SOUTHLAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 3167, 30 December 1893, Page 3

SOUTHLAND.

(FROM OCR CORRESPONDENT.)

Otaut4.it, December 28. Shearing operations have been greatly interrupted all through this season owing to the severity of the weather. Hurricane gales ushered in heavy showers of rain and sleet, while much snow fell on the higher country. Down here the wool is very light, notwithstanding that the sheep never looked better. The pasture land ntver looked so well at this season of the year, and everyone has an abundance of feed for sock, and as a result there is a fair amount of ryegrass and timothy set apart for seeding, which is also doing splendid, and so far as Sourhland is considered 1 don't think the price will be high next year. About a month or so ago the crops looked very bad indeed, but are coming on splendid now, and with a little fine weather as tlu season advancea they will I think be heavier than ever. Potatoes are not doina; so well, and the probability is that the price will keep up. The fruit crop is go-)d wherever the trees are free of ccale blight. Many and varied »re the remedies reco.nmendtd for this horrible pest, including castor oil, and one-fourth kerosene »nd a little sulphur, which I can prove will kill all blight, as well as the tree it is applied to. Last winter I dressed seven or eight of my apple trees with it, and, notwithstanding the trees being large and in full beatii.g, not one of them lived. Turnip sowing is now abrub over, but on the whole they do nor do so well as at this time last year, the fly in too mmy ia-itances having destroyed them and second sowing hap been resorted to Tha Invercargill and Otautau cattle shoffs were a grand success, and I am very happy to say that I hid a good shake of ths hand with Mr John Small, of your district, who asted as judge at the latter plac* for cattle and pigs, and that too, to the entire satisfaction of all. Horses are still arriving from Melbourne for sale in our markets with the result that they are somewhat down in price. Most people consider it unfair that our ports should be thrown open for this sort of thing, while a heavy duty is charged on the other side. The argument that the horseb are needed here will hardly stand good, and it is to be hoped that something will be done to protect breeders here, During; last election for our (Wallace) County Council several changes were made, but I am afraid that body is as conservative as ever; at anyrate, judging from the fac that they have refused to consider a letter fom the Wairarapa County Council, on the subject of local taxation on the unimproved value of land. Farmers consider the present system of local taxation unfair and unequal, and that taxation of improvements forlocil purposes tends to stop the development of tha country, whereas were local bodies empowered to tax on unimproved values only, improvements would be materially encouraged. If t le Government and farmers are satisfied with the present land tax, there is no reason why the system of rating for local purposes should still remain pure and simple a property tax ; and if you will allow me I will tell you exactly how the thing affects me- My property is situated in the centre of a large estate, most of which was purchased from the Government over twenty years ago, while my own remained ia the hands of the Crown for twelve years later, not being at that time considered value for the money. But now c mes the rub. For the pasc eight years myself and family have worked hard and lived hard and by so doing we h»ve managed to make things a little comfortable. My neighbor has fenced his land and more, my property thereforeJs, assessed at £9 an acre and my neighbor's at £2 10j which is nothing but fail and square. What I complain of is that when the local bodies strike a rat?, say Id in the pound, ninepence an acie is demanded from me while my neighbor is let off at 2£d in the £, and in conclusion I muss say that the present system of local rating has not even a sparkling qf justice. __^__________