SOUTH TARANAKI NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1916, Page 3

SOUTH TARANAKI NEWS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Taking all tilings into consideration, it has been go far an. ideal year for farmers. Good prices and plenty of grass spell prosperity for' South Tirana lei. Hay crops are heavy and saved well. Oaten hay has yet to come in. The usuabgrowl by those whose hay is in the stacks goes up for rain, and yet more rain! Factory managers report a sharp fall in the milk yields, but this is usual at this time of the year Turnip crops have had a rough time with the' fly and crops arc patchy. Fat cattle are selling well, and a few prices and sales of this last week are:— 110 bullocks at £ls per head, 30 at £l7, 75 at £l7 17s, 105 cows at £lO, 00 at £lO, and SO at £9 10s. The foregoing seem extraordinary prices, but it must be understood that stores and forward cattle are correspondingly dear, two bullock fatteners being purchased at Waverlcy and Wanganui salevards last week at £l3 10s and £ls per licad respectively.

Mr. Massey's remarks that the producer on the land is doing his duty by producing butter, cheese and beef, is in a good few cases being used as an excuse to get out of enlisting by several young farmers and fanners' sons. I notice there is going to be a Taranaki Provincial Carnival for raising funds for patriotic purposes. The promoters ought to get a move on and touch up the wealthy men around Hawcra and Waimate Plains, who, so far. have given very sparingly to the cause. A small farmer givers £lO, a working man £5, and these .men, who are worth anything from £IO,OOO to £IOO,OOO, give just about tlie same. Writing with a good knowledge of the district from Hawera to Patea, there are at least 50 .men who could afford £SOO each, and, roughly, 20 who would not miss £IOOO each. Then, again, 15 coulil be picked out on the Waimate Plains whose war profits would easily allow them to write out a cheque for £IOOO each, and there are,fully 70 large dairymen whose increased butter-fat prices warrant tliem giving £SOO each. On a rougli computation from Patea to Otakeho, on the above basis, a sum of no less than £95,000 should be raised amongst the large men alone. A good few thousands would be forthcoming from the men worth from £2OOO to £IO,OOO, as these are freer givers than the wealthier I am afraid that the only way to get at the large man is by State legislation, but this Taranaki Carnival will give him a rare chance to show his patriotism. One frequently is told that the State should do all money collecting, but witli politicians who have no backbone what can we expect? It is rather a shame and reflection on the Defence authorities asking soldiers to pay anything at all travel on our railways. Those boys on final leave should have the right to travel free on all railway lines to visit friends or relatives. They are giving their lives for the country, and are surely entitled to this condensation.