COUNTRY NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3242, 27 June 1872, Page 3

COUNTRY NEWS.

(from our own correspondent.)

TAPAJSUI.

This thriving township continues to advance with slow but perceptible progression. The past few months have been unusually fine, and all classes of the community have been particularly busy. Our sawmills have experienced an exceptionally prosperous season, and as this is still our principal industry, the whole district may be said to have been benefited thereby. Farmers have taken due advantage of the mild weather, and pushed forward their agricultural operations. Threshing is almost completed, potatoes are lifted and stored awa 5 r > ploughing is nearly done, and altogether the winter work is in an advanced state. The past year's crops have all turned out as favourably as was antici-

pated ; the yield of oats and potatoes being especially good. The district has also been proved capable of producing excellent wheat. In one instance almost seventy bushels Were realised from one acre, and in every case where it has been tried, over sixty have been obtained. A week or two ago two loads of wheat were taken to Kaihiku to be ground as an experiment, and the miller's expressed opinion was that it was the best wheat he had seen in New Zealand. This lias rendered our farmers more hopeful for the future, and they have entered upon this season's labours with exceedingly cheering prospects. A considerably increased area is to be laid down in wheat, and there is some talk of the speedy establishment of a flour mill.

The Chinese at Scrubby Flat have bseii doing exceedingly well lately, large parcels of gold being brought by them into the township for sale. During the past week or two their number has been materially iftcreased.

A good deal of excitement has been caused recently by the circulation for signature of a petition neatly framed, paying for the construction of a line of raSway in connection with theCluthaand Mataura line through this district, and thence ftr Roxburgh. It has received a great' number of signatures, and it is sincerely to be hoped that the project will receive the consideration it merits from the Government. The district is one of the best suited for high class settlement in the whole Province, and is abundantly provided' with all the materials capable of maintaimbg.alarge population. Besides, there are no engineering difficulties to be met with in the^construction of the line, which in itself ( is a great recommendation. The surprisingly genial weather we have experienced for a long time was ruthlessly brought to an extremely abrupt termination at the beginning of last week. 1 On Monday evening, snow commenced to , fall in large flakes,, and continued almost uninterruptedly for three days, when the | whole landscape was covered to an average 'depth of 12 inches*—in many places the ; depth being more than twice'as great. i Since then we have had to endure pierc- ; ingly cold winds and frosts of the most ' intense description.- Never in the memory iof anyone has this district been visited ■Avith a snowstorm- of such magnitude— either in severity ay continuance. The rare pastime of skating has been pretty 'freely indulged in, all the lagoons on the j flat being covered: with ice ranging in thickness from three to six inches. All itihe mills are idle,, bush; work being impes- ■' sible. The storm has been particularly severe upon stock. This morning (Fri- , day) a thaw set in, and a good deal of snow disappeared;. Bivfc it gave place to i hard frost again shortly after dark. . Should! a fresh of several days come toI gether there will be a flood of great dimensions, as there is an unprecedently large quantity of snow lying between Tapanui ! and. the Old Man ranges, which would melt and find its way into the Pomahaka. The ground is still covered to a depth of five or six inches..