TUAPEHA WEST.

Otago Witness, Issue 2651, 4 January 1905, Page 35

TUAPEHA WEST.

December 23.— The weather we are getting at present is more like what might be expected in midwinter than in lnidsurniner. Ga.es of sou' -west winds, accompanied by heavy showers of ram and hail, have done considerable damage, and have delayed turmp-sowmg very much. Indeed, some farmers have very little sown yet, tor no sooner is the land got ready for the drilling inacnine than on comes the rain, ana the ground becomes sodden once more, and a fresh start to grub it and work it over again has to be made. Ihis has been repeatedly done this season, and the see^ is not sown yet in most cases. The oereai crops are doing fairly well considering the boisterous weather, but there is likely to be a very late harvest. This weather has kept back the shearing, and some farmers have been as long as a fortnight and more in shearing three or four hundred sheep. In some cases also the sheep have died from the cold. I hear that the stations in the neighbourhood have suffered very severely, and that one station lost as many as 1000 sheep after their having been shorn — a heavy loss to the owners at the present prices. Sheep and lambs are m strong demand at the present, both stores and fat lambs, particularly for March delivery, and sheep owners are looking forward for the old-time prices for" their wool this season. Flax is also in good demand just now. I hear that a mill is about to be started in the district. There are severa-l patches in the district, but it will take a lot of labour to collect it. Hundreds of tons have been destroyed here in former years to clear the ground for the plough, and this would be worth money if it were on the land at the present time. However, I suppose growing grass to rear and fatten sheep at the present prices is still better than cutting native flax.