The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 1889. GRAIN PRICES—DUNEDIN VERSUS CHRISTCHURCH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1867, 19 March 1889, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 1889. GRAIN PRICES—DUNEDIN VERSUS CHRISTCHURCH.

At a meeting held at Outram, Otago, a Mr Harraway compared prices of wheat at Dunedin and Christchurch, which he said he took from thie market reports of the Otago Daily Times. The result of the comparison is as follows ; rtUNUDIN. OIIRISTOHUBCH. The following quo- Tbo following quotations are ex store tationsaro f.o.b. LytDunedin, bugs weighed tolton, bags extra, in as grain. Terms, Terms, net cash : cash, less 2£ per cent discount: Good milling wheat, Good milling wheat, ox store. f.o.b. Lyttelton. Dunedin. Christchurch. 1888. s. d. 1888. u. d. April 5 ... 3 3 April 7 ... 2 9 „ 12 ... 3 8i „ 14 ... 2 9 „ 19 ... 3 4 „ 21 ... 2 9 „ 26 ... 3 2 „ 28 ... 2 9 May 3 ... 3 2 May 5 ... 2 8 „ 10 ... 3 3 „ 12 ... 2 8i „ 17 ... 3 3 „ 19 ... 2 9 „ 24 ... 3 3 „ 26 ... 2 9 „ 31 ... 3 3 June' 2 .. 2 9 Juno 7 ... 3 2 „ 9 ... 2 9 „ 14 ... 3 2 „ 16 2 9 ~ 2L ... 3 2\ „ 23 ... 2 9* 28 ... 3 1 „ 30 ... 2 8* July 5 ... 3 1 July 7 ... 2 9 „ 12 ... 3 1 „ 14 ... 2 9 „ 19 ... 3 2 „ 21 ... 2 9 „ 26 ... 3 3 „ 28 no report Aug. 2 ... 3 1 Aug. 4 no report ~ 9 .. 3 3 „ 11 ... 2 Hi „ 16 ... 3 5 „ 18 no report „ 23 ... 3 4 „ 25 ... 3 0 „ 30 ... 3 4 Sept. 1 ... 3 3 Sept. 6 ... 3 9 „ 3 ... 3 6 „ 13 ... 3 9 „ 15 ... 3 6 „ 20 ... 4 0 „ 22 ... 3 7 27 ... 3 Average ... 3 3i Average ... 2 10| Ch. average 2 lOf Difference 4| Now, why should this be ? Is there any reason in the world why wheat should not be as valuable in Canterbury as in Otago ? We are told that Mark Lane prices govern the markets of New Zealand. Then, why is it that Dunedin and Christchurch are not on a level ? Another matter which ought not to be lost sight of is that there is almost alway a difference of from 2d to 3d—and sometimes more —between Timaru and Christchurch prices. Timaru prices have always been much lower than those which are obtainable in Christchurch, and before large roller mills were established in South Canterbury there was often a difference of 6d per bushel. That is not the case in Oamaru. The price of grain in Oamaru is invariably as high as at Dunedin. We have frequently in past years pointed out that there was no place in New Zealand where grain was lower than at Timaru, and no one has ever told us the reason why. Timaru has a Farmers’ Co-operative Society, and so has Christchurch; but neither D unediu nor Oamaru has any such institution, South Canterbury farmers can get their penny whistles and sticks of tobacco in their institution cheaper, as they imagine, than they could get it otherwise, and now baby linen is to be added, Ashburton has no Farmers’ Co-operative Store, and yet farmers living on the Eangitata Island go to Ashburton for their goods, and getthem cheaper there. If it is the Farmers’ Co-operative Society which has brought down prices in Timaru, why is it that Ashburton prices are lower ? What brought down prices in Ashburton ? The answer is competition, and the same thing would have brought them down in Timaru if no Farmers’ Cooperative Society existed. We know we are treading on very dangerous grounds in saying anything against the Farmers’ Co-operative Society. It is almost worshipped as a fetich by farmers, and they think that anyone who criticises it is an enemy. If they think that of us they will do us a great wrong, because we are largely dependent on farmers, and we certainly are as sincerely, as honestly, and as earnestly desirous of promoting their interests as anyone could be. We are not opposed to the Farmers’ Co-operative Society —on the contrary, we highly approve of it—but we thinii it is worked on wrong lines. Supposing, for instance, that

