TOWN AND COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 47, 19 November 1925, Page 3

TOWN AND COUNTRY

NEWS AND NOTES FROM THE PROVINCES

A feeling is abroad in the Waikato that owing to the stabilisation of the Government resultant upon the recent elections, business in the sale and purchase of land will brighten up considerably, the “Times” states.

“It is necessary to get the lambs away fairly early in Australia, because otherwise, grass seed gets ijito the flesh and spoils it. The fat lamb trade there is not conducted on the same dimensions as it is here—thev do it as a sort of secondary business.” —Mr. J. W. Deem, agricultural instructor, who returned last week after spending ' two months in Australia, in discussing farming conditions in the Commonwealth with a Wanganui “Chronicle” reporter. The rain which has fallen during the prvst few days is being welcomed by the farming community, especially on the coast, where feed was getting very scarce (says the “Wairarapa Age”). It is anticipated that this shortage will account for heavy drafts of small lambs late in the season. Most of the lambs are backward, and a bigger “tail end” is expected than for several seasons past.

When application was made at the Napier Supreme Court for the discharge of a Maori bankrupt, His Honour Mr. Justice Alpers stated (reports the ‘.‘Telegraph”) that he was always reluctant to grant a discharge to _ a Maori. “I will, however,” he said, "grant this one to mark my sense of the folly of the Hastings tradespeople in giving credit to a man of this sort.”

“The average return of the dairy cows in Australia is very low,” remarked Mr. J. W. Deem, agricultural instructor, who has just returned from a two months’ visit to the Commonwealth, in the course of an interview with a Wanganui “Chronicle” reporter. “The cows are probably to some extent to blame for that, but the want of proper feeding is the main thing. There is no doubt that if they are fed to the maximum they are capable of doing much better than they are doing at the present time,” he added.

A little boy at a Wanganui school was kept home for the day, and the following morning (relates the “Herald”) lit was questioned by the lady teacher as to why he was absent. The lad replied that there was sickness in the home, and the teacher, always being suspicious of anything in the way of infectious diseases, instructed the lad to bring a note, the context of which was: “Twins in the house, not catching.”

A curious pebble was picked up by a Greymouth resident in the vicinity of Cobden Bridge last week in a heap of road metal (says the “Grey River Argus”). The stone was in the shape of a heart, being almost perfect in its jsymnietry, and had almost the appearance of having been carved by human agency. The finder, however, has consulted experts, who declare this is not so, but the stone is merely a freak of nature. The stone ir about two inches long by the same width across the top.

Farmers’ wives and daughters are to be encouraged to form themselves into unions, the first of which in the Dominion was formed by Mrs. C. J. Harris, of Oakura (says the “Taranaki Herald”). The executive of the North Taranaki branch of the Farmers’ Union decided on Friday to invite the presidents of women’s unions to attend its meetings. It was stated that branches had lately been in the habit of inviting the ladies to their meetings, which was one way of interesting them in the business.

Attention was drawn to the depredation of cattle in the Kgmont mountain reserve at a meeting of the South Committee of the Egmont National Park Board at Eltham (says the “Taranaki News”). Mr. A. Gamhn, of Manaia, said that more and more cattle were being grazed in the reserve each year, and the numbers there now would surprise the more sceptical members of the committee. The matter was discussed at length, after which it was decided to recommend the board to appoint a ranger for the southern slopes of the mountain.

It is not often that a barrister is reproved for the choice of words while taking a case in the Supreme Court. Recently Mr. Justice Reed had occasion to request counsel to refrain from using a word (relates the Auckland “Star”). Counsel interspersed his address «vith the word “right-o,” and continued to do so until His Honour said: “Please do not use that word, Mr. . It is not a word that a barrister usually uses in Court, and .another thing it gets on my nerves.” Counsel did not again err.

' In the opinion of Mr. J. W. Deem, of the Agricult iral Department, the Governments in the various States of Australia were not assisting the farmers to the same extent, or with such thoroughness, as the New Zealand Government does (states the Wanganui "Chronicle”). “Right through it seemed to be a general recognition that more would have to be done, and the Governments are endeavouring to build up their staffs for this work,” he further explained. “Really,” he added, "we have nothing to learn from them at all. Chir departments are better organised to help tl e farmer than any of the States in Australia.”

"The report of Messrs. Mertz and ItlcLellan has come to hand, but we have had to cable for a few more details.” replied the Prime Minister, when asked at Christchurch on Friday if finality had been reached in connection with the duplication and electrification of the Lvttelton’ tunnel. Mr. Coates said he was unable to make the report public at present, as a few matters had vet to be fixed up. He hoped to make it public shortly, however (states the "Lvttelton Times”). With regard to the railway marshalling yards at Middleton, Mr. Coates said that the surveys were in hand, a>id it would not be. long before the actual work started. That, of course, had been definitely decided'on. The same applied to the reconstruction of the Addington workshops.

