POULTRY NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 18 February 1913, Page 7

POULTRY NOTES.

!Jfc was hintod in tlioso notes, not niiiny weeks ago, that the industry would shortly witness a change, and the change i,s now afc hand, Briefly, amalgamation of the Wellington Egg Circles is swiftly in course of formation, through the launching of a poultry company, to be known as the X.Z. Paultry industries, Limited. Tlio liatching of this economic change* ha" been the results of many months hard work on the part of members of the Kutt Circle, and at a meeting held last Monday, in that district, as far as possible, all formalities were enacted, when shares were largely taken up, and provisional Directors appointed, two of whom are loading poultry producers in the Mutt. Ten thousand shares are being offered at ten shillings, "2s Od application, and '2s (id allotment, the- limit to be one hundred shares each, with a minimum of five. This will give the smallest producer every opportunity of becoming a shareholder, and the promoters recognise full well that approximately some K-j per cent, of the eggs coming « from small poultrvkeepers. they ■should be certainly given every encouragement to join the new venture, ' Several have already promised to take fifty shares, and the writer is putting in his quota likewise. Owners of poultry will 1)0 the only persons who are eligible to become shareholders. The promoters have already arranged for men to undertake the. management, and as .soon as 1000 shares are absorbed, operations will bo commenced. Further particulars can be obtained from the proprietor of the local Utility Poultry Farm, or from Mr J-l. .). Q'heiwy. Tt is stated by an official in the Department that there is strong likelihood of the remaining 'State poultry farms being closed. While it is recognised that they have done good work, it. must be admitted that unless they keep on improving, by experiments, it does not very materially assist the development of the industry. The State farms, however, assist the. farmer by not only providing him with good laying •strain's, but of late, are. making provision for supplying table stock at very moderate rates. From the same official source the writer is informed that in spite of the outcry c.f the expense of the country, the farms fi'o nrovin.g self supportinrr. Take "Burnham for instance, £'looo was granted, a littlr. over £OOO wrv ' snent. and over £IOOO in receipts for > the last financial year. The Utility Circle held its first annual meeting last Thursday, in the ) Druid's Hall, when a large- number | of members and others put in an appearance, though' rough as it wa,s more ' than one lady was plucky enough to • brave the elements. It was gratifying to see fresh laces round the board especially when they assisted by tak--1 ing their share in the discussions. Four of the old committee were reappointed, the fifth place being left vacant, pro tern. It was decided to make the fee for new members 4s and old members 2s 6d, in place of 7s 6d and ! ">s. The honorary members' fee remains as it was, viz: 2s. As Mr He-sp, who was appointed to represent the Circle at the coming Auckland Conference, was somewhat doubtful whether he could get away, it was arranged that Mr O'Leary'should take his place, if necessary. Either of them i will make capable delegates, and members can rest assured they will, either j of them, watch affairs, like the pro- i verbial cat with a mouse. \ During the evening, discussion arose i with a view to amalgamating with an- J other Circle, should the latter so de- S sire. It was thought the advantages § of such an arrangement would be in g favour of the latter, but the Utility j, Circle members aim to look at the j broad.principles, and if such amalga- I mation tended to benefit a larger liiun- | her, '.so much the better for all con- I corned. l It is not always easy to obtain sood £ prices for birds which have finished 1 their laying season, but it i s more § profitable to let them go cheap than I overcrnAvd the young stock. . A check I to them means a loss in eggs next I winter. 6