instead o£ retailing goods the society was in a position to come to the assistance of needy farmers—advance them money on their grain, take it, charter a ship at once, and land it in a few days over m Sydney or Melbourne, and sell it there while the prices are high—what would be the result ? It would be this : The combination which is trying to keep down prices now would have to give in, and pay fair and reasonable value to farmers for their grain- Farmers have a great horror of middle-men. Why don’t they make the Co-operativ® Society the middle-man in large things like this instead of in sticks of tobacco and baby linen ? Again, if a farmer wants to get a lien on his crop he must pay commission to an agent to get the money for him in addition to 10 per cent, interest and lawyer’s fees. Supposing the society adopted the suggestions we have often thrown out, and was in a position to advance the money at 7 or 8 per cent, without commission or lawyers’ fees, as it could easily do, what a grand thing it would be for the struggling farmer ! This is what we would like the Co-operative Society to do—that is, act as agents for the sale of farmers’ produce, and also as a bank to provide them with cheap money. If the Co-operative Society was now in a position to charter ships, and take up all the early wheat which must be sold and send it to the other colonies at once, it would give such a fright to the local buyers that they would advance the price at once; but while they have no competition they can fix the price themselves, and the needy farmer, who must sell, must take it. Instead of doing this, however, the society has thrown all its energies into retailing goods, and, in our opinion, in this way they have done more harm than good. It will be admitted by all that to live near a large and populous town is a great advantage to farmers, and the larger it is, and the more populous it is, the better the prices farmers can get for butter, eggs, and other farm produce. If Timaru were twice as large as it is, the consumption of the products of the soil would be twice as great, and the prices would undoubtedly be better. Now, the tendency of the retail system adopted by the Co-operative Society is to prevent the growth of Timaru, and it has done so. Timaru had a larger population 10 years ago than it has now. The census of 1881 shows that Timaru had a population of 3917, whereas it has, according to the census of 1886, only 3791, thus losing 126 in five years. The population of Oamaru in 1881 was 5791; in 1886, 5753; loss, 38. Now Timaru ought to have gone ahead of Oamaru, because its resources are immensely greater. There are about 8000 people in the districts surrounding Timaru more than in those of Oamaru, Here are the figures from the statistics of the colony TiMAiiU Distbiot. Oamabit Distbiot. Population of Population of Heraldine G 0... 13,247 Waioaki C 0.... 7671 Mackenzie „.. 999 Waihemo „ ... 1978 Waimute „ .. 3714 Oamaru Waimate Borough.., 5753 Borough ... 1300 Timaru Borough 3791 Total ... 23,051 Total ... 15,403 From this it can be seen that the population failing into Timaru from the country districts is 7619. It may be said that the Hakateramea Riding of the County of Waimate goes into Oamaru—and so it mostly does—but there are only 219 persons in that riding altogether. The advantage of population is altogether in favor of Timaru, and the land in South Canterbury is immensely superior to the Oamaru district, and. more easily worked. Why, then, should Timaru be 20 years behind Oamaru ? Let anyone go to Oamaru and see the two towns, and if he does not come back astonished we shall be surprised. We think certainly the Farmers’ Cooperative Society is one of the great causes of Timaru not going ahead, and it may be as well for the members to think over it. We have no desire to see the society abolished ; on the 1 contrary, we would like to see it ten times more flourishing, hub as it is conducted we are of opinion that it is doing more harm than good, while it is neglecting the means of being a boon and blessing to farmers. It could seek for farmers the best markets at a minimum cost; it could take them out of the octopus clutches of the unrelenting money-lender; it could import from other countries the best quality of seeds of various kinds, that would improve the quality and quantity of cereals; it could get as good prices for South Canterbury farmers as are ruling elsewhere. I t could do all these and many things more, but for the life of us we cannot see the good it has done with regard to lowering prices when goods can be bought as cheaply, if not cheaper, in Ashburton and Oamaru. At auy rate, the difference between the prices obtainable for wheat in Canterbury and Otago is a matter that the Farmers’ Co-operative Society ought to see into, and find out whether something cannot be done to secure to the farmers the highest possible price.

