LOCAL A. AND P. NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2817, 11 March 1908, Page 20

LOCAL A. AND P. NEWS.

Grain carting to the railway station is low in full swing, and at Ciarksville big sonsignments are being sent away. So far we (Bruce Herald) have not heard any complaint of shortage of trucks, so tho Deparment must have been prepared for the extra grain traffic which will go over the railways this year. As showing the benefit of a copious rainfall (says last Wednesday's North Otago Times), after taking the opinions of a j number of gocd judges yesterday at the Oteka-iks sale, sheep fetched from 4s to 5s per head more than they would have dono liad the rain not fallen at the time it did ; and this should result in between £7000 and £8000 being added to the exchequer of Messrs R. Campbell and Sons. A representative of the Clutha Free Pre? 3 had an interview last week with Mr Joseph Parker, a well-known resident of Stirling, ,nho has just returned from a visit to the Old Land extending over six months. It is 47 years since Mr Parker left his native village of Welborn, Yorkshire, to come to (New Zealand, and naturally on his return tie fcund much to interest him. Mr FarW left on September 4, and on arrival in England found the harvest had been very much delayed by bad weather. For the first three weeks he never saw the sun. and ■Yorkshire men told him it was the wettest 6oason experienced tor 40 year. He saw crops, in the hands of first-class farmers too, that had been in the stook for 11 weeks. They simply could not be got in owing to the weather. On( vis-irinsr Scotland he found a .somewhat simiKr stnte of affairs there. But the Home agriculturist, like, nis colonial cousin, is coming more and more to look to the stock market for his chief income. Mr Parker vu-iteJ nine or ion of the jrreat markets of the inland districts of Kngland. and wa= rrpnui>:olv siirnrl-wd at the privC* rul'tip. No- . :th«t-indmg- all the foic-ign uiid colon al competition in the meat jlluuLo, tho. Effiiaij & bd jeiuite

as high aa those obtaining ;n; n Britam 50 I years ago. Ho saw fat ewes bringing £3 a head at Malto^ market, and store lambs £2 4s. The latter were purchased to put on rape and turnip*. Fat wethers -were being 6old aa high as £2 15s. and dairy cows at from £22 to £24. Viewing tha stock and hearing the prices, Mr Parker reasoned that it should be a very easy mutter to get 26s for a good fat sheep in this country, and 6till leave plenty of margin_ for the middlemen. In every town where Mr Parker made inquiries about our New Zealand *meat the retail butohers spoke very highly of it. One great drawback, however, is the knocking about that the meat gets on arrival in Britain. The mutton leaves here as whuc as snow, but when it reaches the retailer. Mi* Parker was assured, it is all knocked about and the covering soiled all over. Ihis treatrrent of com so nullified in some degree the careful classing" and inspection of the meat at thi3 end, and it is a matter the aulhorities might well investigate. On the trip back he spoko to the captain of the Runpehu on the subject, at d he agreed with the result of Mr Parker's obser\ation<>, but sa:d the fault was not with the shipping com pan es. as tho meat received the most careful handling on Loaid. When it reached a British po-'t, howover, the trouble began, and it was ''chucked about anyhow." At the Magistrate's Couit, Lum%den, on the 28th tilt., before Mr Cruickshank, S.M., Mi*3 T. Beer was charged for failing to | destroy rabbit* on Ler run ao Te Anau. i Defendant pleaded not guilty, and was convicted and fined £10 and costs lls. Inspector Taylor conducted the prosecution for the Department. Mr M'Ennis, S-M., presided at the last | sitting of the Magistrate's Court, Cphir, when the following settlers were charged with breaches of the Rabbit Nuisance Act: — Inspector of Stock (Mr Bartholomew) v. D. i Arnold, fa ling to destroy rabbits. Mr '• Barholomew explained that Arnold was secretary of .he Blacks Commonage Committee, and so proceedings had been taken against him. Mr Arnold stated, that the other two trustees ljac! engaged tO keeft the rabbiis down, and had done so for tfrs L last &ye Hi* iY^to_ja»&iflßWlA.

