DOMINION ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1926, Page 1

DOMINION ITEMS.

[by TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASBOCIATIO SOUTHLAND WINTER SHOW. INVERCARGILL, May 18, The Annual Winter Show of t Southland A. and P. Association u opened to-day. There was a good a round display of the produce of L province. Tho championship in t clieeso section was awarded to the Wt kouaiti Dairy Factory, with Rimu runner-up. There was a splendid di play of fat sheep, and tiie exhibit w; 0110 of tho best ever staged in Sout land. The fat lamb championship woi to Mr S, T. Evans, who showed an o: ceptional pen of Southdown cro lambs. NEW ARRIVALS BY HORORATA. AUCKLAND, May 18. The, GOO British immigrants who ai rived by tho Hororata last night ii chide a large number of agricultun workers and small farm-holders t’roi England, Scotland, and Ireland. Tli others are electrical engineers, dentist: shopkeepers etc. all nominated. Thor are no domestic servants. Captain Holland says that they nr the finest lot of immigrants lie has eve brought to New Zealand. A baby of twelve months died o double pneumonia early in the voyage. -MONEY TIGHT. DUNEDIN, May 18. The tightness of the money marke in the financing of intending land holders has steadied the price of agri cultural and pastoral laird. Prosper live farmers are- numerous, but litth financial hacking has been forthcoming hi the boom period of 1920-21 land war taken up by men who had little money

l 'k and no experience. Many of them arc PC still plodding along without much si.ies - cess. ” A-prominent stock and station agent ’K told an enquirer that the troubles which B - backers had experienced had made ;° them wary, and difficulty was' now bc's ing encountered in securing financial assistance for the man going on the land. Another well-known salesman, who has had experience of much financing t business, was of the opinion that Uio :> existing shortage of money was brought - about by investors putting their money - into municipal. Harbour Board, and • local body debentures. In that way Dunedin capital was being sent away * to tho North Island. Many people keen to go on the land could not do so j

1- owing to the tightness of money. ;e A stock and station agent informed 11 a reporter that plenty of enquiries were e being received from people, but as the n finance for them is not forthcoming, I V they had to give up the idea in the s meantime of going on the land. Tie r suggested that the Government might I t now buy up some great estates for sub s division, and give small people a I - chance to get a footing. I , I here is a strong demand for land I 1 in the irrigation country, and, accord ing to an expert, the area irrigated, : or io be supplied with water, will lie an asset not only to Otago but io the 1 Dominion. It is said that wonderful results are being obtained from irrigated land. Country which previously carried no stock and was unproductive, I is now carrying two ewes to the acre. It is also highly suitable for dairying. If tho Government goes ahead with the proposed Upper Maniiherikin scheme, which is now being investigated by a Commission, it should bo a great tiling for dairying and close settlement. The lighter classes of laud -adapt themselves more to irrigation than the heavy land, and it is from light land with a free subsoil that the best results have been obtained. I J BEEF PRODUCTION. r c WHY ARGENTINE BEATS NEW 1 ZEALAND. AUCKLAND, May IS. )’ The opinion that New Zealand should concentrate on dairy production, leav- ' ing the marketing of beef to countries better able to compete in the meat markets of the world is held by Mr .1, () Goodie Dunn, of Argentine, who 111- o rived in Auckland by llie Ulimaroa. on route to South America. y “1 have -a warm place in my heart for New Zealand, and T wish the conntry well,” Mr Dunn said in an inter- I view. “T would advise your farming community not to bother much about the beef market. New Zealand has made a name for itself in the dairy I produce world, while the lamb from this country is pre-eminent. You can- j not have everything, but if you concentrnte on those two industries you will do well.” Air Dunn pointed out that ,j the Argentine had natural advantages which strongly favoured the production j' of beef in large quantities. There were inimense tracts of flat land available for fattening pastures. New Zealand, on the other band, had a. proponderance of hill country, which was more adapted ior small holdings, and small holdings were not ideal for beef , production. A further point made by Mr Dunn was the distance of the Argentine and New Zealand from the I British market. The River Platte, he s-aid, was 10 days from Smithfield, and beef could be shipped in a chilled r T ti dition. Chilled beef found greater favour with the British public than the frozen product of the Antipodes.

BORING FOR OILGISBORNE, 3lav 18.

The huge rig in connexion with tho oil boring enterprise of tlie Taranaki Gil Fields, Ltd., has now been completed, and all the machinery has been passed by the Government inspectors. Boring will be commenced during tlie present, week, and everything is in readiness. Tlie operations will he in charge of Mr Wheat, drilling superintendent, and once the machinery is started it is expected that steady progress will be made, and the bore put down about 100 feet a week. The machinery that will lie used is of the latest type, such as in use on the big oilfields in the United States, and is capable of boring with ease to a depth of 5000 feet. It is not, however, an-

ticipated that- the bore will have to he sunk to such a depth before oil will be tapped.

A CLERK’S THEFT. WELLINGTON. 3lay 19. Peter 3lcßae, a clerk employed lithe Ford Sales Coy., Wellington, was handed .£7O 8s 6d to take to the traveller. Instead,, he booked a passage to Sydney on the Marama, and pocketed the balance. He stepped on boar as a passenger, but the wireless and cables were operated, and 3[cßne was arrested as lie was about to leave tlie steamer at Sydney to-dav. He pleaded guilty to theft from his employer. He was remanded for sentence.