NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20275, 18 August 1937, Page 13

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Head of Stock Department. The appointment of Mr A. R. Harding to succeed Mr W. T. C. Christie, who recently retired on superannua- ! tion, as head of the stock department of Messrs Dalgety and Co. Ltd., Ham- j ilton, will tie welcomed by all those who have been associated with Mr Harding in stock activities in the Wai- I kato. Mr Harding has been with the | Hamilton branoh of Messrs Dalgety and I Co. since 1918. Director Slnoe 1901. Notice that this would be his last 1 term as a director of the company was j given by Mr D. H. MoKenzie, chairman j of the Waipu Co-Operative Dairy Co., j at the annual meeting. Mr MoKenzie has been a director since the Inception of the company In 1901 and ohalrman of directors continuously for the pas 24 years. Mr McKenzie said that it was only the faot that he anticipated Important developments In the Industry during the next 12 months that prompted him to continue on the board. Sow From Ruakura. Among recent sales of Ruakura pigs ; was a particularly well-bred Berkshire j sow which was purchased by Mr A. E. j Mulholland, of Puha, Hawke’s Bay. j The sow. Dominion Calluna's Baroness | 6th, is 14 months old. and was mated j to Dominion Reo. She secured first | award and reserve championship at the j Cambridge Show this year, was second j in Rotorua and in Auckland. National Champion for Waikato. When the well-known Jersey breed- j er, Mr W. S. McEwen, of “Craig Knoll.’’ Pukeroro, Hamilton, paid 560 gns for Susie’s Oxford Design at the sale of American bulls at Auckland last week ho obtained the Junior national champion of America and one of the most promising young bulls in the world to-dav. Although Mr MoEwen stated that It was his intention to give up pedigree breeding when he held an unreserved dispersal sale of his “ Craig Knoll ’’ stud during May, he has evidently thought better of his deoision and he has certainly got an outstanding member of the Design family to j build up another great herd. Judging Competitions. The judging competitions at British shows are Increasing in numbers and importance in Britain and at the Engi lish Royal teams from Australia and I the United States will be competing. At the Three Counties, an important j English show tho B team of three girls ; j won against all comers Including tho ■ • A team of boys of wider experience ! from iheir own club. The animals 1 judged were principally beef and dairy oattle and It Is rather surprising to find three girls in their ’teens placing them more oorreetly than any other teams of which there were over a dozen competing. Farm Labour Question. Present indications aro that the farm labour problem this year will be even | ! more acute than last year. A skilled I I farm worker Is in a position to take on almost any description of w’ork and ; when this class of man found himself ; j out- of work after the flush of the sea- ! son he had little difficulty In obtain- | j Ing a position at probably more re- I I muneratlve rates of pay. This means ! j that these men will probably be never ! again available for farm work, and in all probability this season will show ; that there are fewer skilled farm labourers than ever. It dors not, seem i that the subsidy scheme to place single j j sustenance men on farms will lie of j maximum success until compulsion is i i introduced. I A Lesson In Ring Craft. I Tho Americans are recognised as > ' the world’s best salesmen and certainly ! ' they demonstrate their ability when It j : comes to pedigree cattle sales. They j are past masters in the art of gelling j up their cattlo for sale and at the sale ! . of American bulls at Auckland last • i week those who attended the salo > were impressed by the great condition ; of tho hulls when they entered the sale I I ring. Several uf the lookers-on were ■ ! heard to remark that the bulls looked i considerably better in the ring than j • when tethered up outside, but this was j ‘ due in the main by the very capable I ' manner in which Mr C. Bowers, who j j wa« In charge of the shipment. led the ealtle around tho ring. The bulls ' i were allowed to stop only when they i ; could show themselves off to (he best | advantage and all the time the buying bericii was given the impression that ! (lie artistrorr.ilir bulls from America > and the Island of Jersey were posing i for their photographs. Horses Versus Tractors. j The Wninu folk interested in the re- J j cent successful ploughing match lmld ! • a social evening in the local hall when j the cups, trophies, and prizes wore pro- j I sent.',| to the winner*. \ debate was ; ! also held, lie' subject of argument bo- j ing ” Horses v. Tractors -—in connec- 1 : tion with farm work, of course. Tho > | judge was Dr Todd, of Bolherham. 1 ; who gave bis decision for I lie tractor supporters by one point. Apparently , : fieri with I he judement. for they rose j and made speeches «*m iheir own : muni. and also re.piesied the judse |o -Ivo his reasons f.«r hi* decision, slates an exchange The debit,, was so amusing and th.it. Ihe . hied 1m I. dd another d.-b lie lies win -

work on the farm as the old type of draught horse? ” This should certainly arouse controversy. Horses and Fancy Points. Demonstrating Clydesdale geldings fo members of Cockney (Kincardineshire) Junior Club, Mr John Strachan Chrlchle, Fyvle, deprecated the award- | Ing of chief honours at the Highland I and other leading shows to horses * with useless fancy points. Horses had to work and encouragement should be. given to animals of the utility typo. If many of the horses that ! won prizes at shows were put to work ! they would go nil to bits. It was ! time they got away from fads about fo^t. hair movement, and other things. What they wanted was a good, thick j horse, with middle and ribs, strong, ] active, and ready to shift a load. i Trade Problems. | Till 1932 development has been en- ! couraged In tho accepted belief that ! Ihe capacity of the United Kingdom ,to absorb butter was unlimited. The ] realisation that ills Majesty’s Govcrn- ' ment might take steps to limit the j amount of produce entering the Uni Itcd Kingdom from her “ offspring ” j of the South Seas was a severe blow, j The impetus given to production since 11*20 has evolved a production machine I which cannot be regulated within nari row limits without endangering the i economic -structure of the Dominion. Exportable Surplus. i Of a total annual production approximating 100,000 tons of butler ami ! 100,000 lons of cheese, 16.5 per cent j of Ihe butler and 2.5 to 3 per cent of ! the cheese Is required locally, and the i trend Is for an Increasing exportable surplus. Practically the whole of i this produce goes to the United KingI dom, where flic Dominion has gradu- ' ally assumed a dominant, position as ; supplier of cheese, and is now also the I most important sou reo of supply of ! butler "ii a quanliiy basis. In 1935 I Now Zealand nernunled for 65 per j i cent of the elieese Imported into Hie United Kingdom and 2 7.4 of the butler. Tho efforts made by producers I I" safeguard their own tlnaneial posi- ! jiimi through increased sales have not. I i <>ur markets with increasing quanfilies j ! gre irate e.»-q. to consumers. In 1925-1929. 1929. wh-'ii a I"I a I of 2S9.ooo.oiiiilh of but lor fa I was produced in New- j ; /.oalati.l^llic^ fanii.|!-« •iircrn^l^reci*l v- | j Porcherons In New Zealand. j i H will inleroi hoi-.* owners to sire 11"ei siud dill*. in tho \i,vlil;md prov in e. Mis owner. Mr Burke, lias ‘ h.-.-n in Hi.* liiisini'ss of ••travelling” stallions it many years, but always! i :!><■-. i He- previous li» his having this h ••Mi-ii | Vtviier.in. and he !s sails- i tied I I Ihe hr.*.*. I will take on in the. j i lmnow..n .-iwr Ih.-u* -.mi-iml ..I! round l ■••■! - I 1.. ! •axel ill Scot , kilter price being paid for a line’ type j