DROMORE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2920, 11 March 1893, Page 2

DROMORE.

(tfROM OXJR OOBEESPONDENT.)

Most of the formers here have finished thrashing. The yield has been very disappointing, and it seems probable that very little grain will be grown on these plains in the fucure. The general opinion is that sheep will constitute the mainstay of the district. Mi- Brick, who h-id a most successful sale * wejk apo, intends stocking his faim, Tnra. with sheep, many of which will come from Cheviot. It seems that we are not to usoipa the flre fiend. About two o'clock on Wednesday afternoon Mr Langley had {oathundred bushels of wheat burnt in a paddock some distance from the house. The grain was stacked in the usual manner—covered wiih straw—and would have been carted away on the following day. It appears that a thrashing machine was at work in an adjoining paddock, and one of the men noticed someone hanging about the stack shortly before the fire broke out. When the fire was seen of course the machine had to be stopped, to enable the men to get away, and this took up some lj title time, so that when they reached the burning stack it was too late to save any of the bags. As no one from the farm had been near the grain since Saturday incendiarism is suspected. If this be the case, it will be well for farmers to keep a sharp look out. The miscreant who is going about; raising these fires seems to be getting bolder, since ho perpetrates his dastardly outrages even in the daytime. Mrs Martin, an old resident here, met with rather a nasty accident last Saturday. She was helping to harness » horse in the stable, when the animal became restive and crushed her against the wall. She fell among* | its feet »nd was trampjed on, receiving some nasty bruises. She has been confined to her bed since the accident, but is progressing favourably towards recovery. | One of the greatest drawbacks which the settlers have to contend against here is the want of an adequate supply of water in the paddocks. A petition was sent to the last meeting of the County Council, and has been forwarded to Wellington, so that there is at length some hope of steps being taken to supply this wane. At the last meeting of the School Committee the master's report showed a roll of fifty.