Country News

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 3, 21 April 1894, Page 12

Country News

LAKE NOTES. [From our own Correspondent.] The weather has been fine for the last two weeks, notwithstanding the mountains around have a good winterly covering of snow, and-we have had a slight coating of white frost for Several mornings, which shows that winter is fast breaking upon us. Mining matters- at Skippers are looking better, and the Phoenix mine, which has been tranquil so long, is puttingout very good stone in fact, better than it has done for years. May it long continue so. Several other small claims at Skippers are looking well. A number of local miners intend making off for Coolgardie, where, as many fondly suppose, a fortune can be made at once. Harvesting is about finished now, *nd the threshing mill is at work all around. There have been some very good yields, but the low prices offering are not very encouraging to the farmer. There are also some very good crops of barley, for which a better price can be obtained. Deer-stalking is becoming quite the rage over at Hawea, where deer are said to be very numerous. We can grow fine apples in this part. I saw a dessert apple, grown from a young tree, that weighed 26|ozs., and five cooking apples weighing in the whole 51b. 3oz. In fact we have gone so far as growing a “twin" apple and a “ triple” potato. Wonders will never cease! The Rev. Mr Coates, of Dunedin, has :been appointed Anglican minister in this district.—The Rev. Mr Perryman left on Monday morning for his new* sphere of labour Eketahuna. He received- a hearty send-off in the' shape of a coffee supper and the presentation of a sum of mone}*. Mr D. A, Brodie, the draughts champion, will be in the district shortly, when he intends to play several of the local “ celebrates,” The footballers are holding their meetings in the various towns around us, and, I suppose, will soon be on the warpath. April 16.