LOCAL A. AND P. NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 20

LOCAL A. AND P. NEWS

Some interesting light is thrown upon the effect of the recent severe snowstorms upon the .sheep in the Rock and Pillar district in a letter received on the 14-th by a Dunedin gentleman from a brother resident at Hyde. In the course of his lettar h& says : " The sheep and cattle are looking fairly well, and should get over the spring satisfactorily. More sheep will be lost an the snow, however, than was anticipated. From one particular drift in a basin on the sunny face of the Four-mile Spur I extricated about 20 sheep a few days after the snowfall, and though I searched diligently I could find no more. But about a fortnight later five or six sheep which I had missed were taken out of the same hole alive by other members of our partj r . Again, a fortnight later. 17 dead sheep were counted in the same drift, and there are probably more, as the drift is still very deep. The storm eeems to have come up from the south and driven the sheep to take shelter in the cavities in the face, where the snow drifted over them. I rescued 25 sheep from one drift of this sort by tramping a track through the soft snow to them, making a really deep track, and you will imagine my surprise on visiting the spot after- a. fchaw sorrre iO «ia.ys. L&irer to finci-tliafc I had driven the rescued sheep over the top of another little mob, which were still alive and able to scramble to a safer place. .However, even after all losses are taken into account, I consider that the i good done by the snow and rain will more j than -equal any damages."'

An occasional correspondent writes as follows from Gimmerburn : — "Some people are under the impression that we are simply smothered in snow in this quarter. Although only 10 or 12 miles from Naseby (as the crew flies), we were fortunate enough to escape anything like a heavy fall — in fact, it rained here most of the time, and we never had more than 4in of snow afc the most on the flat. All the country south of the Main road to Ranfurly practically escaped, and will be greatly benefited by the thorough soaking obtained, the moisture being_down to a depth of fully 3ft. On the hills, however, the fall was somewhat heavier, and would average from a foot to 14-in on the wintering country, and considerably deeper on the summer country, being over 2ft on the tops. There will, however, be no loss of stock in these part?. The aheep are looking very well on Puketoi, Linnburn, and Closeburn, and given a good spring everything points to a record season. The snow will prove the very life of the Maniototo Plain. After three years of drought it is rather strange for us to be going ankle-deep in mud. A few weeks' warm weather next month should ensure a plentiful rush of young grass. The reports, however, from Idaburn and Home Hills are anything but assuring, and it is more than likely large losses will be sustained, as the conditions there are still unchanged, and it 13 not likely that there will be any general

thaw until the latter - end of tihis month: ; and, even after that event does take place, settlers there will be hard pushed to keep their stock alive. The very lateness of the spring in these parts, and the hardships already endured, will militate against the sheep making a rapid

The experiences of some of those jvho have been employed during the past fortnight searching' the snow-covered hills for traces of their imprisoned flocks are thrilling in the extreme. One pastoralist (says the Oamaru Mail) whose run comprises some of the highest peaks in the Kakanui Ranges, was out with a mate endeavouring to find his flock, having with them a sheep dog and " mustering" sticks. On one occasion one of the twain slipped on frozen snow covering one of the high peaks, and was only prevented from being precipitated to the gullies beneath and certain death by the fact that his mustering staff held. On another occasion the two were caught in a blizzard, by reason of which they not only lost their way, but one of the number was stricken with snow blindness. The effect of th^s was only to render ■confusion worse confounded, and the result might have been indeed serious had it not been for the faithful sagacity of the sheep dog." With one of the party leading the other in what seemed little better than a veritable maze, the dog, by easy stages, led them out of the storm and to safety. As giving some idea of the peril in which the two wei-e, the pastoralist, who was feeling his way with his staff, was led by the dog over what was evidently a drift. At anyrate, on penetrating the crust with the stiok it was found that *he depth of the snow was deeper than its length, and it became necessary to beat a hasty retreat. The snow -was eufficiently hard to bear the weight of the ■ dog, but it is doubtful if it would have carried the men.

The Ellesmere (Canterbury) branch of the Farmers' Union has decided to approve of the platform; of the proposed Farmers' part}', taxation for revenue purposes only, optional tenure oi land, and restriction to ratepayers of power to vote at elections of local bodies.

Sheep are beginning to die in fairly large numbers in the snow-covered area (saje the Mount Ida Chronicle). Even where they have been fed regularly some die — fat ones, in some instances. Evidently the frost kills them. A farmer informs us that he killed one that was dying, and on skinning it found that the tissue between the flesh and the skin was quite stiff and evidently frozen. On the larger runs it has been impossible to get all stock out. Mr Logan has still 500 ewes snow-covered.

The annual .report of the Southland A. and P. Association states that operation's on the new show grounds have been carried on steadily. A complete system of selfacting drainage haa been carried out. Tile drains on a solid bed have been put in at every half-chain. 'These discharge into a j large receiving drain, which again discharges its contents into the estuary every ! 24- hours, according to the state of the tide ' — the grounds being protected from any I influx of tidal water by a system, of selfi a-eting valves, which have been found to J work satisfactorily. The ground has rei cently been ploughed, and now pi'esents a somewhat improved appearance as compared with its natural state. A commencement has been made with providing shelter. The Railway Department has extended its siding to the extreme north-east corner of the land, while the plans for a loading bank and ample aiding accommodation for the Society's use have been prepared and approved of by the Railway Department. The advantages of having a railway siding and loading bank within the show ground itself cannot be overestimated. Largely through the exertions of the last president. Mr R. A. Anderson, and the assistance of Sir Joseph Ward, a Government subsidy of £2000 has been promised, on the principle of £ for £. More than half thLs sum has been already received, and the balance will be available within r comparatively short period. The association's paddock at Wallacetown Crossing has been sold at the satisfactory figure of £40 per acre through the National Mortgage and Asrency Company, and that company donated the amount of the commission it earned to the funds of the association. The balance sheet <*liou-3 the arp-enclit-nre for the veat' to have been £3779, A'hich includes prize money £902. improvement to new show grounds £1464-, waces and labour £180, printing and advertising £147. and secretary (15 j months) £187 10s. The receipts include £457 from entries, £400 from subscriptions, and £81 from gate money.