EAST COAST GLEANINGS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5497, 28 November 1896, Page 3

EAST COAST GLEANINGS.

Own Comspondentj, November 23. Up to date tho weather has been most unseasonable, very few warm summer days having so far been experienced. Shearing operations are in full swing on the Coast. At Waikaraka, Homewood and Glenburn the work has been completed. At Pahaoa (Mr J. Cameron's) and Flat Point the work is proceeding, and these sheds expect to cut out in about a fortnight. Up till tbe last tveek shearers have been scarce but all sheds have now a full complement,

The clip of wool is stated to be satisfactory and the yield more than equalß last season's in both quality and quantity. - In some instances the death rate among flocks has been high, particularly so among sheep owned by the Natives and depasturing at the head of the Kaiwhata river. The lambing in this part of the Wairarapa is not very good, the general average notereeeding eighty per cent, The highest percentage that has come under my notice is at Flat Point.

The outlook for the disposal of surplus stack is anything but satisfactory, as I learn on reliable authority that the Freezing Companies will not give within two shillings of the price obtained last year, This will bring the best fat wethers down to seven shillings per head. Fat lambs will probably bring a like figure. A mob of 1,600 wethers passed through the district last woek from Mr Buchanan's Waikaraka property to Tupurnpuru. Mr Moore, of Glenburn, has just received a mob of seventy head of young cattle from the Wairarapa.

Humors of political strife reach us (ram time to time, and that the elections are at hand was forcibly brought under our notice by the advent of Mr Adam Armstrong, Returning Officer for the Wairarapa electorate. This gentleman has been travelling the electorate for the purpose of arranging for the sqyeral polling booths. The following places I understand have been selected in the north and eastern portions: The new schoolroom. (near Mr Cripps' residence at Whareama), Homewood, Flat Point, and Mr Vennell's homestead at the Wharau (this latter place in lieu of Cooper's); It is stated there will be no booth at Brancepeth, notwithstanding the very considerable number of electors in the immediate locality, At Pahaoa (Mr Cameron's), a place where close Jon forty votes were recorded at last election, the booth is also to be abolished. This will necessitate the electors, many of whom are ladies, in that locality travelling some twelve miles to Bush Gully or eighteen to Flat Point to record their votes. It is common report that the abolition of this polling place is at the instigation of Mr Hornsby, the Government candidate. If this is correct, it does'not speak much for his gallantry 'towards the fair sex. But as most of the Pahaoa ladies are expert horsewomen, it is safe to prediot that they will not be prevented from voting, and that, when the numbers go np, their votes will be found swelling the majority of Mr Buchanan.

We hear that all the candidates are likely to visit the coast early next week, and I may safely say they will all be made welcome no matter what their political color may be. The tender of Mr Waihnka Kingi, of Waikikino,-for the weekly mail service between Glenburn and Homewood has been accepted by the Postal authorities, In consequence of the very unsettled state of the weather the" s.s. Southern Cross," Captain Campbell, baa been unable to do much work on the Coast, and settlers have been put to a groat deal of inconvenience for want of stores. Little or no wool has so far been shipped to Wellington. Babbits are reported as increasing rapidly along portions of the Glad-stone-East Coast Road. A small spot of native land jnat north of the Kaiwhata River is also said to be badly infested. j