THE FARM INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 118, 11 February 1908, Page 2

THE FARM INDUSTRY.

EXPERIMENTS THAT PAY. WHY THEY ARE IMPRACTICABLE. A TALK WITH THE MINISTER,. "Why not carry out experiments that pay?" This question was hurled recontly at the head of the Minister for Agriculture by a modest "Dominion" ropprtor. ' "Because," replied the Hon. R. M'Nab, with tho air of a man who has already w«H woighed tl)o matter, "it cannot be done." , Competing against private enterprise? "Not only so, But it is not the function . of tho State." ' • Why should it not be? r "Well,: w|iy should'it be? Do you suggest that our experiments ought to pay?" Certainly not. -, No reasonable man would contend that/tho P.epartmont'6 experiments "ought' 1 to pay, But might not pertain ' operations ho carried out to ascertain the prolitablenes? of a particular industry? It would bo "an experiment that pays," and a valuable oni.O . "The idea is good, It is along the light linos. But it might fail. -The. State might fail where a private individual would succeed. Farming is perhaps the least suitable of all industries'for the Stato to endeavour to conduct commercially." Why? . .. ~ . "Because in farming, the personal equation counts for / so much. A farmer's success is helped by many pireumstances that would not influence a Stato farm," l'"or example "The element of self-interest is entirely ahsent. And that is an item of, thq greatest 1 importance. Then there would bis stant loss of time and interruption of operations by visitors. Immediately yon establish a Government farm, ypu will havo visitors coming/' ' ... Lot tho visitors bo shown round by the staff of the experimental part of the establishment. That would avoid interruption , or loss of tinio, "You would have tho farm fenced off from the .rest of tho experiment station and run entirely as a pnvatp concern? • That, is good again, But still thero is the personal oquation, and you lose the influence of Belf-iiiterest. , But, after all, what would bo tho. gain ?" ' " You would sot out to prove what profit wa,s obtainable . from .a certain, industry under certain conditions,

"the farmer himself can do that. • Is i 1

not hotter that wq should apply our. onergies to what might bo callod scientific experiments?-:' If we test twenty plots of twenty, grasses, and find thai; one of thom is tho nest for tho district, wo show a loss on tho operation, but tnore is a large real gain to tho farmers which o&andt bo. shown, on a balance-sheet," . Having tested theso . things and 1 other things, would it not also bo a gain to the farmersj and tho > intending farmers, jf you selected a man with a good reputation as. a farm manager and said to ]iim, "Hero are a hundred acres, : I'arm them , on such and such lilies, and. pnjvo what profit, there is in shoep-farming or in dairy fanning?" . "Apart from tho, inqoiiclusivcness of such a tost, would it' profit anybody to show that tho farm paid or did not pay? .would it civa any ml information that farmers, cQula be .guidedi.by?" ■ ~ _:. ■■'- /.- There would be value in tho roport of the operations, and in tho dot-ails of. too balancesheet.- - , "Granted." And you would be putting the farm indus<try- on-a' ' business TDaii'si?:- -A-" mau 'With money to- invest'can ascertain;-/tosomo. ox-', tonti'-'tho"Mikelyi'profifcs' iii various commercial undertakings. But in farming, all is vague. There are no data on which a financial man,can calculate. . 1 "Nor would-there bo even if we farmed as you suggest. One.man,would achieve success, where another would utterly, fail, and the standard thus set would be entirely unreliable. ... A. failure to. show profit would: be disastrous, because it' would deter people from entering that .'particular branch of farming. And, as ' I say, wo should bo likely to fail." , liven after care in choosing the manager ? ''Possibly. Tho chief element of success — self-interest —would bo lacking. 1 am not at all a,Socialist. And I think that of all enterprises that tho State'should enter,'farming is tho last. . . So. muoh: depends on tho man." ;-■"/ '

