NOTES FROM SOUTHLAND

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2030, 7 January 1889, Page 3

NOTES FROM SOUTHLAND

♦ (From oub own Correspondent.) We beve experienced very miserable weather for the last two months — nothing bat wind and rain, bail and snow. Fortunately, moat of the grain crop was sown before the bad weather came, and as I said m my last letter was got m m splendid condition, and muoh earlier than m former years. But, notwithstanding, the crops are very short, *nd where somewhat thlokly sown will be out In eaf while the stem Is not over six inches long. In consequence of «o muoh wet rolling had to be abandoned altogether. The potato crop ii doing very badly, and 1 am afraid we shall ran short again this year. AH our gardens look miserable, and give yoor readers an opportunity of judging the severity of the weather I may say that fully 75 per cent of the bees have perished for the want of food. Folly a month before this time last year I had 24 swarms from 3 boxes, bat notwithstanding that I have fed them well for the laat month 1 have only bad one swarm and one of the boxes died. Snob a very remarkable thing never occurred here within the recollection of any of the oldest settlers. However, for the last week or bo there is quite a change m the weather, and the olove#psßturefl are beginning to blossom for the first time this season. The land set apart for tnrnlps la now tn,a fair oon dltlon for the cultivators, and as the usual time for eowiog Is now past every possible haste Is made. The Wallace County Council are still In hot water, and the matter of reducing the expenditure to within the income seems to occupy tbe attention of the ratepayers. Public meetings have been held all through the county, condemning the actions of the Council In stopping all pobllo works, and at the same time retaining the services of all officials at the fall rate of wages. At each meeting resolutions were pasted to the effect that the ratepayers repudiate all liabilities In connection with some £3000 alleged to have been Illegally borrowed, and that councillors be made responsible for the same, »nd, owlog to the confidence once plaoed Id councillors now having ceased to exist, ratepayers have resolved not to pay any more rates nntll the overdraft la brought within the legal limit. As the rates are over doe and not comtog In, the Council at last meetlug instructed their clerk to take legal proceedings at once, so that we may look forward to a final settlement of this matter. But, let the ooiiclusfop be as It may, .the stand taken by the ratepayers has no doubt been the means of bringing about certain changes ; for Instance, as last meeting, It was unanimously » greed that the Engineer's wages be reduced from £300 to £255, and the Clerk from £250 to £220 A fatal aooident occurred on Friday lsat to a young man n»med Bastlan, aged 24 years, and the son of Mr Bastlan, Dnnrolln Station. While In company wich Mr Edward Saunders, late of your town, both ridera resolved to give their horse* a little practice m swimming, and went Into tbe Jacobs River, near Otautua, and done to my own home. While the hones were

In about 16 feet of water, Baatlan's horse I by some mtaoa or other parted with Its { ruer, and both were seen swimming towards £he bank, but when nearlng It Bastlan disappeared »pd *ras not seen alive agalo. On the alarm being given crowds of people gathered to the ecene of the aeoldent, Including a nnmber of half caste Maoris, who happened to be passing at the time. The latter being good divers stripped at occe and plunged Into the stream, bat notwithstanding the skill displayed the body was not recovered till several hours afterwards- An Inquest on the body was held on Saturday, the result of which has .not yet re&obed your correspondent, but Mr Saunders, the only mat rial witness, Informs me thtt he Is of opinion the unfortunate young man mast either have received a blow from the horaa or got ronstroke, This Is the third i person who has been drowned here dorlng i the last six years, namely, Mr Oamerford (farmer), Mr Gordon (manager Bayawater i Estate), and the young man In question, , and strange to say esoh oooorrence Is i wrapped m mystery, December 26