Untitled

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2705, 12 November 1889, Page 2

The H.M-S. Alameda arrived in Auckland oil Sunday. The English mail were distributed in the Waikato yesterday. We regret to learn tliat Messrs Cooper aud Chittv's flax mill at Cambridge West has stopped. Both the dams have carried away, aud it is a wonder the mill was not washed into tho Waikato. The prize bullocks sent to the Canterbury Show by Messrs Hunt and McXicol. to which notice has already been drawn in our columns, realised t-he handsome sum of seventy guineas. They were sold in one line. The last fancy dress rink and dance at Oliaupo having proved so successful, another has been arranged to be held to-morrow evening. An efficient band has been engaged and the price of admission fixed at a popular figure. The Waikato Produce Stakes which tho S-iuth Auckland Racing Club propose to add to their programme for 1S!)1, has met with much favour from those interested in breeding thoroughbred stock in Waikato. We are pleased to hear, too, that owners of thoroughbred sires have responded liberally iu this matter. Mr I). Mclvinnon has subscribed £!LO, and Messrs AUwill, Brown and Lake each £5, aud, as it is fully anticipated that the Auckland Stud Company will supplement this sum by another £20. the stakes will iu all probability be increased to £100. The following are the reports of the flax market received by the mail yestorday ..—Stocks and deliveries of New Zeuland hemp for month ending 30th September are:—Landed, 347 tons; delivered, 333 tons ; stock", 812 tons. Prices current !ire :—Wellington: Fine, K32 10 s to £35 10s ; good, to £31 10s ; middling to fair, £2tt to £30 10s ; common to middling, £21! to £2S 10s; low and ordinary (nominal), £22 10s to £25 10s. Auckland :—Kine: £33 to £35 10<; good, £31 to £32 ; middling to fair, £2!) to £31; common to middling, £28 to £2SI 10s; low and ordinary (nominal), £24 to £25 10s. Now the strawberry season has arrived, it would aflord pleasure to those who wish to enjoy a fine sight as well as a treat, to pay a visit to Mr Castleton s plantation at Frankton. There are about two acres of splendid well-kept plants, which are loaded with magnificent fruit, and give a bright display of their luxuriant yield, which cannot bo excelled by anything in Auckland. Mr Castleton supplies largo quantities of fruit to tho local market, and Hands, during the season, many hundreds of boxos away to the neighbouring districts. He bestiws groat attention 011 the cultivation, being a practical man, who served his apprenticeship in a leading establishment in England. The New Zealand Drug Company notify in our advertising columns that thoy have taken over the well-known Chemical Manure Works, near Otahuhu, wo understand the works will be carriod 011 under entirely new management, Mr Dick, the gentleman in charge being a thoroughly trained analytical chemist, in addition to being an experienced manure manufacturer. He hails from CantorDury, South Island, where for the last six years he has had tho management of tho Bedford Chemical Works ; this gentlemen, together with the general manager of the company, Mr Hcnton, have been quito recently on a visit to the Waikato, interviewing the loading agriculturists, and have been everywhere met with tho greatest courtesy, the Farmers' Club, at Cambridge, having arranged with Mr Dick to lecture for them on their next meeting night (December 2nd), on tho " Chemistry of Artificial Manures,especially in relation to turnip growing." Tho Drug Company are determined to conduct their business in such a manner, by guaranteeing the aualysis of all their utauures, as shall

train the full confidence of the farmers. The Xew Zealand Loan and Agency Company etc., have accepted the Agency for the sale of their manures for tho Hamilton district, and this in itself is a further guarantee, that the interests of the farmers will be protected. In times past we have felt it to be our duty to speak out strongly on this manure question, and now having satisfied ourselves, from the high reputation of tho Drug Company, that *-.hey intend to do tho right tiling by the farmers, we are inclined to ask our friends to give their products a trial, a " fair field and no favour." Mr R. T. Millar, _ of Pateraugi, seedsmau, who, we helieve, was the first business man in Waikato to import direct shipments of seeds from Europe to supply tlie Waikato farmers, has, owing to the extension of his business, decided to move into To Awatnutu, and has secured the premises lately occupied by the North New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association, to enable him to more conveniently carry on his business, which has been gradually increasing in volume from year to year. In addition to his regular annual shipment of swede and turnip seeds from tho wellknuwn London firm of Carter, which is just to hand by the direct steamer Tainui, he has been appointed sole agent for the Waipa district of the New Zealand Drug Company's manures, a full stock of which will always be kept on hand. The Civil Service Supply Association too, finding their customers extending in this direction, were anxious to find a representative in these lines and have appointed Mr Millar to that position. These matters, of apparently no great moment in themselves, tend to point to an increased vitality and that better times are already being ushered in.