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Hokitika Guardian, 26 June 1924, Page 2

As interest ini' commentary upon tli«? subject of hi lid values lias been made by a Jlauraki Plains farmer, the bulk of whose land lias been flooded. “When it was submerged £Ho an acre would not have bought St.” be said. “The quality of land on the plains varies but 1 have proved .bat I can make my farm pay oil tile basis of £rffi an acre with butterfat at eighteen! cure a pound. The en- | unity of the land i.s amazing, laist year a coii'idorable |mi tinn of my farm was under water for three months, yet surface sown grass provided a summer pasture that returned me thirty shillings an acre per month and the cows were not exceptional." Another case is quoted where a man with a herd above the average is making a success upon land he bought at CIO!) an acre. The,so figures, of course, have no genet id application. Not only do they mean land of o.xcoj tioiial quality but also exceptional farm management. With the steady improvement in herds, however, tin* earning capacity of dairying laud is increasing. “Many fanners.” said one authority, “ate burdened with land purchased far too dearly, but in favoured districts herd improvement, the subdivision of holdings, extensive cultivation. and tlk* i revision of adequate shelter may yet turn fictitious values into teal values. Discussing the die: t of a i old ‘ snap" upon butter-fat returns. tic manager of a large dairy factory in a rich, but new district, v. here there i- yet little shelter, stated that alter a cold wind or cold rain lie could estimate fairly accurately what decline there would be in the ereatn 1 supply. “The cow is not a money madden". he said, ‘hut a very sensitive animal. Feed her properly and protest her from the rigors of the climate and she responds wonderfully. Neglect these things and .she exacts a penal tv that is measured in terms of rash. Shelter, and particularly ground shelter that is given by tliiek hedges, is one of ilfirst essentials to success in unity farming." Tmk movement made bv the local branch of the Progress League to secure a through express service between Christchurch and Hokitika on Saturdays is one that will have full local

backing. The day is one on which there are four ordinary mixed trains each way. and it would not seriously dislocate the service, we are persuaded, if the out-train from Hokitika in the morning, and the in-train from Greymouth in the early evening is a fast non-goods train, providing for a quicker and more direct connection with the C'ln istohurch express than is now possible. The change would mean that on the day in question, the train could depart from here fnllv half an hour later, and similarly could arrive in the evening that much earlier. On Saturdays there is not the intermediate school pupils traffic, while the week-end seems to the more popular time for the hulk of tne through passongers to travel. The Department does not look with a favorable eye as a rule on changes suggejdei] from outside, hut here is a mat-

tor which to the lay mind should not offer any serious running difficulties. Hie traffic office could no doubt adjust tlie matter on lines to meet the request of the local committee of the Progress League. As Canterbury traffic is involved directly in the suggested change it would he quite in keeping with the fitness of things for the parent League to take up the suggestion more actively. The supjort of the local bodies should lie sought also, and ns Parliament is. in session, and the Coast representatives are iii their places, the Member lor Westland, and the honorable gentlemen of the Upper Ir«use. might well ho asked to press the request up<>n the attention of the authorities. I ho change is one which once installed would he popular with the travelling public, and the Department need only give the matter a trial to find this out. There are so many complaints Inthrough travellers about long drawnout delays added to the through trip by the tiresome journey over the 2! mile section between Hokitika and (■l'eymoutli that the change would ha welcomed all round, and he an earnest that the Railway Department is disposed to help where it can to relieve tlie tedium of an admittedly long journey by a more brilliant commencement and finish than is now possible in the through trip.