Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Tuesday 15 August 1865, page 5


' LOWER MURRUMBIDGEE.

:. [removal OUR CORRESPONDENT.]

THE WEATHER - ' What beautiful weather I " is the salutation which meets us often in the course of our travels, and very beautiful -weather we certainly are enjoying The nights and mornings are sharp and frosty, but the days are sufficiently warm to remind us that spring is close at hand The air is deliriously pure and bracing, and such as can only be experienced to perfection in sunny Australia But Australia is not always sunny, for the month of July brought us plenty of rain, some bitterly cold days, and one day's snow On the 11th ultimo, snow fell heavily in the neighbourhood of Vv Wagga Wagga This I believe e has not been known on the Murrumbidgee for twenty years Many of the younger inhabitants had never seen snow, and there was therefore considerable excitement at the new amusement of making snowballs Some of us if he saw the last fall of the feathery flakes in the old country in some measure shared the excitement, and for a time felt inclined to w welcome the cold stranger almost as a long lost and well-nigh forgotten friend. Although the rain has brought on the young grass, there is but little water in our creeks and

water-holes I fear the owners of back blocks will find it difficult to obtain water available for sheep washing, which ought to begin at the end of this month

rain PASTURE L>TEnFST-This cold weather and the long drought we had formerly suffered have acted most prejudicially on this year's lambing In no instance have there been those large returns which I had to chronicle last year Those who have cleared fifty per cent may be regarded as very fortunate The

news by late mails that our wool has declined in price and that complaints have been made of the slovenly manner in which much of our staple export has been sent to market, will, it is hoped induce our sheep owners to pay great attention to this matter in the approaching washing and shearing season The rule " wash well or not at all " is deserving of their notice On the 1st of July a Pastoral Association was formed for the district The first show is to be held in Wagga Wagga on the 21st of November The question has been warmly discussed whether this association is to be confined to stockowners, or whether agriculturists should also be admitted as members The vote of the majority has excluded the farmers This point having been so decided, it is not worth while to review the arguments that have been adduced on either side. The cause of the exclusion, no doubt, has been the ill favour which the free selection system has gained in this quarter Of course we know that farmers are not necessarily free selectors, but free selectors are always farmers, and the operation, even the limited operation, of the system in this pastoral community has been attended with so much annoyance, and threatens to work so much mischief, that all squatters have a jealous dread of merely agricultural pursuits, fearing lost by encouraging them they might thus be fostering their bitterest enemy It is a pity that it should be so but the fact cannot be questioned This same feeling is, I believe, the only one which stands in the way of an amicable adjustment of the question respecting the re-valuation of runs The present lessees of Crown lands in many cases would not object to pay Increased rentals if they could be secured in peaceable and undisturbed possession

CATTLE AND PRODUCE MARKETS -A considerable amount of

activity has prevailed, and is likely still to exist in the cattle market Buyers for Albury and Victoria are pray elling hither and thither in search of fat stock £5 and £0 are readily given at the stations, nor at present is there any likelihood that prices will decline, in fact, the probability tends in the contrary direction Hay is now £15 a ton, and difficult to be procured at that price Potatoes are 14s per cwt The steamer Nangus, that is to ply between Gundagai and Hay, unfortunately struck on a snag, and lost a cargo of potatoes the enterprising proprietor, Mr Jenkins, returned to purchase more, and we sincerely trust his energy and perseverance will ultimately be

rewarded

THE T/M-MrLoYTO - I have still to complain of the large number of men walking about, a tax upon station holders Some may be honestly looking for work, but we cannot induce in that sumSir those who ask for 15s and 20s as their week's wages, and indignantly refuse to accept situations for less

Nui TowsMiiis- Darlington, the growth of free selection, is fast assuming the dimensions and appearance of a township Two public-houses, one on either side of the river, can hardly be regarded as a favourable sign Narandera is beginning to draw to

itself a considerable amount of traffic A meeting was held on the 27th ultimo, when measures were originated for building a

church