OUR COUNTRY CORRESPONDENCE.

Evening Star, Issue 3253, 24 July 1873, Page 3

OUR COUNTRY CORRESPONDENCE.

Blacks.— l have but very little news of any importance to communicate from this place at present. The very exceptional weather we have had this winter has surprised every person in the district; never before was such a mild winter known—in fact it has been more like a very mild spring than winter. Cardens, w'herc they have had any attention paid to them, look as fresh and green as they usually do in the month of October in ordinary seasons. Tire fanners ar# very busy just now preparing for the next season’s crop, and should anything like a damp spring follow, I think they may expect a very good crop. —We did hope, at one time, that the land applied for by the Progress Committee at Ida Valley, and upon the Matakumea run would have been available for this season, but we shall have to wait for another year. Now this is a great pity, as many persons have been anxiously waiting for a considerable time to take up some of the lamb which is known to be as good as any in the Province, It is to be hoped that no unnecessary delay will occur in throwing open the laud for agricultural settlement.- I have looked anxiously through your reports of the proceedings of the Provincial Council to see if any mention was made with reference to a memorial from 127 settlers and others iu this district, asking for a tract of land to he thrown open for depasturing purposes ; but I have not seen anything bearing upon the subject. This memorial was forwarded to the Government by the Progress Committee some six or seven months ago. The committee have also called the attention of the Government and also of our member to this memorial since the sitting of the Council. I suppose we shall receive some explanation upon this matter before long. The commonage is very much needed, as the farmers and settlers are put to great trouble and expense through the want of it.—A memorial was forwarded to the Hon, the PostmastcrGencral, through the Superintendent, frnra the the Black’s Pi ogress Committee, asking for the extension of the telegraph from Nasehy to Clyde or Alexandra, passing through Ophir; and for a station to lie erected at Ophir, and an operator provided for this place. The memorial was signed by between 300 and 400 persons. The Progress Committee received a letter from the Provincial Government saying they will use their best endeavors to procure a compliance with the prayers of the petitioners. Hyde. —■! am glad to be able to report all the mining companies in this district now in full work, all the races bringing in a full supply of water. A surface man has now been placed on the road between this place and the Kyeburn crossing of the Taieri. This was much needed, as some of the recent cuttings were becoming in a had state.—l understand a company is about being formed for the purpose of working the deep ground at what is known as “ Fullarton’s ”or the “ Four Mile.” Should the promoters succeed, it docs not need a prophet to foretell satisfactory dividends to the shareholders, as the ground is well known to he highly auriferous, some splendid patches having been taken out in that portion of it already “nuillocked” over.—A petition has lately been got up here, and most numerously signed throughout the length and breadth of the district, praying that the road through Strath Taieri be opened up. Had this road, which was, I believe, surveyed some years ago, been opened up long since, Strath Taieri now, instead of being a sheep walk, would be as thriving and prosperous a settlement as any in Otago. ° A mild and genial climate, well sheltered by hills, land for agricultural purposes second to none in the Province, well watered, as splendid a valley as a farmer would wish to settle on, and still, strange to say, with the exception of a survey some eight or nine years ago, successive Governments have never attempted to open up this splendid country, or enable those settlers who have already purchased land there to get their produce to a market—indeed, many of those who did purchase have already sold out to the neighboring squatters, seeing that there was no way by which they could get their crops to a market. It is to be hoped that the present Government will now see their way to get over the difficulty, and that a road will he constructed which will connect Strath Taieri with Hyde, Macraes, Nasehy, Hamilton, and all the surrounding goldfields. When this is done, there canno: be a second opinion as to the future prosperity of Strath Taieri.