Christchurch Notes.

Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1036, 8 June 1894, Page 6

Christchurch Notes.

[From Our Own Correspondent.] To hare the tail end of a cyclone hanging over yunr head for the best part of a week is nob a pleasant prospect, but when the cyclone, or the tail-end of it, bursts forth, one would rather have the prospect than the reality. In the early part of the week the Government weather prophet predicted something of this kind, but nothing eventuated until Sunday last, when a biting cold wind from the sou-west pet in, accompanied by heavy rain, which lasted throughout the day without once stopping. Rivers, creeks, and watercourses of every description were full to overflowing ; even our usually easy going little Avon took upon itself to rise nearly sft and flooded all the low-lying lands in the immediate neighbourhood. Monday was a beautiful day, and we were hoping the bad weather was all nver, but Tuesday morning was as bad as Sunday, and so it continued till Friday night, when the rain stopped, and a heavy fog took its place. On Saturday afternoon the sun shone on us the first time for four days and a half. Nearly every cellar in the city had to be pumped out, and here and there along the footpaths men with hand pumps were to be seen pumping the water into the side channels. A good deal of damage has been done through water coming throngh brick walls and roofs, and we are promised numerous salvage I sales of "goods slightly damaged by water." A change for the better seems to have set in now, and a pleasant wind from the east, which will soon dry up our muddy streets. The city sarans, of which there are now a large flock, were flooded out of the river, and amused themselves in the sido channels and low-lying ground beside the streets. Farmers are complaining bitterly of the prices being obtained for all kinds of farm produce. Wheat is fetching so little it is not wort 1 ! growing ; oits, ditto. Potatoes are a drug in the market, and sales cannot be effected at. prices jto pay cartage, let alone the labour and worry of growing. Peas and beans are the only payable crops, and the climate is so variable that the risk is doubled as in the case of other grains. Last year a heavy crop of peas and beans were promised, ! but in the midst of the harvest, a week of nor-waster came along, and the crop was threshed out before it was stacked. In the Woodend and Kaiapoi districts the paddocks which were under these crops now have the appearance of having been sown down^or the next season. In some places the' crop of self-sown beans is superior in appearance to those sown in the regular way ; the same with peas. Red-clover seed is being grown by a large number of famers in the northern districts now, and large tracts which were last yp.ar under wheat and oats, are now being worked up for this crop. Besides the yield of seed. which always commands a fair price, farmers have a crop of hay and green feed for the winter. Sheep are not now tha paying spec, they were, and many who went in heavily for fattening last year have this winter almost abandoned it. Mobs of stores are turned out from the various yards every week unsold, and prices do* not seem to be getting any better. Dairy farming seems to be the only hope for the small farmer, and in a few years this also will be played out,

when a return to grain will have to be made. The starting of creameries in the various centres have been the means of pushing on the dairy farming business. At all the small country stations in the early mornings farmers' drays full of milk-cans is one of the spectacles. The milk is sent by rail either to the nearest creamery or to the Central Factory afc Addington, and the cans are returned by the nest, train. At the criminal sittings of the Supreme Court, Edward Parkerson, confidential clerk in the late firm of Harper and Co., was sentenced to two years' hard labour for embezzling sums of money believed to amount in all to close on L2OOO. Accused produced a wncfen authority from L. Harper, the senior partner of the firm, to appropriate certain moneys to hia own use, but had overstepped the mark. The jury added to their finding of "Guilty" a recommendation of mercy on account of the peculiar circumstances under which the accused had been placed. In summing up, Mr Justice Dennistou commented strongly on the peculiar system of j finance carried on by the firm, as shown by the evidence for the defence. Dairy cows are still fetching gtfod prices, anything of a decent beast beina worth from LlO to Ll2. There are a good many worthless beasts entered in this cl-iss every we^k at the market, and the owners have to be content with L3 to L4, which is more than their value. A good dairyman will not buy a cow with a frame to hold a ton of mangolds and as much hay at one feed, and perhaps give him the handsome return of half a bucket of milk. Nice plump little cows of the right milking and creaming sort are snapped up at big prices, but they are f«w, and we hope some day to see a forward step made in the breeding of this kind of cattle. Some of the coasting steamers had a rough time of it in the southerly gale lastweek. The Omapere, from Grey mouth to Wellington, had to beat the storm in Cook Strait for two days, owing to the dense fogs obscuring the entrance to tho harbour. During the time her coal run short, and she had to consume 50 bags of wheat and oats before reaching an anchorage. The Dingndee, from Westport to Lyttelton, also fell in with the gale, and received a very severe shaking up. For two days she was shipping heavy seas continually, and everything movable was shifted from the deck. The journey, which usually occupies 48 hours, took 100 hours. At one part the boat was steaming just one mile an hour.