NEW ZEALAND ITEMS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 154, 27 December 1912, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND ITEMS

In the district in the vicinity of Mararoa (according to the Squthland Daily News) there is a herd of about 600 wild cattle, half of which are bulls, and graziers naturally are averse to their presence, which is a menace to station operations and a danger to human beings. Several attempts have been made by venturesome stockmen to remove them by the Usual means, hut all have failed, the animals proving extremely intractable, while the country is rough, adding to the difficulties of the task. - Two residents of Invercargill- recently spent six weeks in the district I and made repeated efforts to secure control of some of the beasts, but though provided With horses ahd dogs and armed with rifles no success was met with. The bulls were the wildest, but the cows showed almost as strong resentment to interference, and the rifles had tobetißed on more than one occasion in self-de-fence. It- is a dangerous task, but would have proved a profitable 'one to the hunters had. they been able to reduce to control a dozen or so, of the animals. It is stated that pwners of properties affected are only too willing to allow hunters oh the ground, and that no charge would be made if any were secured. According to a Government veterinarian (writes the Taranaki Daily News) the spread of tuberculosis in cattle in Taranaki is steadily on the increase, he having lately in different parts of the district fpund it necessary to condemn numerous cattle. Farmers should seriously consider the matter of pasteurising their "skim," as' it is they who must suffer, considerably in the long ruh. It is recognised by all eminent authorities that treatment by pasteurisation will obviate the tendency 'to spread the disease. Much of the land in the Poverty Bay district (writes the Gisborne Times) is held in large runs, and there is a lartce proportion of Native lahd. During the past decade a number of large areas have been acquired by the Government for closer settlement, and on these areas selectors are prospering in the good things of this world. There is still much country, especially in the north, to be cut up for settlement, and this, of course, means increased importance for the district. . There are.eiptltt settlements let under the Lands for Settlement system in the district, viz., Pouparae, Waimarie, Willow,s, Wigaii, Te Arai, .Kanakahak. Ngatapa, and Clydebank. The total area of 47,855 acres is held by; 176 selectors. All ,the sections were taken up as 'soon as offered for selection, and have been continuously occupied. The improvements .required' under the Act amount t0. £60,682, while the value of improvements effected (in6luding original improvements) is nearly double that amount. ,_ ' v , The stock carried on the* settlements amounts to, 77,635 sheep, 7269 cattle, 741 horses, and 833 pigs. Of, the total area, 47,855 acres, only 1277 acres are in crops of various kinds, so it is manifest that the land is used • exclusively for wool-growing, grazing, dairying, and fattening stock. *Writing in the Christmas Supplement of ,the Gisborne Times, Mr. John Townley remarks : "Last Saturday the, inner harbour accommodated the largest vessel which has ever been brought up' to the wharves— thfe Kittawa, of 1247 tons, while at the same ,- tittle there lay ih poi-t, among many other ships, the handB6me and ufi-t6-date ferry steamer Takapuna, which runs at present on a trial service between Gisborne and Napier. In the course of a few days electric trams will be running , in the main street of the 'town, Gladstone-road, while all around are builders, ever busy, erecting substantial buildings and adding' to the already solid edifices which grace the streets of Gisborne." ' ,