Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 196, 16 February 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

THE MAYOR'S MEETING

It rained heavily on Wednesday night, and it spoke well for the interest taken in the electric light question that some fifty people attended the meeting convened by the iMayor. The audience contained most of the old familiar faces never absent from meetings of the kind. Mr. J. McAllister, a member of the Borough Council, presided. When the meeting opened the rain was hammering on the iron roof with a tremendous noise, and it was difficult to hear a word that was said. Mr. McAllister stated, however, that Mr. Masters was desirous of having more ratepayers present, and was willing to put the meeting off till Friday night if those present wished it. He called for the voices on the question, and there was an unmistakable pronouncement for the postponement. In thanking the meeting for this decision, the Mayor said he considered' the meeting one. of the most important held in Stratford, so he would like to see a good attendance of ratepayers to hear the proposals explained. He wished to make it quite clear that he was not trying to force anything on the ratepayers. He was there to explain the electric light loan proposals as they appeared to him and as they appeared to a majority of the Council. Having heard his exsi planation, ratepayers could decide, for themselves whether they would acquire the company's undertaking or not. He felt that the importance of the question demanded a bigger meeting, and he was glad of the postponement, because it was very, very hard to speak to empty benches.

FARMING NOTES,

FIRE BRIGADE COMPETITIONS

The Stratford Fire' Brigade held a series of competitions this afternoon in Page street. First-Foreman T. Wilson had a "day out," winning in all three events. Lieut. Bowson acted as judge, Foreman Lane as starter, and Messrs. Backhouse and Pinney as timekeepers. Superintendent Xuttall, of the Eltham Brigade, was among th'ose present. Details:—

Hallenstein Bros.' Trophy (a barometer) ; one-man coupling event. Each competitor has all gear laid out. Runs 15 yards, fixes hydrant, fixes a lead of 50ft. of hose on each side of hydrant and runs them out, fixes double union on each and then affixes four leads of hose and branches, afterward running five yards to finish.—First-Foreman Wilson, with a handicap of six points, won in Imin. 11 4-ssec, including a penalty of one second for loose coupling. The fastest time was put up by Hydrantman E. Drake, who, starting off scratch, got through his work in lmin. 14 inclusive of a penalty (lsec,) for loose coupling. Other competitors: Second-Foreman Burgess (scr) lmin. 'lB I-ssec, including 2sec. penalty; Foreman Davis (scr), lmin 21 1-5 sec, including lsec penalty; Branchman Evans (scr), lmin 23sec, no test made; Fireman Boon (lsec), lmin. 23 2-ssec, no test made.

(Burgess Cup.—Five yards to run; pick up ©Oft. of hose, branch and hydrant; run fifty feet to plug, fix hydrant, fix' lead of hose to hydrant and run out 50ft.' hose, and fix branch, run out second leadof 50ft., and branch, and couple to other side of hydrant, finishing with five yards run. All competitors start from scratch. Challenge trophy, cannot be won outright.—Foreman 'Wilson, lmin. 2sec, 1; \ Fireman Davis, lmin. 7 2-ssec., 2; Branch-! man Evans, lmin. lOsec.j Hydrantman j Drake, lmin. 1© l-ssec, 4. Bishara Cup, handicap..—Run five yards, pick up hydrant, branch, and 50ft. hose; run to plug; fixihydrant; fix hose and run out, carrying'branch and fixing it; turn on water, run (back to branch and direct water at disc.—Foreman Wilson (4sec. handicap ),'43sec. 1; Foreman Burgess (scr.), 47sec, 2; Fireman Davis (4sec.), 48sec.,. 3. Also competed: Hy-, draritman Drake (4sec.), 48 l-ssec.; Fireman Boon (25ec.),48 2-ssec.

