OREPOKI.

Southland Times, Issue 19134, 26 August 1903, Page 4

OREPOKI.

We havo -been enjoying a spell ot glorious weather lately, but -unfortunately glorious weather is not ,an unmixed blessing, as' the bard frosts 'and 'sunny days dry up the water supply very fast, and mining suffers. Spring, is fairly on us, trees are beginning to bud, and grass shows a slight spring. Since my last, death has visited us and taken two familiar. . figures : away, viz., Mrs H. McQuillan, and Mrs I*. Zellie, the latter : a very old colonist and resident in.Orepuki for;3o years. On Saturday last a team ol footballers from Gdlac tried/: conclusions with the Orepuki team and. were beaten by 34 to nil. * Our local sawmillers ara very busy, and ~a large quantity of timber is being sent away. Flaxmillinig ' Is an industry lately started here quite' close to Hirsffield, and seems to .be., doing very well. Whore the mill now is there is not very much flax, but tho proprietors hove secured the right of a largeZ , area near Pahia Point, to which the plant will bo shifted when the present patch is cut out. - - - - Some of our oldest settlers ; havo left hero for tho North Island, and the auc- J tioneera have been busy selling out their belongings at prices that can not be called very satisfactory. Chinamen, are slowly and binely acquiring important mining interests here, both by purchase and lease. Evidently they have faith in Orepuki as a promising Held for their enterprise, if Europeans havo not; Threshing and chafl-cutting have been iv fell swing "during 'the fine weather, and will soon bo finished for the season. The O .B, : Uand gave. ■ a.- promema.de coucort on Saturday, evening-, and showed great., progress uj'the few" selections they Played. They had r a largo concourbe of listeners.