FOR FARMERS: Dominion News and Notes

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 August 1946, Page 4

FOR FARMERS: Dominion News and Notes

(This column is supplied weekly by Federated Farmers of New Zealand. The information given’is official, but any views expressed are those of the federation and are not necessarily those of this newspaper.)

Sheepfarming Commission. Considerable activity is being shown by various sections of the federation in.matters relating to the presentation of evidence before the proposed Royal Commission on shcepfarming. The case, from a national viewpoint, will be prepared and presented by head office,' but particular evidence of locality problems will be the responsibility of provinces. Present plans propose the formation of provincial committees to build cases demonstrating the physical and economic position of the second and third-class land in particular areas. Those committees will probably be asked to select typical problem areas for inspection by the commission and to list tracts of land that have gone out of production in whole or in part.

South Island Problems. When details of the evidence to be presented before the Royal Commission are completed, it is certain, that the problems of the high country of the South Inland will be treated separately from those of the North Island. At the same time close cooperation among all sections of the sheepfarming industry will be maintained so as to prevent duplication of evidence and conflict of interest.

Land Sales Committees. The recent Parliamentary discussions on the administraton of the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Act has drawn attention to claims put forward by the New Zealand Farmers’ Union in 1943 that appointments of members to Land Sales Committees should be for a definite term and not subject to Ministerial influence. That was one reason why the union had urged its officials not to accept appointments to the committees, a recommendation which was loyally received. When the original bill was before the House, the union put forward an alternative plan to achieve the end the Government desired to attain. To prevent inflation of values, the union proposed that the amount of any mortgage which could be registered on a property should be limited to a sum consisting of the Government valuation, less an agreed percentage. Then to discourage speculation the union proposed the imposition of a transfer tax of 90 per cent, of the difference between the prices if a sale was effected within two years, reducible by 5 per cent, for every year after that date. A similar tax under similar provisions was also provided to be levied in the case of the sale o! urban residential or business properties.

Young Farmers’ Clubs. The Young Farmers’ Clubs are now represented on the Dominion Council of the federation. Their delegate is Mr. D. G. McLachlan. The federation is thereby continuing the policy of the Farmers’ Union by giving the clubs full representation on the council.

Standards Institute. Consideration is being given by the Standards Institute to the standardisation of harvesting and tillage machinery parts. The agriculture section has been asked to nominate three members on special committees being set up for that purpose. The meat and wool section will also appoint a representative on a standards committee concerning butchers’ knives.

Dehorning of Calves. The dehorning of calves intended for the herd is advisable in the first few days of their life. The hail should be clipped away from the button of the growing horn and the skin and hair around the base smeared with vaseline to protect those parts from injury by the caustic (states Massey Agricultural College), rhe button is rubbed gently with a caustic stick, but care should be taken to avoid bleeding. Several applications within a few minutes of each other will be sufficient. It is important to keep the calves out of rain during the period of treatment, to prevent the caustic being washed on to the face.

Segregating Lameness. As a preparation for lambing, every effort should be made to have the feet of the ewes in sound cbndition and free from footrot, because lameness during the late stage of pregnancy has been noted as a factor predisposing to the onset of sleepy sickness (states Massey Agricultural College). Especially on down-coun-try farms, where lambing is intensive, any Tame ewes should be placed by themselves in a hospital paddock where their feet can be given constant attention. If the hospital paddock is later spelled for about three weeks, it will be rid of footrot causal organisms.