CURRENT TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 215, 20 December 1910, Page 4

CURRENT TOPICS.

TARANAKI'S SHEEP. Someone mentioned at the railway banquet at Te Wera some months ago that the time would come, and was not far off, when Tarawaki would reap more wealth from its sheep than from its dairy cows. In the course of his remarks, on the same occasion, the Hon. T. Mackenzie said that the east railway, when completed, would open up something like ten million acres, land which, Mr. Joe McCluggage subsequently affirmed, would carry quite two sheep to the acre. These statements recur to one when perusing the sheep returns for the year ended April 30 last, which have just been issued, and noticing the remarkable increase Taranaki has shown during the past six years. In the year 1904 the total number of sheep in the counties forming Taranaki was 575,138. Last year the number had increased to 1,102,079. It is safe to predict that the increase will be even more marked during the ensuing six years. It is only now that the settlers in the back country, who have been toiling for years getting their places into grass, are deriving any benefit from the railway that is being pushed eastwards, and every mile constructed now means opening up more sheep land. Besides the land served by the railway there is the rich tract of country lying nearer the coast that must before long carry many thousands of sheep. We were recently talking to a settler who four years ago took up a section, under the Bush and Swamp Act, in the latter district. He had cleared about six hundred acres, which were now depasturing 1300 sheep. He was extremely pleased with his prospects, and felt sure the land would ultimately carry 2y a sheep to the acre. When he started operations, the neighboring sections were going a-begging; no one could be found willing to take them up. Now they are all settled* and the work of clearing, etc., is proceeding at a great rate. This sort of thing is going on all oVer what is commonly regarded as the back part of the province. Every year must show a substantial increase in our flocks, and the time is coming when it will be quite impossible for one or even two freezing works to cope with the output. The prediction made at the Te Wera function may be verified after all.

INTERESTING FIGURES. The sheep returns also show that there has been a decrease of 33G in the number of owners, and an increase of 788,013 in the number of sheep within the Dominion during the twelve months. The figures for 1909-9 were 21,858 owners and 23,480,707 sheep, and those for 1900-10 are 21',522 owners and 24,209,620 sheep. It is rather curious that while the larger increase in the number of sheep has taken place in the North Island the larger decrease in the number ,of owners has also occurred in that part of the Dominion. The figures for the two islands are worth quoting:—

North South Island. Island. Owners, 1908-9 .... 9,809 12,049 Owners, 1909-10 ... 9,614 11,908 Sheep, 1908-9 12,1.93,211 11,287,496 Sheep, 1809-10 .... 12,917,602 11,351,958 Decrease in owners. 195 141 Increase in sheep .. 724,451 64,462 The decrease in the number of owners seems to be due to a large proportion of the "small men" disposing of their flocks. In 1908-9 there were 6802 farmers owning between one and 200 sheep, 2890 in the North Island and 3922 in the South Island, while in 1909-10 there were only 6100, 2416 in the North Island and 3684 in the South Island. The decrease in the South Island appears to have taken place only in the very small flocks, those under 800 sheep, but the decrease in the North Island extends to flocks of 700 or 800, probably one of the results •f the profitable development of the dairy industry. The number of large flocks, those over 10,000 sheep, have slightly increased, but there is nothing very significant in the figures. The direct advantages of the good prices that are ruling for wool and meat are fairly widely distributed.

"THE GREATEST OF THESE." We would call the attention of readers to the'advertisement of the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board in this issue. As usual the public are, invited to contribute Christmas "cheer" to the patients in the Hospital and the inmates of the. Old People's Home. It is almost unnecessary in a warm-hearted community to descant on the value of brightening the Christmas season for those who are dependent for Yuletidc joys on the kindness of others. Anyone who is acquainted with hospitals knows how great an effect additional brightness and kindness have on patients. There are very fewpersons in this community who arc unable to spare something for the cause we advocate, and while they may be very willing to donate their mite, we write this in order to remind those who might forget in the rush of their personal festivities. At the Old People's Home and Hospital the staffs enter with great zest into the pleasant business of pleasing inmates, and there is reason to believe that, with the generous help which may be expected of the public, Christmas-time will be joy-time in both institutions. A little self-denial at the festive season of the year is good discipline, and the fact that one is privileged to help one's fellow is a source of gladness to most people. We hope that the Board's appeal will meet with ready response: "And now abide these three: Faith, Hope and Charity; j "But the greatest of these is Charity.'''