MANDEVILLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3314, 19 September 1917, Page 23

MANDEVILLE.

September 17. —The weather—which concerns most people, and especially those who live away back in the country and gain a livelihood cultivating the eoil—has been all that could be wished for. Work on the farms is well forward in the majority of cases, although the labour difficulty is causing a lot of teams to be idle, and some farmers have failed to get assistance, and are at their wit's ends to know how they are to get their horsework done. Grass has not as yet made much growth. The cold easterly winds, with hard frosts, are keeping the land too cold, and those who have their turnips finished find their stock on short rations, and would willingly pay a good price for a fortnight's turnip feed, which is hard to get. The acreage going into cereals in this district will be short of the avetrage —not- because the prospects of a payable price are not bright, but because suitable labour ia not to be had; and the monthly drafts which are called up for active service are telling a sorry tale as far as work in the conn try districts is concerned. The trouble is: The war goes on—the progress is very slow. It must be won, which means men, more men, and still more men, and to supply the required number of men and to leave suit-able labour that our Dominion may produce up to the limit is causing our statesmen a lot of concern just now -»

Send-off.—Last week Private O'Connor was entertained in the Public Hall, and presented with a wristlet wa*ch while on final leave. The attendance was large, as might well be expected, as Pat was well liked by everyone, and is going back for thd second time, having been invalided homo from the Peninsula, regained his health, volunteered again and accepted, and shortly leaves for France.