CHATTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2120, 11 October 1894, Page 23

CHATTON.

OCTOBSR L— We have had a splendid spell of fine -weather lately, and farming matters have progressed apace. Sowing is well on, and in several quarters the young grain is *U nicely up. It is a long while since we have had such a fine seed bed for our grain as this year. One thing about the season, though, that is not relished by farmers is the sharp frost's that have been with us nearly all this month. In consequence of these frosts there is very little spring in the grass. Judging from appearances we are going to be just short enough of feed for our young lambs. The season having been — at least since the heavy snowstorm— very mild, there will certainly be a high percentage of lambs in this fiart of the country. 1 hear of some talking of 50 per cent., but 100 per cent, is a very fair increase, and should satisfy any reasonable man. In fact, it is a questionable -advantage to have many twins in the flock. The twin lamb is generally a poor little thine alongside of the wellmothered lamb, and is liable to all sorts of ailments. - - The Weather.— We had a change of weather on Sunday and a few equally showers on Monday, but a little rain will do good just now. Roads, &c— There is very little stirring her* at present except in the xoad-makinr line. Our local contractors will have plenty of work cut cut for them this year, as - our road beard , and ■county -council are doing- a lot of work. ' While on the Bubject of roads, it may be mentioned that the dispute between the Knapdale Road Board and Mr, J. Patterson is not yet settled. From circumstances that have lately come to light it seems that tbe road board i» not agreeable to expend the deferred payment thirds that hare accrued on land adjoining the road in dispute, and the Southland Land Board have refused "to hand the money in question over to the.road board to wrpand in the way proposed by them. The trouble over this particular road has been a Btumbling block in connection with road board matters for a good while, and seemingly it is not tettled by a long way. The action of the board is not only theoretically bat actually a disface and a reflection on the fair dealing of the napdale Road Board towards some of its ratepayers. Whether all or any of the present members are blameless is a matter^that I am not called to enter into, but it is very certain that in the first instance the road Bhould never have been interfered with, and the fact of its being interfered with shows the grossest amount of bungling imaginable. j