The Atjcslamd ' FdJHnua Case. The hoe ring of the charge against Michael McDermott for the manslaughter of Kate Kennedy was terminated in the Supremo Court, Auckland, oia Saturday. After deliberating for seven hours and a-half, the jury acquit led the prisoner on tho ground that ho w,is insane. McDermott was removed to Mount Eden Q-aol, whence ho will bo corn- | milted to the Lunatic Asylum. i

THE WAYS OF THE WOULD. My noble defence of the young ladies of Gsroldina has mat with due appreciation, as will be seen from tho following ; “ Peab Sxe Gobi, —You arc a real duck of a darling. Thai’s what you are, and all the young ladies up here adore you because of the way you took up their cause when that nasty mao, the Professor, said we all looked sleepy. We hold a meeting at our house last Saturday evening, and John (John is tho young man who sees me homo from church on Sunday evenings) said we ought to give expression to our appreciation of your kindness. It was resolved that I should write this latter to you, but, between you and me, John did not like it. He moved, as an amendrnant, that some ether young hdy should write, and ha vexed me so t hat we felt out. The young ladies are very anxious to know whether you are married or not. lam sure if you are not it is your own fault, for, of course, any young lady would bo only too glad. Of course you must not think I could be so bold as to speak for myself. I don’t want to get married, I am just turned 18 years, and don’t want to get married for a long time yet. John thinks I do, but, I am tired of him, and I mean to walk home alone every evening for tho future. “ Oh, what is love, that steals so quickly O’er my senses, mute and still ! Oh! what, is loye, that sorely, sickly, Sweetly, doth my bosom thrill ? “ I remain, my dear Sir Cori, “ Your affectionately, “ Loot Jane Blank.” This young lady is a hard case. Am I married I That is straight from the shoulder. Then she has quarrelled with John, and means to walk home alone from church ; yet sho has not the slightest intention of getting married yet, although she is tamed 18. Her case is somewhat complicated. On ray honor, only she says she does not want to got ' married, I should regird her letter as a direct proposal, As regards myself, I really don’t care about tailing whether I sra or am not marriad just now. I must see farther into things before making the avowal, As regards the question What is lova I some peop'e say it is like strawberry jam running down your back, but that is only culf-love,. or some soft feeling akin to it. My private opinion is that love is a bewilderment of mentality consequent on the indiscriminafive imagination being deceived by an optical delusion that presents nonexistent fascinations. I don’t understand that sentence myself, but that’s just what lovo is, and u» mistake : a thing you can’t understand. It is made up of ‘ sighing, dying, crying, and lying.’ The lying is (lie soul of lova, and anyone who cannot tell a good, robust, muscular lie may as well give up lovemaking and take to some honest occupation. I have bornnvod this idea from the bard of love, Thomas Moore, who says ; “Long as you’re false, and he believes you, i Long as you trust, and he deceives you, J So long tho blissful bond endures And while he lies his heart is yours, But, oh! You’ve wholly lost the youth The instant that ha-tells you tenth.” Mark this now, young ladies. IVhoo a youth walks homo from church with you, etc., watch him closely, and take stock of the number of lies ho tells you. If ho tolls you nothing but lies you have him by the nape of the. neck ; freeze on to him, and never let go until you run his head into the noose. Then comes the truth and reality, and lying ceases, except occasionally when ho may possibly come home late and pronounciag his words very inaccurately. You need not boltove what ha says then, but if you want to get the truth out of biro have a good substantial poker at hand and use it.

