The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2456, 7 April 1888, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

iiqual and exact justice to all men, political. SATUIIDAY, APRIL }\ .1888. « Kvkky day we have fresh evidence of the great strides the dairy industry is making in Great Britain, as well as the increasing interest that is being attached to its progress in these colonies. In the Old Country the truth of this is to bu found in the number of factories that; are being established throughout the agricultural districts, the attention «iven to it by the press, and the avowed intention of the Government to give encouragement to the inculcation of technical education on dairy farming. The competition of the foreigner lias also become keener, therefore the jiluck and spirit of the British farmers have been roused to drive the t'ormer from the position, and to supply British consumers with British produce. One result of the long depression which has for so many years reduced British Agricultural pursuits to such a low ebb, has been to Uft. dairying from its former place of a mere sidereal occupation conducted in a very imperfect and alip-slod fashion,' to the far higher plane of a great national industry pursued with scientilic precision, and on which the agricultural classes, in a great measure, now build their hopes of a general revival of prosperity. It is now conceded that dairying is more remunerative than raising stock or the cultivation of grain; and we think that, the conditions and difficulties besetting colonial farmer;; being almost identical with those their English brethren labour under, it will ere long be recognised here also as more advantageous to nrosecute dairying than other rural pursuits on any extensive scale. It may be said that the more attention we devote to dairying the less will bo the production of cereals and

moat: but, wo aiv looking at tin. , subject in its application to the farming population, pure and simple, and not to tin; large runlioldcrs and flockmasters who do now, and will for generations, produce more tlinn our own country can consume. This is not the cast; with dairy producers, who will in tin: ordinary course of tilings be overtaken by tin; demand of an iucre.-ising body of home consumers. We need never fear over-production in articles of d.iiry manufacture. At the present time we produce suilieient for home consumption, with a surplus for export ; but, [Hitting aside all other markets, we have before us the enormous army of consumers in the crowded IJritLsh Isles with whom to establish a lermanent trade to the utmost extent of our capabilities. Iho British farmers, stimulated though they are to engage largely in dairying, cannot produce enough to satisfy the demands of British markets ; they may succeed, in no inconsiderable degree, in pushing aside alien competition, but they will not overtake the requirements of their own country, unless they increase the number of milking cows at present in Great Britain by many millions. One of the chief factors in the ability of foreign countries to pour into English ports such enormous quantities of butter, cheese and condensed milk, is that the percentage of cows to their population is vastly in excess of the ratio in Great Britain where the per centage is so small as to be utterly inadequate to provide for the necessities of the country. It is of primary importance to daiiy farmers to give the best attention to their dairy stock, in order to procure the richest milkers, and also to keep in use sufficient numbers. Farmers have, in many instances, .in objection to rearing calves, owing to the trouble it entails and the losv price of cattle at sales. If, however, we are to succeed in erecting the dairy of this colony into a national industry and a staple export, it will not be advisable to neglect the calves as the first source of multiplying our dairy stock. A writer on this part of the subject in the Field showing how the rearingof calves can bo simplified and made inexpensive;, suggests that the calf be fed on milk for four or five days, then gradually changing its diet to skim milk and sin. emulsion of linseed oil and water given warm until it will feed on hay chaff and meal. The calves will flourish with this treatment, the cost is small, gives very little trouble, and in the interest of the home dairy, is very profitable. The stock of homebred cows is kept supplied, for it is maintained that the yield of cream is of a far higher standard in such cases than with purchased cattle. Only superior cows, of a known breed should be kept for dairy purposes, all inferior kinds can be fattened for the meat market. So far we have not gained much high ground in the British markets with our butter, owing to its inferiority and faulty packing causing it to deteriorate on the voyage. The English farmers are urged to make nothing but the best article as the surest way to compete with the foreigners, who, they are told, are sending butter from all quarters, including New Zealand, but only of a quality equal to Cork and Danish seconds. They may let the alien producers enjoy a monopoly of inferior stuff, but must drive them out of the best markets. Let our farmers study this, and take special cave to keep the best well-bred, home-reared milkers giving the heaviest milk, and that they make only the best butter and cheeso in order to rank with the finest in the eyes of English buyers and consumers. We can say with tho agriculturists of the Mother Country that the foreigners of the Continent can keep the inferior markets, and we will help our British fellow-producers to drive them out of tho best ones. iSinco the above was in type a telegram from Wellington informs us that the Government have recognised the important position this industry is destined to assume, aud have decided to render it assistance. With that view the Premier has written to the Ageut-deneral, stating that the best means to that end would be the importation of a duly qualified expert who could instruct manufacturers in the best methods of the preparation of their produce to suit the English market. He requests Sir D. Bell to secure the services of such a person at a salary not to exceed ..£3OO per annum and reasonable travelling expenses, with three years' engagement and a free passage out, and back, if at the expiration of the term, the person should decide to return. The Premier, however, has no doubt, should he prove a success, that his occupation would be permanent.

