Wellington Independent 7 October 1869
Agricultural. The weather, so far, has been everything that can be desired by the farmers and market-gardeners of the Hutt Valley, and the early crops of potatoes, peas, cabbages, &c, are coming on remarkably well. Much less rain than usual has fallen this spring and that principally in gentle showers indeed, the violent gales, so common at this season, have been hitherto few and far between. The early crops last year were in most cases a failure, and we can but rejoice at and congratulate agriculturists on so good a prospect now.