Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1923, Page 2

Wmi.b the meat market is calculated to give so much cause for concern, a better account in regard to dairy products is given. New Zealand has just passed through a phenomenally good dairying season, and as iar as production goes there is every reason to believe that though there is a drop in prices at present, next season will he good (says the “New Zealand Times”.) The present season has been above normal in the matter of the growth of grass. For tho AugustMarch period we had an increase of just about 21 per cent in butter-fat production ever the same period in the preceding year, which, by the " a .v, showed a splendid increase over the 1920-21 season. The increase this year Ims boon in butter rather than in choose, and this has been due to the fact that so many of the large dairy companies in New Zealand have dualplant factories, and last year they made butter till about Novemlier, after which they turned on to cheese for a while, but in February and March a number of them reverted to the manufacturing of butter. Tho remarkable increase in the output of butter lnw been a result of an increase in the output of individual factories rather than a result of an increase in the number of factories. Owing to the arrival of unexpected quantities of milk and cream, the manufacturing capacity of many of the factories was taxed to the utmost capacity, and some had to resoi t to double shifts to enable them to handle the quantities being delivered. The value of the dairy output rose last season to over £10,OCX),000. Tho outlook for next season is good so far as production is concerned. Much depends, however, on the kind oi spring we have and on the comparative prices which will rule in the near future.

As one of the advantages of the Central Dairy Factory will be its ability to deal with chilled pork for export (for which the through railway will afford a ready means of transport to the East Coast factories), it will not be without interest to the farmers of tlio district to study the possibility of going in more extensively for pig-farm-ing, as a means to augment their income. Air J. S. Jessep, vice-president of the- Aleat Control Board, advised the Dairy Farmers’ Union Conference, at Wellington last week', that, while investigating the meat market in London on behalf of the board, he had found that there was a good market for pork and bacon, and agents told him that there was a prosepet of developing the pork market. Pork weighed heavier than beef, and he had managed to get freights reduced from lfd, plus 21 per cent! to Id, and he was confident that this’would be further reduced. He thought there would be a good demand for bacon if the right breed cf pigs were used and they were exported to Britain at the right time, from September to the end of April. New Zealand was up against Denmark which exported 50,000 -tons of bacon in one month, while Argentine and other countries had a large, well organised trade. On the other hand, New Zea-

Land's climatic conditions were second to none, and she had skim milk and green feed in plenty. As regards weight of animals for export, pork of GOlk to 701 b or 801 b at the outside, and bacon of 1201 bto 1801 b o r 1901 bat the outsido was in demand. The speaker stressed the fact that pigs should not be too fat, a frequent fault of New Zealand nigs. It would be agreed that our export trade could not be built up in a day but he believed that within the next year there would be a big increase. Unless the right tiling was done, there would soon be too few pins in the country. There was only one way of bringing down the heavy load of taxation, and that was by increasing exports. It was possible to do this by increasing the export of pigs within the next few years by three or four millions.

. . .Arms bare, head bare, The breeze a-tremble through crow-

tufts of hair; Red-browed in face, and ruddier hav-

ing sided A wily foeman breaking from the side. Tries did Edward Craeroft Lefroy picture a football player in one of bis stirring sonnets. The charm of most pastimes lies in the graceful actions of the players. Fleetness of foot, aptitude in twisting and turning, and accuracy in controlling the ball are excellencies in football that delight even without the climax of a. score. Spectators, says an Australian writer, become attentive, interested, excited by the kaleidoscopic changes wrought by tlie movements of the participants. The sun has commenced to lose its summer beat, and the nip in the air makes oven those who have passed the age at which they can take part in vigorous sports walk with a brisker step in welcome for the change from the liot, muggy atmosphere. Football, unlike* cricket, is a game that can be played in any weather. It would, indeed, be remarkable if a game of football were stopped through rain, and although a muddy ground often renders a scientific display impossible, spectacular effects, though sometimes more ridiculous than skilful, are seldom missing. Football is ea>i!v the most popular game in this locality, and for the matter of that, iu the Dominion. The fact that on Saturday last 210 players wore engaged in inter-Club matches under the jurisdiction of the Westland Sub-Union, confirms the statement as to the popularity of the game hereabouts. It is a good healthy game-hut the finuio is the thing—play up and play the game. That is the sure way to get the most out of the game, and at the same time to retain the confidence and support of the patronising public which will be always a. growing quantity where football is cm the improve.