SANSON NOTES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 8942, 7 October 1907, Page 3

SANSON NOTES.

(Prom Our Own Correspondent.) Mr John Hirst haying disposed of his property to Lis son-in-law, Mr Avery, of Ballauce, intends to retire permanently from farming. Mr' and Mrs Hirst are two of onr oldest sellers, having lived in the district for some 35 years. They have lived a strenuous life, and thoroughly deserve to spend their remaining davs in well-earned leisure. I believe it is their intention to take a short trip before settling down, and that as yet they are not quite decided whore to make their future home, but they can rest assured that wherever it may bo they will carry with them the respect and esteem of all who know them. The wretched weather has been an all absorbing topic with us for some time past; it is now seven weeks since we had any fine weather, and stock generally have suffered severely, more especially dairy cows, I hear of some herds that are only averaging a gallon per cow a day. The paddocks are so soft that the cows sink to their knees a t CVery step in their endeavour to get a bite of green grass, and have enough to do to keep themselves, without giving milk. The necessary work in connection with dairying is disheartening in the extreme, for no matter how careful a dairyman may he nothing will prevent the whole place from being worked into a qnagmire in such beastly weather. It is now October 6tli, and hardly a paddock of grass sown in the district. It is now too late for sowing grain on the higher lands, but in heavier country it can he sown any time this month with a fair chance of success. Everything depends on the weather. If it should turn out very dry we can look for a very light harvest, as the land is so sodcleu that it would break up very quickly. In any case the harvest will bo a late one, and I predict that grain will ho very dear indeed before any of the new "crop is available. T!ie Chairman of our School Committee applied at the last Board meeting for the establishment or a class in Agricultural Science, and lias received a reply stating tha* Mr Grant will visit the district, and if sniiicieiit inducement offers will start a class as requested. As this is an argioultural centre snob a class should ho a decided success, as it is necessary for every farmer to have some knowledge of the scientific side of his profession m order to obtain the best results. The Chairman has already a list of some 20 farmers who would, willingly join such a class, and would like any intending members to send along their names as soon as possible. _ In spite of. the weather, I think the lambing will ho very good, m this district. I hear of a few farmers who have docked 100 to IXO per cent of lambs, which must bo considered very good. The mortality among ewes, aiicl indeed, sheep generally, has been cdiisiuerably above the average, but given fine weather from uow this will speedily be forgotten. Sheep are such a good price that it leaves very little to complain about. When speaking at the autigambling demonstration in Christchurch Mr A. S. Adam, President ot the New Zealand Alliance, had something to say in reference to the totalisator. Whilst quite willing to agree with him. that there is too much gambling in the country at present, it can also be said that the country is at the present time exceedingly prosperous, and that prosperitv as a general rule breeds extravagance, bat as men have gambled from time immemorial so will they continue till the crack of doom, in spite of the well meant efforts ot reformers. This being so, it is tar better that betting should be regulated as far as possible, and I think it will be generally admitted by those who have studied the question tliat the totalisator is_ the fairest and best means for betting on racecourses. Mr Adam makes a great j point of the deducting of 10 per cent j from every £1 invested, but every penny is returned to the public in some form or other. It enables clubs , to give more liberal stakes, as every | penny received from the totalisator has to be given away in stakes, so that the public are not gulled in any wav as suggested by Mr Adam, neither does the club receive any personal benefit:. If a return were made to bookmakers it would moan lesser stakes and therefore more crooked running, as some means would have to be found to make money, and the next best thing would be to arrange races m order to beat the bockir-dors. It was also not an nncoin.-ion ;a;ug m the past for hookmnk "s r- square owners i -inckev-; :i 3 vountos m order ‘to loso-a thiAg f b0 V °generally "«greed by racecourse habitues that the abolition of the totalisator would iQVv-er the iiiortil tone of racing to an enc-mons extent.