BALD HILL FLAT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2809, 15 January 1908, Page 39

BALD HILL FLAT.

January ■!. — During the holidays a number ' o! residents took advantage of the -excursion fares to move around. Some journeyed as faa: as Oamcru a/nd. others availed themselves of the atractiotis -nearer horne — races at Cromwell and "Blacks, and sports at Roxburgh. On New Year's Day a picnic was held in Mr Carrol's paddock, aaid a dance was held in the evening. All present said they had enjoyed a ijeally good time. Gardens. — On my rambles during the holidays I noticed that all the gardens round Cc--nroy's are looking remarkably well. Mr "W. Bringans, of Alexandra, has purchased Ah Why's garden, and some improvements are being made. Fainting. — One of the beet oat crops I have seen for years is growing between Conroya' and Alexandra. The crops about here, and as far as Shingle Creek, are also looking well, which indicates that chaff will be a reasonable price once again after the coining harvest. - Shearing. — Messrs M'S-ettigan and Mr Smith have finished their shearing. M*

Butler .smarted on th.-» 3rd, and J bear 'lie has a laffge number to shear ;£his season. Mr Smith ias disposed of a znumber of his lambs a.t « very satisfactory figure. Mining. — TJie «mall claim own«d lay Mr Mitchell has been tak«n over by the N-ew last Chance Company. I hear the agreement is half the gold after all working expenses are deducted, so in a few weeks we 'expect to see this level piece, of ground a heap of tailings. The Last Oh-auca Company have a, good plant and plenty of water-power. Mr Carroll and party are engaged cleaning out their water-race. Mr Nicholson and party, of the Fraeer B-ashi, have made another start, and I hope to hear of a good wasliup ahoTtLy. Messrs Everett an-d Terry granted last court day the old claim tha-t used to b© work-ad by M'paarthy Bros. I hear they intend, to work it by tunnelling. Personal. — Mr Blu-e, manager of th-e Four-teen-mile Beach dredge, has shifted his wife and family down to the claim. The young man Goodman, who lost his arm through too. accident on this dredge a slxort time ago, is, I am pleased, to learn, able to get about. I hear lie intends to follow farming in future. Unoccupied Land. — We have had quite a> lively time nere lately. A abort time ago some unoccupied land was granted to one of iihe residents, who at once put a laTge gate across the county road. Wh«n objections were mad© it brought on otheT troubles, which, led to a court case, which, -ended in the 'owner of the "gate having to pay damages and costs. As this is the first week in 1908 I wish you, Mr Editor, and your staff, a happy and prosperous New Year. January 13. — Holidays are now over and a fresh start made with tbe /general routine of everyday life for another year. Harvesting las now commenced. This is one -wof the earliest* -harvests 1 remember in Miller's Flat ior a great number oi years. <. Crops. — There are a good many complaints of poor crops, 'but -we hear , theses -complaints wien yields are sometimes between 70 and 80 bushels "to the acre. Certainly wer£ it not for the timely rain ihat came aboui a month -ago, crops -of every description would have been a comparative laihire. Since then the weather has been exceedingly dry, but last Saturday a, very beneficial naghfs rain fell, aod thiajwill put fresii life into the l»te turnips. I h«ar it said, regarding the potato crop thai the growth has all gone to tne tops, and that there are very few tubers to the roots; also that -second growth has set in. "Tie fruit crop js above the Average, particularly apples and pears. The trees seem to be in a healthy condition, and fhers is comparative freedom from the codlin moth. pog Trial. — "W« .are to Tiave a collie dog trial at Miller's Flat some time in ■February. A committee "has been formed to make arrangements, and a liberal amount -of money has been already forwarded for prizes, etc. Mr George Richardson, Miller's Flat, is th« ton. sec. 'Mining. — Dredging has "not yet got properly started after the holidays. A -considerable amount oi repairing is under -way before a general start is -made for the year. A good deal of .attention is given now by mining investors to the back country. The Old Man and Laimmerlaw ranges are likely to become fields for active operations in the near future. I hope to .be aWe to give .fuller details in a future issue.