THE WEEK.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 24, 27 January 1872, Page 2

THE WEEK.

The current week has been a bu»y one in the country districts where the farmers are busily engaged in harvesting such crops as the long continued drought has left to them. In some few instances the yield has bef*n quite up to the average, but these, unfortuuately, are but exceptions to the general rule, as in many places the s<?ed will be barely recovered, leaving nothing lo pay for labor, interest of money, &a. For many years tlie summer of 1871-72 will be remembered among our agriculturists as the most disastrons in the course of their experience. Nelson is not a solitnry sufferer from this cause, as from all parts of th" islaud there come accounts of the poverty of tho crops. Iv Canterbury the harvest will be n very wretched one, while from tho Oiago province a

newspaper correspondent writes : —'.' The last few days have been the hottest I have experienced in the colony. The thermometer has raDged very high, seldom less than 80deg. in the shade during the day, while during the night it has registered someiimes more. Tho consequence of this heat has been the drying up of all the smaller creeks, and the reduction of the larger cues to the smallest dimensions seen for a loug time back. Its effect on the crops has been disastrous ; all round the district the farmers are in despair of being able to harvest anything like a crop, for everything is so short. The oats stand about ten to fifteen inches high, and the wheat is under three feet, while tlie grass is bay, and hardly anything green is to be seen. Bush fires are burning in every direction, and unless rain comes very soon things will be in a very bad state all round ua. In addition to all this there have been some deaths from sunstroke in various places. In the mining districts, things are nearly as bad, for the diggers can get no water to wash with, aud so the yield of gold falls off." From this it will be seen that we have many companions in raisft'rtuue. Of all districts in New Zealand, though, that of the Awalere iv the province of Marlborough has been the greatest sufferer, owing to the enormous jjrass fire that for the last week has been raging there so fiercely. It, is difficult to obtain auy reliable account of tbe precise amount of damage done; this, indeed, will not be ascertained for some time, as such of (he sheep a3 have escaped being burnt will probably be scattered over the whole country^ and it will also take several days to discover what amount of fencing has been destroyed, but from the reports that reach us from various sources it seems clear that nearly the whole of the grass on four runs, the Marathon, Starborough, Blind River, and- Flaxbourne has been swept away, and unless heavy rain falls very soon, the number of sheep that will die of starvation will be quite equal to that destroyed by the fire. It is probable that the report of 20.000 sheep belonging lo Messrs. Beaumout and Wharton having been burnt is an exaggeration, but there is every reason to fear that the losses will have to be reckoned by thousauds. The Suez mail is this month late in arriving in New Zealand, although it seems that it has reached Melbourne, the news brought by a sailing vessel to Port Chalmers bearing every appearance of being correct, for it is scarcely possible that it can be a hoax. The most reasonable supposition is, that the vessel left Hobart Town on the 18tb, instead of the 13th as reported, in which case there would have been ample time fur the mail to have reached Melbourne between the sailing of the Albambra aud of tbe Glencoe. The Prince, of Wales, it appears, is, contrary to all expectation, still living, but no mention is made of the state of his health, but as the news must be at least a fortnight later than that which reached us by way of San Francisco, there can be little doubt that, if still alive, he is in a convalescent slate. The fire that recently took place io Bridge-street has called forth numerous suggestions with reference to the precautions that should be taken iv the case of a "similar event occurring agaiu. Among these is one to the effect that a body of special constables should., be sworn in whose duty it should be to assist the Fire Brigade by keeping back the crowd, and maintaining that order which it is so necessary should be kept on such occasions. It has been hinted, bowever, and very fairly I think, tbat this is a duly that the vqliiriteers might be called upon to perform. If I mistake not, there was at one lime an order issued requiring

them to turn out on the alarm beiDg sounded, but, so far as I can ascertain, it has never yet been acted upon, and it might be as well if the attention of the officers were called to it. Another suggestion that is well worthy of beiDg attended to is that the residents in the town should make themselves thoroughly acquainted with the positions of the fire-plugs in the immediate vicinity of their houses, so that they might be able to point them out to the- firemen without tbe slightest delay. Every minute is of importance on the | breaking out of a fire, and should this hint lie acted upon, much time might be saved, us occasionally, when the plugs are covered with dust and gravel, some .'iifficuUy is experienced in discovering ihem. The subscription list for the purchase of a new hose, I am sorry to say, still stands at £13 3s. Some of these days when a largo block of buildings disappears before a fire, while a plentiful supply of water is running through the pipes, hut no means exist of convey in<r it to tbe flames, ihe sufferers may possibly regret their apathy in this matter. At all events, they will uot be able to complain of not having received fair warning. The half-yearly meeting of tbe Perseverance Compauy was held on Thursday evening, but*, unfortuuately, on this occasion there was no cake of gold to place in a conspicuous place upou the platform. Tbe shareholders aro beginning to ask whether such a pleasing object will ever meet their sight agaiD, but, happily, patience is by no means a rare virtue in Nehon, and we are still looking forward to the results of the next crushing in the hope that our faith may be rewarded. The prospects obtained from the new shaft are said to be really good. When sball we be able lo say the same of the retrosppct ? All eyes are now fixed upon the Doran reef, with regard .to which anticipations of a most cheerful character, are entertained. The washing up will probably take place next week, and I think I may venture to promise a most hearty welcome to the special messenger who shall arrive iv Nelson with the news tbat anything over two ounces to the ton has beeu obtained. F.