OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 109, 19 January 1881, Page 2

OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

I_pkom: oub own oobbesponden't] G-BEYIOWN, JAinrAETM, 1880. Harvesting is now m full swing throughout the valley. The whent crop— although the acreage is unfortunately small — is good, the season- has been most advantageous to the farmers, beautiful light showers, and afterwards warm sun. have done much towards raising prolific crops. The eaterpiller, as usual,, has made his- annual raid on on the oat crop, and the English linnett is playin? hnvoc with the ripe wheat m the Lower Valley. These birds are becoming a perfect nuisance, and will eventually, I fear, | prove all loss and no benefit to the struggling farmer. I have seen stacks of wheat | m (his district, almost completely bereft of grain, through being. devoured by this pest. On the Pihautea estate the birds are to be found m thousands, if you walk into some fields of standing grain, you may rouse the birds m myriads. Some farmers have tried to destroy or lessen them, by laying poison among the standing grain, or by poisoning the grain when sowing, but withoat any perceivable effect. Why such pests were introduced into- the country is a question not easily answered. Messrs. Caselberg & Go's, new store, ia Grey town, is completed, and is quite an acquisition to the town ; it will be< opened for business m the course of. this. week. We shall not want presently for the " staff of life," for some time past we have hetn blessed with three bakers m our. midst, who have always used their best endeavors to supply all' with this commodity., ;But..:»owL now we r are going to have nti additional byroj. making five m aH[ £ , Kbw they willr lire, ',re'j mains to be 'seen, at 1 all events' theVjdeclare; war to- the knife against ev'h-oVaeiv andeaoh is intent upon outstripping neigh"-/ bor. This looks as tbbug-hbuaineH matters^ and the times were turning— rat tHbugH inert' were a rift m that dart cloud 1 of depression which has for the past year, been a burden to us all. Let us hope so. ; . ' -i r :' We are to have an election of a new School Committee here shortly, and this time it is to be hoped the electors, will have a care as to wh6m-they elect at 7 their committee. They should have a care that men are •lectod who— not like thepr«sent com-" mittee — will act m an impartial and open manner, men who- will not, because* of lethargy m attending meetings, allow one or" two to take full control of the whole affair, and m so doing give them opportunities of enacting any scheme they might desire. There are matters connected with the present Committee, it is said, which are perhaps best kept m the shade— considering they were shady transactions.: , A. few of these items have come, to the surface, because apparently they would not sink, as. desired. To think of such an instrument ai an harmonium being, m a night, converted ; into a piano, to believe such a' conversion po33ible,- or to believe any committee' men would attempt such a conversion, would appear to the person unacquainted with the details of such: matters', an ..utter impossibility nnd a farce, but it is: not so ; Such has taken place, bow, I maj'&t some futuretime relate. I would now only. .warn. %he ! people; of Grey town to see to the election' of fit and proper persons to superintend: their school. , < ; .-. „ , _ n.\ .■■;: .•; A meeting of ' the .0-reytown Volunteera; was held last Tuesday evening for the purpose of considering , the ;.adtj|abilifc.y of idisbandine. Captain Maoara .attended, and announced that he had—fCeni m" to" the Government hii resignation, Upon hearing this, the company-decided, upon giving it a three months' trial, and then if it was found that their number was not increased, they should at once disband,. Volunteering in 1 New Zealand appears to .be dwindling into nothingness. > ; .. ■ :> ;*» ■■'•" On the 22nd of this month, the Anniversary Day of the Province, ther£,§rV to bo I sports m Greytown under- the-aaspices of the Friendly (Societies, and the OartertonTaratahi Races will aWtakeV- place ori 'the Taratahi Plain. Thepe Races promiae^to bcf : successful m every; respect. . . . For. fchW Taratahi Carterton Handicap there are-no; less than twelve entries, and for the ■Hur.dle: Race, six.- • :, .: . . I i. : .- The new'hpteli ,the! "V^h'Ue.Hart, at Car-. terton,is nbvr' finisheli,~it is really a first-, class house, m fact, ,1 ih"& it far before the f imos. It will have as 'flvnitaerhost ■''■■. Mr. R. 1 H. : Biliot, well known. . t0, , . many of ypur ; leaders, as one who pas .succewfuHy carried: out.ofcjier hostelrieß m the Wairaijapa. The hdtel.wUl be^opened 'in r afew days. : Tneredied at Carterton, about ten days since (fo* lack 6s. pecuhlary 'assistance) a newipaper, knoVnasthe rWairarapa Valley Guarftq^ I f tsr % i^ort tfld moßt misera^t

career of about six months. It died quietly, without a struggle, and for days after its death, but few of the Carterton people knew of its decease. Its proprietor^Jurtek tired and disgusted with journalism, ftttyieia' farmers, which it is to be hoped they! will find more remunerative. . „ fC' : i