COUNTRY NOTES.

Evening Star, Issue 4030, 26 January 1876, Page 3

COUNTRY NOTES.

[Prom vnr Exchanges.) Shortly after last harvest, three and sixpence was offered for oats at Oamp.ru. The oats which have been stored since that time are now worth only two shillings p sr bushel. 1 Mr John M‘Kellar, of Tapanui, who lately visited New Mexico, has purchased an extensive property in that country, for which he purposes leaving with his family' in February, or as soon thereafter as he can complete his business arrangements for departure. Rust is reported to have made its appearance in tbo wheat crops of the Oamn.ru district, and as one time threatened to destroy them to a great extent. Tiie late favorable weather for the reaping of grain crops, after the heavy rain a few weeks back, has, however, dispelled, the fear which had entered the ffiifiOfl of fanners in that neighborhood.

Mr Deans has liberated 300 young trout in the Beaumont River. The ‘ Tuapeka Times’ regrets to learn that the complications between Government and the contractors for the Round Hill tunnel still continue, and that there is no immediate prospect of the work, which was brought to a standstill at Christmas, being resumed. The Tuapeka race meeting was a most satisfactory one throughout, the public, if anything, getting the better of the bookmakers. The ‘ Times ’ says only one case of gambling of any importance came under its notice, in which a gentleman well known throughout the goldfields was eased of something like half a “ century” by one of the prominent members of the “talent.” The dice box was the means employed to lighten this gentleman’s purse. The cricket match Tapanui v. Clutha took {)lace on Saturday at Clinton, in a paddock ent by Mr F. Roberts, of Kuriwao. Tapanui won the toss, and sent the Clutha men to the wickets. They scored ninety in their first innings, and sixty-one in their second. The Tapanui men were only able to play one innings when time was called, and their total was fifty-six. The match was therefore decided by the first innings in favor of Balclutha. A Tapanui runholder informs the ‘ Bruce Herald 1 that he has this year had to pay LI per bale more for carrying his wool to Dunedin than before the opening of the Southern Trunk Railway. The usual charge for carrying goods by waggon from Tapanui to Balclutha is 50s per ton, and he gets his wool carried by road to Dunedin at only 7s a ton more than the railway charge alone from Balclutha to Dunedin.

On Saturday last a number assengera by coach and railway travelled from Invercargill to Dunedin under fourteen hours. They left Invercargill by train at seven o’clock in the morning, and arrived at Mataura at five minutes past nine. At a quarter past nine they left Mataura in one of Williams and Co.’s coaches, and reached Balclutha at five minutes to four o’clock in the afternoon, having ample time to get a meal and catch the train that leaves Balclutha at half-past four o’clock for Dunedin, and which reaches its destination before nine o’clock. The coach had five changes of horses between Matura and Balclutha, and brought down fifteen passengers, the average speed being nine miles an hour. After the Ist of next month Williams and Co.’s coaches will run on this line on alternate days with Cobb and Co., so that the through journey between Invercargill and Dunedin in one day will be kept up with regularity. Messrs A. and J. Boyd, large propertyholders on the banks of Eaitangata Lake, object to the action proposed to be taken by the other residents of the Lake side and the inhabitants of the Kaitangata township, with a view to the drainage of the waters of the Lake, for which purpose a considerable amount has been collected. Mr A. Boyd is prepared to issue an interdict against any person or persons who might interfere with the Lake in any way—saying that in the mrchase of property there he was influenced W the natural beauty of the spot and the sport which the Lake is, in time to come, likely to afford the anglers, boating men, and other pleasure-seekers of Otago. The largest wool-grower in the southern districts of this Province is reported to have adopted a pretty “ ’cute ” way of getting the better of the Provincial Government, whose railway tariff for the conveyance of wool is fixed at so much per bale, -without reference to weight, woolpacks being all of one size, and containing an average of a little over 2cwt. The nmholder referred to has erected a dumping-machine in his woolshed, and presses the wool so that the same woolpacks mid from 4 to 5 cwt, which is conveyed by rail at the same cost as half the weight.