WASKATO NOTES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 223, 8 January 1910, Page 5

WASKATO NOTES.

Own Correspondent. The weather is drier than ever. A pitiless sun pours down upon just and unjust alike, and we are all wondering when the rain is going to come. From the low-lying swamp lands comes the smoke and smell of swamp.fires, driving before them the mosquitos and otter insects of prey. Butter production is falling in quantity. Unless rain comes soon there will be trouble ahead. We had 50 inches of rain in Hamilton last year. It is a pity it was not better distributed. One result of this dry weather and the accompanying fires was the loss of a large quantity of flax on the swamp belonging to Messrs Mathers and Loughnan, of Te Rapa, last Monday. The fire is still burning. Mr J. W. Ellis, of Messrs Ellig apd Burnand, Ltd., has just Eeturried to Hamilton after an ' extended tour through Engjapd, ~ America and the Continent of "Europe. In an interview with a Waikato Times representative he referred to the fact that New Zealand butter was soarcely known to th? consumer at Home. Our cheese is betteE known, but reaches England in. too dry a state, and thus crumbles away too much. Our lamb is papula? at Home, being found on the tables of eyen sheep-breeders, who prefer to buy it to killing their own, Mr Ellis thinks there is a great market ; in the United States for New Zealand flax fqr use as binder twine, - The Minister of Agriculture announces that accommodation of about a dozen lads has now been made at Ruakura State Farm. The youths 'wilkshoxtly be placed there and will i have an opportunity of getting practical instruction in farming and be able to be earning their own living at the, same time. Mr Mackenzie adcjed that he had two lads of his own anxious tq go on. the land, but he b,een unable to g§t 'j;hem decent training. The Farm is going to do valuable work if ■it turns out a dosen competent allround farmers every few years. I regret to hear that the passion for economy has affected the usefulness of the Waikato Sanatorium. The matron (Miss Rochfort) has resigned, the staff is to be curtailed, and the. admirable tree-planting camp > for consumptives at Karere is to -be closed. I hear that Miss Rochfort tjag feee» appointed matron ql the. new sanatorium at Ciirisichurch.