Australian Town and Country Journal at KellyGang 1/5/1875
April 22.
I have to chronicle a very welcome change in the weather this week. We have had two or three days' ruin, lint so very light that for the most part it was like a heavy mist; bill it has cleared the air, and will give the feed another start, while the barometer indicates more to come. As a general fact, Riverina was about dried up, still there are cases In the deceit, while in this and other districts, ewes and lambs are feeble, and cattle dying from want of feed, on some of the runs the other side the Lachlan it is abundant. In these favoured, parts fat stock are being mustered, and large mobs of stock travelling for feed. After such an unfavourable season, the next clip must be of an uneven character.
Among other lots travelling to the Lachlan are 8000 Landale's, 8000 M'Farland’s, and 7000 Parker's.
Mr. Martin, of Eribendry, has bought 7500 ewes in lamb from Mr. Haliday, of Brookong; Molesworth and Co. have bought 4000 ewe hoggets from Clare Station; Hope and Scott 10,000 ewes from the came station, which has also dispatched, 5000 fat, via Hay and Wahgunyah, to Melbourne, Wooldridge and Wren report the sale of three lots from Matnoura 600 ewes to Mr Weddon, and 500 ewes, and 3000 ewes and wethers to Mr. Bennett, of Yandembah.
Stock transactions of any kind are very limited in thin vicinity. Stores are unsaleable, for stockowners cannot find feed for what they have, and for the same reason there are on fat. On the bade runs the whims are getting underway, hut from the present appearance of the weather, they will soon be laid up in ordinary again. The plains are getting pretty well dotted over with tanks, and in future one season's drought will not be so disastrous as heretofore.
I notice the pastoral products of Riverina take a prominent place at the metropolitan exhibition: but there has not been time for the enterprise and capital expended in this district to develop the results yet. The fruits will be more apparent in another year or two.
At the land sale on Friday, all the lots were sold at upset price to remitters. 4088 ½ acres were selected, a large proportion in the tame interest.
At an adjourned meeting of the Municipal Counci1, the following scale of Common fees was adopted, subject to the approval of the Government:- Horses 10s per head, cows 4s, sheep or goats 2s. per annum. The budget was also produced:- Expenditure, £3516 7s 3d; Income, £2702 10s 7d; leaving £813 16s 11d to be provided for by rates, &c. A rate of is in the pound was struck for the current year.
On Sunday evening, Mr. Groundwater, Presbyterian minister, deputed by the Melbourne Presbytery, preached at the Wesleyan Chapel. He has been visiting the neighbouring stations, to ascertain what support would be given to a resident, minister There is no doubt a very generous support would be given, as there always has been, but since the death of Mr. Shanks that body (the most wealthy and influential in the district) have been without a minister. Stranger still, they have no place of worship The Church of England and Wesleyan Chapel are the only buildings of a high class; and the Catholics are supplementing the fund already raised for a church, which will bear favourable compassion with either. Some one is needed to take un active interest in the matter, and no doubt this reproach en tim Presbyterians would soon cease to exist. The question is-Who is the man?
I take it for granted the public are anxious to know how we are; sol will at once allay their anxiety by stating that the mangles, cramps, stomach aches, and other dire complaints, that I have been reporting for verbs buck, are on the decline. The general belief was, that nothing but the rain would clear them off, and seemingly, it is doing so, as well as what I believe to he a fact, that these convictions have a great deal to do with it of themselves.
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