SPAR BUSH (Southland)

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 39

SPAR BUSH (Southland)

February 5. — The holidays have only just passed away, and already tfie hwe<=t is upon us. Last year in this district vt began at about the same time, but the grain was scarcely so ful.y ripe. Owing to the dry weather the crop will prcbab y not turn out so h»avy as it looks. The small birds have been very much m evidence this season, and their incessant plundering mu,t seriously diminish the general result. Bird-nestirg used to be considered a favcu^te pursuit of boys and girls, and in old times strong measures had to be employed to check what ■was tßen accounted a wicked pa=time. Nowadays, when wp are forced to encourage birdnesting, even 2d « dozen for eggs seems not to be a strong enough inducement. The other day I was shown a macrocarpa tree crowded with nests from top to bottom. Out of it oyeT 100 egprs hod been taken, besides jouug birds, by the owner in one day. The Weather.— Rain has begun to fall today, and as the turnips were languishing for •want of moisture, it wi 1 be beneficial, though harvesting will be checked durin" its continuance.

School Picnic —On the 23rd ult our annual school picnic was held at Colac. the children and their parents and friends being conveyed to that beautiful biy by train The day was fine, but very windy. A= , however, there was plenty of shelter, all enjoyed themselves very much

Tie Public Hall.— lt has been suggested that c musical instrument shoti^d be procured for the Spar Bush Hall, as without some addition of that nature the building is not of much lire. For some reason or other travelling entertainers se'dom visit this locality. It might be worth the while- of the executive of the New River Library to establish in the Spar Bush Hall a. branch of their institution, and thus make their own library more widely useful and at the sarnie time find a Suitable receptacle for their surplus books.