MANGAONE NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3818, 23 May 1891, Page 2

MANGAONE NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) A fitrange and beautiful phenomenon was seen here yesterday evening. About 4.30 p.m. a brilliant rainbow appeared in the direction of Alfredton, and in a few second afterwards two other bows, wit.i colours reversed, appeared on the inside of it. These were separated from each othfir and from the primary by dark bands about the 0 * -« ordinary rainbow. The secondary bow gradually Z™ iut ° view ' but was crossed by lines, which gavo it a stratified appesrance, and at a distance of -about twica its own breath on the - outside was a deep crimson urc of extraordinary brilliancy. Five bows were d' - tinctly visible for several rninu! 3, and four of them exhibited the us..d colours; but the outside one ( 3 highest of all) was entirely crirusc , and only about half the breadth J the others. Perhaps some of i-e

cientific readers of the Daily would kindly give an explanation of a henomenon never seen here before -especially the stratification of the ..acoudary bow—and which has | puzzled most of the settlers. About eight or ten nights ago the peo- le noticed what at Home are called "sti'eamers" of pah blue light shooting up towards the Southern Cross, which they recognised as a harbinger of the intense frost that prevailed at the beginning of the week. The cold at night was almost Arctic (or Antarctic) in its severity, and in some places the grass now '>ooks as if it had been scorched by fire. The roads, too, have suffered, and the thaw which set in last night with a south wind and heavy rain has rendered them almost impassable. Mr Edmonds and brake had to be extricated last night, and this is considered only the first of such seasonable incidents. Truly the people ofMangaone are patient and long suffering. They are generous too, and thoughtful—for others. They are represented on the Road Board and County Council. They pay their rates and taxes regularly, and contribute like other people to the general wealth and progress of the country. But in a collective sense they are utterly unselfish. No doubt they crn boast of two splendid bridges—without handrails or other protection for vehicles, horsemen or pedestrians—and some time ago the Road Board, or the County Council, or somebody else, with unparralleled philanthrophy furnished two or three loads of metal for these bridges, which now look like havens of rest in an ocean of chocolate. But all this extravagance was not suggested by the slippery and dangerous state of one of the bridges while the Road Board, or the County Council, or ; imebody else was crossing it on horseback. It was prompted by purely disinterested and spontaneous benevolence, for which the people of Mangaone are duly thankful; and while looking at the naked eleganoe and unprotected beauty of the bridges they fall almost oppressed with i gratitude to the Road Board, or the County Council, or somebody eke. More than this, they have already contributed largely towards metali ling some miles of the Eketahuna road, and they still continue to pay a rate or tax called " thirds " which tl >y now see most judiciously expended for the benefit of others. It must afford them infinite gratification to see metal spread ad lib without a sLarply defined boundary towards E"..dtahuna, where it is not required, tc know that even a lap full of stones could not stray beyond the influence and convenience of those who direct thj expenditure, and to feel that for ai-other four months atleasii they are to be interred in the mud.