MOSGIEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 39

MOSGIEL.

February 17.—The long spell of dry ■weather has had the result of rbaKmg things look gioonay for wintei feed. Ihe turnip crop throughout the Taieri. which at one time looked verj promising, is likely to be largely a failure. Anyone driving round the Taieri must be saddened at the way which they are laid down by the blight. A number of farmers throughout the Taieri have lost hundieds of pounds this' season, and their : position ib anything but promising, as the ! prices of all products have gone back, and although the cereal crops have been pretty J good thioughout the district, owing to the i big drop in the price of gram the leturn | can scarcely make up lor the other losses. Grass is gethng pretty well burnt up, and > the season is too far advanced to expert j much relief, supjjosing ram does come. i School Matters —The Mo=giel District High School held their annual picnic on Saturday. The children and parents went to Dunedin by train., thence, to Quarantine Island by steamer. The day was all -that could be desired, and I am pleased to state everything ] went off without a hitch. Pipe-major fern- ' eron. of the Taieri Pipe Band, kept things ' pretty cheery. I congratulate the committee ' upon having all the arrangempnts so com- , plete. The childicn enjoyed themselves in , racing, skipping, etc They returned home early in the evening after a thorough good i day's enjoyment. The School Commttee ! have made a big improvement in the Gjmnasiurn Hall by putting a platform at the end of the hall, and a new piano has been placed on the platform. There have been two veiy • successful entertainments, the proceeds of which go towaids the payment of the piano, j and if the sarnie enthusiasm continues among I the residents and the School Committee I I am quite satisfied the piano will be oaid for by the end of the winter. I hope that the young people of Mossriel will have many , a n'ea^ant evening in the hall. ' Politics —Rumour has it that we shall t have a good supply of candidates for the next ] grereral election.election. However, I am in hopes that fhe number wxll be reducer] to t-wo --o j that their "hall be no call fcr thp Ab&olu^e i Majonty Bill, which, T understand, is like'y tn jo on to the Statute Book next s,e"ion. I Inhere it to be « r;ecessaiy ipeasuie; but. while that is the m^e, it must be an expensive one The prohibitionists are not rnakmsr much stir as yet throughout the Taien, and a= the licensees appear to be conductirg Iheir houses well, it seems to me they aiP | hkply fo hold then pie?ent position