FLAXBOURNE.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 71, 25 March 1907, Page 5

FLAXBOURNE.

(Own Correspondent.)

Very heavy rain commenced to fall here last Sunday and continued until' Wednesday morning. The dry spell seems to be at an end, and the country around is quite green again. Settlers all seem to be well satisfied with the way in which their holdings held out during the dry weather, although old residents regard this summer as the driest for many years. In most cases water held good on the sections, and on those that were short, water will no doubt be saved in dams, etc., before another dry spell comes. The Flaxbourne and Needles streams continued to run at the lower reaches, and water stood in the beds for most of their length. With warm weather now a good growth of winter food will be assured.

There was a large yarding of sheep at the local sale on March Bth, and a good attendance, though buyers were few owing to the bad season. There seems to be every chance of having good sales here in an ordinary year, when local residents will need more stock for fattening. At this sale the principal lines were taken by North Island buyers.

A library has been started as the result of a canvass of the district made by some of the ladies. About 100 volumes have been procured'and others aro to be ordered shortly. The Secretary (Miss E. A. Wallace) has kindly arranged to attend at the school to let subscribers have books from 3.30 to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and also on Saturdays from 7 to 8 p.m.

The want of a local chaff cutting and threshing plant is being severely felt, and as out-side machines are very slow in coming in, a famine for chaff is being experienced. There is about 200 tons of chaff awaiting the cutter, but so far no machine has arrived.