POMAHAKA DOWNS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2244, 4 March 1897, Page 25

POMAHAKA DOWNS.

March 1. — One could not wish for better harvest weather than we have been having lately, and a considerable area has been cut and stooked. I have heard of some paddocks where a dray could not turn for stookf, but from what.l have seen I can't say that of any paddocks on the Downs ; yet there are some fair crops, and if prices keep up the , owners of these crops ought to get back some of | the outlay made during the laat three years. There are no less than six different makes of binders on I the estate. I had a talk with a farmer the other ' day about taking up a neption with part of it ploughed, but he persisted in saying the rent was too high. The Government are giving in the ploughing on the vacant sections, but even that has not been sufficient bait to allure any one to take up a Ifarm. I would suggest that thpy fence the sections also, and surely some one would take up land then. Anything to get the place settled, for it is disheartening to see a house here, and then go on for a distance through tussock before-one comeß to another. There will be a big Bale of land here soon, as Messrs Brown and Rattray are disposing of 300U acres of the Wairuna Downs estate, adjoining the Pomahaka estate. There ought to be some good farms along the old lake road, for a contractor was telling me that he threshed 70 bushelß to the acre on part of it. I hear that some would-be purchasers have been looking at the land lately ; still I would not like them to pass us by altogether, but let them take a turn J up here and see some of the sections with such a. splendid northerly aspect. Mr Edie in his candidature at the late election spoke of one settler who said the land had been a goldmine to him, but I think the said settler meant a coalmine. That is one satisfactory item aboutthe Pomahaka Downs— coal and firewood are cheap. I can't, however, say that food can be got equally cheap— , , animal food at all events— for the rabbits are get- i , ting very scarce. In fact we can't get them for j dogs' meat, and I expect the Government will have to protect rabbits soon in order that they may not become extinct. Threshing. — 1 hear the owner of a mill and traction engine was round here the other day to prospect, but I can't say for certain what his intentions are. There ought to be a good threshing here at any rate. Why does not some owner of a traction engine arrange to take away the settlers' grain after threshing ? An engine with a couple of trucks or so would be the very thing, and I am sure the settlers would agree to pay a fair thing, i as they would save their horses and have more time to go on with other work.