KYEBURN DIGGINGS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1583, 25 March 1882, Page 13

KYEBURN DIGGINGS.

(FROM OUR OWN OORREBPONDBNT.) March 17th.

Since my last we hare had some nice refreshing rain. Though too late for grain crops, it has been of the greatest service to the gras9, which was getting quite parched. It has also given a good, though perhaps temporary supply o! water lor mining, which was almost at a standstill. Harvesting has begun in earnest, and the orops gene* rally are looking well considering the very dry season. This is the first year that any considerable quantity of wheat has been grown in this district, and the result of the threshing is anxiously looked forward to. I hope it will be such as will prove to the croakers that we can grow wheat good In quality, and quite as remuneratively as in other places. Though we are for tho moit part a mining community, the sale of the ruus has been the all absorbing topio of conversation here of late. After the first excitement caused by the burstlng-up polioy ot the now defunct land league, had subsided, people began to see they had been working againßt thler own interests. It required but a little reflection to show them that if eaoh ot the subdivisions fell into different hands, that the privilege ot keeping a tew milch cows, on which the bread and butter f ,io small nnmbei in a large measure depends, would most probably be a thing ot the past, and, therefore, the fact that Messrs Stewart and Mackensfe managed to secure the whole of their run has given general satisfaction. On the other side of the river each lot found a separate purchaser, and we will now have an opportunity of judging whether the " grasping squatter * of the past or the "industrious sheepfarmer" of the future make the best neighbours. Anyhow, I hope that both may be successful. The high prices paid indicate an amount of enterprise which deserves succew. We have, too, the satisfaction of knowing that even though individuals may not find things so pleasant as ot old, that the country generally will be tho gainer, from these two runs alone, of the nice little sum of £1487 annually. Speaking of the runs reminds me of the late elections. As Mr De Lautour'i opponent was a runholder, he made the cutting-up of the runs his trump card in bis addresses. Among other things, he stated that the advertisement re tho sale of the runs that appeared in the papers was simply a dodge on the part of the Government to secure to the present lessees a renewal of their lenses, as it was an utter imposslbility to deal with so large an area in so short a timo. The Ministry were perfectly well aware of this fact, and how they could attempt so barefaced a job was beyond comprehension. This and a deal more of the same kind formed the burden of his cry, and it was dwelt on till it became positively disgusting. In fact the only conclusion to be drawn from his address was that the Government were the greatest scoundrels who had ever met together to advance their own interests, and that he (Mr De Lautour) was the only honest member in the House. If thosa who wero gulled by his misrepresentations do not now see through them they must be blind indeed. For what do we find ? A few days after the election we find this honest and disinterested politician moving heaven and earth to prevent the Government from doing that which ho had just told us it was impossible for them to do. I leave the doctors to say who told tho truth— the honourable membor or his opponent?