DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1915, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS.

UAKETAWA. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The recent spell of bad weather has played "Holy Harry'' with gardens all over the district—potato crops are showing evidence of blight and other plants are presenting a sickly appearance. l''ruit trees, I am informed, in many instances show fruit shrivelled and otherwise promising a reduced yield. A s 'time goes on the full effects of the visitation will become more apparent, and the general idea is that there can lie no recovery. Certain it is that the cows, who were doing splendidly and gave promise of exceptional increase, have received such a drawback that a "pick up'' to what obtained previous to the snap is almost impossible. As we cannot .afford to be pessimistic, our hopes rise with the weather just now.

I am given to understand that the attempt to obtain a daily rurual delivery for the Maketawa district has been vetoed by the Postal ■Department, so now those interested can learn there is absolutely no hope of country people being considered in the matter of convenience. It is said there would be a considerable loss to the Department by inaugurating the delivery, but it has not been inade plain as to how it occur;. We pay our "whack," but it's little we get for eo doing, and I certainly think more light should be given the matter. It seems

ridiculous that a section of the community about six miles (at farthest), from a centre should be suffering inconvenience worse than if they were 20 miles away. We badly want a re-con-struction of affairs relating to making count")' life more attractive. Talk about encouraging men to go on the land, where does it come in?

The test card at the Durham creamery show a range from 3.4 to 4.4. A couple of Durham farmers, who jointly owned a flock of turkeys, report a sudden and total disappearance of same, and it has been suggested that they are on their way as reinforcements to the enemy at Gallipoli. One of the peculiarities (and advantages, perhaps), of lnglewood land is that notwithstanding what amount of rain falls, a couple of days' fine weather puts a totally different aspect on the country side. One would hardly believe at present that a few days ago roads, tracks, fields, etc., were almost impassable.

A pamphlet issued for the agricultural instructor showing the best class of trees to plant for timber and shelter has been distributed recently to creamery suppliers. As the sheet shows the experiments made by Mr. Maxwell, of Oaouui, it is hoped farmers will take particular notice of the benefits received by planting plenty of the trees mentioned. Since writing the above we have struck another "bad turn"—a snorting south-easter! On the upper portions of

the roads conditions are decidedly wintry; in fact, the couple of fine days lifted the temperature so that the sudden fall is felt more seriously by both man and beast. Unless something extraordinary happens now it may be said that this season's production, which gave promise of being a lump ahead of past year's will have a hard job to beat the leanest record for many years. On all sides one hears remarks regarding grass growth having received a serious check with our previous experience, so it can be easily seen that the present "visitor" must only add to further deterioration. Some ploughing has laid for months now, and nothing can be done as to planting, and in other cases where grass seed and soft I turnips had been planted the stuff cannot get ahead. Truly the elements arc

in a spiteful mood with the dairy farmer just now. An old lady of the old school declares "that we must be a wicked lot and are being punished for it!" The fact that the Farmers' Organisation has purchased a site lor sareyawnfc in lnglewood district and contemplate early building operations is hailed with much satisfaction. If farmers will but be loyal to their own combinations, such as bacon factory, meat freezing, and saleyards, and just shake themselves up to take more interest in the working of same there will be no need for proprietary or private concerns operating, mid profits which go to them at present must go to the man who produces. By jove! He earns it three times over just now.