THE COUNTRY.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17125, 21 April 1921, Page 3

THE COUNTRY.

Jottings for Farmers.

The proposal to establish a Royal Agricultural Show in New Zealand recent! v considered by the Board of Agriculture, was mentioned at the adjourned meeting of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Society. The chairman, Mr-E. D. McLennan, said that this was a matter that should be supported bv the Association. Mr J. Massey, a member of the Board of Agriculture stated that the question had been considered by the Board two or three months ago. No definite action had been taken, but it was decided to ask the Government to subsidise to the extent of £IOOO a year a Royal Show to be held in the chief centres of the Dominion alternately. It was decided that the incoming executive should prepare a report on this question for consideration at a special general meeting. When does prosecution become persecution? That is (the correspondent of the "Otago Daily Times" writes) a question now engaging the minds of some of the farmers recently prosecuted at Roxburgh under the Rabbit Nuisance Act. It being realised that to make the average farm pay, sheep and rabbits cannot be farmed together, every possible means of exterminating the latter and increasing the productivity of the farm have been resorted to, and the farmer and small runholder feels that he is doing this well and successfully. But evidently not so. A sympathetic constable calls on him with a summons for failure to destroy rabbits to the satisfaction of the inspector, and the farmer awakes to the fact that lie has been labouring under a delusion. It will be generally admitted that there are men who are wilfully negligent of their duties in regard to the rabbit pest, while on the other hand there are farmers who, being keen business men, endeavour, as far as is practicable, to increase the carrying capacity of their holdings by systematically keeping down the rabbits.

CHEVIOT. A meeting of the Mackenzie Domain Board was held in the Public Library on Tuesday. Present: Messrs J. R«ntoul (chairman), G. "W. Forbes, D. McLaren, T. Lewis, A. McGiffert, and S Crompton Smith. A letter was received from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, stating that the Board could have a portion of the Cheviot woolshed for the purpose of getting material for building a public hall. The chairman reported that the Crown Lands ranger had vivsted the woolshed and arranged which portion should be taken. It was decided to build a hall on the reserve in Rolleston street, and Mr J. G)bsoi) was appointed clerk of works. The chairman also reported that the ranger had inspected the Homeview plantation, with a view to reporting on the Board's proposal to cut down the same. It was decided to plant about ten acres of the St. Amies Lagoon Reserve with Oregon Pine 3, and the matter of ploughing and fencing was left in the hands of the chairman. The Board then met the provisional directors of the Town Hall Company, and, m view of the Board's intention to build a nail, it was decided to take steps to wind up the company. It was pointed out that while the Board would cive £IOO towards the cost of building the hall, it would be necessary for the pnblio to find tho rest of the money. Messrs L. B Brad Stock, T. West. J. Y. Mbir, L. Gibson, and G. M. Truman, were appointed a committee to collect subscriptions. The sum of £56 was collected in the room.

YALDHUKST. . For some considerable time .the residents of the Yaldhurst district have been considering the pressing requirements of the district, and at a public meeting held recently the following resolution was passed:—"That in view of the,fact that a„ large number of the residents' .'desire :tlio.u'se'ef.' the electric power, and of their close proximity to. the main artery, steps should be taken to try and arrange that the matter be placed before the proper authorities to see what can be done.towards getting 'the desi-1 lighting for the numerous' homes r. requiring- same. . It, *as also decided that a-deputation should wait on the Paparua County Council in the matter. Several speakers expressed their disgust as regards the present telephone system, and it was decided to ask the member for the district, Mr >.. Witty, to endeavour to' arrange that a slot machine be placed in some convenient spot for the use, of the put>» c - A committee was elected: to go further into the above matters, .and to meet whenever considered advisable.

LADBROOKS. ; The weather during ohe. Jast few davs has been very cold, with .heavy frosts and heavy rain. Laige quantities of grain and potatoes have been sent forward during, the past week. The chaff market is still dull. Owing to the frost and very dry winds there is a shortago of grass, and it is predicted that this will have a tendency to make the demand for chaff keener. The results' of the potato digging for the week are not very satisfactory, the yield being on the small side. , , ;The. clover crops that. were cut suffered severely during: the recent gale. In ' some cases the crops were blown clean out of the ground, and were a. total loss. The pea crops ,this season are far 1 from satisfactory: in many cases they are not worth threshing. Air J. Brown entered the public hospital yesterday to be operated on for an injury to his kneecap. The complaint is of long standing, and was contracted while Mr Brown was employed in the N.Z. Railways. Mrs TV. A. Brown, wife of .the schoolmaster, also went into-the hospital yesterday to undergo an operation. Mrs T. Trask and her niece, Miss Myra Webber, have returned home after spending a lengthy holiday witli relatives in the North Island; The fortnightly euchre tournament and dance was held in the Public Hall on Tuesday evening, there being a large attendance. The results of .the euciiw tournament were: First prize, ladies, Miss A. MeDrury; first prize, gentlemen, Mr It. Brown, sen. The music was supplied by Mrs Schultz, and Mr A. Gabbitas was.M.O. A meeting of the suppliers of the local creamery was held in the Public Hall on Saturday evening, Mr Penman in the chair. Several matters of importance were discussed, among them being a proposal that the local creamery should close down in June. The motion was lost. The Ladbrooks residents aro taking a great interest in the Japanese bazaar, to bo held in the Public Hal), Prebbleton, this afternoon and evening. The people of the district have contributed handsomely in produce and in money, and it is expected that the.bazaar will be one of the most successful functions yet held in the district. LEESTON. At a representative meeting of dairv farmers, held in the A. and P. Association's room, Leeston, a.committee set up to go into the questions of weights, grading, and testing presented its report. Mr H. Bliss, jun., presided, and made tho report on behalf of the committee '. This showed that the various factories were willing to co-operate with the suppliers in carrying out any workj able system of weighing and testing cream that would give satisfaction to all concerned. The report was adoptsd, and the committee received a vote of thanks. It was unanimously decided to form an association, to be known as "The Ellesmere Dairy Farmers' Association." Officers were elected as follows: President, Mr H. Bliss, jun.: vice-presidents, Messrs ;f. H Overton, J. H. Prosser, TV. C. McCausland, and G. A. Marsh; hon: secretary. Mr S. S. Styles; hori. treasurer, Mr J L. Bailey; committee, Messrs W. J. Nairn, L. and

J. Prosser, T. "W. Crosscn, W. McLachlan, J. Drewery, G. Nairn, S. S. Stylos, F. L. Bailev, H. Robinson, J. Oddie; auditor, Mr It. M. Robertson. The subscription was fixed at £l. The question of registration was considered, and it was decided, after some discussion, to hold tliis matter oyer 'until next meeting, certain enquiries to be made in the meantime. It was decided to hold meetings .it Leeston on the third Friday in each montfli, a general meeting of members to be heldi each quarter. It was also decided to hold meetings in different parts of tivj district, with a view-to iecuiing members, and those present ajrreed to canvass for members. A good deal of discussion took place in regard to the collecting of cream. It was pointed out that under the present system tihoro was much overlapping and unnecessary expense involved, for which the suppliers had to pay in the long run. It seemed to be the general opinion that the contract system of collecting would be the best. The question is to be gone into more fully at future meetings. Another matter discussed was the price allowed for cows condemned for tuberculosis, which the meeting thought should Be increased to the full market value of the cow, as this would tend largely toward stamping out the disease. At present, it was explained, the maximum value of a cow condemned was fixed at £l2, and the owner received! only half that amount.