THE SIWMMIN6 CLUB

The, conditions for. the challenge cup competitions, were approved at WednW day night's meeting, of the general committee of the club. ,The distances are 50, 75, 100, 130, 220 and 440 yards, and competition will be confined to members of the clubr The winner will have his name engraved will, hold it for a year,.besides which he will receive a gold medal valued at two guineas, the second man to receive a gold, medal valued, at fifteen shillings. The committee reserves the right to disqualify a competitor not having.swum in all races, unless a reasonable excuse be offered by him. All events will be handicap, and the entrance fee will b.e 2s 6d;

The first distance, 150 yds, will be decided on Thursday, February 22, entries closing on the-00th. Other events will be decided on alternate Thursdays. (March 1 has been fixed as the date for the club's open night carnival, for which an attractive programme is being prepared.

A local carnival will be held on March 7, when there will be ladies' events. Mr. W. P. Kirkwood has offered a trophy for a ladies' race.

, With a view of encouraging swimming among the ladies, Mr. E. Kivell, the club secretary, was appointed honorary instructor to ladies' classes at the baths. Several ladies are already receiving the natatorial art at his hands.

THE HORTICULTURAL SHOW

The Stratford Orchestral Society has been engaged to provide music on both nights of the Horticultural Show, Thursday and Friday next. Indications point to a very successful exhibition.

STRATFORD RIFLE CLUB

The second stage of the championship was fired to-day. The wind was changeable, and the light very tricky. Results:

COMMERCIAL NEWS,

MR. NEWTON KING'S STRATFORD WEEKLY REPORT.'

At the Stratford Haymarket there was only a moderate yarding of pigs, there being'a large attendance, and good enquiry for pigs, which resulted in a rise in prices. I quote slips and weaners lis to 17s fid, small stores £l' Is to £l' 10s, medium do. to good £2 to £2 2s, gigs and sundries at usual rates. At the Mart—Poultry: A fair number

* From Our Resident Reporter. * * Office; No. 3, York Chambers, Stratford, *

of birds were penned, hens Is 3d to Is 9d, roosters Is to Is 9d, cockerels 9d to Ifld, ducks Is 3d to Is fld, potatoes 6s 6d cwt, small do. 3s per bushel, furniture and Bundries making fair prices. I also held a sale of oil paintings on behalf of J. D, Perrett, about half of the catalogued number being sold. Fruit: Some 800 cases of assorted fruit came to hand during the week, chiefly plums, which resulted in the market being a little easier. Plums, greengage 3s 6d, purple ■gage 3s, diamonds 2s to 3s, Satsuma 3s Od, Burbank 1b 6d to 3s, Ogon Is to 2s, apples 3s 6d to 4s {id, nectarines 4a 6d to 5s 6d, peaches 3s 9d to sd, tomatoes fa 6d to 4s 6dj cucumbers 2a, according to sise of case and auality.

