Ida Valley.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 505, 24 January 1906, Page 5

Ida Valley.

(Own Correspondent.)

I have not written at my usual time, knowing at this time of the year your piges would be fully utilised. We got over the busy time of the Election, the result eminently satisfactory; so now Bedford, Taylor ifc Co, will have three years to allow their heads to resume their normal size.

As usual there has been nothing but holiday making for a fortnight, the usual races and the unusual sports. The I.V.A.A. Club held their first annual sports on the 26th, and gave a splendid programme. It was a beautiful day, and the station trees paddock could not be beat for the purpose. Ofld and young turned out in great force, there being quite between three and four hundred people present. The committee were most libera', no stint of eatables and tea. There were a large number of events, all of which were well contested, every one going their best for the dollar. A dance was given at night, which was well patronised. The committee and secretary are to be congratulated on the success of their first meeting, having a nice credit balance of .£ls to go on with. A very sudden death took place at the close of the year. Robert M'Gregor, a stone mason, long resident in the Valley, took ill and died in a few minutes. An inquest was held in Reilly's hotel, when a verdict of heart disease was returned. He was about 61 years of age. Another mischance happened to a very old haud in the district and pioneer of the Deep Lead. James Garrick was over this side visiting an old friend in the holidays. Without any warning he had a paralytic stroke, one whole side being paralysed. He was removed to the hospital at Ophir, and after two days there, taken on to the Dunstan Hospital. His recovery is very doubtful, as he is an aged man of 72. Many will be sony to hear of poor James' misfortune. Taking this last month through, the weather has been favorable for crops. There is likely now to be medium crops. Turnips have got a good start, a very large area going in this year, Although in most cases late of getting in, the rain of this last two days will do wonders with them.

Shearing was much delayed through broken weather, but I think the most of the wool in this district will be down in time for the second sale. Wool prices keep well up, although fleeces as a rule are much ligher than last year, stock being much poorer than they were this rime last year. I have heard of no buyers of lambs hunting around the same as last season, and prices have fallen considerably, I consider sheep has had a fall of 5s per head compared with last year, and they can well stand it too.

I hear that Mr Joyce has got the boring rods at work on his claim at Dovedale Greek, but as I mean to visit that claim this week I will report later on. Your readers may not believe it, but we had an actual marriage at the end of the year*, when Miss Annie Nicolson, eldest daughter of Donald Nicolson, an old settler in the Valley, was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to Mr William Armstrong, eldest son of that. Ilk, Lauder. One marriage makes many, we will see they are few and far between in Ida Valley.