Matakanui.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 360, 2 April 1903, Page 4

Matakanui.

; ;f; : (From our own Correspondent.)

WEATHEB. Like our neighbors we are having a rather prolonged, spell of .exceptionally dry weather. During the last month or so we have had a lot of wind—high dry gales almost daily —while the inter- • yening.days, when the/wind, had been turned off',-have been warmer than we., had all \ the summer.. The farmers have been lucky'to have such favorable, weather for their harvesting operations." \ A good number of them in this locality have their crop in the stack. Unfortunately.the miners have not been so lucky. The water ■ supply' has been 4 . short lately; and most of the : mining: i companies have had to stop" work on'-; this account.. However,; a nice steady rain set in this! evening '(Monday);*, which has every appearance of lasting. It is to be hoped that Jt will replenish' 1 the water supply and give the niiners all a start again. It will take a lotpf rain before there can :be the usual amount of water, and a fall of snow on;L the hill top's is what is wanted to en-v , ; sure a steady stream for a while. ' "- %*%

An untenanted house, the property", jof Mr A Bell (who resides somewhere o. near Gbre), and lately occupied "by Mi? *•» 6. Naylor,.was.burned', to ''. the ground a on Monday evening,; 23rd :inst.. The. _ t fl.mes were seen to break out by someC of the residents about 11 o'clock at -'*>* night. : A number of them rushed to the: spot, but' there being no water handy it was impossible'to' quench the I ilames./ The origin of the fire is k * mystery. I believe the building was t™ insured for .£IOO. <?: -.t-'\ . V "'..'.;:;., Matakanui Run.' ' &«''•'<* ■-■■■<

A short, time ago we had a visit from 'f the. Surveyor-General and Mr Barron, ' Gommissioner of OrbwnXatids. ;They were interviewed by_..a'^ deputation consisting of nearly all the residents here. The deputation pointed out that through the petitioning of-the people of Matakanui the. Government' had re- - sumed apportion of the Matakanui Run\ but unfortunately 'the''piece they intended 1 cutting'; up : -did not suit the people .at allv They 'explained that, if it were cut up.in!the way it-wasr' pur- f posed it would debar them from getting,' apportion to suit them. They under-.' stppd it wa.s the intention', of-thelGov- ? ernment to .resum§ so'coe : 7000 acres' close; to; the Moutere Station boundary** taking in all the hill Country, andr div Jding % in *o three- small• grazing? runs. As there cultural land on the'whojf it was a. very unsuitable piece. The Commissioners, after visiting the place, agreed with the deputation that it was unsuitable, and ''proposed that Messrs! Laidlaw; and Crawford, lessees of this'' Matakanui Run, be| asked to exchangV 2000 acres of suitable agricultural land! on what is known as the Station Greekl flat for the 7000 acres intended to W cut up. This, I believe, has been ■effected'.; -It is intended to cut the -2000 acres up in 50 acre sections, and they be only open to bona fide settlers of Mafeakanui. What the residents apparently want small pi&SJto run a'cow or two,- arid'grow a" few potatoes, &c, without being under a compliment to the runholder, they themselves still retaining.their wqrk in the mines.