Trail of the Drought

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 276, 11 February 1928, Page 9

Trail of the Drought

FURTHER UNEMPLOYMENT

Slackness in Dairy Industry

FROM all parts of the province come dire tidings of the disastrous effects of the drought, which threatens to shorten the milking season very seriously. Unemployment in Te Aroha is now following in the train of the dry weather. On account of the fall in dairy production, men are being dismissed from the service of dairy factories and the power board.

(From Our Own Correspondent) TE AROHA, To-day. THE position because of the drought is worse than ever in Te Aroha, where there still has been no further rain this year than the .013 inches which fell on January 30. Critical conditions prevail, and pastures, even on the heavier lands, where the weight of growth previously held the day, are succumbing for want of water. The town supply is falling steadily, and the Borough Council has issued an-edict that the utmost economy must be observed and water used only for absolutely necessary domestic purposes. FAILING MILK YIELD And the drought has had further results of an even more serious nature. The yields from the herds in the surrounding districts have fallen so much that men are being put off from the factories. Where previously three shifts have been necessary to handle the supply the drought has made but two, and in some cases only one, necessary. The Thames Valley Electric-Power Board has reduced its staff and many men have been thus put out of employment.

FALLING PRODUCTION CAMBRIDGE DAIRY PAY-OUT For its January supply the Cambridge Dairy Company’s pay-out on February 20 will be the sum of £22,500, on a basis of Is 4d a lb for cheese, Is 3d for butter, compared with £22,279, on a basis of Is 3d and Is lid, for the corresponding period last season. The company’s supply showed a decrease of 5 per cent, compared with January, 1927.

- ALARM IN THE NORTH FALL IN DAIRY YIELD (From Our Own Corespondent) KAIKOHE, To-day. Even though this district is a favoured one, in comparison to the South Auckland district, and light rains fell during January, the drop in milk production has been alarming, says the monthly report of the Bay of Islands Herd-Testing Association. Crops have not made the expected growth, and in many instances have been put into use before fully developed. On the higher volcanic country, says the report, paspalum lias not played the important part it should do. but if good soaking rains fall soon it will be the grass that will produce the greatest growth. Reports from further south tell of parched-up pastures, scanty crops, and the milk season practically drawing to a close if drought conditions continue. This is perhaps due to the general practice of top-dressing. The plough has, on many Waikato farms, been completely abandoned. The present season will perhaps alter this practice. The summary for the month will indicate just how great the effect of the dry spell has been in the Bay of

GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY When the Minister of Agriculture recently' visited Ohaeawai, he discussed the subsidy question with the members of the management committee of the association. As the future policy of the Government had not been announced, the deputation asked that the subsidy should be increased and continued. After the question had been thoroughly threshed out—even down to wages and general expenses of a group of 1,000 cows—the Minister said that he felt sure the Government would continue the subsidy. * He also dealt with the great benefit of calf marking, and was pleased to learn that the scheme would operate in the district next year. He thought that the calf marking was another form of pedigree—a pedigree of production. In his opinion, this was perhaps the most important work of group testing.

Islands. Cows Milk. Test Fat. lb. lb. Group average 1,744 562 4.52 25.32 Highest herd 39 766 4.43 35.1 Lowest herd 42 341 4.64 15.87 Highest cow .. — 1.170 4.7 54.99 Lowest cow . . — 120 4.3 5.16