WAIKATO FARMERS CLUB.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 299, 9 June 1898, Page 3

WAIKATO FARMERS CLUB.

The usual monthly meeting of the above Club was held in the Borough Chambers, Cambridge, on Monday, at 7.-SO p.m. There were present : Messrs H. Gillctt (chairman), E. Allen, G. E. Clark, J. C Potts, J. Gane, J. Runcimau, N. I. Hunt. W. Tucker, J. S. Bond, T. Hartly, J. W. Souter. Analysis.—The secretary reported that Mr Pond had not replied to the letter re analysis of manures. The secretary was instructed to remind Mr Pond of the matter. Railway Matters —The Assistant lbGeneral Manager of railway wrote on vith May: With reference to the interhow that a deputation from your Club ad with the Minister for Railways in Cambridge some time ago, I a:u directed to reply as follows to the several matters brought under the notice of the Minister : Reduction in rate on pressed straw.— Pressed straw is now carried at the lowest rate in the scale of charges, and the Minister regrets he cannot sco his way to make any reduction. The enquiry which has been made into the carriage of pressed straw from the Waikato, shows that most of the trucks contain only from 60 to 70 bales, the load weiehing from two tons to two tons ten cwt (about); the bales averaging one cwt to three-quarter cwt each. In the South Island single trucks are loaded up to 125 bales of pressed straw weighing from four tons 10 cwt to four tons 15 cwt. If the straw from the Waikato is

properly pressed, far greater quantities could be loaded in each waggon than is done at present, and as straw i 3 carried at truck rates, the result would be to reduce the cost of carriage per ton. Cattle Trucks.—3,l cattle trucks have been converted, and 22 are yet to be done. Institutions have been given for these to bo completed within the current financial year.—Caretaker at Hautapu : A caretaker will be appointed at this place.—Charges on parcel, Cambridge to Christchurch : The charge is made up as follows: Railage. Cambridge to Auckland, Is 7d ; shipping charge at Auckland, J. J. Craig, Is ; steamer freight, etc., Auckland to Christchurch, 4s Gd ; total, 7s Id. The charge by parcel post would have been 2s, and it is to be regretted that the stationmaster at Cambridge did not advise the sender to forward the parcel by that means. This was, however, a matter entirely within the option of the sender. — The President said he sent the parcel, which contained two bottles of cider, and when he forwarded it the Stationmaster said the Railway Department were now doing such business, but he could not then tell what the charge would be. Subsequently he received a bill for 7s Id. Re pressed straw ; there was no doubt the straw was badly pressed. As a rule the machines were badly fed. He knew of an instance where 3 tons 3 cwt. were put upon a truck : but the average was about 2 tons 10 cwt. in the Waikato.—Letter received. The Auckland Provincial Association.—The Secretary of the above Association wrote advising the Club that a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce would be held to discuss the frozen meat question on the 6th inst. This matter had been arranged by the Executive Committee, and the Waikato was duly represented by Messrs Barugh and Fisher at the meeting held on Monday last.—The Secretary of the same Association also wrote :—" The attention of our executive has been called to .the fact that bonedust is being shipped from Sydney to Auckland, which is being adultered with 25 per cent, of Calciued Gypsum. I was instructed to write to you suggesting that you might caution your members against purchasing any bonedust without first examining the analytical report".—The Secretary also wrote he should be pleased to supply anyone with Ramie seed if the farmers of Waikato would like to give it a trial.— The President explained that he was the cause of the meeting of the Chamber of Commerce re the frozen meat trade. He said a Board had been formed in the Old Country to endeavour to put matters connected with frozen meat upon a better footing. A similar Board had been formed in Australia, and the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce had been asked to initiate a like institution in New Zealand, with which the English Board could communicate. The Canterbury Chamber then wrote the other districts asking their co-operation ; but the information obtained by the Auck-