A lady has recently raised the question, la marriage a failure i by writing a book on the subject. She has, it seema, tried it and found it so, and consequently was bound to give a one-sided view of the case. She condemns marriage altogether; thinks it nothing short of slavery, misery, bondage, and so forth, but she has not told us what we ought to put in its place. She is worse than Parson Matthews, who objected to allowing the poor to get married because they were not in a position to support their children. Now marriage is a very old institution. When Gain went into the land of Nod he took unto himself a wife, wherever he got her, and the business has been going on aver since. It is therefore a venerable institution, and the frantic screams of a disappointed woman will not harm it, lam willing to stake ray reputation that there is not a single young man or young woman but would, if tney told the truth, say in reply to the question, Is marriage a failure 1 “ Weil I don’t know. I’d like to try it, anyhow.” And if a nice tidy young man, like myself for instance, threw himself on his knees before the lady who wrote the book about marriage being a failure, and begged of her to become his wife, I’ll bet ray bottom dollar she would reply, “ Well, I have sworn off marriage because I found it a failure, but since you wish it I don’t mind making another experiment.” it is no use trying to run down marriage. It wont wash. There will be always people ready to run the risk. It is said there are 1,000,000 girls in England who cannot possibly get husbands. How readily they would try it if they got the chance.

Is there anything which money cannot do 1 It can buy fine houses, fine clothes, fine horses, fine carriages, lino everything : even fine brains. This has been proved in the case of Henniker Heaton, About a couple of years ago the world was astonished by it having been flushed through thousands of miles of telegraph wirefc that nonniker Heaton, an Australian colonist, had been elected to the House of Commons, Who was he 1 No one hoard of him before until it spread from a small circle in Sydney that a wealthy gentleman of (hat name had gone on a visit to tho Old Country, and, sure enough, this wealthy stupid Sydney man proved to be identical with the English M.P. Henniker commenced to swell in importance, and his friends became more and more bewildered. Where had he got the brains 1 was (he question that puzzled them. Daily came cablegrams telling the world how Henniker Heaton had tackled the postal authorities, and knocked a fall out of the PostmasterGenera), hew ho did this and did that, and was here and was there, and still the question that puzzled his friends was, Whore had ho got tho brains ? Deluded simpletons 1 ho had them in his pocket, ; tho safest place to carry them. A man may get his brains blown out of his head, but out of his pocket never. The whole * thing has now been made plain. Honnikar met a miserable creature named Dennis who ran a newspaper, and carried his

brains in his hood—foolish fellow—and Hofitu’kor said to Dennis, “I carry my brains in my pockst. you carry ynma in your hood ; lot us swop.” Dennis aa:d “Done.” Dennis then wrote Hennikor a electioneering addresses and his speeches, and his letters to The Times, and thus Mr Henniker Heaton got his brains. He bought them, and thus made a world-wide reputation, and ho was elected to Parliament, and he dioed with all the “ big nobs,” and all the while it was the poor newspaper man’s brains he was using. At last came the climax. Dennis asked to be paid for his work ; Heoniker refused ; Dennis filed, and complained that his bankruptcy was due to Henniker refusing to pay him £SOO, Hennikor denied ho owed him anything, but when he was sued he paid £4OO and costs £2OO, sooner than lot the case go into court. What a dirty, low, mean cur Henniker Heaton is I Ho got into Parliament and became famous on poor Dennis’s brains, and thejn the dirty, low black-leg wanted not to pay only something like what he would pay his coachman, or butler, or scullerymaid. Oh! may few colonists like this " crawler ’’ go into the British Parliamenl. Ho is a disgrace to all Australians, and they ought to boycott him, and shun him as they would a leper. What fools electors are I Had poor Dennis offered himself for election ten to one if he would have been elected, but this brainless, unprincipled idiot got in because he had money. We could quote similar instances not far off where the successful candidate kept his brains in his pocket, and had hia speeches written for him, but sc far as we know ha paid for services rendered. The moral of all this is, never try to get into Parliament unless you carry your brains in your pocket. The electors know that the man who carries bis brains in his head is a fool, and Lave no faith in him. Com O'Lanbs, K.C.M.G,