FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 109, 16 August 1910, Page 3

FARM AND DAIRY.

MOUTH TARAXAKI PROSPECTS. THE IMPROVIDENT NATIVE. Writes the .South Taranaki correspondent of the Wellington Times:—We have had seven successive frosts, which have been followed by two beautifully fine days. The thermometer last week was down to 44 on two nights, when taps were frozen. These fros-ts will no doubt do a vast amount of good in exterminating pestilential infantile grubs. _ Our Winter Show committee have decided on enlarging the present building which was at first thought to be large enough for years to come, but the success of the venture have proved to the most optimistic that an addition to the large building is absolutely essential for future shows. The result of the fim winter show has already been felt here, as enquiries for town properties have been frequent and sales effected of several residences and building sites'; prices have, as a result, considerably advanced. The wind-up of the various dairy factories has been very satisfactory to suppliers, and everything looks well for the future. Cows are coming in fast at present. Lambing is also reported to be prolific so far. Business in all departments is on a sound footing, and there are no complaints of want of the needful. Buildings are continually being •erected and the town extending, hence carpenters are in demand.

Changes in farm properties still continue, clearing sales being the order'of the day. 'Several sellers who have sold and gone to the Waikato district have returned here to re-buy. Others are still goingi north, 'where land is cheaperhut is it cheaper in reality I The Maori land question here is a very mixed one, and columns could be written about it. If the natives were given full and uncontrollable use of their lands a great number of them would soon be in a state of poverty, as proved here in the ioolish manner in which they dispose of their holdings. In a number of instances they have leased their holdings and have anticipated their rents to the amount of from ten to fifteen years in advance. They have a merry time until they have squandered their present advances, and then have to place themselves under the fender mercies of some pakeha to provide them with food until the next pay day of .moneys they be entitled to from the Public Trustee. Mamy tradespeople who have trusted the Maoris used to get information from the agent of the Native Department, when Mr, Fisher was agent, as to the date of payments at the various centres, but now the new .appointee refuses information; hence the payments are made and the moneys spent, mostly over hotel bars, before tiie Maoris' creditors are aware of it. This is, to say the least, most unsatisfactory. The Maoris are very good borrowers tout bad payers, as many know to their cost. The .Native Department should see that when natives lease their lands they should not be allowed to draw their rents in advance for more than one year at the most; otherwise they will continue to impoverish themselves and their creditors.

A Wairarapa 'buyer says there will 'be a keen demand for early lambs this year, . Mr. A*. Dalziell, of "Blair Athol," near I Lunterville, has decided to subdivide his line property near Hunterville into small larms.

The lambing has been an early one in 4 lie Wairarapa this season. In both the tiorth and south portions of the district numerous healthy-looking lambs are to be seen.

[tig stated that about 50 per cent; df i lie sheepowners of the Waira#apa' Iwvfe Looked shearers for tlie coming, season «t the rate of about £1 per 100. ' I > The birth-rate problem is easily solved in the dairying herd judging by the f<'i;undity of a cow owned by MivArtlr.w Crawford on the Eltham road. 7 'Lait 1 liursday week a cow in his herd gave birth to four calves, fully developed, similarly marked', and exactly alike' fn Color —but not alive. If the cow intended to give sufficient milk to feed the lour, she should easily beat all re'cordniakers at the dairy shows. ' ' 1 There was less cropping done in' tile Witimate and Pihama districts lasf year titan since the land was opened tip, 1 and pc rhaps next year will not be much bet. tc r. This only applies to cereals. Root O ops, of course, have considerably in-, 0) eased in acreage. During the last six y< ars the fly and rust have increased in mirsedness, and farmers prefer to ciosc U]' a few acres for hay and ensilage than nm the risk of losing their crops'through tll(! pests. The turnip and rape crops Wi re badly affected by the fly this year.