SHAG VALLEY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1142, 6 May 1885, Page 3

SHAG VALLEY.

(From our own Correspondent. J

The long wished-for rain has come at last, and heavily,, too, as if to make up for our five weeks' spell of fine weather. Pasture has suffered very much from the dry weather, and the farmers are blessing the rain. The river was so low that the Palmerston flour-mill had to stop gristing, there not being enough water to drive the wheel. Palmerston depends upon its tanks for water, but as they went dry weeks ago, the good folkß have been forced to cart their water from the river or buy it at half-a-crown a barrel. Ye suld ha'e seen the auld wives rinnin' oot, when they got their ordinar' tanks filled, wi' tooels and cloots on their heids pittin' tubs an' buckets an* basins an' pots an* every spare thing that wud haud in, below the spool; to kep a wee drap mair than ordinar' ; for " losh me," said they, a it's an awf v' thing tae want watter."

Most of our farmers have threshed and are pretty well satisfied with the yield. Several of them have begun ploughing, but it is not general. The Shag Point Coal-mine has started again, and good coal can now be had at the pit for 16s and in Palmerston for 21s per ton. The Palmerston-'Waihemo railway is being pushed ahead, but there is a dearth of sleepers. Winter has made its appearance, and cold mornings are becoming the rule. The Kakanuis were snow-clad for three or four days last week, and when the wind blew from them down the valley— ugh!