What news does Balin bring of the land of the mountain in The Hobbit?

Balin brings news that Lake-town and Dale have been rebuilt.

After his adventures, Bilbo returns home and begins to write about his journey.  One day an old friend appears at his hobbit-hole.  Balin the dwarf arrives and Bilbo naturally asks for news.  He wants to know how things are going in Dale, Laketown and the land of the Lonely Mountain.

It seemed they were going very well. Bard had rebuilt the town in Dale and...

Balin brings news that Lake-town and Dale have been rebuilt.

After his adventures, Bilbo returns home and begins to write about his journey.  One day an old friend appears at his hobbit-hole.  Balin the dwarf arrives and Bilbo naturally asks for news.  He wants to know how things are going in Dale, Laketown and the land of the Lonely Mountain.

It seemed they were going very well. Bard had rebuilt the town in Dale and men had gathered to him from the Lake and from South and West, and all the valley had become tilled again and rich, and the desolation was now filled with birds and blossoms in spring and fruit and feasting in autumn. (Ch. 19)

The town of Dale owed much to Bard for destroying the dragon.  The town had to be rebuilt to replace all of the buildings that were destroyed when the dragon flew over the town and breathed fire on it.  In better times, Laketown had been an important center of trade.  After the defeat of the dragon, it could be again.

And Lake-town was refounded and was more prosperous than ever, and much wealth went up and down the Running River; and there was friendship in those parts between elves and dwarves and men. (Ch. 19)

The Master of Laketown had run off, because he fell to “dragon-sickness” and disappeared into the Waste, taking most of the gold with him.  Balin tells Bilbo that the new master is wiser.  He is also very popular and credited with the town’s new prosperity.

The new master is a friend to the dwarves, and the elves.  This is new as well.  The different races of the Lonely Mountain are cooperating and getting along, after the drama of the Battle of Five Armies.  All is well now that the dragon is gone and, for the moment, so are the goblins.