GENERAL ITEMS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9145, 14 May 1908, Page 6

GENERAL ITEMS.

At a wedding ceremony at Wood--ville the other day, the bride answered, “I will not promise to* obey.” Notwithstanding, the ceremony was proceeded with. Great dairy cows, even when, only grades, are worth big money in New South Wales. Here are some rates at which grades were sold after the Sydney Royal Show : Six-year-old red and white, 12gs; three sixteen-months heifeill, 7gs; a roan, 20gs; roan heifer, 25gs; fawn Jersey, 45gs; and one not described, 20gs.

A Central, Otago frnit.-grower has succeeded in growing a new quince, which is quite different in flavour and eating quality from the ordinary variety. The ordinary quince is usually hard and tough with a decided grain, whereas the one under notice cooks to a creamy softness. It was originally a Californian variety. Fifty of the largest yachts in America are for sale, says the St. James’ Budget. Their value is estimated at £BOO,OOO. Never have so many been offered at the beginning of a season. Various reasons are alleged, but it is felt that many are being sacrificed for causes arising from the recent financial stress, which has left quite a number of wealthy people short of ready money. Several owners assert that they are too busy to give their yachts adequate time. One cannot help feeling sorry for the infant son of Mr and Mrs W. K. Vanderbilt who is the richest child in the world, being heir to something like £20,000,000. Wherever the child goes a medical attendant accompanies him. His luggage is a serious matter, and includes an ivory bath, with gold mountings, and his toilet accessories are all gold-mounted, and are inscribed with his initials in diamonds. His toys are insured for £SOOO, and most of them have been specially mad* for him t

Some weeks ago the billiard saloon proprietors of Wellington waited upon the City Council, asking that the hour of closing should be extended from 10 to 11 p.m. Against this it was alleged by another deputation that the saloons were not well kept, and that they were the means of gambling. On Wednesday the City Council considered reports from Inspector Doyle, the City Council’s inspector, and the Inspector of Police, in which it is stated that the saloona are properly conducted. The Bylaws Committee, which bad gone fully, into these reports, however, recommended that the hour of closing be not extended. After considerable discussion, a motion extending the closing hours to 10.3() p.m. was agreed to by seven votes to six.

Replying to a deputation which urged the Government purchase of the well-known Pilton station of 33,000 acres, on the Darling Downs, the Queensland Minister for Lands expounded the Government policy on the re-purchase of estates. He said that so long as the owners of estates were prepared to cut up the whole of their holdings, and on fairly liberal terms, there should be no interference on the part of the Government. The latter had sufficient scope for its energies on the waste Crown lands and estates, the owners of which had no intention of cutting them up. A Canadian trade journal, commenting on the dairying industry* writes:—‘‘With a big decrease of 294,613 boxes of cheese and 193,734 boxes of butter in our exports of this season to date, the question may well be asked if our export trade in dairy products is not on the road to final extinction, to the change in th* same direction as that which has taken place in the United States in its butter and cheese exports?” After speaking of the fact that it is difficult to account for this decrease in dairy exports, the article concludes :—‘ ‘ Surely we cannot afford to dispense with an export trade that has brought the farmers of this country a revenue of 23,000,000 dollars dollars a year?”

Milk tests often form the subject of animated controversy amongst dairymen. If one man gets a test of, say, 4.2, and another only 3.7, there are disputations and jealousies. Many of the suppliers do not seem to realise (says the Clutha Leader) that a supplier with a low test is very often getting a better return per cow than the man with the high test. A large dairyman in the Clutha district put forward the other day his returns for this season. In October he milked 21 cows, test 3.6, cheque for the month £35 3s 6d; average per cow, £1 13s 6d. November, 29 cows, test 8.4 and 3.5, cheque £45 3s 6d; average per cow £1 11s. December, 83 cows, test 3.7, cheque £55 15s; average per cow £1 13s Bd. March, 39 cows, test 4.1, cheque £44 ss; average per cow £1 2s Bd.