Pohangina Notes

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 123, 22 November 1893, Page 2

Pohangina Notes

[fBOM ODB OWN COBEEBPONDENT.] Election matters are not very exciting this time. We didn't take kindly to our severance from our old electorate. That's a capital idea of Warden Lucas' to draw a revenue from our river bed in the shape of a poll tax on the cattle running there — but I don't think there are 1000 head— or oven 500 to tax. Their owners could well afford to pay the 2s 6d per head as it is well kuown that river bed cattle thrivo well— plenty of water, and plenty of shelter— the last mentioned is one that should be well noticed by the bush farmers who do not leave shelterbelts of bush or plant either. There would have been more bush felled this season but that bushmen were scarce. The township of Pohangina is slowly forming itself, seven or eight houses are already finished, others are in course of erection. Mr Adsott's mill is in a very favorable position. When the drain now being cut by Mr E. Charles for the Pohangina Eoad Board is finished, the township will be much drier under foot. As it is principally storm water, and the soil is of a sandy nature, I think we have seen the worst of it, now that an outlet is made. Mr Snelson, having been a well known man in all public affairs since Palmerston started into life, was favorably received in Ashurst. Mr Leary, another candidate, is also an old identity, and is regarded as a plain speaking honest man. Many paddocks that have been stumped and ploughed for a few years, seem to get into a foul condition as to weeds, notwithstanding the care bestowed upon them, The soil is very rich and as crops grow luxuriantly, so do weeds. It becomes a question whether they do not pay quite as well in their original grass (particularly now that dairying is the order of the day), as in crop, labor is so expensive. Small paddocks and a small area of one crop or other must necessitate hard labor and that can't compete against machinery.