land Chamber of Commerce was so meagre that ic resolved the matter was not of sufficient importance. When he (Mr Gillett) saw that in the Herald he at once took measures to get the matter re-opened, and with success, for their delegate was that day attending a meetinn in Auckland of all interested in the frozen meat trade. The matter was not perhaps worth much to them at the piesent, but he trusted that in the future they would all endeavour to keep open their traffic with the world's market ou the best terms, for they would have to compete in that market with their fellow countrymen in the South Island, so they must embrace every possible advantage that was to be had. The President said that ow T ng to the meeting of the Club being put off for a week, the Executive Committee had had to instruct their delegate as to what he should do at the Conference ; but there were several matters, that he should have liked the Club to have discussed before Mr Fisher left. For instance he thought the freight on (arming produce should be cheaper, in fact that it should be carried in the interest of settlement, and if they would stick to it they would get it in time. The ircight on wheat from Cambridge to Auckland was £3 J3s; that was for haulage only, and did not include loading or unloading. He did not believe there was another railway in the world that would charge that amount for 100 miles. Then again the carriage on manures, anrl bonedust had now reached a prohibitive price. He thought they would have to import basic slag for phosphates, and if the matter were considered at the Conference it would lead to co operation in manures ; he did not mean to take ..the trade out of the hands of the merchants, but to help them to purchase largely. Mr Fisher, their delegate, had been asked to gather all the information he could, not only in regard to freezing, but alto as to the methods and machines used for pressing straw and chafF. —Mr Ganc suggested the Club should forward co their delegate a resolution, re compensation for cattle destroyed by oiderofthe inspectors, lie then moved : That this Club is of opinion that the Government should be asked to compensate settlers whose cattle may be condemned by the inspectors, to at least half the value of the animals destroyed.—Seconded by Mr Allen, who gave several instances of farmers being almost ruined by their cattle being condemned. He also said he had asked Mr Park, the veterinary surgeon of Auckland, if there was any tuberculosis in the Waikato, and from the reply he received he judged there was not, but there was plenty of it about Avondale.—The President thought all inspectors ehould be veterinary surgeons, or be empowered to employ them condemning cattle.—The motion ffi.; as then carried.—A vote of thanks was accor.led the President for the trouble he had taken in the matter. Ramie Seed.—Re ramie seed, Captain Runciman said he should be glad to have some, and also any information as to the cultivation of it.—lt was resolved to apply for a few pounds of the seed in order that the members might give it a trial; also for any available information as to the growth of it. Sugar-beet.—The following was the report of the Sugar-beet Committee : The committee report having met at the residence of Capt. Runciman on the 80th ultimo, and having carefully and diligently discussed the position of the sub-

ject—more particularly the action of the Government and their speeches during last session and that of the Premier recently at Hamilton—they now recommend persistent action to interest members and others to induce the Government to assist as promised. That the Club requests, the delegates from this district who are about to attend the Agricultural Conference at Christchurch to ask the Conference by motion to urge upon the Government the desirability of passing into law the Sugar-beet Bill as introduced last tession by the Government. That the Conference be also invited to ask the Government to insert a clause iu the Bill placing sugar beet machinery in the matter of Customs duty on the same footing as agricultural, flour and woollen mills and dairying purposes, viz., 5 per cent. a.l. val. Further, that the members for Waikato and Bay of Plenty be asked t> continue their exertions in the matter, and tha' they be asked to again at range a meeting bet.veen the Auckland members of Parliament and your committee before the ensuing session, to consult on future political action.—TllOS, Wells, for the committee.—Mr Gane said : Mr President and Gentlemen, Before asking your approval of the resolutions recommended by your sugar-beet cjiiimittee, I would like to invite your attention to the fact that, mt only America, but also Australia, have taken action in the matter of erecting factories for the production of sugar from beet-root. Capt. Runciman has courteously forwarded for your inspection a photograph of a new building at Maffra, N.S.W., just recently completed, and fully equipped with the latest machinery for treatment of the beets, at a cost of about £50,000. With it i? also a small sample of the first lot of sugar made in this factory. Farmers and mill-owners are reported to be highly pleased with results. In America the cultivation of beet-roots for sugar continues to develop, aud factories are being built in many States, where the conditions are favourable to the growth of the plant. Extracts from an American periodical, published in Philadelphia, read thus:— " It is high time that more recognition to this industry was accorded by the State. There is no industry that promises so well, and which has such vast capabilities, or gives as varied employment at as good wages. The successlul beet farmer, while he was at quite an expense in raiting his crop, could, a 3 soon as his beets were fairly started, borrow more money on his crop than on the land they grew on ; the reasons given were, that the crop was a sure one, was sold at a price that give good nett returns, and was looked on by bankers as being good security." There is no longer auy doubt but that New Zealand would be largely benefited by the introduction of this industry, and the more so as it is recognised that there are several districts in both the North and South Islands where the land and climate are suitable for growing beet root of a high per centage of saccharine matter, and iu helping to promote this industry and to develop this latent wealth, our Government will pursue a course both patriotic end statesmanlike, opening up a new and vast sphere for wage-earners, add immensely to the railway traffic, and ultimately enable this colony to supply its own inhabitants with their annual £400,000 worth of sugar. He then moved the adoption of the report, and trusted this later information would reach the delegates going South before the conference was held. We could not compete against other countries as long as they gave bounties, without the Government did likewise. —Mr Allen seconded the motion. He did not think the farmers ran half as much risk as the capitalists.—The President did not think there was much chance of the Bill being passed, unless they could get other parts, that were suited for growing beet, interested in the matter. —Mr Allen said the Government could pass the Bill if they wanted to.—Capt. Runciman said he interviewed the Premier when in Hamilton,- and asked him if the Bill would be passed next session. He replied that if the settlers of Oamaru and Wairarapa, both equally suited for growing sugar-beet as the Waikato, could be got to interest themselves in the matter, there would not be the slightest d fficulty iu passing the Bill. If he attempeed to pass it without the help of the places named, he would be twitted with serving Waikato only. The report was then adopted.