, But is failure, really so pre-assured?'.. You have skilled men at tho heads of tho divi- > sions,i and they have tho benefit of the experiments already conducted. Your chief truit expert, or grape expert, or poultry or, dairy export would sot out tho plan- to' bo followed,. the stocking'of- the land, the cropping, the breeds, tho modo of treatment. His idoal as to tho best mode of doing things ire'uld' thus bb demonstrated under, the truest possiblo, tests, the, tests, of farm conditions. , "Wu can do more good by scientific tests, regardless of profit and loss. We can prove, for example, that tho eggs of a certain strain of poultry or ,of a certain modo of treatment aro more valuable than others, and fotch-ah.extra twopence'por dozen. It matters not if we make a loss in finding that out, or if wo can or ,cannot mako poultry farming pay. But it-mattors.greatly that wo can say to-a poultry farmer, 'If you aro 'getting a shilling a dozen for your eggs now, you can' ; get Is. 2d. by following our method.'," . ,' You don't think it, would , .bo a great achievement, to prove tho interesting fact that poultry fanning, pays?,, . // "No, and we might damage the industry irreparably if wo apparently proved that it did not ,pay.". , ; V , / '! Thus, the Ministerolearly believes that thoso experiments : which on. paper always show a loss are, ;aftor all,, in realiyy tho "experiments that pay." \

AUSTRALIAN CRAPES. | . GROWERS DISCOURAGED. . Yesterday's boat from Sydney (telegraphs our Auckland correspondent) failed to bring any shipment of Australian grapes. The" loss oil the consignment, which came to hand last Monday,, and likowise the. losseson: ship, ments to Wellington,and Christchurch, have disheartened New South Wales growers, , and advice received by this ,morning's mail .'states - that the price realised in Auckland ilast Monday did noti leave , growers Id. per v lb. As tho;season has not been a good 0110 in, New South Wales and'the grape output falls :far below tho average, growers arc not inclined to speculate further on New -Zealand markets. In a fortnight's timo the .Adelaide, grapes will be ready, and possibly a ship-: ment will bo sent aoross; hut tho varieties ara different -to ire have been receiving, and tho price will have • to be bigger, or it will not pay tho shippers to export to New Zealand. Those; grapes which arrived' last week were hawked about the streets, and'sold at from 6d. to Bd. per lb. . masterton show, entries. ; -SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE, .The entries for tho Mastorton A. and P. Show next week (says a Press Association mossage), number 1819, as against 1689 last year. Our corrcsixindent states that tho 1310 entries in tho tour distinctive features of a show, namely, competitions, horses, cattle, and sheep probably .constitute a record for the Dominion for the show season 1907-8. Tho full figures arc appended:— 1907. .1908. Competitions ... ... 161 185 Horses ... 299 268 Cattlo ... 178 . 233 Sheep ... ... ... 541 , 624 Dogs ... ... ... . 50 68 . l'igs ... ... ... 51 52. Produce ... ... ... 156 • 144 Horticultural ... ... 249 246 . • ! 1656 1819

A PAGE FOR THE MAN ON THE LAND

THE SHEARERS' DISPUTE. V TERMS REVISED. MEETING OF THE MEN. A meeting of shearers was held at Bnnte»« villa on Saturday evening in tho.' Huntervillo Hotel, and all delegates were present. Mr. E. M. Abbott was' appointed to represent the shearers'before the Board.;-: t; . After discussion on the conditions, it was decided that Clause IS bo deleted; .that' an authorised.- agent bo allowed to visit-, tha f sheds during shearing time, provided hodoea , not interfere with the shearers during working hours, suoli agent to notify tha employer or person in charge pf tljo shed of jite'-pre*-■fence."' ' 7: , " ■ Clausos 19 and 20 were agreed to.< Clause 21 W3S altered to read: "That-there be no limitation as to tho number of learners in any shed." '• A new clause recommended by tho em* ,players was agreed to: "Any award, tho result of this agreement, shall not apply to any farmer or members of his family when dealing-with their own sheep." - . Tho'duration of the agreement was fixed for two years, to -expire, oil March 31, 101 Q. - Clause 2 was amended so as to re?d: ''That hours of shearing, with intervals for meals and smoko, be mutually agreed upon betwMn shed manager and the shearers' representa-', tivea." 1 ' : ■ '" ■: Price of shearing 20s. per hundred,' withrations, machine or hand. 'When -it.- is ■ agreed that the shearers find themselves, the prico to'ho at the> rate of 2s. 6d.'per hundred extra. Stud sheep as per agreement. ' All sheep to be dagged,. Sheep threo weoks prior to shearing to, be considered as clean sheep; A maximum of. 15, per- cent, allowed for sheep that may have been missed. Price for shearing rams, to bo doublo ordinary rates. - , '■ Clause? 5, (!,' and ,7 practically the'.sanso; : • . Employers shall have .'the fullest rights: of control (subject to tlio provit.ions.ibf : thp agreement) of their shearing sheds,-, and- maymake such.. rules for the. necpssaryi aiid' pro«; per nianagemont thereof: as t-hey mayi-deem expedient. -, ' ' . ■:/

