SOUTHLAND NOTES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9834, 17 September 1897, Page 2

SOUTHLAND NOTES.

Immediately after writing last we had a sudden change of weather, from a long frost to rain, and it came down in torrents, steady for about thirty hoars, and of coarse the rivers rose bnt they are running down again, and so far I have not heard of any damage occurring through the rise. Now we are back 'fo the hard frost again. It is not often that we have such a long spell of frost at so late a period of the year, and it is a complete blook for the suburban gardeners. Iα the county, however, work is getting woJJ forward, as the days are bright, warm and sunny; and as the frost is not severe enough to interfere with the working of the double-furrow, farmers will be able to get on with their sowing at a much earlier period than usuaL The main roads axe in good condition and the by-roads will soon improve. This is a welcome change, for complaints are lond consequent upon the long penod of dull* ness, owing mainly to the state of the roods. With the resumption of traffic both ki and out business should improve. Following in the wake of the larger centres, the country stock sales ate showing signs of dullness. This has beeo noticeable all through the country, bidding slow, and lot after lot passed In, The reaction has come too late; antumn price went too high, and buyers were over confident,and as I remarked at the time, with such low quotations for frozen mutton it was difficult to understand why sheep brought such high prices. Now the buyers of toe past wanted to sell at a profit—the sheep having been eating their grasa and turnip»—and they cannot. Cattle are in the black list too, for at late sales throughout the county little or nothing could be done with them.

The dairy factories are clearing up for the season, and Mataura held its annual meeting on the 25th ult. 314,595 gallons of milk were received last season, from which 141 tons of cheese were made. The season's operations were considered fairly satisfactory, but having boon put in for heavy law expenses—viz., £515 17s—they are on the debit side with £48518e lid. Perhaps they will avoid law in future. The milk tests during the season were in many cases very unsatisfactory, and it was resolved that in future milk be paid for according to quality. One would have thought that this rule would have always applied. However, the shareholders look forward with great hopes to the coming season, and contemplate a number of improvements. Miss Dumbleton is the manager at this factory. The Waikawa Factory seems to he in trouble too, and matters have been adjourned until a more satisfactory position is attained. They axe in trouble with their late manager, whoubas sued them, and a verdict was given in hie favour for £80 and costs, so this will upset their balance sheet. There have been so many disputes with factory managers that it is very evident these country folk make rather loose agreements, or law costs would not so frequently appear in their balance sheets.

The Seaward Downs people are very anxious for the establishment of a daily factory, and they seem to have gone a strange way about the business. Apparently they got it into their heads that their factory would be such a good thing and that there would be keen competition on the part of a number of people to erect one. So they went on holding meetings and coquetting first with this one and then with another and it has all ended in smoke. Then they got down to bedrock, got a promise of 400 shares and 400 cows, and consulted the bask manager in the immediate neighbourhood to see how they could raiee the wind. He was ready of course, but there must be some security. The uncalled capital is a big item certainly, but as there is sometimes a difficulty in calling it up, their banker proposes that the shareholders should "severally and jointly" subscribe their names to a bond—a mere formality yon know, need not cause you any anxiety—tut it did, and at a meeting held to consider the proposal, only five persons expressed their willingness to submit to the"jointly and severally n business. Thue the meeting once more collapsed, and • fresh start will have to be made. Evidently (he Seawaid Downs people have not settled on the bedrock yet, ana the next move on their part ia awaited with some curiosity. Shipments of oats coast-wiße dnrifig the: week were some 8000 sacks.

The steamers Fifesbire and Eakaia are 1 both now at the Bluff, where thsy load: frozen mutton, &c Oats are dull of salt jnet now, Australia: being pretty foil-up, and Bales for export are difficult to make, Io.K The tety finest; oats btrely reach 2e, sacks in.