Country News

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 2, 8 April 1893, Page 7

Country News

CENTRE BUSH. Harvesting operations in this district arc fast drawing to a close. All the farmers have now got their grain in the stack, a largo number have finished threshing, and some of them have already received their money for the season’s crop. These few may consider themselves lucky men, as those who are carting their grain to the siding now find it impossible to get trucks, and are forced to stack it alongside the line, and wait patiently for trucks, the lack of which entails a very great waste of time and expense. We have had no trucks for over a week, and every train is met by from 20 to 30 farmers, crying out for what they cannot get. Again, to-night, no trucks. Only the guard has . given us the consolation that a special is coining-through with some to-morrow. Hundreds of bags are lying waiting. This is the busiest siding on the Kingston line, there being also the sawmill and firewood industry, both of which arc nearly at a stand still for want of trucks. Crops have been good this year,and with the exception of the bird pest, which lowered the average a little, threshing has turned out well. More than double the quantity of grain will be sent from this siding this yca r

than last year, -showing- that the season has been a good one. Our weather of late is everything that could bo desired for this time of year. Some of the days have been very hot, the glass at times registering over 100, and owing to the continued dry weather the roads are in grand order. I thought that the days of strikes were over, but it seems not. 1 heard to-day that all hands refused work at one of the threshing mills—-not exactly for more pay, but for more time, the men considering that they should have more hours’ work. The Hillend sawmill, which of late has been in rather unfortunate circumstances, is now, under the energetic ownership of Messrs McPherson and Mcßae, going full steam ahead, and, judging from appearances, they intend to make it pay. They have gone to considerable expense to put it in working order, and I wish them every success financially. Farmers can now depend on getting their wants supplied in the timber line. Shand’s sawmill, worked by Messrs Cooper and Riley, also seems to be doing a good business. They have now got their tramway extended to the Round Bush, where they are getting some good timber. We have had a change of schoolmasters lately. Mr McNeil, who was in charge of the school for a considerable time, has left to take over the Gladstone school, and as far as I am aware he was not allowed to leave the district without good evidence of the esteem in which he was held by the parents of the children. Mr T. Shand, of Fernhills school, has taken his place. Mr Shand will be greatly missed in his late district. The iSori'iiEiiN Cross made its appearance in the district last Saturday, the result being that I hear a number intend to subscribe. April 4th.