WAIROA (Hawke's Bay).

Otago Witness, Issue 3333, 30 January 1918, Page 23

WAIROA (Hawke's Bay).

January IS. —The annual average rainfall has been raised to 52in by the exceptionally wet season ended December 31, 1917. The total for the year was Coin. Christmas time was very fine, but both before and afterwards heavy rain was experienced. Carnival Week opened very inauspiciously; it ended just as unpleasantly. But tho middle of the week was fine, and, consequently, the carnival was a successful function. Carnival Week. —The programme for this was a varied and lengthy one. Races were advertised for Tuesday and Thursday, the A. and "P. Society's annual show for Wednesday, the Napier City Band arrived on Monday by the Tangaroa, and in addition to its engagements at the races and the show, annoiu-ccd nightly concerts. The usual side shows included a circus, a merry-go-round, and quite a numerous array of noisy and persistent entertainers of all sorts and conditions, whoso aim was to relieve theiT patrons of as much of their cash as possible. In addition a special effort was made by local organisations to raise funds in aid of the French refugees and the Red Cross. The weothcr prospects caused a rearrangement of the programme. The races were postponed to Wednesday and Thursday, and the show to Friday, and as the rain was succeeded by a few days of fine weather, there were big crowds at these. Freezing Works.—Slaughtering operations commenced' on the 3rd inst., but it is reported that there is a scarcity of fat stock in tho district. The extra storage accommodation is approaching completion, and as arrangements have been made for the disposal of a large part of last season's killing, the arrangements of the present year should not be a. difficult problem. General.—The presence of the 90 horsepower Curtis seaplane in JSlapier during the week between Christmas and New Year attracted a goodly number of Wniroa people, who were much Interested in the flights. The holding of the Bible class conference in Napier at the same time also brought down a number of Wairoa representatives. It is said that at no time ha 3 there been a bigger crowd of visitors in Napier. About New .Year a large number of soldiers were travelling: but, even omitting these, the holiday traffio both by boat and by train appeared to be almost as great.as in former years. Gardening.—Owing to the weather conditions the potato blight is very rampant again this year, and in spite of spraying many crops are so badly affected that the outlook is depressing. Onions, too, are badly affected;