UPPER TAIERI.

Otago Witness, Volume 26, Issue 2419, 26 July 1900, Page 31

UPPER TAIERI.

I July 21.— 1t may be truly said that "now is j the winter of our discontent," for the curreir l month has proved very severe. Snowstorms - nave swept over the elevated regions, while the low-lying parts of the district have been deluged with torrents of rain. Tons of ice have ' thundered down the Taieri River and many „ other streams that have been held in the iron grip of the frost for several weeks pas f . I Stock.— lt is worthy of note that the stock depasturing in thp back country have had a, pretty rough time of it recently, as it would try the hide of a buffalo to stand the storms I that have raged here for some weeks past. | Throughout the whole of last month the stock must have suffered severely from insufficient I food •by day and the intense cold by night, I thereby causing a rapid falling-off in respect to condition. The Rabbit Crusade. — It was fully-expected by the large sta-tion-holders in this district as ; well as elsewhere in Otago, that the rabbit pesfc j would be reduced to a minimum during the current winter months as a considerable number of trappers was engaged by the rabbit buyers as well as by. the Crown tenants of the j runs to carry on a crusade against bunny in j the back blocks of "the district. Bunny, how1 ever, was favoured with a brief respite from . the hands of the trappers for, during the month of June the frost set in with great j severity, with the .result that the trappers ; were- brought to bay, and buniiy was master of the situation, as hundreds of traps that were set nightly were frozen to the earth and became useless. The severe frost very rapidly reduced the large miniber of rabbit trucks on the Otago Central railway line, thereby showing that the trade had been curtailed in the in-, terior. MINING-. The Deep Stream Hydraulic Sluicing Company apparently are not to Be allowed to have the sole control of mining operations in that, locality, as an application for a dredging claim adjoining the above company's claim of an area ; of 49 acres has been before the Dunedin Warj den's Court, and adjourned for one month for survey prior to being granted if no objections are lodged. - With the advent of spring it is ( contemplated by Messrs John Walsh, jun., and , party to purchase a new dredge and commence operations below Walsh's crossing as soon as arrangements can be completed. Judging from the amotint of gold that has been secured in the immediate locality of the claim under I notice, I should say that Mr Walsh has secured i a good mining claim. May success crown the » undertaking.