that the Department should have 'oined those trustees in the charge who directly reaped the benefit from the rabbiting on the Commonage. He would have to go on with the case as it was brought before him, however. Defendent was fined £1, with costs 7s. — Same v. John Pitches (Mr Kirk), similar charge in respect of run 224. Agent Clark gave evidence as to inspecting the ground on November 16th. Rabbits were too numerous for that time of the year, and no work was being done. T. S- Baxter, inspector, and Agent M'Kay gave corroborative evidence as to the inspection of the run on February 10 and 11. After hearing counsel for the defence, his Worship considered the evidence given by the Stock Department had not been upset, and he would have to convict. He look into consideration that it wa« a bu=y time and difficult to get labour. The work done since the summons had been is=ued could not be taken into account. Defendant would be fined £1, with costs £1 Bs.— Same v. Wm. C. Pitches (Mr Kirk). Mr Kirk stated that the property was in tbe hands of the Official Assignee at the time tho summons was issued. Mr Bartholomew stated that defendant had said that he was only bare trustee of the property for his faiher, and claimed on oath in his bankruptcy statement that that wa= so. After counsel for both sides had argued the question at pome length the case was adjourned by the Bench for one month. — In the cases of Andrew E. Pitches and Eliza Pitches, le-sces of runs worked in conjunction with that of John Pitches, counsel pleaded guilty, and fines of £1 Is with costs £1 8s each were imposed. Tho Tuapeka. Mcuth correspondent of the Clutha Leader writes: — Since the appearance of my last letter the weather has become more congenial and suitable for propagating the growth of the vrrious crops, especially turnip". The grass ie showing considerable siens of resuscitation, thanks to a liberal supply of that indispensable element, rain. The effect of the past rain has been felt by most people who have any surplus— stock for sale, as the stock market is^now beginning to show sign« of recuperation from a lethargic period. During the week there have been buyers going- rounu the district looking for "fats". Tho effect of the rain has, however, increased the price of "stores" to such an abnormal figure in comparison that there is not much inducement for the possessors of feed to fatten, .seeing- that there is such a fm-ill margin left. Nearly all the grain crop has been cut, and. in some instances, stacked. Another week or so (weather permittinsr) will see all or nearly all harvesting complete. Th's is the earliest har\est on record, duo no doubt to the cont.nuous and excessive hca f . The cvorcs aie nearly all good. In some oases the grain is not so well-filled as in other seasons, but, generally speaking,' tho crops are well up to the average — if not over it. Mr Heenan is busy threshing on the lower portion of i Greenfield, where the crops are much earlier than on the higher country. The yield, so j far, is up to growers' anticipations. Writing on the 3rd inst., the Lower Ida Valley correspondent of the Dunstan Times reports: — The harvest ie all cut and practically in the stack for another year, Considering the dry season the crop is an average one. Although the yield may not be co good there is plenty of bulk, as every settler seems to ha-ve a few stacks. Should we get another plump of rain in the near future the turnip crop wi}l turn out very fair, considering the pig check it has gone through. To look a$ t^e country aroufta here ojo,e would wonder where tho fat lambs were i# be got. HioweYer. they aeem to turrt up. J met a xnob of ons thousand to-day in. the middje pf the VaUey co route

had a mob similaT a week or so ago, besides ' what goes off to the weekly market. I am very pleased 1 to note, go far as prices are concerned, other districts cannot get very far away from us. Now that the harvest is practically over farmers are turning their attention to bunny. Some have made a start at poisoning, and in the course of a week or so it will be a general thing. j Twenty-two trucks of sheep, mostly crossbred lambs, passed through Balolutha on Thursday last from Tinwald and Ashburton, consigned to Dalgety and Company, Gore. Harvesting operations (says the Mataura Ensign) arc well advanced in the Waimumu and Mataura districts. The oat crops are as good as, if not better than, can be seen anywhere in the district. "The turnip crops in the Waimumu country, both in the new settlement and the old om\ are exceptionally good. Having- been put in early in most ca«es, the dry season has suited trie land. There is also a fairly plentiful supply of grass yet, 6O thero will be an abundance of winter feed for stock this year. \ epecial meeting of subscribers to trie Southland A. and P. Association was held at Invercargill on Friday last to consider the proposed alteration in the constitution. Up to the present tho financial year had closed on April 30, which was deemed unsu'table and it was decided that in future th(» date bo July 30, and that the annual meeting be held on the last Saturday m August. The committee also revised the schedule for the Winter Show, and made several minor alterations found necessary by the experience of past years. The Fairfax correspondent of <he Wesvrn Star writes:— "Since last writing the district has got a perfect feoakmg, which does the unstacked ha /vest no harm, and with the heat in tho groui'd -rives grass a much needed start. M'>st farmer? are finished thiefhing, with ->cry satisfactory results. Of course, pnc a s have receded, -but from the very "ligh prices ruling a reduction was expected. All kinds of s*-ock are looking well, and prices steady. The fat lanb market is anything bin excited, the complaint being the great scarcity of fats, account' ?d for, no doubt, by the severe drcught and want of growth during the summer just past. For turnip-feedins? purposes there is a plenitude of a splendid clas? of forward store wethers in the Jistrict and a noticeable scarcity of old done ewee Although the dairy factories cannot be now expecte-1 to overtake the sl.ortago of milk, through so much dry weather, jet the late rains and cows getting on to the fctubble will maintain a fair back-end supply. The late rain gave Uie turnips a growth and freshness that makes (hem fairly independent of much more rain before feeding-off time. Lambs on rape are also doing well, and a very_ noriceable improvement in their condition is pci-c >utibk. The district seldom or ne\er looked to better advantage."