SOUTHLAND NOTES.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 9814, 25 August 1897, Page 2

SOUTHLAND NOTES.

[Prom Our Own Correspondent.]

The past week lias certainly not been one of hard work. Tlie two middle days were given up to the champion ploughing match and the Awsroa election. The Southland Champion Ploughing Match Association held their twenty-third annual meeting on Wednesday August *"th. The day was beautifully fine, the ground well chosen and the work was well done. Between thirty and forty ploughmen were at work ; the implements were all of the best description, and the horses A. 1. There was a large attendance and if the farmer is not prosperous, then appearances are very deceiving. Anyhow he has had his winter recreation and now he will have to sail in and stick to work for the next four or five months.

The weather just now is not at all bad— frost aud sunshine with an occasional drizzle,. This week's stock sales showed no improvement upon the last, indeed, just the reverse. Some really good cattle brought fair rates, but all other sorts were neglected. Sheep suffered a decline mainly from the fact that at the present time there is no competition for freezers, but it will be all right when Hooley gets hold of us. We want some one to boom us now that the J. G. Ward Farmers Association and the Colonial Bank have gone, but our folks don't think much of the Hooley proposals. They consider there will be too much money tn pay interest on. and that interest won't be paid except to preference shareholders. That it is a bad look-out when the promised success is to como from a rise in price and the consumer won't have that. A combination to secure reduced freights and charges, and a better mode of distributing the meat at Home will, no doubt, resnlt in a greater benefit to the producer than burdening the industry with an enormous capital, which must obtain its int-rest out of producer and consumer alike. The raising of

the price to the consumer for no.iody's benefit would be a fatal mistake. These are the views held here, and 1 think they will meet with general'approval elsewhere. The rabbit trapping season is coming to an end, though during the present week largo numbers have been received at the freezing works and canning factories, but the buying depots are closing down and poisoning lias commenced. It is calculated that this year, when the season closes — which it will in a few days—the Southland Company will have put through their works 1,260,000 rabbits, as against 270,000 last year. Rabbits are scarce in the country, but we must await results and see when next year comes round if this enormous export has really reduced the pest within reasonable limits.

There is not much doing in the produce market just now, but given fine weather, good roads, and an open market, a few weeks' time will see tlie oats crowding in again. Shipments for the week amounted to about 4000 sacks.

A day or two ago soma 3000 sheep (freezers) were despatched from this district to the north, and it is a standing joke here that when Southland freezers go nortli they then become Prime Canterbury.