RIVERSDALE.

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

RIVERSDALE.

March 2.— The weather right up till now has been perfect for harvesting, and great progress ' has been made all over the district. The bulk of the crop is now in stook, although there are a few ' late fields still to cut, and some even quite green yet. A few crops are safe in sUck, but not many. As harvesting progresses the painful fact forces itself upon us that the yield will be even worse than was anticipated. The stooks are very far apart indeed, and the grain is not headed as it should be. Another thing is that from the total absence of wind, combined with foggy mornings, : the centre of the sheaves is none too dry when i stacking. Farmers should recollect this, and not i build too big stacks. Rain is very badly wanted 1 for the turnips, and unless we get it shortly these will only be a medium crop instead of a first-rate ' one as at .first promised. j i Accident. — A painful accident happened yes- j : terday to Mr Dyer, son-in-law to Mr James Pol- i lock. He was engaged in sinking a well on the ' i faim, and was about 70ft down when the sides : caved in, and he was badly bruised. At first the ! ' worst was feared, but I hear that he is not . seriously injured. : Poachers. — There has been a great deal of trout ] poaching going on here always, but worse than ■ i usual of late. We have local rangers, but they I ■ never seem to trouble themselves— for the sake of i peace, I suppose. But two strange l angers were ■ sent up lately, and 1 managed to catch two well- : known men spearing, Ac, in the Waimea River. It is quite certain that that river has been sadly ■ depleted of trout, and the rangers found numbers of fish lying rotting on the bank. I can under- i stand a man poaching a fish to take home to eat, ; but what possible good or pleasure can there be in : spearing trout and leaving them lying on the ' ground? It in to be hoped that the magistrate will ; impose a smart penalty and show the poachers '. that they cannot fly in the face of the law with impunity. i Land. — Messrs M'Kerrow and Barron have i been up inspecting the WashpoDl paddock, the ' property of Mr G. M. Bell, in order to see if it i is a fit place for the Government to buy for . settlement. No doubt they will approve of it, as the : crops look well there, and we shall then have the Waßhpool occupied by busy families. When will . the Government come to the rescue of the settlers . here and buy'theN. Z. A. Company 's land? The company seem to refuse to sell at present, and until all their land is occupied Riversdale cannot increase much. Large companies in. liquidation as a rule do not do much good to a district, as everything must be cut down as low as possible, and if this especial company refuses to accept reasonable and fair prices for its land, then I consider that the Government — more especially a ' Liberal one— should come to the rescue and enable the farmers to acquire more land. Why don't some of the farmers get up a petition and see if ' something cannot be done in the matter ?