DISTRICT NEWS

Southland Times, Issue 20618, 17 October 1928, Page 8

DISTRICT NEWS

PUKERAU NOTES. (From Our Correspondent.) That the present spring is the worst experienced for many years is the unanimous opinion of all the residents of the district. Cold winds and rain with occasional snowfalls have been the order for nearly a month past. The soil is thoroughly saturated, and all the district streams have been in a flooded state during the last week. Team work is at a standstill and farmers are anxiously awaiting an opportunity to get their oat crops sown. On most farms there is an acute shortage of feed for stock, and where the supply of hay and turnips is already exhausted, the dairy herds are losing condition rapidly. The local cheese factory is at present receiving about 1000 gallons of milk daily, and until better weather conditions prevail no material increase can be looked for. Lambing operations are nearing an end, and this season the shepherd’s job has been an unenviable one. The snowstorm during the last week in September came at a very inopportune time as most of the flocks were in the middle of lambing and the losses of young lambs must have been large in the aggregate. Every flock owner lost some, and several reported losses of 30 and 40 lambs. Docking operations have been held up by the weather, but it is thought that the percentages are sure to show a decrease on previous years. One hears no complaints of lambs dying from renal congestion this year. The ewes in travelling about in search of grass are giving the lambs plenty of exercise in following them and any tendency to become overfat is prevented. Angling. Owing to the flooded state of the rivers, anglers have had few opportunities to try their luck of late. However, on the opening day some good catches were made. Fishing on the Kaiwera, Mr J. Clement caught 24 good fish, while Messrs H. McDonald, E. Voight and M. Taylor all met with success on the Waipahi. Personal. There was a large gathering of district ladies in the Pukerau Hall last Wednesday afternoon, when Miss Winnie Cunningham (Benio) who is shortly to be married, was given a kitchen afternoon. Miss E. Irvine conveyed the best wishes of the gathering to their guest to whom she had pleasure in handing over the extensive array of kitchen utensils. Miss Cunningham gratefully acknowledged the gifts and the kindnesses shown to her by those present. Fire at Kaiwera. On Sunday morning last the six-roomed residence of Mr J. Burke was totally destroyed by fire. The outbreak evidently was caused by a defective chimney which had become ignited, and fanned by a strong wind the flames quickly enveloped the building. Mr Burke, who was at home at the time, lost practically everything.