OTAGO.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 803, 21 December 1870, Page 4

OTA G O.

(From the .Daily Times.) With respect to agricultural matters in the Merton district our correspondent writes : — "I am glad to be able to say that, owing to the recent continuous rain, the harvest anticipations are . encouraging. - The crops sown early in the season, and which got the start of the dry weather, are, beyond comparison, looking best. In some few cases harvest will he late, Bowing not having been done until the late moistening showers prepared .the soil vonew." C The reception of the Southland representatives on. their return to Invercargiil is thus described by the News of the 10th inst.:— By the aid of the bellman and a few ardent spirits a" demonstration was got up yesterday onl the arrival bf the Southland members at the Railway Station. Messrs Wood, Kinross, and Toshack were lustily hissed and hooted on account of their action relative to the extended boundaries, while their confreres came in for marks of approval. The scene was very discreditable to its projectors, who appeared to be acting on the principle of " hang first and try afterwards. l^? The road-steamer, which was driven to the Forbury Park on Monday morning, in order to roll the course there, sank soon after entering the park gates in tbe soft soil, which in parts is almost a shaking bog. After it had been dug out, it was taken on to the course, which appeared to be firmer, but which was found' to be almost equally soft. The result was that the steamer, after proceeding a short distance, sank through the sand and swampy ground, which was rendered still wetter by the rain that bad just fallen, up to the coal boxes. It was. being extricated yesterday, evening, and when got out, will be brought back to town. A Riverton correspondent writes :— '* In the Jacob's River Hundred the crops generally (especially the early sown wheat) are, under the effect of the late auspicious rains, looking remarkably well. There is a considerable increase in the breadth of land under cultivation this season, chiefly oats. A much larger space is sown with turnips tban hitherto. As a whole, the agricultural interests are progressing throughout the district. Our great want is roads, as previously the most difficult task, has been to bring the grain to market. We trust this evil may soon be partially remedied, as farmers are bestirring themselves, anxiously desiring to see tbe work in progress previous to the ensuing winter.'. ,The Volunteer movement in the province haß received a great impetus during the last two or three months, as will be seen from the following figures :— ln the beginning of September, the total number of Volunteers of all ranks enrolled in the province was 770. By the latter end of October this number had increased to 883, and at the close of November to 1117, being ah increase of 234 during the season. , The increase is chiefly made up aB follows: — Clutha Rifles, 104; Hampden Rifles, 1 45; Cadets, 30; Port Chalmers Naval Brigade, 30; West Taieri Rifles, 17; Waikouaiti Rifles, ls ; Bruce Rifles, 15; the remainder being .made up of accessions to the various other companies. In addition to tbis, companies are being formed at Lawrence, Naseby, and Queenstown, the total strength of the three being already about 200 men. These companies having been recommended to be gazetted shortly, there will soon be, doubtless, this additional number to add to the roll, together with the number of those who may subsequently join these corps. An interesting exhibition was on view yesterday in the New Post-office, or as we observe, it ' is now termed the University Bnilding. The exhibition consists of a number of sketches executed by tbe pupils at the Government School of Art, and is a satisfactory evidence of the excellence of the tuition imparted there. Considering the short period during which the school has been in operation, Mr Hutton must be, congratulated upon the progress made by_his pupils, some of whose productions give . evidence of considerable talent. The* sketches consist of drawings in pencil, chalk, and water-colours, and there is also one oil painting, representing a pastoral scene; which is very nicely executed. The water-colour sketches are also very pleasing, the coast' scenes especially showing both spirit and finish.. Several of the chalk heads are worthy' of praise, but perhaps the most creditable specimens exhibited are the drawings of mechanical subjects, some of which are executed with an* ' excellence that is really surprising. /-i'ILD .'.) Yesterday,, the officials of the Telegraph Department presented a very handsome rosewood writing desk, accompanied with a testimonial, to Mr A. H. Lakeman, the accountant of that department, who is about to leave Dunedin for Christchurch, on account of illhealth. The testimonial, which iB a neat

specimen of caligraphy, was written by Mf T. Muir, arid runs as follows:—" New Zealand Telegraph Departmen^'Duhedin, December 12tb, 1870— A: H. Lakemain, Esq— Dear Sir, —As you are about fo'b'e transferred to Christchnrch, we cannot allow you ' to depart from amongst us without expressing our regard and appreciation of your amiable and generous disposition, which we have had many opportunities of observing during, the time you have been in this office — a period of nearly five years. We regret exceedingly that ill-health should be the cause of your leaving us, and sincerely trust the more genial climate .of the North maybe the means of speedily restoring you to health. We beg you to accept the accompanying writing desk as a token of our esteem — With best wishes for your welfare, „. believe us, yours sincerely."— Here foliowtne signatures. Our East Taieri correspondent, writing bn Monday, says : — " The weather during the past week bo^vfieeri vers favourable to the farmers, generally speaking, as tbe slight warm showers' have had a beneficial effect on the crops. Before the rain fell everything was beginning to fade, but now all nature looks glad. Tbe crops look very well, and potatoes also seem healthy, being of a very

deep green hue where they have not suc--1 cumbed to dry rot, or been injured by being heated in the pit before, they were cut for seed. The curing of the potato crop in the fall is worthy of more attention than is usually bestowed upon it, and would be rewarded by fewer blanks. Turnips have brairded well, and fine strong plants are coming up, owing to tbe moist weather, but a very small fly (not the aphis) has attacked them, and is taking them totally away in many places, cutting off the root and leaving the top to wither. What few carrots have been sown this year are looking very well on land properly prepared. Ryegrass hay iB ready for cutting, and a few farmers had commenced to cut it before the rain set in. but now all work of this kind is suspended until the weather takes up again. There is not the same breadth of this crop this year as compared with former years."