The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, March 17, 1914. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1221, 17 March 1914, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, March 17, 19 14. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The Borough Council, at last night’s special meeting, decided to submit both the artesian and Shannon water-supply schemes to the ratepayer. It will be found that this is a wise proposal leaving no excuse for ratepayers to dodge the issue. By six votes to three, however, the Council decided to relieve certain portions of the borough from bearing any responsibility in the repayment of the loan, on the grounds that if would be unfair to burden such ratepayers with taxation for which they would reap no direct benefit. We do not know whether Councillors have given serious thought to the effects of such exclusion, but in our opinion, if given effect to, it will at least kill the Shannon proposal aud raise a storm of protest from those within the special area. Ou what basis of leasoning can the Council relieve one portion of the ratepayers from their responsibility in a question of this nature ? To think that the assets of a borough are to be increased to the tune of over ,£30,000, and the town made more attractive from a health aud residential point of view in which all will benefit aud to allow the burden to fall upon a certain area, is not only wrong in principle but manifestly unfair. The interest charge at least, for a water and drainage loan, should be spread over the whole borough in order to relieve to some extent those in the congested area, who will be called upon to pay a double rate. We will deal more fully with this question in a subsequent issue.

Dairy ’farmers iu the Moutoa district are beginning to realise the benefit of ensilage as a food for their herds. It is not only a milk-producer, but acts beneficially ou the cows iu other ways in marked contrast to bay, which causes costiveness. Mr Alex, Saunders, iu the district mentioned, has been a keen advocate of ensilage, and it was on his property some two years ago that Mr Dibble, of the Government Agri cultural Department, carried out the first demonstration in stack eusilage iu this district, Mr Saunders informs us that several dairy farmers have converted their maize and green oat crops this year into stack ensilage, while Mr Moynihan, of Shannon, has imported a portable silo, which is an improvement ou the stack method. The silo is a circular receptacle, into which chaff maize, etc,, is put and pressed—making the best ensilage, and saving the waste which necessarily accompanies stack ensilage. The saving thus effected would in a few seasons cover the cost of the silo. A silo is also being erected on the Weraroa State farm. We believe these are the first two silos imported into the country. The prejudice against ensilage is gradually being broken down, aud in the course of a few years eusilage will supersede other winter feed for stock ou all up-to-date farms- Mr Saunders informed us that he fed 19 cows for five weeks last winter on a comparatively small piece of stack eusilage. The above is evidence that the farming community iu this district are keeping abreast of the times in up to-date methods.

Lovers of British fair play must condemn the disgraceful behaviour of the Red Federation following which refused the Hon F, M. B. Fisher a hearing in St. Peter’s schoolroom, Wellington, last Friday night, when he attempted to address his constituents. Such tactics indicate the character of some of the individuals behind this extreme Labour organisation, whose ambition, forsooth, is ;o dominate Parliament and rule the country. A few more such scenes, backed by the notorious strike incidents will, at least, increase the determination of patriotic New Zealanders to wipe every Red Fed candidate out of political existence at the forthcoming general election.