INTERPROVINCIAL IN TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 84, 6 October 1909, Page 11

INTERPROVINCIAL IN TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Business was suspended in Dargaville on Friday, says an Auckland journal, for tho funeral ot Mrs. Rjer, the victim of the man Alhvood. A special vehicle was required to carry the wreaths. Allwood is stated to have commenced to take food again, and has expressed regret for his terrible deed. Now promisefe for the EanK of Australasia were opened \n Wliungarei on Triday. The big nugget, "Roddy M'Kenzie," which was on exhibition' on Saturday at the White Star Hotel, Chiisichurch^ attracted crowds of curious sight-seers/ states the Star. A goodly sum was collected from the onlookers In aid of the Children's Ward of the hospital. A farmer who lives about twenty miles from Feilding discovered the other day, states the Star, that he had bought His neighbour's sheep at the Feilding yards — and had travelled over forty miles to do it. Speaking at a gathering in his honour at Oxiord recently, Mr. John o'Halloran, in repudiating a suggestion that the Fanners' Union was a party and political organisation, said ho scarcely knew Mr. Masscy, and had only shaken Hands with him once, and that was on being introduced. "I know all the other side,'' the speaker continued, "they shake hands with me every time v^e meet 1 have as much respect," said the same spsaker, an the same occasion, when retcrring to the dignity of country labour, "for the smallest boy who goes out to milk a cow au I have tor the °rcmier of New Zealand. ' The Malaum Ensign reports a novel incident which occurred at Mataura on Wednesday afternoon. Mr. David Dun was driving a mob of six steers through Bridge-street. -The bridges vrere successfully negotiated, but the animals showed a tendency to enter any available opening, and after visiting several backyards three of the animals strolled unconcernedly into the chemist's shop of Mr. Domigan. They went straight through to the bacl< of the premises, and only gave the proprietor time to make a hasty exit through the back door. Strangely enough, the animals proceeded through the shop without doing any damage. In .one place between the countei- and the wall there was only room lor one person to p.ass, and on the counter a glass case was placed. With tho except ioii ot a few marks un the woodwork, however, no trace of the invasion was left. For some time past tlie native tussock grass in the Mackenzie Country, which iorms the staple food of the flocks and herds in the district, has been dying out, for some unknown reason, and the outlook for graziers has become a serious one. Mr. A. Macpherson, of the Agricultural Department, has returned, says the Lyttelton Times, from a visit to the Mackenzie district, where he has been arranging for the planting of a series of experimental grass plots, with a view to ascertaining what variety of grass is best suited to the district. During his sojourn in the district a verj r heavy fall of snow occurred, there being five inches of snow on the plains and three inches at Burkes Pass on Tuesday. The Oamaru Mail says that the Minister of Lands is incorrect in his statement that there is no necessity for the suggested labour farm in Canterbury, as "the proposals for closer settlement will meet requirements, £nd put on sections surplus shearers, musterers, and labourers in general, wh-Oj at present, had only casual employment." "It is true," the Mail says, "that it was originally intended by the author of the lands for settlement system that such a class should participate in its advantages |»but subsequently, at the instigation oi the enemies of popular settlement, the examination of applicants was instituted, so that- a man who has not money cannot now get a piece of land, however small." In the course of a conversation last week, with a Taranaki Herald reporter, a well-known Manaia settler stated that the Holstein Friesian cow was rapidlygaining in favour with dairy farmers on the Plains, where her superior milking qualities and hardness of constitution are valuable characteristics. In the Auckland province there has been a rapidly growing demand for the Holstein for some time past, and several shipments have been purchased' during the past twelve months by Auckland buyers. These have been distributed amongst the dairymen of the North, who are unanimous in their approval of the black and white milkers. Upon interviewing Mr. Newton King, whose strain of Holsteins is noted throughout New Zealand, he informs us that he is quite unable to supply the demand for both bulls and heifeis, enquiries for which he is almost daily receiving from all parts of the Dominion. The timber for the new Pipiriki House is now being carted from the Waimarino sawmills, says a writer in the Auckland Star. It will require over 150,000 superficial feet for the structure and will be ion very up-to-date lines. Those intendv | ing to make the Wanganui River trip i this season arg vetminded( that from I now is the best time of the year for j doing so. It is from now that the great I wealth of native flowering shrubs and trees are in bloom, such as the wild clematis, rama rama, ake ake, Rangiora, rata tree, rata vine, etc. The river_ can now be approached from many points, owing to the opening up of the central railway. Connection is made with the railway from New Plymouth or Welling, ton at Wanganui, at Pipiriki by coach trip from Ohakune, at T'aumarunui (the head of the river service) from Wellington, Rotorua, or Auckland*. Another route is through the Hot Lakes, across Lake Taupo to Tokaanu, thence coach tc Waiouru, connecting with the north express, thus making the trip from Tokaanu to Taumarunui, coach and rail, in oiie day. A local dairy farmer holds some opinions about bulls, states the Eltham Argus. He says for treachery of character commend him to the Jersey bull. All ' bulls are treacherous but the Jersey, b our friend says, is absolutely the most n violent ; on the other hand, Jersey cowe 8 arc the mildest tempered. You never 1 know the .moment a Jersey bull will turn j on you, for he gives no warning. For3 tunately, when a bull charges you, if j you are a little distance away, you have - a, chance of escape, for bulls always shut their eyes when they get near the ob1 ject of their anger, and if a man keeps 5 hib head cool, it is not difficult to dodge 3 a bull by stepping aside and then makj ing a run for it. A. cow, says our in1 tormant, is much more difficult to avoid , and keeps her eyes open when she pre5 sents the business ends of her horns to you, and escape from her is difficult. It I would be interesting to know if this r statement that a bull shuts his eyes • when charging is quite correct ; perhaps some of our farming readers will state whether their experience bears out the assertion. If a bull always shuts his , eyes when ru&hing it helps to account for the ease with which the Spanish bull- ' fighters dodge their enemy.