KAKARAMEA.

Patea Mail, 9 November 1880, Page 3

KAKARAMEA.

(from our correspondent.") Monday Evening. Many persons here of late have been greatly troubled with rats. A wholesale slaughter of these pests has been effected in a curious manner. At Mr M'Rae’s boiling down establishment, a large tallow cask, unintentionally baited with peas, proved an excellent trap. One of the men having occasion to visit the shed, heard an unearthly squealing, and going up to the cask found it nearly half-full of the rodents, some fighting and others vainly trying to escape. Finding a bill-hook he set to work with good will, and after a 45 minutes sanguinary encounter singlehanded, had the satisfaction of destroying no less than 75 of his small antagonists. I am afraid there will be great mourning

among the “sisters and cousins and aunts of the slain. I am informed that the cultivation of linseed is likely to become an important feature in this district. As both soil and climate are well adapted to its growth, it is reasonable to expect that linseed will turn out a profitable speculation, especially if a good market can be found. Kakarameans seem to have been singularly fortunate at the agricultural show. Mr R. B. Pearce took a very fair share of prizes for stock. A lady too was equally successful in exhibiting dogs. Mr Clover’s model of a turbine wind-power flour-mill attracted a great deal of notice. It was made on a scale of one inch to the foot, representing a building three storeys high* exclusive of the space for the wind wheel. The mill was furnished with one pair of stones, silk dresser, smut machine, sack hoist, elevators, and all the working plant of a good mill ; and all working with exactness and speed. Though there are several kinds of horizontal wind wheels in use, this, it is believed, stands quite alone as regards the construction of the wind wheel ; those wheels in common use being mostly adapted to pumping and not for driving heavy machinery. Mr Clover has studied to get a wheel sufficiently powerful to drive a mill, and also to overcome the many obstacles connected with vertical sails. The wind passing through his wheel acts in such a manner as to press towards the periphery, giving a great leverage power at the ends of the radial arms, and so securing the best results* The advantages claimed for this wheel are its regularity of speed, as governors will be attached to regulate the force of the wind ; its non-liability to got out of order, the wheel being protected by vanes all round the tower. Taking the wind at any point, makes the wheel suitable for brewerias, farm buildings, &c.