DISTRICTD NEWS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 30, 5 February 1908, Page 8

DISTRICTD NEWS.

o. MASTERTON'S OVERDRAFT. OPINIONS ON THE BUSH FIRES. [Bt Tbiegeaph. — Sr-xciAi. to The Post.] MASTERTON, This Day. At «% meeting of the Borough Council j last night the overdraft was stated to bs , £6938 8s Id. Outstanding rntes amount to £5310 18s Id, of which £1235 8s 5d was outstanding prior to Ist April, 1907. Mr. Cruickshank, president of the Masterton A. and P. Association, has received q. wire intimating that the Governor will be present at tlie coming phow. A farmer from Mauriceville states that the scarcity of water ia being keenly felt by settlers in that district. The bush lires arc Tegardcd from different standpoints ; somo farmers think a great amount of good has been done through the destruction of rotten 1o?e, which tend to promote and increase noxious t\ eeds, such as piripiri. On the other hand, somo settlers icgard the fires as distinctly unfortunate owing to the immediate loss of grass that takes place, causing them to rush surplus stock on to the maxket. They were^thus compelled to accept lower prices than usual for store sheep and fats. The fires vrero much earlier than usual, or otherwise the lambs would be fairly fat, and not so much harm done. The absence of rain is vory disconcerting to the farmer, who is afraid to purchase store stock lest he should be compelled to soil again at a loss owing to inability to feed them. Other farmers are afraid that prices will go lower unless rain falls.