PAPAKAIO.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1252, 22 April 1880, Page 2

PAPAKAIO.

(from a correspondent. ) April 22. The -weather of late has been very broken, and we have had a good deal of rain, it haying ]}een so wet aia to stop threshing for aliqogt q, wee]?. It ha§ now, however, cleared up very well, and for the last week, with the exception of Monday, we have enjoyed bpa'qtjfitl weather, air most as good as any in the middle of summer. ; The crops, as a general rule, are thresh* ing out extremely well, and I have heard of an instance Where a crop of- oats grown on the plain averaged 81 bushels to the acre. I also know of some others almost as good. Wheat has also turned out very well. But the farmers this year seem loth to part with either oats or wheat at the present prices, and most of them are keeping their grain back until a change in the market for the better takes place. The railway authorities have at last coipp up tp their promises, and have stationed a man here wtyp is acting both as station r master and porter. He is, I am told, of great assistance to those loadr ing trucks ancl helping them tp upload their drays, which, of pourse, is a greaj; deal easier for them? This, I believe on account of the scarcity of grass, is going to be a very severe winter on cattle ; but I notice that most of the farmers have taken the precaution to have their straw stacks built in a fashion which will not only afford feed but also shelter for cattle in the cold weather. Although we have had some rain lately people on the plain still have j to draw water for their cattle. ] Since the payment of the Corporation vouchers, energy to a certain extent seems i to have returned to the water-race, for I ] notice that spme of the contractors both i for the fluming and race-cutting havp igain started work, and a few men may 1 bow be Been at work upon the rape. J ]