IS IT A "WILD CAT" SCHEME?

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 7, Issue 391, 12 July 1918, Page 2

IS IT A "WILD CAT" SCHEME?

(To the Editor.) Sir,—We are all perfectly familiar with the " wild eat" passenger train arriving during the small hours of the morning at the City of Auckland, also of the numerous "wild cat" dredging companies floated in various localities in the South Island, and even of the gold mining " wild cats" of the North Island. But when we speak of a " Farmer's wild eat" we are treading upon dangerous ground. Farmers are said to be a shrewd lot of men, somewhat difficult to handle, and therefore we require considerable tact when we accuse them of taking kindly to a "wild cat." This "cat" made her first public appearance at a great dinner and public meeting held during Winter Show week in the rising | township of Hamilton in the presence i of many public speakers of note. She j was introduced by one of the most popular speakers—in fact, a real "good fellow"—who said the beautiful white fur coat she wore was made from dried skim milk, and the sparkling gems in her bonnet would be worth 3/6 for the butter-fat during the term of her natural life to all the farmers who would take her liome and treat her kindly. But there was one tiling lie wished to emphasise if they wished t<> keep her fully clothed as they saw her that night in her robe.of white, and that was that 3.000 cows must be forthcoming to support new factories to be built, to cost anything between C 15.000 and £24,000. to be paid for by a levy on the farmers' cows of from Co to ClO per head until the factories were paid for. Then the factories would belong to the farmers, and the experience likewise. Quite a large number of farmers tested the sound of her voice, and thought, as they would be rearing no calves or young stock, with increased labour, 1 more turnips, maize, etc., their land would carry one cow to two acres. So with the 3,000 cows they would only require 6,000 acres of land, and if they were on the outer boundaries sur- ' rounding the factory, they would not. have more than six miles each way to travel twice each day with their milk. 1 And another gentleman speaking in favour of the beautiful " white cat" at Tuakau, prophesied that inside of three years the price of springing heifers, would be up to £3O. The speculators, land agents, and auctioneers are accordingly all getting 1 busy and talking big prices for land in these favoured "white cat" localities. Patumahoe is setting her house in order, and is looking forward to the promised visit of the stalwart champion of the "cat." Although the new failway is not started through Pokeno Valley, and creek dredging is 1 not finished yet, "pussy" thinks of ' trying to get a dry footing in that district. Since her debut at. the Hamilton Winter Show "pussy" has had a good many admirers, but some of them are cooling off a bit, as they . have discovered that underneath her i velvety paws she has sharp claws that . are ready to grab as soon as a fitting I opportunity occurs. Sir James Allen is anxious that the present high i standard of production should be 1 maintained in order to finance the Dominion. Mr. Guthrie, the Minis- : ter for Lands, has sounded a note of warning as to the uncertainty of ' " pussy's " life. He evidently thinks during the winter months the damp- ' ness may tret into her dry quarters. and thus shorten her life. So after , all 1 am afraid that poor "pussy" , who went up like a rocket is eomiiej down like a .stick. —Yours, etc.. "FARMER'S FERRET."