Week-end Chat

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 8, 2 October 1937, Page 11

Week-end Chat

COUNTRY AND« TOWN.

I ' Dear Bveryone,— Ther© are sad hearts ih Hawko' s Bay with) this week's frost, for wisteria has Jilackened in bud, grapes are cut — for the secohd year unless they were sheltered, new potatoes that wero the family' s pride, hvae been set right back, and, .worst of all, many orcliardists liave lost peachos, nectarines and plums. "Sucli a blow to lose all these," said an orchardist's wife who for years has had one misfortune after another. I' armers, and aU good liousewives will be interested in the following letter for wJiich. go many thanks to the writer : Dear Cousin Rose, — 1 noticed that bacon was under discussion in your columns to-night, and that you were requesting readers to oifer their opinions on that commodity. Tliat happens to be rather a poignant subject with us, so I am venturing to commenfc on it. In my opinion, there is no sudh thing as "good" bacon in New Zealand. That is heresy, I know, but, nevertheless, it is a lact. In comparison with/ the product of England, C'anada and even Denmark, it cannot hiold a candle to either of them. It is purely a question of tasto as to whother England or Canada produces the besfc bacon; they aro botk oi excelient quality. Some time ago 1 read in the paper that the New Zealand' bacon-curers honestly confessed that their products could not be guaranteed to keep more than three months at the most, as they use what is known as , the "short cure," while Canada uses the "long cure." My experience has been that it won't keep three days, much less three months. It is a bad colour, flabhy, shrivels up to nothing in the pan, and very often tastes as if it had been cookedin sardine-oill I have never farmed in- this c.ountry, but have spent a large proportion of my life on farms in Canada and Australia, and I pride myself that I do know something about pigraising and curing.

,To my mmd — and I am following out the assertions as lajd down by the •packing-houses and f armers of Canada — the type of hog raised here is not of the best. Thirty years ago the Canadians threw out the Tamworth hog as' being a poor baconer ; it took too long to fatten for one thing.. A .pig that will not attain maturity and the correct amount of f at in nine months is ineconomic ; in addition, the frame was not what the puBlic wanted. They favour what is known as the Bacon Berkshire, wliich must not be confused with the lard Berfc. At the Agrieulturai Sliow, there is always a pen of pigs with an attendant, cxplaiuing tho diiferencc in the three animals exhibited. Oue the perfect pig, another one not quite matured or a littie overvveight, and the third what they would not have as'a gift. Top price is paid for correct weight, and the farmer is docked a cent or twp for every pound the pig is either over, or under weight. The attendant at the show — or at the factory — is always willing to give information with regard to feeding and curing should you wish to cure your own bacon. We used to buy a licquor — "Smokine" I think it was called— wliich we used to paint over the hams, shoulders "and sides, after salting, and it Would penetrate right into the bone and keep the meat perfectly fresh for a year or more. It saved the trouble of the old-time smoking, did the job in half the time, and gave a delicious liavour to the hams, ete. ; quite on a par with the hand-smoked bacon. "We never had trouble in keeping our bacon after that fashion, nor auy complaints with regards to its ilavour. Another of the faults in this country is tlie feeding- of too much rubbish. Farmers do not seein to realiso tbe value of grain from a feeding standpoint. A barrel of swill composed mainly of separated milk, a run in a paddock, and a few scrajis are considered. sufficient for a pig. The aninial may be fat and even weigh a quarter of a ton, but it does not follow that it is going .to turn into prime bacon, which xt never does. There was a letter froip England printed in last night's paper, commenting on the New Zealand bacon, and the writer condemned it as "rotten." Well, he wasn't far wrong. Surely a man does not have to bo an expert to know good bacon from bad; nor should ho be content to remark airily, "Oli 1 Our bacon is not meant to keep rporo than threo monthpl" Wliy isn't it? Jt should bc, is all I have to say. I must apologiso for the length of this cffusion, but there were so many points to cnumcrate that 1 am afraid I rather let my pen -run away with me.— Youis, etc., "SMOKINE." How fashions change! A very motlern English magazino gives ideas on correct costum.es for bicycling, and a hrm advoeates a bicycle ride as the best and newest mode of slimming smart people. "Wliat do other readers think of the opinion expressed in this letter? It is a subject that may surprise those who do what the writer comments about. Dear Cousin Bose, — On the Hastings telephone list, and on other lists, too, there are a good many numbers which one may dial, and then, when asking to speak to the owner, but failing to malce that contact direct, is greeted with tho query, ''Who's sx»eaking?" No doubt instructions to tliis effec't have" been given to the slaff or maids, or meinhers of the family. Tt'is a most annoying and irritating habit, and I have not the slightest doubt that verbal audiences would be given to a person unknown, or to one giving a false name, so why ask the question? I will admit that it is probably | necessary when asking to speak toi 1 some particularly busy man high in

executive position of a large organisation, but in H*astings there are few such. The other business men — let them know this — occasionally lose business by it. As for the jprivate numbers, it is nothing less tnan sheer colossal nerve and swanlc, and does not go down in this democratic country. Does Mrs. Lowe Brow think one will be suitably impressed by such an inquiry? Or does Mr. Brow Lowe think that he is such a fiddle stiek that an air of apparent aloofness is the most impressive and will make one approach him in suitable humility? The mentality of these people is beyond me, and one feels sad that they lack the saving sense of humour to see what artiiicial poseurs they arc. — Yours, etc., "16." «■ * The letter ahoufc Bishop Welldon 's hook will be inserted next week. « # # In reference to tho next letter Cousin Eose regrets that party politics cannot be further discussed in this coluinn, because there is rehlly not sufficient space. Women in politics is an abstract question, but politics are a matter for the general columns. Eeaders are invited to write brief letters on subjects of interest — but brief please. Half a block sheet is long enough. Dear Cousin Eose, — I was delightod to see that party politics had beeu introduced into the "Week-end Chat." It will be a splendid vehicle for education among women. Debates on hurning questions are all too few. Undoubtedly "Demoeracy versus Dictatorship " is a matter of life and death, not only to persons of advanced thought in the countries ruled by dictators but also to thousands of innocents who lose their lives through wars of intervention by dictator countries. As witness the slaughter of the people of Abyssinia by Italy. Italy and Germany have intervened in Spain, and are trying to end a democratic Governmcnt. The military dictatorship of Japan has threatened to bring China to her lcnees. China, who is not an aggres- • sive nation. Eegarding the Budget, when "Truth's" letter was written the Budget had not been presented. It was presented on Tuesday last, and the debate on it commences to-night, so I fMl to see how the public could view it with concern. Eegarding small dimensions, New Zealand and Great Britain are approximately the same area. I suppose "Truth" really means the population. Now, Cousin Eose, which Government are we to vote for to get adictatorship and which a democracy? — Yours, etc., SAEAH E. JONES. Thanlcing the writers of these varied letters, and with grateful acknowledgments to the senders of more parcels for "stockings" (hut please send them direct to Garratt's Stor'e, Napier). •COUSIN EOSE.