MATAURA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2237, 14 January 1897, Page 25

MATAURA.

January 11.— The weather here on Saturday and Sunday last was disßgreeably warm. On the tonuer day it registered 130 in the sun at i o'clock p.m. Next day at the same hour ifc was nearly as high, but toward* evening it got cooler and showed signs of a change. The oat crop is looking fairly well, although the rain was rather late in coming for vvh.it was sown ea>-]y. Turnips are late all over this district, but on the whole are lookiug well. Potatoes are quite a failure. Owing to there beicg so much wet weather at sejjd time the seed in many cases became bad. The crop will he a short one, and prices will most likely rule high. Grass is very good, and stock are looking well. Rsiin is, however, much wanted. Shearing is nearly over, and so far as can be ascertained the clip is a fair one, although the formers fear that it will not realists as good a price as it did last season. Koao VVoxks.— The county council and the various road bourds in thia vicinity have been and are vigorously oarryiu? ou works, numbers of culverts an<i bridges having been erected and repaired, consequent on the serious damage c-tused by the floods) we had in the springtime. Frozen Meat —The Freezing Works Company are utilising tho vacant space within their large and commodious building, forming more freezing chambers, the present chambers being rather limited for freezing purpose!*. The engineers have b->en busy putting in new shafting, which they recantly got from Invercargill, the former HhaftinK baing too light for the nature of the work While superintending the erection of the new machinery on Friday laßt M" Hamilton, the chief •-ugineer, met with rather a ba-i accident, but he is expected to ba about again shortly. The company contemplated bringing the slanghteryards down to the freezing works— they »r« "at present <t considerable distance higher up the river— but the idea it, I believe, at present abandoned, at least for thia season. Paper Mill— The contractor for the new training wall for the paper mill race has commenced operations. It will be a work of some magnitude, but as the Mataura River is at present very low he has every chance of making a good start. The mill is running steadily and turning out good paper ef various kinds. The enterprising resident proprietor is at present at Hantner . Springs enjoying a welLearned holiday j