Ida Valley.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 698, 20 October 1909, Page 5

Ida Valley.

(Own Correspondent). We want twelve hours rain badly here. Will you sec that it is sent along at once? Things are still looking well, plenty of feed, and farming work far in advance of other seasons. There is likely to be a record lambing from all appearances. All we want is a good day's rain to keep things going. The two quadrille parties had their wind-up dance on the Bth. The Poolburn school examination took place on the sth, when Miss Young had her usual record of passes, having the full 100 per cent.; all the sixth standard, having passed. There is likely to be a few leaving, but of course there are others coming on, for there is no doubt that Ida Valley keeps up its birth rate. There has been a good deal of sickness in the Valley lately, mostly among the old people. Mr John Noone has been seriously indisposed for some time, and our local medico had to?, go to Dunedin with some complaint or other, just when things iu his line were looking up. In one case Dt Bagley had to be called from St. Bathans. , With all the subdivision and opening up. of the land our population is gradually getting less. ' In the event of anyone selling out a sure thing is one of the adjoining neighbors buy, so that it brings no new faces iu-. It leads to buildiug up large holdings, which they are trying to cut up and do away with in other parts of the country. The Ida Valley runs will be open for balloting soon, and there is going to be a great rush for the different sections. All the sections to be thrown open would not supply the families in the district, so that it does not result in an increase of population. The dredge is still bolting away and supposed to be doing well. It has turned over a vast quantity of ground and is supposed to have years' work ahead of it yet, Our irrigation and postal schemes are dormant for the present, patiently waiting further developments. The horse and cattle nuisance on the roads is assuming a dangerous phase iu the Valley, and I prophesy a disaster sooner or later, and it is a fact that some of the largest land holders are the worst transgressors. It is a strange thing that our immaculate Vincent County Council can't afford to keep a ranger when the like of Maniototo can do so. If a proper accident happened it might wake the.n up a bit.