FREIGHT SHORTAGE AND DAIRY OUTPUT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2714, 8 March 1916, Page 8

FREIGHT SHORTAGE AND DAIRY OUTPUT

EXPORTS HELD UP. The dairying season in Taranaki has been a record one this year (states our travelling correspondent), but considerable difficulty has been experienced in getting shipments away. For instance, in South Taranaki over 20,000 orates of cheese have been hold up, but a- shipment of ten thousand crates, valued at fully £50,000, will ho made this week, leaving.still ten thousand in store. Owiiig to the difficulty in obtaining space on Homo boats for dairy produce forward6d to the West Coast, the refrigerating stores at Patea wero compelled for the time being to stop supplies, and these have been steadily accumulating. The shipment of produce from New Plymouth this week is also small, owing to the freight shortage, and consequently a largo quantity of butter will remain in store.' This, week's shipment consists of 5512 crates of cheese and 2781 boxes of butter, of the total approximate value of over £26,000. The estimated value of the Taranaki shipments of dairy produce this week from New Plymouth and Patea is about £86,000.

i Threshing cereal crops is the order of the day throughout Otago, and the hum of the mill is general from daylight; till dark ..in.the country districts, (says the "OtagoDaily Times." Threshing is fully a fortnight earlier than usual, on account of the exceptionally favourable weather experienced. The dry weather in the north lias materially interfered with the yield, and the results are not such as will gladden the hearts 1 of .the farmers, although some, very good crops have been threshed. South of Duncdin there has been nq- such-drought,', and ideal . weather for 'growing, ripening, and '.garnering lias .been, experienced. Splendid crops.' with a large yield; per acre, are the common 'experience, although in some cases the 'elements'have interfered with, all the farmers obtaining the full rewards of their labour- This was the case on the Toliomairiro Plain, where a heavy hailstorm some four weeks ago left a quantity of grain in tho paddock. This storm appears to have affected some farms only, leaving others almost untouched. Further south the crops are oxceptibhally' good, and, if this dry 'weatherVwill only continue for a few weeks longer, it Vill enable the farmers to gather ill their crops under ideal conditions, and thus enjoy the full fruits .of their, labours. While the north is ,crying".'.out;.for ;;ain to moisten the parched land, and the city dweller is doing likewise to fill the corporation reservoirs, tli'e southern man has no such wish. His prayer is for good dry weather until he gets his crops safely gathered, in. But even here his turnips would do with moisture, as they are showing signs of suffering from the dry weather experienced.