Local Intellingence.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 429, 27 January 1875, Page 2

Local Intellingence.

We have much pleasure in acjain drawing attention to the annual childten's pic-nic to be held on Friday next. Our readers will reiuember that after last year's pic-nic, it was proposed to do away with the numerous local feats .and gatherings' in connection with the day schools anil Sunday schools, and to replace them by the Union Pic nic. The proposal met with very general acceptance from both teachers and parents, and with the exception of a gathering of the Blue Spur children on New Year's Day, there have been no children's pic-nics yet held in the district. We understand that the Wetherstones, Clark's Flat, and Evan's Flat Committees have all fallen in with the scheme most heartily, and that conveyances have been offered for the use of the children from the&e places. Arrangements have also heeu made for conveyances to start from the Blue Spur, so that a very large gathering is anticipated should the weather prove fine. Mr. Humphrey has kindly consented to allow the grand stand to remain until after the pic-nic, an acquisition of vesy great value to the Committee.

However much Otago may have progressed, the hardships of the early pioneering days are not altogether unknown. At least from the description a correspondent gives us of the shearing operations of a Mount Benger sheepist we draw some such conclusion. The " Home Station." an old diggers hut, has for the nonce to officiate as a woolshed, where the shetp are draughted from the hall to the kitchen, and shorn in the drawing room, passing thence to the conservatory wbuie the enterprisingsheepjst^ who is also a Member of Parliament, has rigged a box for wool pressing, by the primitive method of hard tramping. No suspension of operations is required in wet weather, as the sheep are carefully dried at the kitchen fire before pro ceeding to the shearing board. In fact, the whole establishment is a striking instance of how much may be accomplished by ingenuity and perseverance.

Mb. Crawfobd informs us that he has commonced his contract on the Silverstream channel from the East Taieri bush to the West Taieri road, about a miie beyond Mosgiel, and expects to have the woik completed in the, contract time, namely, three months. The length of the channel contracted for is 63 chains, at a cost of £1768 9s. Harvesting has commenced in the Mount Benger district. The crops are above the average. The editor of the '* Marlborough and Dunolly Advertiser" {addressed a letter to the "Otago Daily Times " in reply to certain comments made l>y that journal, approving of the action of the Dnnediu Atheuamni committee in exclu-ling the "ilfaryboiough and Dunolly Advertiser" from the leading room of that institution. The letter was refused insertion by the " Daily Times," anil then appeared as an advertisement in the "Guardian "on Saturday. If we may jmlge from this letter of the editor and proprietor of the now notorious advertiser, we should say the Committee were quite justified in excluding the paper from their reading room. We do not recollect having read such an incoherent jumble of rubbish in all our lives, and woald'certainly be inclined to question, the advisability of having such a man at large.

The good folks of Queenstown, we observe, are moving the spheres to hasten the completion of the railway to Kingston. On Friday last, in Dunedin, a deputation oonsisting of Messrs. Pyke, M.H.R., ilfalaghan Powell, and Manders, M.P.C , waited upon Mr. Carruthers, Engineer-in-Chief, and laid before him a long list of complaints of the delays which are taking place, and which have taken place in the construction of the Winton— Kingston lino. From all that was said we do not think Queenstown people have any more cause of complaint than other districts, at the slow progress made with the main lines, hut we should not wonder if the action taken by the Queenstown people will be the means of getting their railway pushed on much quicker than it otherwise would have been. Had the Tuapeka Railway Committee continued occasionally to meet, we think they might have done good service for the district by getting theiai'way woiks pushed on with greater vigour. It is not yet too late.

An error appeared in the list of donors of school prizes in our last issue. Mrs. Tyler's name was printed Mrs. Taylor.

THE fire engine lately purchased by the Lnwrence Fire Brigade, we observe, is allowed to stand in Lancaster-street without any covering upon it. Surely some building might be obtained to put it in, or a tarpaulin to cover it. If not, it will soon fall to pieces. Tapanui races are set down for Thursday and Friday, and with the return cricket match between the Tapanui cricketers and the Swifzer's team, the latter part of the week should be very lively at the City of the Plains. In an article on the value of wood ashes, as a manure for fiuit trees, the Scientific American snys .—". — " According to our observation, if the practice of putting a mixture of wood and coal ashes aiound the steins of fruit trees and vines, particularly early in the spring, were followed as a general rule, our crops of apples, grapes, peaches. &c, would be greatly benefited in both quality and quantity, and the trees and vines would last longer. We will relate only one experiment. Some twenty-five years ago we treated an old hollow pippin apple tiee as follows :— The hollow, to the height of eight feet, was filled and rammed with a compost of wood and ashes, garden mould, and a little lime (carbonate.) This filling was securely fastened in by boards. The next year the crop of sound fruit was sixteen bushels from a.n old shell of a tree that had borne nothing of any account for' some time. But the strangest part was that which followed, For seventeen years after the filling that old pippin tree continued to flourish and bear well.*' We learn that a testimonial is being got up for Mr. Bruce, late manager of Oven's Hill Station, among the farmers of Miller's Flat. Rabbits are increasing rapidly on Moa Flat Station. We would again draw attention to Messrs Capstick, Duthie. and Co'a sale of Mr. William Tvson's property, situated on the Waitahuna Koad which takes place at noon to-day.