The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, FEBRUARY I7,1881.

Temuka Leader, Issue 355, 17 February 1881, Page 2

The Temuka Leader THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17,1881.

Anqtheb harvest is drawing to a close, for which there is great cause for thankfulness. First, because there is abundance in the land for man and beast ; second, because the quality of the grain is really better than general ; and thirdly, because although the price ruling may be less, the expenses connected with the ingathering is less than usual. Labor has been abundant and moderately cheap, thanks, partly, to the Yankee inventions. But one thing is yet needed to secure a good name at Home for our New Zealand wheat—better dressing ; and to this may be added the need for great care in thrashing. If wheat is thrashed out damp and sent to the Home market, the chances are that it will become musty when it crosses the line, and all the advantages of a good harvest and good dressing go for nothing. If the sample is made unwholesome by carelessness it will be a great pity. Everyone, almost, seem in a hurry to thresh. Fortunately the weather has been most favorable, but as we cannot expect this weather always, it would be well to be Watchful of it. Now that that useful Institution the South Canterbury Farmers' Co-Operative Association has taken root amongst us. it would be well if they are properly supported. The present prices will not allow of heavy charges, hence the necessity of striving to get our grain to the best market at the smallest cost. Our object in writing these lines, however, is not so much to, draw the attention of the farmers to the fact that such a valuable Association exists, but to lead the leading members, and particulary the Directors, to. consider in connection with it the fresh meat business. It is now an established

fact that meat killed ia Australia can be presented fresh in London market six week after, without even a. powdering, of salt. Frozen fish- is no new thing;. scores, perhaps hundreds of years ago, frozen fish were to be mot with, as solid as sole leather, and fit to bo sent to any part of the world, but this was done by natural ice. The new process is brought about by artificial ice. In looking into this business it

leads to the conclusion that it is just the thing for New Zealand. Grain growing, even this season —when France, Russia, Austria, and even England have short crops—will not bring remunerative prices. Some, blame the farmers, and' say why- do they keepon crop growing. It is very well to talk that way, but if asked what will pay just now they would have some difficulty in giving a satisfactory answer. Cattle are almost unsaleable, fat cattle in particular it is hard to find a market for. Fat sheep always will command a market somewhere near their value bo lon-g as wool keeps up ; immediately the latter falls the former will come down. Now, if the frozen meat business were established; in New Zealand, say, partly under the management of a Co-Opera-tive Association, it would soon become a branch of business in New Zealand as well as it is in Ausiralia. How many ; thousands of the very primest of cattle could be raised on the beautiful grass lands of the North and South Islands. Encouragement would then be given to laise good stock. In this respect we are yet far back. It will not pay at present to go into high breeding, but given a market for such stock and green crops would be raised. The cattle would then be cared for the same as at home, instead of having to shift for themselves. Stock raisers would, as in the Old. Country, take a pride in good stock, and raise all sorts of the best and most nourishing food for them. Grain growing would only be resorted to as a necessity to keep the land in a healthy stdt9 to return it to grass as soon as possible, and farmers ' would be quite indifferent as to what prices for grain ruled in, the London market so long as the price of prime meat kept up. If j New Zealand sets her mind to go into

the fresh meat business properly it would soon work a revolution. Not only the large land owners and land holders would benefit by it, but every farmer with fifty acres could, and would, contribute his quota to this export trade. A four or a five shift of cropping: wouW be reported to. This means two-fifths lass, at least, in grain crops, and taken all over the Colony, but particularly in Canterbury, the amount eeeking shipment would shortly be very small. As things at present stand the grain grower goes on cropping year after year, expecting every

year will ho the lmky one; as used to be the way every four or five years. They forget, however, th.at the large Tyheat growers in America are. driving this, chance, farther and farther away every day. It is no use Raying the Yankees cannot grow it cheaper than we *re doing.. They may not be able \o do so. The same was said of New Zealand,but still grain gxowing goes on, Q-ne batch gets mined and another tries his hand at it, expecting to manage better. tSo will it be with the United States for

many years to come—one race may get ruined, but another stands up and trusts to better luck, so. on the problem goes, unsolved. If, however, those whose interest lies in land in New Zealand once turned their attention to stockraising, and prepared g:apes and other food for them, things would be different. A fair price would soon be obtainable for fat cattle at the ship's side, or in the local fairs—the same as in the Old Country a reasonable profit could always be counted upon, and a chance ofliving, when any fair land is cultivated. The anxiety connected with grain growing keeps the farmer on the rack. "VYinds, rain,frosts, and drought bring disappointment to him almost every day, and when at last he has it safely garnered it is often only to dispose of it at a loss. Truly his life in New Zealand is a stirring one. With stock-raising, although he has his trials, he has—ii ? n outlet is got for it—less liability to loss. The newness of this Iresh meat progress makes it difficult to grasp the subject in all its bearings, but we say again it will revolutionise the whole of New Zealand before many years are past, and make land more valuable than ever, and more sought atter. It is to be hoped that our capitalists will bestir themselves and intiate this new, and to us in this far corner of the earth, most necessary outlet for the prodqce of our Britain of the South.