A question that will bear asking again is: What progress, if any, has the testing of herds made in Taranaki? . I am afraid there is still a great deal of lire-, judice against the adoption of the sys-i tem by the dairy farmers, for ,what reason it is hard to say. At some factories testing was taken up by the directors; at others by the dairy division of 1 the Agricultural Department. Makers! seem to have gone along similarly for a! time, then first one supplier and then I another would appear to have taken fright at some imaginary trap and ] "stopped supplies." This 'is to be regretted, for those who have gone in for systematic testing, as well as almost every factory manager I have conversed with on the subject, are loud in their praises of the practice, and are satisfied that it affords the only safe means of telling the useless from the profitable animals in a herd. I have heard some most remarkable reasons advanced by dairy farmers against testing their herds, J one of the most unique being that the!, Government has instituted the system in J order to ascertain the earning capacity: of individual herds, and then up will go the taxes. This is too utterly absurd, but it only goes to show what stumbling blocks the dairy farmer himself places in the path of progress. 1 might say that while on a visit to Ngaire the other day, the factory manager kindly showed me a book of tests that was kept by him (the company doing the work), and few, if any, of those suppliers whose names I appeared therein need feel ashamed—or afraid—for the whole world to know what their herds are doing. There were some excellent results, but unfortunately the breeds of the various cows were not stated, so that as a record for publication and comparison the tests were useless. However, the breeds of two or three of the best butter-producers were known to the manager, and it did not surprise me to learn that they were Jerseys or Jersey cross. But there were others that were not to be despised. For' instance, one cow, qf which the manager ( said it would take the best judges in the universe to tell exactly what breed she was, stood in the front rank as a butterfat yielder. She was black, and "possibly had a bit of the Holstein in her," according' to my informant, put she is a perfect gold mine to the owner, notwithstanding the want of a pedigree. However, this is the exception. Breeding is bound to tell in the long run, and the more earnestly testing is prosecuted the sooner will tie dairy farmer place himself in a securer position, for it is af well-known fact that a large number of) cows that are being milked at present are not worth their keep, let alone the large amount of time spent on them. Although Ngaire as a township cannot lay claim to possessing many 'business places, yet the district as a whole has many attractions. It is no doubt a ■fine agricultural country, the up-to-date homesteads and condition of the various farms testifying to the go-ahead spirit of the owners of the land. The unseasonable weather experienced throughout Taranaki at the end of 1911 caused grave doubts as to whether any provision could be made for stock for the coming winter, turnips, maize and mangolds having failed; but it is gratifying to see the splendid crops of oats around Ngaire, and I was informed that turnips sown just recently are coming along well, so that winter feed is now assured. What, applies to Ngaire is also the experience' of other parts of the province. One other attraction in Ngaire is its beautiful gar- ■ ,dens, and any of your readers who may ta.ke it into their heads to visit this part of the province should not neglect to take a peep at one of the most picturesque spots ,between Bluff and the North Cape. Naturally the residents pf the district feel proud of their beauty spot; and weir they may. There is one thing, however, that old residents do not take kindly to, and that is the recent diseovery by some learned Maori scholar • that the old spelling of the name of the district was wrong; hence the Railway Department has now substitute "Ngaere" for "Ngaire.-" Seeing that all Land Department plans, title deeds, etc., spell it with an "i," it is somewhat of a poser why at this late hour a change was deemed necessary. The Ngaireans don't take kindly to it, and it would be more than my position is worth if, in these notes, I did not respect their preference for the old method of spelling the "Ngaire." These latter remarks about the garden and spelling of Ngaire may not be dairy notes, but they help to bring under observation a thriving dairy district.

Before I finish -with Ngaire, I might mention that at the present time there are seventy suppliers to the factory, all of whom are drawing good cheques monthly. The recent unseasonable weather made a considerable difference in the yield of milk, but the tests for December and January were even higher: than during the same period last season. A matter that is receiving some attention just now with the dairy community in Taranaki—that is, those supplying butter factories—is whether it would not pay to put in cheese plants and manufacture cheese from skim milk. It is generally believed that on the English 1 market, at 3d or 4d per lb, cheese so I made would command a ready sale j among the poorer classes, and the re-! turns would considerably swell the suppliers' Tevenue. At first sight I was under the impression that calves would suffer if such a course was adopted, but it was pointed out that the whey coming from skim milk would be equally as good or bad for the calves as that returned from the present cheese factories. Then again the manufacture of cheese from skim milk would not be trespassing upon tlie preserves of cheese factories pure and simple, as the output of the former would only attract those who could not afford the richer article—that is, the cheese made from the new milk. I mention this in the hope that it will be the means of giving more prominence to a matter that is considered by many to-be of great importance to the dairy industry. In discussing dairy matters with a

