FARM AND STATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 20

FARM AND STATION.

(Continued from page 9.)

LOCAL A- A3D P. SEWS-

A petition has beeoi forwarded to the Minister of Lands, Hon. D. Buddo, praying that steps be taken to acquire the farfamed estate of Mr John Canmichael, at Mat-aura Island, for the purposes of closer settlement. The petition wa6 signed by 13 bona fide ssttletre, resident in the district all witth sound financial backing. Mr Carmichael, who was in. the first instance approached upon the matter by those forwarding the proposed scheme, has (says the Wyndham Fanner) expressed his willingne&s to dispose of tihe estate at a price which has beon disolo&ed, and which is by no means an inflated value for such a highly favoured property. The petitioners, to show that they are thoroughly earnest in their proposals, declare that, if necessary, they themselves would be willing to take up a section eaoh, at the price - named by Mr Carmichael. The estate comprises 4200 acres of exceptionally rich river flat land,- all being in a high -state of cultivation. It is eminently adapted for 6tock fattening, oat growing, and dairying. It is suggested, in the event of the Government giving the project favourable consideration, that the property b© cut up into email faj-ms of 50 acres and upwards, and the same submitted to ballot on trie usual State conditions for settling the land.

The Reserves Conservation Society, in conjunction with the Otago A. and P. Society, is about to embark on the planting of some 600 pines (mostly Pinus muricata) and from 800 to 900 shrubs and low trees at the rear of Tahuna Park. The A. and P. Society has fenced off a strip of ground nine chains long by a chain and a-half wide immediately at the rear of the cattle Btall*, and this has been banked with a slope towards the park. A double row of pines will be placed along the top, and the faoe of the bank will be planted with the shrubs and low trees. The Reserves Conservation Society has provided the trees, and will carry out the planting, while the A. and P. Society has obtained the necessary soil, *nd has also undertaken to provide for the regular tending of the trees and shrubs during their growth. The carying out of this piece of work will, from an sesthetic point of view, mean a great improvement to the park. Weather permitting:, a start fg to be made- with the planting on Wednesday. The annual horse parade, under the auspices of the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Society, will be held at Tahuna Park on Thursday, September 30, and from the interest that has already been taken in the fixture it promises to be more than usually successful. -

Rabbits are literally swarming in some parts of the Tapanui district. Although heavy skins are worth from 4d to 6d each the unemployed have not (says the Courier) time to catch bunny. The mbbits are already breeding fast, and the country will bo well stocked with rabbits in a few months.

From all parts of Otago and Southland comes information of a mild winter and prospects of an early spring. Farir work is everywhere well advanced, and as feed was everywhere plentiful, stock have wintered well, and are in the best of 'condition. The winter is,- generally believed to have been about the mildest experienced since the country was settled. Even in the Upper Taieri district, where blizzards have come to be regarded as a thing ot course during the winter, the weather has been exceptionally mild throughout. Should present 'prospects "be realised, ana 1 if we are not visited by a cold snap at lambing time, the state of affairs in the country will be gratifying indeed. Ii is true that the low value of our mutton and lamb in London will give a check to the frozen meat industry, and those whose lands are only suitable for grazing or are too distant from , the railway to make grain-growing profitable will naturally foal the pinch unless the London market improves. Everywhere farmers with suitable arable land are turn- , ing their attention to wheat-raising, and, given a favourable season with a continuance of good prices for wool, butter, and cheese, the agriculturist and pastoralist should not be so badly off. With prosperity in the country districts, there should soon .be worJ-- for all willing to undertake it at reasonable wages. __

Ending new markets and ©sorting to tinned goods are suggestions that have been put forward as remedies -'or the present low price of frozen meat. Mr B. Tripp, the president, pointed out to the Canterbury Sheep-farmers' Union that in June loins of mutton^ were selling in Paris at 2s 6d per Ib, tub New Zealand mutton could not find its way into France, because the authorities would not accept our inspection. Surely something could b\ done to overoome thJ6 difficulty In New Yori Is s£d had been paid for lamb jhops. Mr Tripp suggested the formation of a committee representative of all the freezing works to regoilate the output and 6pread the delivery over the whole year. That might mean the erection of pold stores. Mr D. D Macfar-

lane did not think there was any chance * of New Zealand mutton getting a foothold on the Continent ot in America^ If producers were in for a series of low prices, their only chance seemed to be to reduce the cost of delivery at Home. The shipping companies might be induced to reduce charges if mutton could be picked up at a central port. The Hon. T. Mackenzie intended, if possible, to discuss this matter with them, and he was also endeavouring to bring the freezing companies of the North Island together. Mr J. C. N. Grigg pointed out that though some countries would not accept our frozen meat, there was a tremendous sale fox canned meats. New Zealand growers could not be expected to accept tinned meat prices for best quality, and it~wouLd continue to be frozen, but a great deal of meat would pay better at present if it were tinned. The Home Government had recently taken £100,000 worth of tinned meat from a Sydney firm for the army. The glut would be got rid of by tinning, as tinned stuff could be sent all over the world, while frozen mutton was restricted to markets which were provided with cool stores. He considered that soon the restrictions placed by various countries on the importation of frozen meat would be, burst up. Mr Tripp remarked that in some of the tinning works in Australia better prices were given for sheep than at the freezing works. It is expected that the fkxmills of the Wellington district, which are at present all closed down, will be opening again within a fortnight, unless hindered by weather conditions. Orders hare been received for Melbourne, but in the bare state of the market it is extremely difficult to secure any supplies. Farm land is fetching good prices in Southland. The Western Star hears on good authority that Mr Cameron has sold a property neao* Otautau, consisting of some 640 acres, at £15 per acre.' . I