WESTERN DISTRICT NOTES.

Southland Times, Issue 19134, 26 August 1903, Page 4

WESTERN DISTRICT NOTES.

The past week or ten day's fine weather has put quite a different*, face- on the' country in this districts-paddocks that have lain in- lea for.- . some; .years, -and ?: others that»have only remlairiod in stubble i y. J /- since last harvest have been, ...turned over • ™ 7 : and are now receiving seed 'fori next 7-. _ * -summer's harvest— that is, if W6: are.-go- '; Zing to get any, summer. At-.present : there :; " is every appearance r of : there"! being an uri-, - usually large" area>" in~ crop; "this^ '-coming '■': season. No-f-dbubt; - the ; very^high prices Z Z- Z ,of all stpckZwiil , cause farmers; to gb in v for grain growing,' :as they ; -'wiU : hot;be ■--' -able to s*pck;up as.^the spring/ feed "comes^ ": ; . away. Indeed; • :, X ; iiave • heard ?; several / of Z Z them complain this . winter that .they - Z have neither been able to buy sheep ; to eat off their turnips tur- „ nips at anything" like a xeasonable. price. 'There is : no dotflj.t that -. the number i'.of sheep exported from. ' this' ; district ; vaurihg --;■■ -'-- the past few months is how beginning to -'.: ; be noticed in the flocks. ' -' . i The rabbits have not 'been - soZ-tfaick . along the Aparima. rivf?n farms; .for mamy yea.rs as they have>been this winter, and many farmers who have let; their ground "to trappers wiU'notdo' ; 'so: again; : One - fanmer infornis nie-.that -hef has -had : a % Z mam engaged for "months poisoning and ? - trapping . and- -pays :JiimZa: "bonufl^ of one penny, per skin. ".This.' he: -.' says; is the ■-■■-. most profitable way -of .deadingr.with-the ■'-."-- post in the' ldhg run; " » V;'^ kS -' ""^ j--- The btiildiag vtrade', -continues busy, esZ pecially in our " leaiddng town;" /. Three nice houses have^ <" linst" beeiiv finished in Otautau, and a fine oflice and store for ..'■■■; the Lloah Co. next to their old , officesWe are only waiting for bu? "new- post oflice and cpurt-houise, and then, we shaij feel very go^a-head; 7 ' " ;;■ .^ " :/- ; ' The new vicar of the cUstrict-rßev: Mr Beavah— preached for •",; the- '.first' .'time T in >Z the Church of England, at' .Otan.tati, last Sunday. He has ; : a'>.-xiice>; and will prove an acquisition r to the districtf '-'-; This church has ; been, , closed, . rfor some •;•"- /■ time. -•,....- V--.;;,;;:J, : :e : :i'.! V" The Rev. A. Macdonald, who for -;.. the V past twelve, years -has: had .charge of the .large district , from Blackjmpunt r in ithe north. North. .TVairi'o ' in " ' the east; V and Clif den in the,. West from- Otatltau> ig to -be relieved of ; the up-country portion-vol this . large . parish at the ; end < ofw #iis s. month, Mr.-Jttacdo'nald- has beeh^ an -indefatigable worken in, the.interestsZbf^hisChurch, and has well-earned theZ easier-' .■■■;- worked parish he preside over /inZ .-.'.. the future. , "-, . --. Z I notice the engineer has laid off" Zthiß' ;'/-".' proposed protection works on tho north is completed it • should ifbnflneZ?thi»j^ery WihQ-aDbvrt Stream t© its own' "banks .even in highest flood time, , and , shonid make property in North Otantau m»ch . more valuable. Another } gre^t Z; nnpfovement has been the removal of Z the culvert just north -of . the bridge} and the filling in. of s tlie' street to the/ieyel; of the rest of it: Wh,en . the^ culvert.: oh ithe y^~ south side is treated in' the same way. the appearance of Main street, will "bo considerably : improved. ' ; , v , At the last , meeting bt the County Council the .member ior the. Waiau : rjd- , ing found but little sympathy from ., the -other, members over— the jiotice^of -jnoitibn to rescind the appointment :0f tjh,gir pre- ' sent engineer. In fact if one. of the"= other members had not 1 , seconded it^Vpro ' ratar-" it could not have been, discussed!; : It is well that this " body" . has at, lasif awakened to the fact^that. they lost .one food servant and should, endeavour not o lose another. ..■."•','.-*'. , . - ,^-- The fire in the .Nightcaps,, mine is slowly but surely beingagqt under. All the worst passes! are. npw.OJi^"_ih._hajxd and it is quite probable that; before' the : end of : next month- '-Me! coßajpahy.Z will, be! ■<•.'• working this part of their ,*3*ine^.agMn.v Mr IJoyd, the mine manager, ihasr- had an anxious of- it,,; and it speaks well for : his management thati throughout the long fighi>--Jusfc five, month!?— .. ~ there has not been an" 'accident "in connection with the fire. ••;:.-:■ ■.-'•.«"- .--,. ■'. r ' ; ;; -■■■'<■".- The Association teaah whjch journeyed to Invercargill last week and played a team from Kaitangata were given a very "enthusiastic" weicome '.'-'6*n-~"-'--^tnefi ! ' r 'retui'n: / The Nightcaps jßrass Band met them at the station, and pbxyed . ." them to the •hail -nrherc: - they were - entertained -at a smoke concert. On Friday last tho Loan Coi marked the opening of their newioffices by a record horse sale.. As high as £64 was: pa:d for draughts, and it is reported . to have been the best country sale of horses held : in Southland fon several years. ..'-■'.'