ORMONDVILLE.

Waipawa Mail, Volume IX, Issue 881, 16 January 1886, Page 2

ORMONDVILLE.

[from our own correspondent.]

Tiie light rain which fell hereon Wednesday has done a great amount of good ; under its refreshing influence plants that but a few days since seemed to have arrived at the conclusion that this life was not worth living, have straightened their stems and seem to be making a struggle for existence ; there is an end also of all fear of further damage from the fire, which would havo continued to burn as long as a root [either of grass or free) remained unconsumed. There is still, however, a scarcity of water felt iu some parts of the settlement, and tlie thirsty soil has drunk up all the water that fell, hut now that the weather has once broken we may get enough to satisfy us before the weather permanently clears up. It would be a wise proceeding on tlie part of our township ; or rather on the part of its inhabitants, if they united and sank a well. MrGundrie has got a never-failing supply by sinking to a depth of 80 feet, tlie water rising 15 feet in tlie night following the event of the waters being met with. It would be out of the power of eacli one of those resident in the dry parts of the settlement to sink a well on his own property ; the more so as the ..foul air or “ choke damp ” causes much trouble before being overcome, but one good wel would answer the purpose in dry seasons. They have had a severe scare this time, and although the fires were got over by tearing off a portion of the roof in one or two cases, had the wind not changed suddenly, Ormondville would have been swept away. It is to be lioped that the lesson will not be altogether lost, and that some steps will be taken so as to have a supply of the first requsite for extinguishing fire always ready in the future. A fire nearly always calls out some deed of bravery, but in this instance I have heard of one case in which that most needful accompaniment of bravery, coolness, was shown in a remarkable degree. There happened to be one family engaged watching that the fire did not spread to their property, and at some distance there was a party of volunteers working ; having ended their labours iu the part where they were engaged, the volunteers paid a visit to the family above mentioned, and decided to help them to watch through the night. No sooner did this decision become known than the whole of the endangered family at once retired to rest, and slept calmly while the volunteers did the watching. I think that it would be difficult to find a cooler action than that.

I have heard of a case of burning out in which there was a very fair amount of insurance, and the family were grown up and away from home ; it is s iid that when the supply of blankets and clothing was very charitably sent up to the hush, that this man came forward and received a share of this charity. Now there is no doubt that the man was a loser by the fire, the insurance notwithstanding, but could scarcely be considered as an indigent person, and us such entitled to charity. Another case of a child placing an obstruction on the railway with intent to wreck a train was heard at the Ormondville Court on Wednesday. The parents seemed to be only too anxious to be relieved of the care of the child, who was just of the age when a father, who had

not been a weak one would have most desired to ket»p him near him (nine years) ; but the child did not seem to regret leavmg his parents ; in fact, he did not seem as if tine feeling had ever been encouraged in him. lam driven to the conclusion that it is better for the child and better for the State, that parent and child should he separated; while, no doubt, the father of the child is glad to have tlie care of the child removed from him, and the cost of providing for his offspring thrown entirely on other shoulders than his.