FARM PROSPECTS AT WAIRARAPA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8422, 25 November 1890, Page 3

FARM PROSPECTS AT WAIRARAPA.

The shearing season is in full swing, although the frequent rains of lute have interfered with shearing operations. So iar the total number of bales sent by rail from V Wairarapa is some 12,000 bales, cf which. 5000 or 0000 were sent from the Masfcert jn station. The lambing in the Wairarapa North has been excellent in small holdings and paddocks. The percentage has been from 100 to 120, and in the pastoral districts 80 to 90, the splendid winter keeping the ewes in prime order for rearing lambs, and fortunately the epidemic which attacked lambs in some portions of South Wairarapa did not extend to the north. The malady is quite new to the district, and carried off numbers of the first, lambs. The Government sent up on behalf of the Stock Committee Mr. McLean, the Government vet., to report upon it,, but, as yet I understand no definite decision has been arrived at as to the nature of the disease.

The Lingburn Freezing Works in the Manawatu district were formally opened this week, and operations commenced. This is a move in the right direction. That district is rapidly producing a lar.e surplus of beef and mutton.

Tho Native Lands Court is still ting at Grey town ; in fact, it has been sitting for two years past, but the bulk of the busi ness has been done. The last case was a, very important one. The judge had to determine the ownership of a valuable block of land of (30,000 acres. Both grass and grain crops are well forward, and in good healthy, condition all over the district. The areas of wheat, oc.fcs, and potatoes are much in excess of last season's, notwithstanding the discouraging prices ruling at present, and the large stocks on hand. An immense; 1 amount of turnip seed has been put in with a view to produce large numbers of fat sheep for export. —[Own Correspondent.]