(From an Occasional Corresponded).

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 25

(From an Occasional Corresponded).

DAmyiNG.— The .principle itqpiu just now is the going iDto "liquidation of .the INew .'Zealand Gooperative and Agency Company, Limited. 'The liquidator .has .called up the total ushara .money, ana ao fariaß I" lenow the settlers he\e intend 'to mftot this in a manly fashion ;by«payingaip. New Settlers. —Lately .correspondents laasert -that tome settlers iaie quitting .the district on account of .the' heavy xent charged >by the Land .Board. 'This.is not quite correct. It 'is .true thafc ceiitain surrenders have heen 'made 1 ; there is a doflgein this, -as the settler .sits reat free .till-Hie selection iis taksn-up again or the rent -reduced. In'ihe.latter csrse he can apply for It <again, .and thor.efore.get relief. MrD. D. M'Earlane'has .lef t .the "district on account of the delicate health =of tiis wife ar.d family, and'ihas.leaseanis iSe&tiontto an Oamara iarmer who lias a large f umily, tind the murriber of nupils attending .the Tiatan'ui 'School will thus be increase? by^atileast.aix. _A few months ago the Burnt iFlat -sections were taken up by 'Sir Wilson and Mr'jNqrris, and Hi T>iack has taken up 'tke "late Mr "Weir's property. Bush Phobkrty.— The 'first-named 'settler, Mx M'Earlane. has run .<a .saw-mill and 'has sant off 'his section during the past eight years marketable timber to .the value of ! _*The saw-milling plant is shortly 'to he shifted 'to-f rash fields in the same district— and Shere. are plentyiof them.

Railway Extension.— The above .shows that if the ' Government would extend the railway .to £be Oatlins bridge or .Ratamii Southland would have a rival in the -timher trade, whose position she would respect, if not envy.-

Catlins Railway. — Every train .day 'Owaka sends out from six to t*n trucks loaded with .sleepers, posts, sawn 'timber, fat .bullocks .(on Wednesdays), and other produce^ and lit is .said that the line is payiDg as wall as any 'branch line 'in tbe colony. " "

"Wintkr Feed.— l took -a run through ihe.Sistrict a 'few days ago and was pleased to sse the large number of well-built and neatly-ihatohed oat and "hay stacks, andthe.even crops ,of turn |ps. The latter will go '3s tons to the, acre,; .potatoes, a *ack to the perch ; oaten hay, 2J tons^per acre ; grass hay, <2 tons ,per -acre. 'The district under notice extends 'from the upper.part of >the MacIreozie Valley^to 'the JRatanui Btore/lthence down the'lake3icle to the ""big mill."

Population.— The .population of the Catltn* Rifling of the Clutha County 'is now "head boat," r early 2000 souls.