Central Otago fruitful

Jubilee of the Otago Bible Society: members of the board, 1914-15. Standing (from left): Mr D....
Jubilee of the Otago Bible Society: members of the board, 1914-15. Standing (from left): Mr D. Barron, Rev W. A. Hay, Mr P. Barr, Mr D. Todd. Sitting (from left): Rev Prof Hewitson, Rev H. H. Barton (secretary), Mr W. Brown (president), Rev C. Dallaston, Mr E. Rosevear (treasurer). - Otago Witness, 13.10.1915.
Central Otago is evidently going to have a splendid fruit harvest this season.

Reports just to hand say that the two days following the splendid rains that have been so general throughout the district have had a marvellous effect on vegetation.

The areas under lucerne will give very heavy cuttings in the course of a week or so.

One grower characteristically remarks: ''Everything that grows here has bolted.''

The apple trees are a magnificent sight with their bloom, especially the Cox's Orange and Cleopatra.

These varieties will require heavy thinning, as it would be impossible for the trees to carry the loads they are sure to set.

Almond trees have the fruit so thick on the branches that it has the appearance of bunches of grapes.

Pears, peaches, cherries, etc., will also yield heavy crops.

Evidently the trees intend to make up for the set-back they received last year.

It is gratifying to know that the recent frost did nothing more than thin out the very heavily laden branches of the apricots; this will save the growers a lot of time in the busiest part of the season.

 A short Bill, amending the Public Health Act, was dealt with in the House of Representatives yesterday, its chief provision being to give the Government power to issue by Order-in-Council regulations in respect of houses and rooms in houses that might, in the opinion of the Public Health Officer, be unfit for human habitation.

Members pressed to know if this dealt with the old vexed question of determining when dwellings ought to be condemned.

The Minister said it had quite a different object, and was recommended by Dr Makgill (chief health officer in Auckland).

It had been found that in New Zealand certain people in service had to live in rooms under the basements of dwelling houses, and the Bill would put a stop to this.

 The white feather fiend is still responsible for unpleasant incidents (says the Christchurch Press).

The other day a soldier who was wounded at the Dardanelles, and has been discharged as medically unfit, was sitting in a local restaurant in civilian attire when an aggressive-looking young woman marched up to him and presented him, in view of the other diners, with a white feather.

 Shopkeepers and citizens would be well advised (says the Christchurch News) to take particular notice when accepting half-crowns, as there is reason to believe that there are spurious coins in circulation at the present time.

The other day a coin made to appear like a half-crown was, on closer examination, found to be a penny silvered over by having been put through a mercurial process.

It was a fairly good representation of a half-crown, but lacked the milling round the edge of the coin.

The fraud could not be detected unless the coin was fairly closely examined.

 Two Gore gentlemen manufactured for themselves a cradle and left on Saturday morning for an excursion down the Mataura River with the object of making the sand give up its precious yellow metal (says the Ensign).

On arrival at a spot where the sands appeared to be of gold they removed their coats, and, having placed them out of reach of the water, commenced work.

A neighbour's cow in search of her morning meal improved the shining hour by dining off the coats.

Smoke-oh revealed to the treasure-seekers a coat minus a sleeve and one side, while the other had parted company with its back.- ODT, 9.10.1915.

 


 COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ


 

 

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