'fhat a represeutativQ be; :.l?y;, the; shearers,:'and; such representative alia the person,in .charge.of. the.shed to be resjiori- ■" aiblo persons to settlo disputes, provided;the.owner or person in oharge of the shed, if-tho considers the sheep too wet, may turn thorn out. ' '/ ...< ll . Rules IQ, 11, 12,13, and 14 agreed, to as printed. ./•■.■ .-.-.i

That when rations are provided, sufficient food of a good quality be provided, including buiter, limited to one and a quarter pburidl per man per week, and jam. Clause 16: That tho dining-room, when provided, bo sufficiently lighted each evenjng till'nine o'clock for letter-writing pufppseaiy llulo 17 agreed to. -. .... • SHEARERS' REPRESENTATIVE ILLi/ ■Mr. E.W., Abbott (tho shearers' . timo) informs our Mnnawatu representative that owing to the strain upon him" gf late lie has been ordered to tho Wanganui Hospi-; tal to undergo an operation. ■ ■ ;.■■■: - FARMING IN ENGLAND AND .'NEW \ ZEALAND.' .

INTERESTING • COMPARISONS. '_ Thirty-fpur years ago / two Scots comSeted '. in a ploughing mato[i in lumbarton'shiro (writes our- Ohristchurcli correspondent).; Th.eyj met last week, at. tho Addington. sale yards here for the first time; since thojmatch,", one of them being Mr. John Allan, of Waikari,'and tlio .other..-Mr.f:-T. Wallace, of • Eribbworth, Herefordshire, who i? how on a .visit to NewZealand. -Sir.; -Wallace •- a - 1700-acre farm r some 25 miles from- London, and.'he chatted-interestingly txr'a /'Pressrepresentative over the 'general position 'of ' agriculture in England.; : ' •' / ,' Rents have been re-adjusted at' Home, and prices have been-better for wcolj' mutton, and grain than has been the oase for some'.years. Consequently, ■ farms are, much easier to let. Tho prices being asked for land'in'New 1 Zealand, ■in Mr.. Wallace's ■ opinion; made lend as dear here as in .the ;'OW ' Country, la fact, ■ ho thought'that New-Zealand farmers, or thoir sons; who were' 1 practical ■ farmers oould do as well ih tljo Olu Land as'initios/ Dominion, considering the cost of labour in this, country, .and also the fact that the land is overrun with weeds, piich as fat hen, dock, and thistles, In th«, Old Land rtots-varied much; but'the 1700 acres ho'leased cost .hira £2400 per'annum in-rcint) free of tithes'and local rates'. On his farm he grows potatoes, hay, and straw,; and he also; milks- 200 cows. Ho ostimatod that manure and' feed cost hita 30s. per acre par:"annum, - and that-wages amounted to £2 : per acre - per/ annum., ;In addition to thof'-stable'manure , produced on tlio farm, 6000 ;t'ons from London are used per annum. :/- - /;•/ •. ■' i Asked rogarding tho conditions and'wages of agricultural labourers in Groat Britain; a> qoinparbd with conditions and' wages, in this country, Mr, .Wallace jsaid mori-'employed on farms are bolter off in New, Zealand-. 'He gays; labourers,' single .men, 16s. per. week; and they Gild themselves in;..-everything., Ploughmeivget lSs. per week, and find,thom-. solves, or if they, are provided with ■; a hwse . they;recoivc.,l6s. _Tlio rent obtainable; for'the houses provided is' between 4s, arid, : 4s/6d. per weok. Ovortinio is paid at tho.'rate of 4d. per..,hour. for all time worked in- excess of ton hours per I ,day. { Dairy' workers' rcccivo 18s. per week, and: are provided with Jipuses. Men engaged delivering milk, aro; pSid;.ijji commission, and somo niake'as muijfras,£2 per. week. With thesc:wages, and :witfy.;.food as; ; fcheap: as it is at Home; farm...workers lived woll.'! In Khobwortlii which has a population of about 12,000, there : aro fqur'fhopa which sell colonial and foreign inuttdnj'. and the best New Zealand legs of mutton : cahbe . got' for 6:1. per lb, All tho mutton; is* doscribcd as " Canterbury," no matter ,whero it came from. Goal, clothing! and fruit: are much cheaper in England than in New Zealand. On tho wages above quoted some of tho young fellows on farms saved ' money. Thoro . is at present no signs of widespread breaking up of large estates in Great Britain, < tho law of entail preventing much boing done in this direction, and consequently little'is being dono oxcept whoro owners aro com- ; polled from various .causes to ( cut up their estates.\ ' ■ "' ' , . Mr. Wallaco anticipates that if tho pneo of grain keeps up more wheat will be grown : in Great Britain. ; /;■ ..

