LONGRIDGE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1989, 10 April 1890, Page 20

LONGRIDGE.

April 3.— 1 have been so fully occupied with harvest that I have neglected writing for some time past. From, about a month before harvest began until a fortnight ago, we had one of the nnestispells of weather ever known in Southland, there being neither wind nor rain to injure the orops. Indeed any injury they received was occasioned by heat and drought in the early part of February. A considerable fall of rain took place about the 17th of that month, and gave a salutary check to the ripening of the grain, and a much needed start to the turnips and grass. However, dry weather followed, and stook suffered a good deal on some farms from scarcity of water— arare occurrence in this neighbourhood. Considering that harvest was begun fully a fortnight earlier than usual, and taking into account the grand weather experienced, it might have been expeoted that farmers would have got it finished before the weather broke. Suoh was not the caie, however, in too many inttancei. This was principally because most farmers had a larger area of grain sown than usual, the crops helng somewhat heavier also; and partly in many cases on account of the low prices ruling for grain, farmers being anxious to employ as little outside labour ai possible. When I read the contribution by your Southland agricultural reporter for February, I remarked that if it had been specially written for this locality It could not have been nearer the mark, except in one particular— viz., the writer said harvest men could scarcely be hid There has been no particular scarcity of men in this locality I often think it a pity that better arrangements between farmers and harvest hands could n't be a- rived at. Somn farmers would refuse work to r man looking for it even if thoy expected to require a man or two a few days hence, and then sing out " hands are scarce " if they could not get them just when they are required. Men, however, are iv too many enses very inconsiderate, and will leave a farmer on. very slight provocation, or if they think there is a chance of ft longer job elsewhere, no matter what Inconvenience they put him to. During thfl laab fortnight the work of getting In the crops has been very intermittent. Rain has fallen frequently, but it his not been beavy, and has nearly always fallen at night. If a slight wind rose afterwards leading lv might be resumed after midday, but some days nothing could be done in the harvest field. However, leading In may now be said to be finished. Thrashing operations began about the 15th of last month. The oropß are scarcely turning out as well as appearances Indicated —no doubt on account of the dry weather during ripening. One of Mr Gillies' engines met with an accident whioh has caused a week's delay, greatly to the annoy.mcc both of the owner and the farmers who were anxiously waiting for the mill, wishing to get gralu threshed" and carted while the weather Is fine and the roads are dry. Already there is a large quantity of grain being despatched from our siding. Trucks are not particularly scarce, but it will be fortunate if the supply should equal the demand a week or so hence Thk d.F. Revaluations.— The deferred payment settlers of this locality hearing of tho reductions on similar holdings in other districts have been anxieus to have a visit from tho revaluers. This they received during the last 10 days, when Messrs Kinross and Mussen very courteously listened to all each Individual settler had to say as to why the land should beredired in price. Generally the commissioners invited evsh sßttler to appear at the Land Board mepfini?, fco he h«ld on the 2n<l inst. Only a few «r .f.> rhis *tet 'fit »v»nr '1-nvn, howevr, and from wlidti f c»ii luar fchev mi^ht aa well have stayed ut Jiomp, tor although the board list.fiiifd to what settlers had to say in favcur of further reductions (and it waa mostly those settlers who were assessed higher than their neighbours who appeared) the board in each and every ease upheld tho valuation put on tho r^sp»ctive sections by their valuators My informant says his advice to settlers would be to stay at home. The reductions have been considerable in some cases -only half of the original upßet price being now put on the land. There are, however, apparent discrepancies whioh it seems hard to account for. In a group of, say, half a dozen sections of apparently the same quality, one section will be valued at 2s an acre and another at 1b cash value higher than the adjoining sections. For instance, in North Longridge the sections are of very even quality. One seotlon wltbin three miles of Balfour is valued at 24s per acre, while most of the adjoining lections are put down at 23a, though they are further from the railway siding, while one, nearly five miles from siding, it assessed at 26i. The

occupier of tho Inttor appeared before the Land Board to pleml his onuso. Among other tilings he asked why lilr nnotfon hml boon vnlued at Is above those of the mnjorlfcy of his neighbours nnd 2s aa acre above Mio sect ion (500) pnruouUrly referred to, more especially as seot.lori 600 wm about two miles nearer the railway Ihnn the ob|eol.or> aooMon. The Answer by Mr Kinross was: "ilooame soction 590 has more swamp Ihnn yimtt." T/io lotfcler, in astonishment, observed t " why, ttio swnrnp it the best of the land, lieslde*. I Imve Ab (front oxpeme cut a big ditch to dry my swamp, of whloh I nnd ns much ns theother. I havo cleared, cultivated, mul laid my swamp land In grass, bo that It has (julto a different appearance from what It originally hml." But pleading was all In v«ln. In nnothur Instnnoo of two adjoining sections one it prndtlonlly level, the other hnlf lovel halt a steep hillside lying to the south. The former ts viiluwl lit 25b onsli an acre, the other at 225. The original upiot oi the former was 60s, of the latter 2f>i. Tho occupier of tho latter appealed, and pleaded hard for a further reduotlon to 20s, urging that he could easier plough the flat portion of his section with throe horses than the hillside with five ; further, he would require a back-delivery reaper if over he cropped the hill, while the other could be reaped with a binder machine, Mr Kinross acknowledged these statements were correct, but his colleague said the hill had a good orop of turnips on it, and. further, Mr John Greer knew the capabilities of the land before he took it up, having been in the district several years before doing so. The board fixed 22s as the price. In fact, said my informant, it was uselesß for anyone to go to the board meeting at all.

Farmers' Olub.— Our Farmers' Club is not dead, bub has been sleeping. It met for the first time this year on Friday, 4th inst. No business of importance was transacted, however. Several letters were received, and the secretary ordered to answer them.