WATAROA NOTES

Grey River Argus, 24 August 1949, Page 2

WATAROA NOTES

(Our ■ n Correspondent) The weather, which last week wa? in favour with everybody, has sinebeen unsettled. At the farming area of the FranJosef, the provision of a very neces sary access read has for several months, been held, up bv the Count? Council, and it is hard to understand why. Repeatedly have requests gone forth to have the route legalised bu one obstruction has been encountered after another. Settlers, who deserve it, ask for access. In former years it has been neglected, but the area of land is right, the settlers are right doing as they are, a job that is worth while; and to reap production, a' even a schoolboy knows, one mus 1 have access to the source of produc tion.

The telephone is to be centred at an exchange shortly, and this i : welcome news fox’ the settlers, who then will be able to do business from their own homes. It is what rural people require, giving them more time for urgent jobs on their holdings whence wealth is distributed to the doors of the consumers and helps to fill the Treasury. A notable feature of farming in the Wataroa district is the example of a lady farmer, who, giving her fellow settlers a lead, is raising first rate cattle, topping the market at Addington. To send forward such a line of fat cattle is no small feat and this lady is to be complimentedThe beasts which sold best last weeic over the hill were fattened on her farm.

Whitebaiters are showing up along the southern rivers, with their equipment assembled in wait for the arrival of the precious morsels —the price now justifies the team. Up to 14s per |lb. has been ’paid in Christchurch. It may still be hoped it will be a good season, giving these eager fishermen a aue reward for their initiative, as the work, often enough, is arduous, and the return uncertain.

The iocal bakery is again going into production, which will ease the need to transport so much bread from Hokitika. For some time no bread was baked - south of Ross, and the Road Service has been a real service in supplying numerous residents right along the Coast. The sale of fat cattle last week at Wataroa drew buyers from as far away as Christchurch and Westport and mny other districts. Three firms of auctioneers operated, to the advantage of vendors from as far down as the Franz Josef area, Messrs Gibb Brothers and Richards. The cattle were excellent, the bidding brisk, the sale 'over in good time, and the yard appointments were all satisfactory. The cattle were, the following day, on their wa v to the railhead at Ross, some 40 head being put or the road to be driven and more going by Road Service lorries, the former for West Coast butchers.