NOTES BY THE WAY

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21409, 27 February 1935, Page 6

NOTES BY THE WAY

POWDERY SCAB Our Agricultural Department could 5 ji'L'Jy make some statement in the '.pi; that It might remove the exraordmuiy ignorance that appears \, prevail amongst Victorian potato growers concerning the "prevalence" i : powdery scab in New Zealand ~iops. Perhaps these people -.avf reiterated the statement so i;ften tiiat they are now believing :t themselves. There is no need to :epeal the travesty by which the Australian authorities decided that Now Zealand potatoes were affected with the disease. The purpose of tire < mbargo was achieved and everybody in Australia was pleased—except the consumer, who does not apnea r to have had much voice in the ■natter. But it is time somebody in authority in New Zealand did something to contradict extravagances such as were uttered by a deputa'inn of Victorian growers to the federal Minister, and reported m last Friday's issue. "Victoria would come near disaster if potatoes were allowed to be imported from New Zealand." was one hysterical statement. "Corky scab was capable of :uining all Victoria's potato crops." raid another, and a third reckoned 'hat it "would force settlers off their iand." These people may have made themselves believe this rubbish, in which case the New Zealand authorities should take some steps to definitely establish that there has ■ ever been corky or powdery scab :n the Dominion.

The deputation to the Minister j-,-: otested that their objections to the t nibargo being lifted were based en.,rely on the disease aspect, so that ihe obvious thing to do is to show ihem there is no such disease in this country. Politicians, possibly less in Australia than in New Zealand, cannot afford to affront a big section of voters unless they have an impregnable case. It is therefore as necessary to instruct or convince the rank and file as it is the government. KM) OF THE DROUGHT At long last it can be said that the drought has been broken. The scattered and patchy rains before last week-end had only alleviated the position, and that to a moderate degree. The districts that required the rain most the rain avoided most. These districts comprise the belt of country stretching from the Waipai a hills down through Amberley. Fernside Ohoka, Halkett, Kirwee. Charing Cross, Burnham. Norwood. across the Rakaia, to Chertse.v, Hinds, to the Rangitata. In seasons of ample rains this extenive belt is some of the sweetest fattening country that could be de-

sired. and it is also excellent for small seeds and oats crops. Only the necessity to regrass it compels areas in be sown to wheat. There is no '■". her marketable white crop available. In seasons of sufficient rainfall the wheat results are satisfactory, hut such seasons appear to be getting fewer in number The wheat this season was harvested with about a two-third return of that of the normal season. Rape and turnips will provide less than that proportion, but some satisfaction may be extracted from the experience that a good season almost i invariably follows a bad. GOOD AUCTIONEERING A lesson in the matter of quick rolling comes from Hawke's Bay. The lesson may be of use to some "f our Canterbury auctioneers. Rush •'-•lling is to be condemned, but buyers will bid, as a rule, just as slowly . auctioneers allow them. There is a convenient half-way house be- ' wee p. speeding and wasting time. A b; d fault with many auctioneers - -old as well as young—is to fill 1 horn selves full of air and repeat while their breath holds out the amount of a bid, and then repeat 'tie performance if the price should be raised. This wastes an unconscionable amount of time and allows the interests of buyers to wander. The latter, if expecting a prompt "knock down," keep alert and bid promptly and assist to prevent the ; ale from dragging. On account of the outsize entry • t the Dannevirke Ewe Fair on Thursday, a one-minute time-limit r or selling was set. in order to ac-'-derate selling. The limit was rigidly adhered to, with a blast on •he whistle as a warning when half 'he selling time had elapsed, and, despite the fact that the market was I'.cl-: on some of the plainer lines, .auctioneers had no difficulty in rais:*ig the maximum available bids in ihe required time. It was an excellent demonstration of the effectiveness of short limits in speeding up bidders, says a writer in the local naper.