole district —so much so that, in spite of on© of the wettest and stormiest nights we have had this season, there was a large muster ; and if the weather had been at all favourable, the capacity of the hall would have been more tKan taxed. As it was, many from a distance could not venture out. The addi-esses by three of his co-Presbyters, the presentations made by the congregation as a whole, and the various organisations to Mr and Mrs Barton but faintly conveyed to them the sense of loss the congregation feel, and how highly they were esteemed by the community as a whole, especially by those who come into close touch with them in the work of the church.