KAKARAMEA.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1121, 5 December 1883, Page 3

KAKARAMEA.

(Fbom oub Correspondent.) The crops are coming -well into caron some farms where they were putin early, but the recent rain has given them a tendency to lay down. Turnips are looking well but very patchy, the birds being blamed for not only taking the seed but also pulling up the young turnips when they have only the seed leaves. Their depredations are more apparent in crops sown in drill where it seems as if the birds had started at the one end of the drill and taken the seed cleanout. , . , . Haymaking was commenced here last week, but I am afraid unless we get fine weather immediately, those who have had their crop cut down will have it all destr R. Jackson’s stock sale on Friday was well attended, and a large number of cattle yarded, but the bidding was very dull, although everything was disposed of privately afterwards at very fair prices There were 145 head of cattle and 418 sheep yarded. Mixed yearlings brought from 30s to 35s ; heifers, £2 ; cows with calves, £2 to £3 10s ; steers, £3 15s to £4 10s ; milch cows, £3 10s. Sheep : Ewee with lambs, 13s; dry ewes (shorn), 7s. It is the intention of the Library Committee to give an entertainment and dance about the 12tb hist, to try and augment the income of the library. The Government bonus of £6OOO is divided according to the income of the

Habraiics am! it is to bo hoped there will be a bumper linns.:*.' Although chtortnimnenlfl in aid of the Library are well | atronised, s'iil the settlors around do not give it the support and countenance i; deserves. The Institute contains at present nearly sr>o5 r> o volumes of mixed literature wi-h a fail sprinkling of standard works, and the reading table is covered with more papers than there is convenient space for. Notwithstanding the many drawbacks, thanks to an indefatigable Committee, with regard to funds from all sources the Library will compare favourably with any like institution in the colony. About ten chains above the Woodville Hotel on the Ball road is a large bog hole which the Road Board will do well to have something done to immediately before any accident occurs. Had it not been for the kindness of Mi O’Doncll in clearing a bye track through his own property round the hole the settlers above would, during the last fc\V weeks have been unable to get to town. We are glad to hoar the sound of the hammer again in the blacksmith’s shop. Mr IV Belt has started here as blacksmith and it is hoped he will find plenty to keep him busy. I notice here that as soon as the blacksmith’s shop is shut up everyone is grumbling about not being able to get their work done in the place. Yet I have known settlers take their horses into Patea and have them shod while they did other business, thus also saving one shilling livery. In a district like this where farmers will have to break np the land and renew the grass or put in crop, a good deal of machinery of one sort or another will bo almost in constant use, and whenever there is a quantity of machinery used there arc bound to bo breakages, and it is often very inconvenient to go a long distance to get it repaired, so if farmers want to have a man near at hand to do their work in harvest time, they must give their other work as w*dl, although it may inconvenience them a little.