- MASTERTON SHOW,' NEW GROUND MAY BE BOUGHT, ;; The proposal to acquire a portion of ths Solway Estato as a now show ground (writes our Wairarapa correspondent) was considered by the Executive' of P, Association in committco:'. on-Saturday.': It was finally decided/that the offer .of tho Solway Syndicate, to sell 90 acresVofitho estate, be. accepted; subject to financial considerations and approval of the AssoeiatiOiL, and that a committco be deputed to go into the matter,' and report .further, upon, it, at a spcgial'meeting to be held on February 29. A CURIOUS POSITION. ' ' QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY. '• ' Our Auckland correspondent writes: Tho curious position arising in :■ connection ■. with the export of Auckland butter from tlio Auckland Farmers! Freezing Company's private siding, neither the exporters,-, .the Freezing Company, the Railway Department, nor the shipping companies feeling -inclined to - accept responsibility fo: the butter , after it is loaded on to the railway.: trucks, wis referred to Sir Joseph Ward by a "Herald" representative. The Primo Minister repliol that, although tho. lino past the freezing works went to the Railway j Wharf,: it- wai nevertheless a private siding, and although practically all the butter exported had to gfl

over that line, it still had to.be considered a private siding, upon 'which the Railway Department could give no' receipts for. goods. Upon a private siding tlie holder could load . or dischargo at any hour of the day or night; and so at tho other end of the journey, tho . Department simply conveying tho. goods; • Tho position, however, might bo easily met, he !■ thought,: if the parties concerned paid for : tho services of a railway officer to be pro-, sent at ithe, loading.,, ■Tho i .Railway, Departmont could the goods thus handed into its care. Ho thought that at all events! could be arranged, but the Hon. W. Hall-Joncsi h'a'cV resumed' charge of rail- ; Ways, 1 and tho matter came within liis jurisdiction. Ho (Sir Joseph) would .refer tho point to Mr. Hall-Jones. > CROPS IN THE SOUTH. Reports received concerning tho harvest in the South Island stato. that in ...North Canterbury itho:.general yield will: bo .very fair, exception being-late-sown oats. In South .Canterbury the yields all round, aro good,'; with .the . same exception. In Otago , prospects are : . very .