TE AWAMUTU.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2070, 13 October 1885, Page 2

TE AWAMUTU.

Is conformity with the resolution passed at the last annual mectiugr of shaieholdeis the dn ectoi s"f the chec-c factoi y lia\ eai ranged the follow ing scale of prices for nulk on the peicjntnge »y4r>in: -7 pur cent to X pcrceit 21, d2 l ,d ; 8 per cent and under It pel cent, ~'|'d ; !)"per cent and under 10 per cent. 3d ; 10 per cent and over, 3}d per gallon. Nothing is sud about the iiiiiiimitiii standard at which milk will be received at the factory, but I suppose it will hardly go ns low as two per cent this year. The peicentage sjstem has this advantage, that honest f.irmors who want to turn an honest penn\ mimt find another means than using the pump handle, for what thej will gain in quantity they will lose in quality, and so m pi ice. The niasimuui price '.l\d hoiiikN very low for a, gallon of milk, but a gieat many would not do as well as that by nuking buttei, foi a gieat deal of what is called butter is only cart giease, and \ery poor cart grease at that. And yet every farmer, without exception, will tell you his butter is magnificent. There aic a few good dairies in the district, the butter from which would command tho top price own in the market of fastidious New York, where " gilt edge " butter (made from cream set only twolvo hour*) brings a dollar a pound. There is one thing \ery much in favour of taking the perhaps lower price from the factories than could bo g«t if made into good butter, that as there is no commission or freight to pay, no kegs and nn.lt to buy, and no drudgery, in makinj; butter, a saving in labour for which the farmeix wives are, I am sure devoutly thankful. That tho Waikato factories lute been tho Basing of many small farmers, and a holp to some of the larger ones also, no one cm deny, and as the riiiartshnidem have thus far borne the brunt of tho loss in tho undertaking*, it is only fair the suppliers vhuulrf bn called upon to aKsirtt by taking a lower price for their milk, though .V.d wan low enough ; but with cheese at its present low valuo, even that low pneu could not be kept up. Lottersbave been received by thn officers commanding the various volunteer cavalry corpn in the North Island, asking their opinion about forming all the troops in the inland into a regiment. Captain Rutherfoid got one asking his opinion on the matter. There can be but one opinion, I think, and that, in the present state of volnnteei matti'in, will bo favourable to tho proposal. Formed into a regiment, tho various troops would bo moro likely to preserve their existence. At present very little is done by the (Jovernmont to foster this ami of the service; they get veiy littlo drill, and as a necesnary consequence in the matter of discipline there ih room for a great deal of improvement. The fault with all volunteers I have seen is tho hxity of discipline; the m«n show rery little respect to their officers as pomparod with tho regulars, nor can anything else be evpected when they are only under ordcis six days a-year. In that short time they cannot fully realise the difference in tho positions of officers and privates. Like tho Turks, however, they may not look thoroughly steady on parade, but when taken into action they fight an well as tho best. Many of our volunteers haro proved themselves good under fire, and would do so again, notwithstanding any want of discipline.—(Own Correspondent, Oct. 12.)