LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 3 October 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tax on Boxing Tourney The amusement tax which the Levin Boxing Club will have to pay for its tournament on Monday last t totals £7 17s 7d. Machines of Little Use "It is a fallacy to Suggest that machinery can provide for a difference in the hours worked. A very great proportion of our farming is pastoral farming where the' machine is of very little use. No machine has yet- been invented which can ride round ewes and lamb them, nor has any machine yet been invented which will feed cows, or which will muster sheep:" Mr. W. N. Perry, of Hamilton, speaking at the annual conference of Federated Farmers, in Wellington. Ruapehu's Activity For the first time in a long period volcanic activity on Mount Ruapehu was observed on Monday. The observer was a carrying contractor in the area. He said that a large quantity of steam was rising about 1000 feet from a vent at the east end of the crater. Apart from steam, no ash or other inatter was apparent. A year ago 'Mount Ruapehu was in violent mood, and presented a majestic spectacle as volumes of steam and other volcanic matter rose to a height of 6000 feet. Pamir's Coal Cargo Coal brought to New Zealand by the baraue Parnir, which berthed at Wellington on Monday, is at present undergoing tests to determine for what use it will be most suitable. It is expected to be of a type for use by the railways. The general coal situation will be assisted by a cargo of 4300 tons, whatever its type, as that amount of shipping space will be available to bring other types of coal from the West Coast. At present there is a good supply of coal in Wellington, little interruption or delay to shipments over the last few weeks having allowed a fair reserve to be built up. Need for Increases "I do not know that it is altogether a good thing for us to be pressing all the time for increases, but at the same time it should be pointed out that the policy of the Government leaves us little opportunity of doing anything else. Either the farmers must press for increases in line with those other sections of the community receive, or else he must take up the role of opponent to other increases which are awarded," commented Mr. W. N. Perry, acting president of Fed-r erated Farmers, in • his report to the annual conference being held in Wellington. Competitive Tests The new butter-making plants would be thoroughly tested against the present methods of buttermaking in New Zealand, said the Assistant-Director of Agriculture, Mr. R. B. Tennent, commenting on the report that trial equipment for two new Swedish and Swiss buttermaking processes is coming to New Zealand. It was probable that they would be placed in one of the large modern butter factories in the Waikato. "We regard the new methods with considerable interest," he said, "but it must not be assumed that they will supersede the processes which already produce a very high grade butter in New Zealand. The test will be a -competitive one." Mercury Mine Stops The collapse in the price of mercury following the resumption of marketing by the international mercury cartel is advanced by the annual Mines Statement, presented to the House of Representatives, as the over-riding reason for the lack of success in the production of mercury in New Zealand last year. The report states that Mercury Mines, Ltd., terminated operations early in the year after producing 22941b. of mercury, valued at £2294, from its mine at Puhipuhi ih the opening months of 1945. The drastic slump in the price of mercury and the need for additional earth-moving equipment had resulted in the property being put on a care-and-maintenance basis. "It is to be reg'retted that the determination of this company to put mercury production on a sound basis in New Zealand and increase the supply of an essential war material has not met with a greater measure of success," adds the report. In 1944 the quantity produced was 68401b., valued at £6840.