The Cromwell Arguahas good reasons for saying that, in the event of the com monages beingtaken over by the Govern ment and sold as pastoral hconses, they will not be each sold in one lot. The idea of the Minister of Lands is to cut them up into 2,000 acre blocks, The Kailway Commissioners have not received any roporfc on the damage to tho Southern line, but the cost of repairs and loss of traffic will make it very difficult, if not impossible, to pull up the arrears this year, The fine weathor of the past few days has enabled farmers in this district to make good progress with the harvest, In many cases operations are now con cluded. Most of the wheat hns been stacked since the late severe storm,

Shortly hoforo 12 o'clock yesterday morning, a fire broke out in tho scutch' ing shed of the Featherstnn flax mill. In a tew minutes the building was gutted and the united efforts of willing _ helpers were turned to saving the building con taining the engine, etc., adjoining, which wore successful. The shed which was totally destroyed, contained a scutcher, press, eto, and two tons of dressed fiax, besides other fibre in various stages of manufacture. Messrs Seed Bros., the proprietors, will be heavy losers by the catastrophe, and o number of hands will be thrown out of employ ment. The fire was first observed m tho scutcher, and although a plentiful supply of water was at hand the flames had ob tained too firm a hold to be extinguished. The Government has not appointed any Commissioner for the Chicago Ex» hibition. In faot there is a hitch about the representation of the Colony. Some of the Committoe want the Government to buy the exhibits outright, but this the Minister of Public Works flatly refuses to do. If the majority of the Committees take this line he would probably throw the matter up altogether, but if satis factory arrangements can be made he proposes to ask Parliament for a vote of £SOOO.
