MATAURA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2014, 29 September 1892, Page 20

MATAURA.

September 20.— There haa not been so fine a spring here for a number of years as wo are having this season. The farmers are"cousequently well forward with their work. Ploughing is pretty nearly finished, and cowing is being proceeded with on a number of. farms, while on others the braird is to be Been well above the ground. Grass has not been scarce throughout the winter, and now the new grass is coming away freely, hastened by the favourable weather we have had lately. Turnips are mostly fed off, and stock are generally in excellent condition. Lambing is well forward, with every prospect of I a fair percentage. ' The Small Bird Nuisance.— The road boards and the town board have voted sums lately for the purpose of endeavouring to keep down the small bird nuisance which the farmers complain so bitterly about. ' Dairying.— The dairy factory resumed operations last week with every prospect of its being as favourably supported as in years gone by. The factory has undoubtedly been a main factor in the prosperity of nurnbt-r3 of farmers in this district. ' Its success ia in great, measure due to the energetic directors, whose prudent and careful management, together with the quality of the article produced, has placed it in the favourable i position it now occupies. , j Freezing.— The building for the freezing works is being gone on with, although the progress made seems somewhat slow. When first started it was thought it might possibly be completed in about five months. It is now, however, consider-

ably over that time, and the brick work is not yet finished. All the iron work connected with the building is being done by a local man, Mr William Gardiner, of Mfttaura,- who fortunately secured the contract. Slaughtering is going on at the company's yarda, situated about a mile and a-half above the Falls. Lately "they have had some pretty large lines of suitable' sheep, with prospects of obtaining further supplies as required. • • • , Bank of New Zealand.— A handsome bricic building is in course of erection for the Bank of New Zealand. The contractor, a builder from Christchurch, is pushing on his work with all due celerity. When completed it will be quite an ornament to the township, being .well situated, and in close proximity to most of the principal business places. _ , i< v. Property Sales. — Several- properties have changed hands lately, and some others are likely to do so ere long. There are not many unoccupied sites in the principal street here now. The leases of a number of municipal reserves were submitted to auction early this month. _ Many of them were keenly competed for» fair prices being obtained for those in good situations. Inquiries are more frequently made for .properties, arid business altogether is brisker and sounder than it has been for some time: . •