Though football starts to day, cricket is nut yet over. Tuhikarain-sa. wish to play a cliird match with Hamilton at the fortiiur place, a boat this day fortnight. Judge Broad, a few days a?o, committed n bankrupt to Addingtnn Gaol for one mouth, on the chared of obtaining Roods prior to bankruptcy without having rcitsunable prospects of being ablo to pay for them. Mr. Maunder, builder, has added fc<> hia business premises near the Hamilton West station by erecting a tidy little shop fronting Victoria-street, in which he has a stock of carpenters, and piiperhangeru' requisites. The monthly meeting of the Kirikiriroa Road Board lapsed yesterday fur want of a quorum, the chairman and Mr Lovell only being present. Thin is the second consecutive time that the meeting of this Board has lapsed. Mr Wickham, the well-known travelling reporter of the Auckland Weekly News, whose racy contributions in the columns of that journal under the nom-de-plume of "A Tramp," afford much pleasant reading, is making a tour of the Waikato, and doing the loc il lions. According to the agricultural statistics, the total quantity of wheat grown this season in the Waikito district, (Kawhia, Kaglnn, Waipa, Waikato and Piako Counties), was liiOjUOfi bushels, which, if sold at the prices the farmers bad boon led to expect, 4s, would represent nearly ±134,000, but, at the present price, 2s 10d, is nearly £10,000 less. The total yield of oats in the same district is set down as being 119,424 bushels. We regret to see that our fellow townsman, Mr Thomas Trewheellar, baker, of Hamilton, has been compelled to miccumb to the bad times. Mr Trewheellar has been in business here for :i number of years, and has spent over £1000 in improvements in his biscuit faetnry, &c. His unsecured liabilities are £416 9s 10d, the assets JE79G VJs. A mortgage of £181") encumbers his property, and tho heiivy interest has been a drag on Mr Trewhecllar. The securities are valued at £1.002. By the Manapouri, which left for Melbourne on Sunday last, Messrs l>. and J. Bacon sent a valuable shipment of horses, which, there is very little doubt, will find a ready market on tho other side. The shipment comprised six pairs of carriage horses, properly broken to their work, and half a dozen hunters, several of which have already earned a, reputation. Mr Bacon goes over himself in charge of the horses ; and if tho success of this shipment equals that of his former on'!, a regular exportation business is likely to be established.—Otago Times. We are very pleased to hear that Messrs (iall and Co., of Ngaruawahia, have purchased Mr Quick's steamer "Blanche." Capt. Gall and his partner, Mr James IMack, have been so long and intimately associated with the river traffic in Waikato, that we feel quite sure the public will have no cause to regret the change. It is to Mr Quick's enterprise that this settlers mi the Waipa are indebted in being provided with cheap and regulat transit of their milk to the NgaruawaluA Factory. In the discharge of the work, Mr Quick has given very general satisfaction. Messrs W. J. Himter and Co. will hold a large and important sale of horses at the Commercial Yards, Hamilton, on Thursday next. In this week's report of tho horse salee at Auckland, and for some weeks past, a very markod and improved demand is setting in for horses of a good stamp- Wo also notice that shipments of horses arc being made to the. other colonies, and several buyers are in different parts of New Zealand securing horses for the Indian market. It is quite evident that, owing to the falling off in the breeding of horses for the last two or three seasons, an increase of demand over supply will set in, and a corresponding rise in price will surely follow. The horse stock which will be offered on Thursday next, is of a very superior class, aud willinduce good competition. Major Dane, whose fame as a lecturer is now world wide, will appear in the Public Hall, Hamilton, on Thursday, 10th inst., and in the Public Hall, Cambridce, on Friday, 20th inst. Major Dine has lately been lecturing in Wellington and Wanganni, and on every occasion he has been greeted with large and appreciative audienees. From the Press reports of him, it is stated that he possesses every attribute of a public speaker, his dramatic powers are great, and he has the rare gift of presenting to his hearers a fascinating replication of the delightful and in some cases the stirring scenes he himself has witnessed. The public of Waikato are to be congratulated upon the opportunity that will be afforded thorn of hearing so famous an orator and speaker as Major Dane is on all sides acknowledged to he.