Country News

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 16, 15 July 1893, Page 5

Country News

OREPUEI. Judging from the many -strangers who are nightly arriving here and* passing on, the Far West must have great attractions for would be settlers. If not a land flowing with milk and honey, it is at any rate a land abounding in splendid grass and turnips, as is evidenced by the trucks of splendid cattle and sheep that are continually leaving here, and fetching top prices in the open markets. There is also a good lot of work going on. The enterprising settlers are letting bush clearing contracts on all hands, while we have a large contingent of the unemployed busy road making in the lately opened blocks. We have another indication of coming prosperity —two branch banks, which open for business once a week, but will possibly, ere long, erect premises of their own, and keep open permanently. The shifting of the Orepuki school buildings is progressing fairly well now, and when finished will be quite an imposing feature on the flat. I hear that Donovan and Barry, the purchasers of the school glebe, are being handsomely rewarded for their pluck and perseverance. We had a very sudden death here on Friday last. A young man, named William Boyce, dropped dead on his, way home from Hirstfield. His body was found on Saturday morning, and at an inquest held on Monday at the Railway Hotel, a verdict of death from heart desease was returned. We are having beautiful weather —bright, frosty, and very cold. July 12th.