GENERAL NEWS

well-known Stratford farmer the other day, he told me a little story which is worth recounting. A neighbor called upon him one evening and asked if he could suggest any remedy for a cow suffering from milk fever. My informant had to admit that he knew nothing of such matters, when it suddenly dawned upon him that he had read a paragraph in the Daily News stating that air pumped into the udder of a cow so suffering would be effective. He mentioned this to the owner of the cow, but the difficulty was to get a pump. This was eventually overcome by using one belonging to a bicycle, the top of a sewing machine oil-feeder (after being put into boiling water) being utilised for the purpose of conveying the air from the pump through the teats into the udder. The cow was down, and apparently next to death's door, when the air remedy was applied. The udder was pumped as full as it would hold with air, and the cow left for the night. Next morning when the owner went to look at the animal, expecting to find her dead, he was more than surprised to see her feeding with the other cows, and had quite shaken off the fever. This is the conversation that ensued when the parties who had taken an active part in the cufe met the next day: "Look here, old chap, if I hadn't taken the News I should not have seen the remedy, and as it has been the means of saving the life of a valuable cow, I should strongly advise you to take the paper yourself, as there are frequently hints given that will place you in the position of being able to act before it is too late." It- is worth while here to note the casualness of the dairy farmer. Here is a cow worth perhaps £lO. She is ill, but there's a chance of saving her life. 'Tump up the udder, and go to bed," Our old farmers would stay up half the night, or longer, in such a case.

There are few factories in Taranaki, if any, that can claim to have more up-to-date machinery than the Stratford Dairy Company. Not so very long ago a compile pasteurising plant was installed. Just recently the old and out-of-date separators were replaced by two "Perfects," which are each capable of turning out (160 gallons per hour. Besides , the new separators, another important labor-saving piece of machinery has been installed, viz., an automatic Topliss bulk butter-packer, manufactured at Christchurch. The machine is built hold two boxes, and after being weighed the butter is skilfully put into these without the hands coming into contact therewith; down comes the presser, and the boxes are ready to have lids fixed and be* stacked for export. The whole fac-> tory is in Al order, and reflects the highest credit on the manager (Mr. Kirkman). At the time of my, visit 130 boxes of butter were being turned out daily, but the output is falling off now. After' each churning, samples are taken, from the churns and tested for moisture content, a proceeding that I watched with some interest, but was as wise at the conclusion as at the commencement. The manager, however, knew what he was about.

The. other day J received a parcel of plants by post. Opening the bundle, I found the following note as well: "The king of fodder plants, lucerne. The enclosed sample' was gathered at the Stratford railway station.: The plants have been growing under Mr. Lamason's window for several years from seed thrown out of the auction room. And yet peo-ple-will tell you that lucerne will noft grow in Taranaki. Mr. Pugh, now of Mr. Newton King's staff, can verify these particulars.—Yours faithful'y, J. B. Barleyman." The plants were healthy-look-ing, and fully two feet in height. So evidently lucerne will grow in Taranaki. Has any local farmer grown it successfully.

Timber for the additions to the Stratford Mountain House was carted up yesterday, and it is expected that everything will be ready for a start with the building by the end of the week. The night was wild and wet, and par-, ents and children who had been looking forward to the Holy Trinity Sunday School picnic at the Ngaere Gardens looked very glum in thevearly morning. Then the sun came out, and tbere was a good muster when the ten o'clock train took the picnickers down. A very enjoyable time was spent, the vicar and teachers doing all they could to promote enjoyment for all and sundry. Late in the afternoon, however, the atmosphere became rather cold, bitt still the children had a really gosd time. An infuriated person was seen this afternoon banging a big stone into the door of business premises, meanwhile calling out loudly in some foreign tongue. There had evidently been "fun on the Bristol," but what'fun there was this deponent knoweth not. Constable Mcintosh has returned from his holiday. Constable Liston, of Te Wera, has been relieving during his absence.

"A shilling room"' is the latest nov-. elty at Mr. C. E. James'' stationery and novelty emporium. Here he is showing special importations of glassware, enamel and tinware, bric-a-brac, toys and a whole host of things that can't usually be had for a shilling: There's a line of fancy tea-pots that should be rushed at the price. They're worth Is 9d easily.

300' 500 600 TI. C. Speck ... 31 31 32 94 E. Brocklebank ... 29 31 33 93 H. Gollop ... 29 28 30 87 C. Jackson ... 27 28 29 84 A. Speck ... 25' 31 27 83 W. Brocklebank ... ... 27 30 2G 83 J. Ritchie ... 23 31 22 76 ... 28 24 20 72