THE COUNTRY. BLUESKIN.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2033, 10 November 1869, Page 2

THE COUNTRY. BLUESKIN.

After suffering considerably from the want of rain, a few welcome showers have fallen within the past week or two which have considerably revived the prospects of the agriculturist. The crop chiefly put in is oats, with a limited area of root crop and wheat. The blade is coming away tolerably well, and unless a return of dry hot weather be again experienced, the early crops will not be so far behind as was at one time expected. From four to five hundred acres have been fenced in during the past year, and a large proportion of it put under crop. A great deal of satisfaction has been felt throughout the district at the vigorous measures that have been taken by the Beaconsfield Road Board for constructing the road round by the beach towards the sandspit at Waikouaiti. Already two contracts of 46 chains each have been completed, which carries the road as far as Warren Pyk. the residence of W. D. Pitt, Esq.; and a tmrd contract has been taken up which will take it still nearer its destination. The road has been constructed IS feet wide, and will be metalled througbout. In addition to the fact that an extensive block of agricultural land lying along the coast line will be opened up, the road passes through a bush roughly estimated at 1,000 acres, from which timber admirably suited for settlement can be had in almost any quantity. This fact alone will concede a great boon to the settlers in the district. The forest lands having been largely drawn upon, some of the more accessible are beginning to show symptoms of exhaustion. The entire length of the road, when completed, will be close upon seven miles. Since the weather set in fine the dray traffic has greatly diminished. This is accounted for by the fact that the straight road to the diggings by West Taieri and the Rock and Pillar has now become passable. The moisture wlr’ch fell a couple of weeks ago is reported to have fallen upon the Rock and Pillar ridges in the shape of snow, and in some of the more exposed places it lay from eighteen inches to two feet in depth. This appears to have given a check to the traffic of West Taieri, which was visible in a slight increase of drays passing through the district. At this season, however, the snow cannot be expected to lie for any leng hj of time, and from what we can learn it has already melted so far as to admit of the traffic being resumed. Blueskiu creek, amongst the ranges at the back of Kilmog, is now attaining some importance as digging ground. Hituerto it has been wrought by the settlers in the vicinity during their leisure moments, and although nothing very startling was done in this way fair remuneration for the labour expended was received. Of iate however some regular digging parties have set in, and although their appliances are of the rudest possible description—consisting exclusively of the tin dish—our informant assures us that he has good grounds for be ieving that fair wages are being made. In one instance the returns were stated at Ll a man per day, and although this may be an exceptional yield, there is every reason to conclude that fair remuneration awaits the diligent miner. With facts like Ithtse before us, we (the inhabitants of Blueskin)are astonished to read from day to day in the daily prints complaints of the want of work. The ground alluded to is not more than 15 miles from Dunedin, and so anxious are the inhabitants that the ground thould be properly wrought, that no man, however poor, need apprehend difficulty in getting a start. Parties desirous of getting to the goldfields in the interior, could not do better than give Blueskin Creek a passing visit. Without much trouble, it would enable tbem to replenish their funds, and if it did not afford sufficient inducement to remain permanently, it would at least pave the way for still further discoveries. MERTON. Two-hundred and twenty acres have been broken up during the past season, and will be laid under crop this year, making a total of 1,000 acres of cultivated land in the district. Oats and potatoes will be the staple products, with the exception of about 450 acres laid down in English grass. The early part of the season was very dry, but of late a few timely showers have fallen, which have considerably revived the general aspect of affairs. The current rate of wages for clearing and ploughing is set down at L2 per acre. The labor market, although tolerably well supplied, is not by any means overstocked. Comer Bush, the property of the late Fred Jones, Esq., has not yet changed hands, although a number of—to me a commonplace phrase—intending purchasers have inspected the grounds. The gardens in the neighborhood are looking remarkably well. The berries are forming very heavy, and, unless blown off by the wind, a good crop may be expected. The cherry trees are all in full bloom, and are now far enough advanced to resist the influences of a night’s frost. The importation of a superior class of hulls within the last year or so, is beginning to tell materially upon the character of the live sjock. This is a matter to which the farmers have of late directed more attention thpq previously, and the probability is, that before very long the stock of this neighborhood will rank amongst the best in the Province. Stud horses for the ensuing season promise to be plentiful, although the name of the favorite has not yet been mentioned. SHAG VALLEY. The lambing season commenced here about a month .ago, and continues to progress favorably. To all appearance it will be quite up to the average amount of previous years, 70 per cent, being about the fig|A[ The want of a public pound in the cuffmct has been a standing complaint. As matters are at present arranged, a head of cattle impounded here is carried off to Waikouaiti,' or as the case may be, to Hampden. As might be expected, this state of matters has caused serious loss and inconvenience to the settlers, the impounding fee being a mere bagatelle to the expense of bringing the cattle back from Waikouaiti or Hampden. To obviate this difficulty a memorial to the Government has been framed, praying that a pouqd ipayhe erected in the vicipity of Palmer -ton. The memorial is now in course of receiving signatures, and before very long it will be forwarded to the Government, bearing in all probability the name of every settler in the district. The request is a reasonable one, and we have no doubt but that it will meet with the favorable consideration of the authorities. A notification issued by the Government of the sale of certain auriferous lands on the Shag River, in the vicinity of the Waihemo, has occasioned a good deal of apprehension. Several meetings have been hold upon the