MISCELLANEOUS.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 14 May 1920, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS.

«, During the war tlie sheep in New .Zealand have increased by about a million and cattle by some six hundred thousand head. In the same period tlio retail cost of meat and dairy produce has risen by more than 50 per cent. » .» » If the railway crisis emphasises one thing more than another, it is that the country is seriously handicapped in having a Ministry that is without business or commercial training, says the AVairarapa “Age.” It also emphasises the fact that Mr Massey is undertaking far too much personal-responsi-bility. 11c has enough to do to carry out the duties of Prime Minister without accepting the burdens of the railways, finance, labour, and other important branches of the administration The Ministry should be reorganiser and strengthened as speedily as pots sible. « bi U

For over a year attempts have been made to provide the Mnnawatu district with lime for agricultural purposes from a deposit in (lie Manawatu Gorge, about twelve miles from l’ul mention North. The Government made arrangements for vesting the rosem in the four county councils contiguousto it, aud at the same time gave them ‘authority to hand the same over tc any company which might lie formed by the Farmers’ Union to work. Al though the matter has not been losl sight of up to the present- nothing tangible has eventuated. The other day. however, a delegation of farmers w.i to visit the spot, with a view to mak ; ri g themselves aeejuai tiled with lb' location, in order that they might 1 ,-j n g down a report to a meeting to bt hold'shortly for Hie formation of ticti operative company to work the hntt - ludi is very much needed in the dm Mi.'t. It ia understood that the Gov - rnmi nt Analyst has reported most ■ avoural.d'- upon the deposit for agri 'Jtural purposes.

■ n ,„ -.Houma ha ki Experimental Farm ■-cm, to be doomed unless the district Ukcs the inaiTrr seriously Days the (Ya verier corresp, n ß< ,ent ot ' * h ® iirn tttiki Herald”). Ever' *>nce btr Ihos. Mackenzie was Minister tos Fam after another has been using AO ■- pruning knife but a sla-her. cut-in;: back expenses until the present mans eor has little elianee of doing anything but run it as an ordinary farm on a pay-ita-wav basts. Acre for acre this district is as pro luclivc as any part o New Zealand, and while it was an ex pcrimental farm it. uas an educational ; institution that v.as mtide use of by a, very large number of farmers .1 rom 1 Marlon lo New Plymouth, an mslttri-j ,i Oll that saved time ami money for j Pinny farmers who could not afford to experiment on deal land. Now tlra whole thing is being made useless by someone who should be put on trial for his blunders. Some there arc who b'mme the Hoard of Agriculture, and to know why the Weraroa and Kuakura farms should be pushed along at: the expense of Moumnhalu.

Wanganui is the fifth centre i„ x , nv Z,-aland. The borough populatioa is B#limated at 15.363 and the snburliau at ti-113. making a total o 778. Invercargill comes next with 14 867 in the borough and 5850 in the suburbs, total 18.720. Napier figureare 13 755, do!). 16-383; Palmerston North 13.017. I.MO, H.Wi, Tin,an, 13,230. 1508. 1 1,-28; Gisborne 11,0--33-tl. 11,366; New Plymouth JS.O. kill’, 11.051; and Nelson 0107, 1233. 10,3-10.

At Rotorua, before the Royal train left, much amusement was caused in the Grand Hofei by the Prince ana fCver al members of hi? staff giving an imitation of the eanoc poi dance. Ih ( ’ performers gradually grew in numbers, till there were about sixteen ot them, and -finally squatting down in Hie lounge of the hotel, they gave quite a wood representation of the canoe being Waddled, now on one side, now on the other, to the delight of onlookers who could see them from the street through ■the hotel window.

The reporter, have been “letting themselves go” in describing the journevs of the Prince. One enthusiast m describing the journey from Auckland bv train, writes about “the landscape beaming as a face that had been washed bv tears of sadness at parting.' and hex,l,o gets to work on the piston rods of the engines “singing a song of triumph.” Next please! No one hat vet written about the coal shining like the eves of fair women: nor the sweat racs Of the loco, driver? exhaling lovelv incense: or the sleepers tinging a paen of joy. If the piston rods sing triumphantly, there is no reason w . the sleeper? should not have a chorus: Come on, ye knight.? or the pen. her go, Gallagher!