HERIOT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XX, Issue 1427, 8 February 1888, Page 3

HERIOT.

(From our own Correspondent.) Harvest operations have now commenced in real earnest. The reapers and binders which are arriving daily at the railway station give abundant proof of this. Mr M'Oarthy, of Dunrobin, has already harvested about 30 acres of oats, and, strange to say, though the weather has been extremely boisterous, this crop has suffered very little from shaking. If the wet, cold weather we have been experiencing lately continue, harvest operations will be seriously delayed; but there is every indication of a favourable change. I think, without exaggeration, I can safely say that the Heriot district is the garden of New Zealand. In the raising of cereals and green crops it certainly cannot be beaten. I have travelled north and south a good deal lately ; but nowhere have I seen a better stretch of agricultural land than we have here. We have a considerably larger area in wheat this year than usual, aud a more than average yield is expected. If the present price of wheat is maintained, the farmers will have cause to rejoice. I was pleased to notice that IVJr Thomas M'Kenzie, M.H.R. for 01 u tha, had been cre|tins[ a favourable impression on the other side. He is a politician of broad, statesmanlike views, above the sordid considerations of local politics, whioh characterise so. many of our Mew Zealand politicians j and, if I am not mistaken, there is a big future before him as a legislator. His advocacy of a policy of Freetrade among the colonies appears to have been well received in Sydney. Let us hope his ideas will be carried into effect ; for the day when such a policy would be inaugurated would, I feel sure, be the dawn of a new era of prosperity for the colonies. If we could, iftQd "our surplus oata without duty, on the shores of Australia, what a grand market we would have; and the wines, grapes, oraoges and other productions of Australia would meet with a good demand here. The bachelors ball here on the evening of the 7th was a great success, the attendance being both large and select. The oatering left nothing to be' desired, and the arraqgements of; the committee were in eyery ißerise satisfactory. The mqgic. was alflo a pleasing feature of the affair, being supplied by Messrs Buff and Bundle, of Tapanuj. The whole thing passed, of as merry as a marriage bel|. The manager of the Moa Ffot estate, impatient at the delay of tbe €taf ernjae** IMP erected loading yards «» v -» MflHMt at the rail*— — <"» ,°*n the (sov***"^' •'»/ station. I hope £- isi^ ...uient will take the hint and arect the yards they have been promising us so long.

It is announced that Parnell will resume the active leadership of the Irish party dome time during January! and will sum- , mon » meeting of his colleaguea.