COUNTRY NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1161, 28 February 1874, Page 13

COUNTRY NEWS.

FROM OX7B. OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

\- _________ CLYDE. The Carandini Company paid us a visit, much to the gratification of the muiic-loving portion of our community, who duly appreciate talent of a high order. In fact, many regret that their stay was so short, and fear that it may be a long time ere we get such a musical treat again. The election of a surgeon for the Hospital, which has been the all-absorbing topic for some time, took place on Saturday. It caused a considerable amount of interest throughout the district, and numbers of vehicles were put into requisition to convey the voters to the poll. Nearly 200 recorded their votes, the result being 112 for Dr Thomson, and 86 for Dr Stirling. His Honour Judge Gray sat yesterday in Bankruptcy. The old tale ! The inevitable bill of sale again ! This sweeps the lot off, and not a penny for the remainder of the creditors. It is high time something was done with the law relating to bankrupts. As it is, if a person asks a debtor for his money, he threatens to go through the Court, just as though it were quite a commendable transaction to get whitewashed, and is held in terrorem over the heads of his too credulous creditors, who hardly like to incur further expense and trouble in opposing them in the Court. There were no applications for the tiawea Block on deferred payment, but this was wired to you. NA.SEBY. Kothing lately but hot weather, drought, mid an occasional thunderstorm. Water all gone, and the men who used it also gone. Crops looking sickly ; gardens worse— in fact, nearly dead. There has been a fair Bitpply of early fruit, such as cherries, gooseberries, and the like. By the way, some of the gooseberries are of a wonderful size and weight, notably some grown by the host; of the Royal Hotel, dishes of which have been picked weighing over an ounce each. I name this in the absence of more important matter, and as being the "gooseberry There is much talk here of the advantages some of the outlying places enjoy in having large blocks of ground laid otit for sale under the system of deferred payments ; and bhe question amongst a number of people is, " Why are we left out in the cold ?'' There certainly is some fine agricultural land in this neighbouorhod, and if energetic steps were taken, doubtless the talkers would obtain a Blice of the luck, attending their neighbours. , . , The Sludge Channel is progressing at a slow rate, owing to the great scarcity of labour— nearly the whole of the latter being drawn off to the farming districts. Great credit is, however, due to the contractors, who are working under great difficulties, for their progress and the very efficient manner in which the work so far (four miles) has been completed. The contracts for the Head Race are also sorely impeded by want of labour, which, as I before stated, is unobtainable. Dillon's first contract, as I before informed you, has been completed, the second one is nearly so, j and he would have commenced the third ere this, but from the cause above stated. The work is, from what I hear, mostsatisfactonly , performed, and there is no doubt from the! energetic character of the man, that all tho work he has undertaken will be completed in os satisfactory a manner.

QVEUNSTOWN.

The harvest is being rapidly gathered in, and the weather is most favourable. From 1 to 3 p.m. is certainly rather hot—sometimes 112 in the sun— but the mornings and evenings are delicious. There has been no advance m wages worth noticing ; the day labour in the town is 9s. Tradesmen are scarce, but as most of the new buildings are finished it would be hardly prudent to encourage an increase of this kind Of labour. . Barley seems to be the favourite crop this year, owing to the large price of last season. It ranged from 6s to /s bd. It was bought up chietly by our local brewers, malted, and as well as supplying themselves they sent large quantities as far down country as Cromwell. If the long-promissd rail•way were made we would nofc thus be confined to a local market. I remark a singular want of knowledge in our farmers. They thresh barley for malting purposes with the threshing machiue. Any person acquainted With malting knows that if the embryonic shoot is cnt no diastoso can be formed, and consequently no conversion of the starch into saccharine matter by malting. The etareh in the seed becomes ligmne, or a similar compound, and renders the second fermentation 60 difficult that in order to toroduce a clear brew the ale is submitted to extreme attenuation, and then is liable to Acetic fermentation. The maltsters at home are bo well aware of this that they purchase the growing crop, permit it to be fully ripe, and thresh by hand, sifting out; the imperfect grains. I If our growers would learn their work, lEnclißh malt could be kept out of the market Although our farmers grow sufficient for the local market, prices are very high for the necessaries of life *— Bread, 8d ; butter, 2a ; «BKS, 2s : potatoes, 2d per lb ; milk, 6d and 8d per quart. Good meat cannot be procured. Thin is the best country iv the world for dairy farming. The Kennedy Family are acting here with considerable patronage. They leave on Wediwky, wfcea Muvr»y'i Qiwm will take their

A company has been formed to prorpect the district for coal, with great hopes of success. It is time that our capitalists bestired themselves. Coal and copper are known to exist in considerable quantities in the district, but until this company v/as formed no active steps were taken to prospect.

Nothing has been heard lately of the sale of runs. It is a most serious question for the future of all gold mining districts. We cannot close our eyes to the fact that gold returns are decreasing every year. The compromise made, " that reserves, ample in extent for the present mining population, would be made," looks well at the first blush. But, with increased population, and also additional marriages induced by the present immigration scheme, what then ? It can be easily seen that grazing must be combined on an equable basis with mining, and that instead of allowing three head, the miner, with half work and a family, should be allowed to run at least five head of cows and their progeny up to three year olds. As a general rule the miner can do nothing at agriculture. There is very little land fit for cultivation within available distance of our gold workings ; and if there were, the miner as such has no time, -while with_ a family his limited earnings can be so increased by liberal grazing privileges as to induce him to settle. At present the Crown lands here are so over-run with would-be sheep owners and their small stock, and sheep are so under-fed, that it is scarcely fit for cats' meat.

The fact is, our goldfteld reserves are used to produce wool instead of mutton. The fun of it for these wool-producers is, that they are using the public grass, and pay little- - very little— for it. This, among ordinary Crown lands with good roads, se;i-b ard, and railways, is not of vital importance, but here, 100 miles on one side and CO on the other from civilisation, it becomes serious. The mutton chops we get here are only good for anatomical specimens. The beef is be t fit for that even ; it has neither bone or tissue.