ARDGOWAN.

Otago Witness, Issue 2425, 5 September 1900, Page 33

ARDGOWAN.

September 1. — The weather during the past week has been very mixed. At the start we had three days' rain, but the next two days were of a better spring quality, there being only an occasional shower, with plenty of warmth to encourage growth in both field and garden. Today there is every sign of a little fine weather. Farmers are quite satisfied with the week's rain, there being enough damp in the ground to stand a couple j>f months' drought. Roads. — All overihe estate the roads are in a very bad condition. A memorial is in course of preparation praying that the County Council consider - the urgent necessity of metalling the Oamaru-Rosebery road, whicli, if done, will give a good road from town, and all along the western boundary of the estate. The settlers have several times called the council's attention to the state of the Homestead and Parsons Creek loads, and there is every probability that these roads will be metalled during the coming summer. This will then only leave the Devil's Bridge road to be attended to, and this is perhaps the very worst on the estate, in some places being in a very boggy condition. About a mile of formation at the end of this road would connect with Mr J. C. Gilchrist's Valley road, which leads to Mr Willett's coal pit. The construction of this mile of road would benefit about 20 settlers' in amounts ranging from £1 to £10 a year, made up by time-saving and cheap, good coal for household and threshing purposes.

' Creamery.— The building of the creamery is under the management of the Taieri and Peninsula's own carpenter, Mr G-. D. G-ibbs, who is a thoroughly competent and reliable tradesman and very expert in this class of work, as is evidenced by the rapid progress of the buildings. Already a very well-finished two-ioomed cottage is completed, and the factory building, witli a concrete foundation has all the framework weatherboarded and roofed, leaving only the concrete flooring, T and G lining, and erection of machinery to complete the job. The factory should be ready for receiving milk this month.

Crops. — Several patches ol! early wheat are now well above ground, and looking very healthy, while in one or twe paddocks some early-sown oats are showing up. In the orchard and garden everything looks well and healthy — in the garden especially growth has . been vigorous.