SOUTH MARLBOROUGH

Otago Witness, Issue 2556, 11 March 1903, Page 32

SOUTH MA RLBOROUGH

Kahoutera, March. I.— Last weak was hot and dry until Friday morning, when a sou- wester "brought rain, which fell heavily all the aftermoon, but cleared off in the morning. Saturday morning was dull, the day bright and beautiful. Last night the cold aoutherly wind blew again, and several showers fell, but since 8 o'clock the clouds have been slowly lifting, and now their sun-silvered foldß float far over tho eullcn summits of the. range. * Harvest. — Carting-in was finished on Wednesday, some. 16 large stacks of oats are now being thatched by Mr William Poulter. A fair amount of oat crop is in stook on the reserve flat, and the binder is busy in suburban Kaikoura. The rain, though delaying harvesters, ■was heartily welcome, refreshing the fields and hills and making the atmosphere much, more agreeable. Shearing. — The reserve. mustere,rs, though delayed for some timo o:i the War<?sn by the mists, returned from Quail Flat eomc little time ago, with 600 stragglers drafted from those that were shorn. It was a beautiful morning when they crossed the range and came in a long cloud of dust down the dividing spur, and my spirit wont back to the old iirass. Many mobs of sheep are still passing southward to tho great Canterbury Plains and market. Sunday Evening. — Tho tender rose-light fades from the clouds that climb up tho Western sky to steal along and sottle dimly down over the vast rugge< range Deep gloom gees forth fiom sullen-wooded gorge to gorge, and night Bteal3 over the spur 3 and downs. The measured river-murmur solemnly rises and falls below the ferny hills and rocky bluffs, to deepen tha hush of this wide, desert land. Yet over this lonely valley is spread the glorious canopy of God's unscaleable, starry sky, and unto those who have ears for sphery music steals down the deep sound of heavenly melodies.

At the Warden's Court, Kumara, on the 4th, an injunction was granted against a party of Chines© sluicing tailings into the Tcromakau River just within five chains of the main bridge, which, it was alleged, was endangering the structure.