WAIMATE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2770, 9 August 1883, Page 7

WAIMATE.

[frROJI OUB OVrTf OOBRESPONDENT..] There bas been very little of publio importance to record at Waimate during the last fow months. The weather since harvest has been seasonable. Very fair weather occurred at the proper time for wheat sowing, and a good deal of ground was sown with this grain Under favorable circumstances. Still there ib not nearly so much land under wheat as was the cose last year. Farmers .m this district suffered severely from the effects of the very wet weather experienced during harvest, a large proportion of the best crop ever grown m South Canterbury being very much 1 injured by the continued damp weather. The great loss from this cause, has caused serious depression m a»ricultural and other . lines of business. Ibe yonog wheat is looking hralthy, and although prices rule very low, there ' will be a good breadth of oats eown this year. Readers of the Herald will have seen that the Library Committee have changed the reading-room and library from the old Bite m High street, to the old school-house m Queen street. If the Committee had had the greitest freedom of choice, they could not have selected a better position. The publio are appealed to by the Committee for support m meeting the heavy liabilities- incidental to the purchase and alteration of the school buildings. The Distriot School has- lately been onslitnted a District High School, and the neoessary alterations m the teaching staff, are being effeoted. Fourteen pupils have entered for the High School course, and it is hoped

this number will soon be considerably m creased.

No question of genoral or local importance is at present agitating the people of this town or district, aud the only evont which varies the monotony of the seaeon is the visit of the County harriers to different parts of the county lying between the Pareora and the Waihao. The meets are fairly attended, and good sport providod, which is highly enjoyod by the yonng equestrians of the district. The report of the Engineers of Waitski and Waimate County Councils on the condition of the Upper Waitaki Bridge has been considered by the Waitiate County Council. Aftrr the outlay by these two Counties of over £11,000, tho bridge is now useless as a means of traffic for the public, being only passable to railway trucks. Tlio Engineers estimate that a further sum of £12,000 will be required to complete the bridgo and render it available for dray traflio. Almost the only works now being carried out by tha Cjunly Council are under the provisions of the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. A new rate is struck, payable next September, the rato roll for the County being compiled from tho Property Tax assessment.

Considerable interest is taken m the formation of the South Canterbury Refrigerating Company at Timsru. This is believed to bo a movo io the right direction, and will be of great importance to the whole district, benoficially nffccling small farmers as well es tho large proprietors and runholde 8. finny persons m tho district of digging proclivities are feverish over the accounts from Sakaia Forks, Alford Forest, and tha Ninety Mile Beach, the more co, as the present is such a very dull time bore.