-'satisfactory.;, Throughout '.the,-:South":lsland', root:crops ,and rape ,are ibadly in need of. rain, though last Week's showers wore ..of great benefit.. ;Tho yield, of wheat promises ,to . be. quite equal to; if not in ■ excess of; the average for the 'past ten years. ' Grass is'"dry overy wfrere. north of.. Dunedin, ;: and oven in Southland rrain is needed. Lambs .are fattening well,- except where pastures: aro absolutely ibare. • HIS EXCELLENCY AT MASTERTON . SHOW. His Excellency, the Governor will: arrive -Mastertori. on-the second day: of the-show [February noon,'.-and ( ; will return to Wellington the 7 same -day. ; The arrangenonts for his reception (writes our Wairacorrespondent), are in the .hands of the '•.dent of;the-A.: and P. .Association, Mr'.. ~ruickshaiik; •-. /'. .•>•.'< -, - - -.URNT PASTURES. V : ' . STOCK .SOLD AT A SACRIFICE. .- •- ? 3ffects.i6f f 'tho^recent : fires- : are : now -beginning, to-be :■ seen (writes our travelling cor- ; respondent). At a stock sale last week,- tho dairy ;of , :an^ : uhf6rt'uriate .settler in the 'Pongaroa distriot: was sold—simply_ thrown away. "At theiisame sale" twp-tooth 'wethers' fetched 1 105.':6 d., and good lambs 4s: ; The re-grassing 'of hurnt-out sections 'is' going to'. be a' very serious thing. Fancy cocksfoot •at Is.' 6Sda'povmd! ' Arid rvo is at a pretty high figuro, too.' .; One man,-with a good deal of the Mark . Tapjey. type about-him; - suffered very severely : iri'Jstock,' grass, • and fences, but he ' said- the propertyJwoiild be worth a 'couple; of pounds aS. acre'more noxtr year, as he would have almost clean paddocks, all tho weeds. and : :. rubbish--being' gone!' and be able ; to -'carry moro stock . than ho had .done, before.

MASTERTON A. AND P. ASSOCIATION. MONTHLY MEETING. ! //; ; Afr:ra» onj' pre-: sided-over by ?Mr. J. D. Cruickshank, special • mention was made of tho necessity for complete • paddockirig accomriipdatibn for stock •••atjHjje •' sbpw ; ;of >riext,vWeek,' ; arid} it iwas 'rcporTecrtliattke useofthe most suitable pasturb;lauds in. ; and,,near -.the,-railway station and ;tbwn .had;' been arranged for. ; ■ . I*. Association wrote, decrease ,of ] the.,pro-: . posed: charge .for;;ram;'.fair .qntriesi from ■ 25.: to Is., per head, without due, notice. On. this ■ matter, Messrs. Abraham, and Williams forwarded abetter: from Mr. l Pearce, of Kakara-' moa,'.'objecting'"tp";.the original charge, and , inconsequence refusing to make any.entries. r,;>ln connection with the Bam-Fair on the two • ; days succeeding'. the .show/': special"attention / was:devoted^'to.'tlie fact that the sales shoiild oonimence eac/i' day at' 10 aim. arid at; 5.30 I p.m;[','.THeAssociation, decided to allow the auctioneers' ; a: sum of. £10 for labour of yardirig'/and distriliution.V ■J ; -Sixteen?new'menibe'fs Vere 'ele'cted/ ':

