RURAL TOPICS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9142, 18 July 1908, Page 5

RURAL TOPICS.

(By Agricola)

THE WEATHER

We are now fairly launched into winter. The meteorological conditions for the past week have been exceedingly fickle —fine, mild days alternating with cold nights and con-i-'derable rainfall. Yesterday (Thursday the weather was ideal, but early in the evening a truly typical southeastern burst upon us. The wind was very boisterous, being accompanied by rain and hail Equalls. Snow fell very heavily on the Tararua and Maungaraki The temperature ranged very low. To-day (Friday) is the roughest and most tempestuous day experienced this winter; The effect of the cold weather on the soft grass is very detrimental, and reports from nearly all quarters of the Wairarapa and Bush districts are that grass is getting short. The stock sales this week do not call for much comment, the rough weather militating against stock coming forward in numbers, the same circumstances tending to make bidding anything but keen. LONDON WOOL SALES. The tone of the London market and the rise in prices since the May sales of from Ud to 2d for crosabreds is indeed welcome news to the pastoralists of the Dominion, and its"p<3ople generally as it will result in a renewal of prosperity, and cause landowners to employ more hands on their farms, and also assist in relieving the congestion of the labour market.

ROADING THE BACK BLOCKS. The motion which was brought forward by Cr R. F. Beetham, and agreed to by the Masterton County Council—"That tha Government be asked to supplement the £6,800 loan for the Weraite-Fernyhurst Road with an additional sum of £1,500," is a forward move in the right direction, lor should the request be granted it means that a very large proportion of the road will be metalled, a great ooon to the seitiers, who will be brought into easier and 1 better communication with their market town, Masterton. To speak of the Weraite Koad is almost ancient history, but now that the formation is completed and bridges under contract, there are prospects of this short cut to Masterton, and on the road to Stronvar being available for wheel traffic next summer. It is estimated that the distance saved will bs from four to five miles The Council should-also. k ep in view the desirability of conti ;uing the dray road formation from Suonvur via trie present bridle track through Fernglen to connect the Ma;terton-Homewood main line. With this link completed the East G'oa:!; settlers will be brought in touch with Masterton by the nearest possiMe route, the saving between Ferngien and this town being not less tiian than eleven miles. CO-JP3KATIVE SHEARING SHEDS. Recen ly Mr Scott, in his remarks before the Arbitration Court at Cnristch irch, in the shearers' dispute,,stated that there were no sheds of the above kind in Otago, like those in Canterbury, and he strongly recommended Otago farmers to establish them, as advantageous to both farmers and shearers alike. Such sheds deserve the consideration of the small sheep farmers of the Wairarapa, fjr by their erection a better class of men would be procured, the work performed more expeditiously and therefore cheaper than with each settler having his own sheds. There would also be fanother great gain, viz., that competent wool classers would be induced to accept work in co-operative sheds, where a fairly large number of sheep would be shorn. Another and desirable alternative would be for some enterprising individual or firm to institute a travelling sheep-shearing plant, a gang of men being provided to un lertaka tha whole of the wor*, including shearing, classing and packing. Such plants are used in Australia, and find favour .with settlers.

OUT-DOOR WORK. The wet weather of late has greatly retarded agricultural operations, as well as other work. fcIVER ENCROACHMENT. The flood waters of the Waipoua River last week, flowed across the road line in the vicinity of Kummer's bridge on the. Akura-Opaki Road, and there are signs of the possibility of the river cutting a new course at no distant date. Already the river has encroached in the direction just at the end of a sto;J bank planted with willows to pntect Mr M. Kerin'a land. If a continuation of this bank and planting was made, probably all risk would cease and a great deal of damage prevented to both public und private property.