Returned Empties.—Mr Clark referred to the charge for returned empties from Paeroa and Auckland. He said the charge for grain to Paeroa was 8s 9d per ton ; but for the empty sacks to be returned the cost was 15s He moved : That the Railway Department be asked to carry returned empties at the same rate as fruit cases, viz. free. —Seconded by Mr Souter and carried. A Branch of the Club "Wanted.— Mr Allen said he had received a letter from Mr Tierney, of Ohaupo, asking if the Club could arrange to hold i» meeting of the Cub in that township —say, once a quarter—on a sale day. It would have to be held in the morning, as the roads were so bad that the farmers would not go out at night. Continuing Mr Allen said Mr Tierney had a list of from 48 to 50 farmers who had decided to join the Club if such an arrangement could be made ; they could then talk over any giievances they had, and would feel that they had the Club at cheir back in endeavouring to get them remedied. —The President thought the Ohaupo people should start a branch. —Mr 13ond was of the opinion that the Ohaupo settlers wanted to use the present machinery of the Club, and meant asking for a special meeting of the Club to be held there once a quarter.—After some little discussion it was resolved to grant the request of the Ohaupo farmers, and the Secretary was instructed to write Mr Tierney asking him to call a meeting of the Club at Ohaupo when and where he deemed it advisable, and some of the officers of the Club would attend it. Swedes for Milking Cows. Mr Runciman said he had it on the authority of Mr McFarlane, the manager of a Dunedin Dairy Factory that had no less than 25 creameries, that swede turnips were being used to feed dairy cows, and that they had no trouble with the milk or butter being tainted thereby. The swedes were topped and tailed, they were then pulped and left upou the floor for 24 hours mixed with chaff. It was a matter of great importance to the Waikato farmers, for their crops of maizs had been frosted, and unless a substitute could be found their cows would be almost starving during the months of August and September. Replying to questions Mr Runciinan said he understood the above pulped swedes, etc, alter they had lain the 24 hours, had bran and water thrown over them and were then given the cows, after they had been milked, twice a day, the measure being from 151 b to 201 b for each feed. Now was the time for tilt Waikato farmers to give it a trial while the factories were closed, and if they found it successful they could then go to Mr Spragg and doubtless get a similar concession. In the South they would not allow cows to be turned on theswedes, as the tops tainted the milk. Already lie had been promised that tl.o matter should have a fair trial by several farmers and lie trusted many more would join in the undertaking.—Mr Ganc said it was an unfortunate year to make a trial, for there seemed every probability that wheat straw would be worth £4 per ton and oat straw £6. Nevertheless lie hoped the matter would have a fair trial, if only for a short time. —Mr Allen said some years ago Mr Reynolds, at Pukekura, tried letting his cows eat the bottom parts of the swedes, when the tops had had been fed off, and the result he believed wjs good : but when the milk suppliers tried it the

temptation was too great and the turnip tops— which gave tiie greater fLw of milk—wire included, and that soon stopped ilh whole proceedings.—The Pres.ilunt thought Mr Rurctman's ilea a tood one. and when the matter had been M-ntiltel in the Press many would doubtless tiy it. He understood that if the milk was pasteurised—wh ch he believed cninii'ed iu h-att-g it to 150 de-nets and then ieducing it to 40 degrees—that it destroyed all obnoxious flavours, bacteria, etc ; they could then feed their cows on swedes or turnips the same as bullocks. The meeting then terminated.