TOKOMAIRIRO.

Otago Witness, Issue 2055, 13 July 1893, Page 22

TOKOMAIRIRO.

July 10.— The wet and frosts of the last 'three weeks haye everywhere, except on the! limebottomed lands of Milburn, completely put a stop to stubble ploughing. The very unsatisfactory result of wet ploughing last year has strongly impressed farmers, and there, is no disposition to hurry the woik under present circumstances. JLnera is a concensus of opinion $hat the havoc made in wheat andbarley last year hy the hessian •fly pest was greatly aggravated. „by. the wet 1 and generally unfavourable season, and given an 1 ordinarily fair season there is very little dread of .the pest for the next harvest. A, proSf of this is that the usual area of winter wheat has been 'put in; but this has become a small proportion of the crop owing to the havoo of small birds through the early ripening, and farmers generally express the intention of , chancing" their spring wheat as usual. There has been absolutely nothing done by way of precaution against the pest. Turnips are proving short in feeding, but sheep did extraordinarily well on them during the fine spell before the weather broke. Highly satisfactory transactions with the first fattenings, from the farmers' point of view, have been the rule. Mining— The once famous Woolshed— now Glenore— which at the outbreak of the diggings was amongst the richest spots, and which has since been turned over and over again in shallow workings by both Europeans and Chinamen, is shortly to be operated Qn by a powerful dredge. The venture is in the hands of a syndicate of three practical men, and as there is known to be at least 21ft or.rOft of wash on the river bed where operations are intended to be carried on the promoters have very fair prospects of success. Thisgroundhas never yet been bottomed, although many attempts have been made to get down. The most noteworthy was that made by a powerful Milton syndicate some two years ago, who made a determined beginning, but the venture fizzled out before the initial difficulty was surmounted— that is, the river drainage. At present machinery is I being brought on to the ground. -<».. Ploughing Match.— The Tokomairiro annual | ploughing match came off on Friday last. The interest aroused by the event in ploughing circles was surprising, considering how nearly such contests are supposed to be played out. The match was a success from that standpoint, and there were some 15 competitors, some coming from a distance. The local Farmers' Club, under whose auspices the matches are held, fully deserves this modicum of success for their perseverance in keeping up the "guidauld style. A local man won the championship, the Tapanui champion taking second honours. Political.— The*re is nothing in the rumour that our M.H.R., Mr James Allen, will nave a hard struggle to retain his seat. Mr Allen has got an extraordinarily strong hold of the good opinion of everyone, and although he is proving a more caustic Oppositionist than was expected by many, even the "Liberals" admire his political straightforwardness, not to mention his great personal popularity, and would not vote against -him as a party, and it is even said that the Catholic vote would split on him. At the same time, if a local farmer should come out— ana.

there are not wanting some three or four in Bruce possessing the necessary qualifications— the tables might possibly be turned lam afraid, however, from my own knowledge, that they are mainly too distrustful of their own oratorical powers in public to make the venture, although also from my own knowledge I may Bay that such distrust •is solely begotten of their over modesty, as when before. farmers' clubs and bucli like they are known decidedly as " gabbie bodies. # Bar these the odds on Allen against all comers is all Lombard street to a Chinese orange.' . Gymnastics.— The gymnasium established in Milton at the beginning of the winter is proving a decided success, and is keenly appreciated as a resort twice a week by many young men— not to say young ladies'— previously often at a loss how to kill their spare time. ' . Lake Drainage.— Things generally throughout the county have been comparatively busk of late. Expenditure of local loans is helping considerably in this direction. , The Kaitangata and Tuakitoto Lakes drainage -operations especially are keeping a little ready cash, in the shape of wages, in circulation.' But seemingly this is the only "leakage", as yet in connection with the work, the lakes, it is said, being higher at the present time than they have been for years-much to the satisfaction Of the sceptics.