Apples and pears in the \\ anganui district have not been greatly afiecteil bv the unseasonable weather of the last few months, although stone fruits are not bearing as well as usual (states the “Chronicle”). The severe winds have played a good deal of havoc with some of the young fruit, according to reports.

“Ragwort is going to wipe out dairying in Taranaki,” said Mr. H. J ones (Kaiinata), at a meeting of the North Taranaki executive of the Farmers Union (reports the “Herald”). “Blackberry is a serious menace, but ragwort is worse. Farmers will ultimately have to go in for mixed farming.” Statements by other members that ragwort on the top of the Kaitake ranges spread its seeds for miles around the countryside through the medium of the winds, that some farmers had actually asked the inspector to serve them with notices to cut blackberry and ragwort, but had not received any, and that what at a glance would be a clean paddock was covered with roots of ragwort, growing there from windborne seeds.

A warning against people with goitre dosing themselves with any form of iodine was issued bv Dr. Eleanor Baker McLaglen, who said (reports the “Poverty Bay Herald”) that all marked cases, and all those which showed toxic symptoms should be under the care of a doctor. The treatment which had been undertaken in the schools was preventive rather than curative. The doctor said that it was probable that in the near future the Health Department would issue some definite advice on the subject of the prevention of goitre.

In reference to a discussion as to whether the owners of certain property could be traced, one of the speakeis at a recent Greymouth Council meeting observed that it was a wise man who knew his own property (reports the “Argus”). There were a great many people paying rates on property which they thought they owned, but which in reality belonged to someone else. He instanced a recent case heard in the Wellington Court, in which two men had proceeded against each other on a land claim, it being discovered, however, on investigation, that tne land in question did not belong to either of them.

That the commercial firms of Germany are prepared to abase their country’s, national dignity in the dust in their endeavour to extend t ' ie j r b usl " ness operations is demonstrated by a trade publication, “The German P rin " ter,’’ received by the “Hawke s bay Tribune.” Tfie cover, which is printed in colour, depicts the Union Jack flying mast high above the German flag. To fly one' country’s flag above another is regarded in international etiquette as a serious insult to that country whose flag is placed lower, but (remarks the “Tribune”) the German merchants apparently consider that an insult selladministered njay be good for the pocket.

An amusing incident of life in a \\ est Coast mining township in the 'eighties is given by -Mr. W. Rogers, the veteran manager of tlic Anchor Company, in the course of some reminiscences pubin the “Nelson Mail.” While travelling for the company, Dlr. Rogers spent some days at Lyell. 11c says. “On the Saturday evening a dance was held in a hall adjoining the .hotel. I went to look on. The miners danced in heavy boots, and, the building being on high piles, the consequent noise almost drowned the strains of the violin. At about 11. p.m. all the ladies put on their wraps and left the hall, and the fiddler struck up a tune to which the men danced for about ten minutes. It was explained to me that this plan had been adopted on account of there having previously been arguments and fights as to which swam should escort the damsel home, and given ten minutes start, the ladies who wished could get home without argument.”

The members of the New Zealand Milking Shorthorn Association had before them at a recent meeting a letter, in Spanish, from the Argentine Milking Shorthorn Association, and also a translation of the letter into English, but the translation was of such a character that it was almost as cryptic as the original (relates the "Christchurch Press”). A specimen sentence ran as follows: “For 1 a long time in this country there has been making itself felt the necessity for the existence of an organisation of breeders of Shorthorn herds, in the form authorised, being for the reasons expressed, the nature of our work, entirely basic and truly profound, meticulous and extensive, for which we rely upon an excellent and important nucleus of sped, mens of first-class as regards milk yield and type of breed, considering matters from the point of view of our present necessities.” No wonder a sigh of relief went round when the secretary came to the closing sentence; “We salute you with the assurances of our highest and most distinguished consideration.”

The following passage occurs in a letter received in Christchurch from a Wellingtonian at present in Sydney (savs the “Christchurch Press”) :—Although Aussie is a wonderful big country, and Sydney a great city, New Zealand takes a lot of beating, in out opinion. To my mind, one of the most deplorable things here is the way the country seems to be drifting to-wards-Bolshevism, and the blindness of the educated people towards what, if they don’t wake up, will hit them bang very soon, or I’m much mistaken. Sane Labour is all right, and I think there are still many sensible men to be found in its ranks, but, unfortunately, they are howled down by the loud-mouthed Bolshevists. Queensland is now practically under their thumb, and New South Wales is being rapidlv ‘white-anted’ by them, as it is termed. The shipping strike is a most serious thing for the country. I am only hoping that we can get away home before there is a big strike to stop every, thing. Pleasure and inonev-making engross people jo much that they have no time to think of’anything else. Possibly a big upheaval will be (Jie best thing for them, but I think the experience will cost them dearly.”