FROM INVERCARGILL TO NIGHTCAPS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2401, 8 March 1900, Page 28

FROM INVERCARGILL TO NIGHTCAPS.

2J/u-cji 5. — It was a glorious summer's morning on February 23 when we took our seats in the 9.35 a.m. train, at Invercargill, en route for itfightcaps. Steaming along, we passed the lnvercargilL public abattoirs, Where all meat fox consumption is killed and inspected. The abatfco..s have not been opened long, but already, I understand, there haive been some ca-rcades rejected! lor the market when killed. Beyond are the WaLlacetown killing works and saleyard's. They are very extensive, and a large number, of stock passes through them weekly. A little beyond this place is the Underwood Milk Preserving Factory, inn by Messrs TV. T. Murray and Co., who do a large amount of business-, and find a ready sale for their much appreciated condensed milk. This factory has been a boon, to the farmers, for the price they obtain for their milk is 3Jd per gallon in. summer and 6d in winter. Passing further along there are two extensive brick, tile, and drain-pipe manufactories. The one on the light-hand side of the railway is owned by Sir Thomas Buxton, the one on the left side by Mr Thomas Hodgkinson. Both have sidings to the railway from which they can despatch their goods with, ease to any part of the district.

Tlie Makaxewa, Junction is reached in a few miles, and hers the train branches off the main line, a.ud soon crosses the Oporo .River, from which train loads of gravel are taken both for railway and road purposes. The township of Wainaiwa has a- thriving appearance, with its large timber yard at the station siding. At Thoriibury Junction passengers for the Nightcaps branch change trains. The trains meet at the same time, and exchange guards and passengers, and without any I'urther delay both engines blow the whistle and speed on tb err way. Fiom Thornbury Junction to Nightcaps the train passes through a wellscttlcd undulating country interspersed with clusters of native bush with a background on the left of high hills and bush, while the clear Jacob's River winds its way through the valley, which adds to the picturesqueness of all around. Fairfax, RiEgway, and Otautau are bu^y places, the latter especially. Indeed, it is becoming a fine, large, inland town. Waicola is naiiiE-1 from the large estate which bounds from there to "Wairio. This estate has been cut up and sold to a number of settlers, Mr Hugh Cuthbertson, the late genial storekeeper, postmaster, and telegraphist at Wairio, being a large purchaser. Having sold out his business to his energetic storcmaa, Mr J. Blomfield, he has turned his attention to agricultural and pastoral pursuits, and I think he will be one of the lucky ones in fanning, for the manner hi which ho is improving his faim, which is an excellent one, is the way to turn pence into pounds, and being steady and cautious, with a firm grip of what he is doing, Wairio settlers should veiy much esteem, such a neighbour.

Nightcapsj, from which the famous coal of that name comes, is situated at the head of an open agricultural countiy, which is now covered with crops in abundance. The oat crop is at present being reaped, and with line weather to garner it the farmers will receive a good return for their year's labour. There tue this season none of Pharaoh's thin and illfavoured kine or empty eais Sf cqrn to be seen in this iQut© a£ iravels'