FARMS AND FARMERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 January 1923, Page 8

FARMS AND FARMERS

NOTES OF INTEREST.

(By

“Rouseabout.”)

The Buller A. and P. Association has been granted permission to run three trotting events on People’s Day oi the forthcoming show.. Rather a novel scheme for raising funds is being employed on the Mangatepara soldiers’ settlement, where me settlers are desirous of erecting a hall. Each farmer has promised to rear a calf, or donate its equivalent value, for the hall funds. The young animals will later on be collected and sold, the amount realised to be used for the election oi a hall. It is expected to raise £lOO by this means.

A farmer while walking along the ■Castlecliff Wharf noticed the wool be ing loaded into the lighters from the stores. He remarked that the bales were not nearly so neatly sown at the corners as when they were sent out from farmers’ sheds. “However,” he added, “I suppose it does not matter much when the wool has been sold and the farmer gets his cheque.” The larm. er then dwelt upon another matter, namely, that he receives nothing for his wool bale, and he did not think this was fair. Thousands of pounds went out of the farmers’ pockets annually in the Dominion alone in their free gift of bales.

“The Chatham Islands is no place for a farmer,” said Mr J. A. Thomson, headmaster of the Te One School, during the course of a visit paid to the Canterbury Education Board’s meeting by the Chatham Island School children. Mr Thomson added that it was the absentee landlords who were making money out of the islands, not the residents. The freight to bring sheep over to the mainland was 7s 6d per head, and with other charges on imp of this a farmer could not make much out of sheep if he got, say, only 17s per head. He instanced thes case of one farmer who had lost about 300 sheep out of a mob of 700 sent over tc Lyttelton, and added, “You can’t expect Chatham Islands’ farmers to be wealthy.”

At one of the dairy factories near Kaponga an employee suffered a severe electric shock. One of the wiies connected with the power plant shortcircuited, and in some inexplicable fashion a sharp current was transmitted through the whole building. Three or four of the staff were handling metal or working in water, and were thrown involuntarily backwards by the shock the effect, of which they felt for some time afterwards. One man, who has a wooden leg with a rubber lip, was the only person who did not feel it, presumably because there was no circuit through his body.

A farmer in the vicinity of Helensville hot springs had an unfortunate experience last week. He had left 15 lieaj of cattle grazing in a paddock containing a lot of clover, and rain overnight produced a growth so tempting that the cattle fairly gorged themselves, with the result that they wore found in the morning to be in a very bad way. Une line heifer was seen to stagger, and it fell to the ground, dead. Another beast seemed likely to share a similar fate, and four or live others were in a very bad way. The surviving animals were put into a bare paddock and treated medicinally, with the result that no other futility occurred and there was every reason to look for their complete recovery.

The community spirit has been admirably exemplified in the Dromore district. Some little time ago an exsoldier settler, who had a considerable area down in crops, was compelled to enter the Ashburton Hospital. He has made a good recovery, but medical men pointed out to him that a holiday away from the district was imperative. Naturally the patient’s first thought, was for his farm and crojis, over which he worried considerably, and he determined that he must get back to work. Hearing of the man’s unfortunate position, two neighbours went to Ih<? hospital the other day and informed him that they were equally de. termined that he should have the rest as advised, and stated their intention of doing his harvesting for him. All that would be required of him would lie sufficient binder twine-. The patient accepted the generous offer.

utxvpun t mu Ltviicn> 115 “As far as I can see at J'leseiil I will take m> more part in farmers’ politics—l am determined to have nothing to do with them,” said Captain 1 1 . Colbeck to an Auckland “Star” representative. Captain Colbeck is a prominent member of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, and was one of the prospective candidates selected by the short-lived Farmers’ I’olitical Jmrty. He was selected to contest the Ohiiicniiiri seat at. the recent elections, but, owing to the withdrawal of the Farmers’ I’arty, was not nominated. Captafii Colbeck said he was disappointed with the way farmers were treating their leaders, instancing especially the lack of interest, taken in the dairy pool and the agricultural banking schemes. "One-fifth of our season's butter,” he

said, "was lauded in London in onemonth, and then they say there’s no necessity for a dairy pool.” The old man was busily skinning a calf at a settlement on the Waimea Plains the other day when the minister happened along and greeted him with ‘‘Good morning friend. 1 sec you’re busy.” ‘Yes, I shot this venison over on the hills this morning.” “Well,” said the cleric, “that’s good, for if there’s anything 1 have a great liking for it’s a piece of venison.” A bargain was the result, and a little later the reverend gentleman exchanged a halfcrown for a joint of the succulent “venison.” Veal is just now at a deeided discount, and the vendor has been chuckling ever since at having secured a half-crown for a slice from a newborn calf whose only asset he had thought was its hide. The minister later confided that it was ‘‘the finest venison I have ever tasted,” and wondered why the remark raised a smile. That the spirit of the pioneers is still strong in this generation is shown by 1 a feat recently performed by a Manawatil soldier settlerand his father. J’Oj.- i three years the pair farmed a property i which, in spite of all cllorts, turned out. a “dud.” It appeared that, they would have to walk ott the, Jarm and leave the stock and improvements 1«> ■ the Government. An official oi the Lands Department, recognising that they were “triers.” suggested that, they apply for a 60-acre block in the Levin district, but added that they had used up their advance lor improvements and that no further loan could be given. Father and son jumped at the chance and offered to remove all their improvements to the now location. The snr pi i ,cd official tigreed, and immediately the. sett lers set |o iwil. r ! h<-y de - ment led two live loomed house;', and out-buildings, took up fencing posts, garden plants and everything remov- 1

aide ami transported the whole by motor lorrv to the new farm thirty miles away. Within five weeks from commencing, the buildings were rereefed stock and plant removed ami wives ami family in residence. Ihe C..WS weie milked during Hie shift and f.,vvL. ami pigs woe fed 'I he m-w farm is now in full swing ami pymuses to well reward its pluck# owners.