OTARA NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 22009, 8 May 1933, Page 2

OTARA NOTES

(From Our Correspondent.) To augment tire funds of the church the home mission charge of the Otara, Tokanui and Waikawa circuit held a successful sale of work in the Otara Hall on Wednesday, evening. Mr Dyason, home missionary, opened the sale of work in the afternoon, and in the evening he called on Mr Golden, of Fortrose, to officially open it. Items were given by Mr Millar (concertina solo), Mrs Kempson (songs), and Mr G. Martin (songs). At the conclusion of the evening every article was sold and with several cash donations the takings exceeded all expectations, over £34 being realized. The flag five-hundred tournament run by the Football Club last Tuesday evening was won by Miss Ann Jennings and Messrs E. and P. Millar. With the prospects of good bags for the opening of the duck shooting season, sportsmen were disappointed as ducks were hard to decoy in. The morning, though dull and wet earlv, soon cleared and a beautiful day followed. No bags of any size were obtained, six ducks being the best average for a group of four guns. With the very inclement weather during the past few weeks the rnilk supply to the local factory has rapidly decreased and the season in all probability will be much shorter than usual. The supply at present is 1100 gallons daily. During the past week the directors disposed of the balance of the season’s unshipped cheese at 4£d. per lb. The month o£ April was one of the wettest experienced and the heaviest rainfall was recorded for any one month since recordings have been taken in this district, over the past eight years. Rain fell on 21 days, totalling 8.79 in and exceeding that of February by 2.18 in. The heaviest day’s fall was on the 2nd. With I.6in. The barometer was very low over the whole month, falling to 28.9 on the 23rd., the highest reading being 30.3 on the 6th. The total rainfall for the four months is 21.10 in., rain falling on 54 days. The death occurred at Otara on April 24 of Mrs John Casey at the age of 74 years. The late Mrs Casey was born in County Cork, Ireland, coming out to New Zealand at the age of 17, and landing at Lyttelton in the year 1876. She went on to Timaru and found employment there, and also at Geraldine for a few years. There she met her late husband who predeceased her by seven years. They were married at Temuka in the year 1881. Mr and Mrs Casey then decided to take up farming and journeyed south. They decided to make their future home at Otara in October, 1882, the year after the Tararua wreck at Waipapa and they resided there ever since. Taking over the land in its virgin state, they carved out their home along with the rest of the early pioneers 51 years ago. Mrs Casey was known for her hospitality and was ever ready and willing to give a hand in sickness. There was a family of eleven. Three sons, John, Patrick and William, paid the supreme sacrifice in the Great War. She is survived by four daughters and four sons—Mrs Danis O’Brien, Lilbume, Miss Mary Casey, Auckland,.. Sister Casey, Stewart Island, Miss Nellie Casey, Otara; Messrs Robert, Haldane, Jeremiah, Fortrose, and Con and Denis, Otara.