WHATAWHATA.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 339, 10 September 1898, Page 2

WHATAWHATA.

Tin-. Weather and the Farm.—A sharp frost was experienced on the lower lands along the river on Tuesday night sufficient to cut down early potatoes and other tender p'ants, but, back on the hills no frost was seen, though for some nights it has been cold enough, indeed too much so for vegetation, though grass is growing fairly well. I regret to report a heavy mortality among stock, chiefly dairy cows, during the last month. It seems strange that this should be the case after whit apparently has been a mild winter, but from whatever cause the cows this Spring, as they approach the calving, appear to be very weak and unable to help themselves out of any difficulty, consequently our milk suppliers have had an anxious time for some weeks, many of them losing from two to six cows each, and the survivors are very weak and thin. As may be supposed, this state of things is not conducive to a heavy supply of milk to the creamery, and through the above cause the supply may be comparatively small. Damage to Water-pipes.— Reports of damage to water-pipes through frost are rare in Whatawhata, but on Wednesday morning our creamery suppliers had to assemble to consider ways and means to replace a number of the pipes, which carry the water from the spring in the pumping tank, and which had burst during the severe frost a month or so ago. The greatest damage was done to those pipes that are suspended some distant above the ground, these being split from end to end. Tt was decided to eot some larger pipes at once. Mercer Wharfage Charges.—A petition is beiug signed in the district, copies are being distributed up and down the river, drawing the attention of the Minister of Railways to the heavy wharfage charges at Mercer, as being a severe tax on the settlers residing along the river, from Pirongia to Onewhero.