COUNTRY NEWS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3634, 27 September 1873, Page 5 (Supplement)

COUNTRY NEWS.

(from oob, oavn correspondents.)

OAMAKU.

After a fortnight of bitterly cold and stormy Aveather, we are now favoured with a more seasonable temperature, and vegetation, which ia extremely backward this season, will, it. is hoped, progress favourably. The high ranges in the distance are completely covered with a snowy mantle, and I am informed that in consequence of the severe storms a. great mortality amongst the lambs has taken place. But the old adage, " it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good," will be verified this season, inasmuch as the gradual thawing of the snow on the hills will afford a permanent supply of water to the miners at Marewhenua. The prospects of this Goldfield are still very encouraging, and I hear to-day that a Blue Spur miner has taken up his residence there, with the intention of prosecuting sluicing operations.

The citizens have-been abundantly supplied with entertainments for some time past. Miss Aitken has given several of her very pleasing elocutionary performances to large audiences. On Monday the Masonic Hall was crowded by an appreciating company, as on that evening the Caledonian Society tendered its patronage to this lady, when she gave in her inimitable style various readings of Scotch pieces. An entertainment of music and readings was given last night in the Volunteer Hall, as a complimentary benefit to Mrs Kinnear, who is about to leave this district. The Hall was well filled, and the amateurs were wonderfully successful in gratifying their hearers. Mrs Kinnear has been for a long period in the habit of assisting at the Sixpenny Readings and other entertainments, and I am glad to note that her voluntary,efforts on behalf of the public were so gracefully acknowledged. The sea in our roadstead lias been rough and stormy for several days, and the p.s. Samson, which arrived on Friday, has been detained till to-day with a full cargo, unable to discharge a single case until this morning. She left this afternoon. Mr Hislop, the Inspector of Schools, was here on Monday, and examined the children in North or Side School, under the charge of Mr D. Fleming. He ex-, pressed himself, I learn, as being much gratified with the progress made by the pupils, and gave an emphatic testimony to the highly creditable manner in which those children under the tuition of Miss Mackenzie, underwent the searching ordeal of an official examination ; and particularly alluded to the most unsuitable accommodation where the teaching was carried on—designating the rooms mere " cells." The Schools Committee embraced the opportunity of asking his advice and opinion on the vexed question of a new site for the Grammar and Main School; and it is io be hoped that the suggestions of an experienced man like Mr Hialop will be acted upon. The erection of the new steam flour mills for Messrs Spence and Hay is nearly completed, and forms a conspicuous object on entering the town from the South.

The agitation about the rumoared alteration in the route of the railway and station site has subsided, simply because no one knows anything about the matter, the Government in this case keeping their own counsel.

A meeting is to be held to-morrow night to consider the best means of securing and maintaining a regular supply of coal for Oamaru. The public here have so frequently suffered from the mismanagement of public companies that I fear, however desirable it is to have some united plan of establishing a coal carrying trade, that after the first flush of enthusiasm the subject will collapse. At present we have only a limited supply of Newcastle coal, as the weather has prevented the arrival of any shipments of Shag River coal—a coal highly valued here. ■ ; ■■ ■■ .<-- T ; .

BALCLUTHA. The cold and wet weather we have had has very much retarded farming work in this district, and consequently a good deal remains yet to be done in the way of sowing and harrowing. Should our climate continue much longer in its present uncongenial oondition, I fear that a lato harvest and very unsatisfactory returns may be expected.

The health of the district has for along time been in a highly satisfactory state— that is, of course, looking at it simply from an unprofessional point of view. Whooping cough has been prevalent among the ©hildren, but in a mild form, and as t yet no dsaths have occurred from it in the township or vicinity.

The main roads from here to Mataura and Tapanui have been for several months in a state almost indescribable and totally impassable. Unfortunately for nay a mem* ber of the Executive does not pass over these roada twice a week, nor would he be able to do bo were he to try in any Cifh J veyance except a balloon, Thanks to tliS energy of the several road boards, the district roads are much better kept, alld would no doubt prove very serviceable were there any possibility of getting to them without using the main roads, t hope, when the good weather comes, the Government will do something more to these roada than merely send a welldressed man round once a month or so to have a look at them, and furnish reports. An important sale of town sections ia announced to take place here on the 30th by Mr Robert Grigor, on account of Mr John Barr. As good business sites are now exceedingly scarce at Balclutha, I have no doubt tirst-rate prices will be ob« tamed by Mr Barr for the sections advertised. An extraordinary rise has taken place within the last nine months in the value of rural land in the Clutha district. This is due partly to the increased value of grain, but more especially, I think, to the agitation on the Land question) during last sitting of the Provincial Council, and the extreme desire evinced by lalid jobbers, to snap up any blocks that were thrown open for sale. This has opened people's eyes to the true value, and to the scarcity, of good agricultural land throughout the f rovince.