• •> FARMERS' UNION BRANCHES. , FOCUSSED AT PAHIATUA' " 1 ■ -'■■ : ; ';Aiiai;largdy-attejiided;;meeting.J-Held, .at; Pahiatua;on Saturday,afternoon.(says a Press .. 'Association message) 'it/.was decided to ■am-: - ajgamato .tho branchesVof. tho New Zealand: in the district .witlf one. cen-.. trial trancli: at'Pahiatu'a'. .. Mr.' .Fjowierj. organ-' '••••'isM'' of '.the.-Tluion, considered the.'branch, would have a. membership of about, 300.1 The. subscription was fiited on.a;graduated scale, thp'-mihimum ..being .ten shillings 0n.£2000 unimproved-value, with.an increaso 6f;. r i>ne-;_shillihg'.fdr. every.i£'s()oii above that amount . > WATER SERVICES WANTED: ■ POLL'TO BE ASKED FOR , v "Ai'sit meeting 1 . of -farmersand' residents, v held: in Masterton on , Saturday", it 1 :-was' decided v th'at a deputation' should wait upon the , , Masterton ■: County ..Council' .and: ask -.that"; a poll should be taken upon a water scheme for a canal:service for Opaki;..and high pres- ' . sure service for.Lansdowne. i\: ■■ i •■•.- v . . DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS. , Tho : reports of the Chemical Division and Director, of''Experiment Farms, which appeared, in-the.:last.annual report of the De- . Apartment'.';of- Agriculture, with: the ; Dairy ; Division'sreport,' :.published ' earlier, ■I have now:been issued - separately. The separate reports of'the other divisions of tho Department will be ready in a few days. The issue of the Department's complete' annual report ,is now exhausted. : . .\:i

DEPARTMENTAL MOVEMENTS.. In Town.—Mr. J. D. Ritchie, Secretary for Agriculture; Mr.' .T. W. Kirk, biologist; Mr. Bisset, editor of.publications; Mr. Hopkins, bee 1 expert; i. Mr. Singleton, dairy commissioner; Mr. Gilriith, chief veterinarian; Mr. Robinson; assistant to chief 'inspector -of stock; and, Mr. Brown, assistant'poultry expert. .' . . ■•■■ln vNe]son.—Mr.:Glifton,'. chief inspector of ,' stock: rr, "■ v.- v : ' In: Auckland iDistrict.I—Mr.1 —Mr. Bragato, l vitioulturist. . ; .'.i : ,-.•■. ;.■ ■ v South.—Mr.. Hyde;:'poultry expert; . Tho Minister, Hon. R. M'Nab, is-to inspect a dairy school sito-at Hawera to-day, and, leave Hawera. ,on/Wednesday , aftornoon for . Now Plymouth; . Ho is duo back in Wellihgtori.6n;Thursday:eVeningi ■•. ': •■ ' r. , 'J. v OUR'DIARY.' WOOL SALES. • -Dunedin. —Fob. 14, March 5. ' Auckland.—Feb. 18. .••■.-.•■ ■ Napier.—Feb. .19;. Gisbornc. —Feb. 20. > Wellington.—Feb. 21. Timaru;—Feb. ■ 27. SHOWS. February 12.—Levin A., and. P. 1 ■.■'■■ i Feb. 1 18, 19.—Masterton. ...... - ; ■Feb.. 26.—Woodville. , :• .Feb. 26,. 27.—Karori Flower Show. Feb. 27.—rEketahuna Horticultural. March 5, 6.—Waikato.- v . . . ' ' STOCK'SALES'ADVERTISED.' Wednesday, Februaiy 12.—H, E. Leighton, stock, at Lower Hutt. February' 12.—Dalgety and Co. Horse Sale, at Wellington. Wednesday, February 12.—Dalgety and Co., stock; at Wangariui.'. .- Thursday, February. 'and Co., 'stock,..at/Upper' Hutt. - Friday, tfebrnary 14.-—Abraham' and Wil- -, hams, ,Ltd.. stud Lincoln sheep, at Gladstone. • ' ': Friday. Februaryl4.—Dalgety and' Co., ■/stock,-at Wavorloy. ■'■• Monday, February' 17.—Abralifin and Wil'■.liams,,Ltd.", Stud, English Leicester Sheep, ' vat Masterton Show.Grounds/ ■Wednesday, February 19.— H. E. Leighton, • stock, at Si'verstrcam. ,Pfeliminary' , Nbticc.—Murray Roberts' and >---Co;;', stock .sale , "t - Station, Akitio --'.-V ; '■ .