SOUTHERN JOTTINGS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 50, 21 May 1927, Page 20 (Supplement)

SOUTHERN JOTTINGS

A NORMAL WINTER EARLY LAMBING EXPECTED (Special to THE SUN.) WELLINGTON, May 20. In the southern part of the North Inland good winter weather conditions prevail, and, providing nothing occurs beyond normal, stock should pass through the season in reasonably good condition. Sheep are looking very well, and it will not be long now before woolly babies will be making thenappearance. There are always a few early lambs that come many weeks before others, and in June there are usually little heralds announcing the near augmentation of flocks. There is a good demand for young sheep, particularly two and four-tooth ewes. Stock buyers are being obliged to travel well over both coasts to ( have their demands met, and in consequence prices show a tendency to harden. There is not much movement in cattle, and it would seem as if farmers are holding off until they are able to undertake replacements after culling is finished with. Most of the culls have gone direct to the works, which is a good thing. DAIRY BOARD ELECTION Farmers, as might well be imagined, are now taking a very keen interest in the forthcoming election of representatives on the Dairy Control Board, and it is going to be a fight between free marketing candidates and those in favour of control and fixation of prices. Those in favour of free marketing are stressing in their addresses that the assumption of absolute control at the outset was a grave breach of trust, and a gross violation of the promises made to the late Mr. Massey, to the Cabinet, to Parliament, and to the producers that these autocratic powers would only be exercised at times of grave national emergency. Mr. Jas. Hine was very emphatic on that point when addressing his Taranaki farmer constituents at Stratford. Mr. Hine expressed himself os being in favour of reconstructing the Dairy Produce Board, giving it powers to collect a reasonable levy sufficient for it to function in regard to arranging freights, shipping, insurance, and such matters, but he was absolutely and uncompromisingly opposed to the continuance of its marketing powers. PREMIUM FOR SUPERFINE When advocating his claims for a seat on the Dairy Control Board, Mr. James ' Hine contended at Stratford that there should be no other premium for superfine produce than the extra price its quality brought it on the market. He considered they could regain the markets they had lost if they reverted to free marketing. FARM SCHOOL FOR HAWKE’S BAY Matters appear to be much mixed over the proposed agricultural college at Palmerston North, and some of those in authority hardly know what is going to be the outcome. The pex-iod of option over the estate intended for the college has expired, and strings are being pulled effectively in the South Island to have a Dominion agricultural college established in Canterbury as part and parcel of Lincoln. Over in Hawke’s Bay the proposal to have a farm school established at Smedley or Otane, arising- out of the Howard bequest, is causing something of a stir. Big meetings hiave been held, and just when it was thought that finality had almost been reached something else was introduced, and the community of Hawked Bay is hardly any further ahead in securing the benefits of this bequest. At a meeting held at Hastings last week-end, the pros and cons of the estates suggested were discussed for about four hours, after which a resolution was carried adjourning the meeting for two months, the coanmittee in the meantime to further consider the possibilities of the Otane propertw, Smedley Estate, and also Mathews* property at Tikokino.