Wairoa’s Prospects.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 195, 24 August 1901, Page 4

Wairoa’s Prospects.

Thk Mohaka correspondent of the Wairoa Guardian writes :—The revival of the railway league in Wairoa is a step in the right direction, and is deserving of success, but even though the efforts to have a railway through to Gisborne prove successful, it will be some years before it can be completed, and surely the people will not be content to live, possibly for a number of years, dependent on a steamboat service, when by agitating, and exhibiting energy and determination, they van have their wants supplied and brought to their doors by waggons from either Gisborne or Napier. Hut, sometimes, the so-called public men of the Wairoa county seem to evince very little interest in advocating the attention of the public to the splendid facilities for almost every branch of art, agriculture, sheep-farming, dairying, sport, and amusement afforded in the Wairoa district. Wore an industrious and energetic community to settle in Wairoa at the present time, it could, in the course of a very few years, become converted into one of the prettiest and most thriving townships in the colony. In its present state, a dclapidatcd-looking village, overrun with briars and other noxious weeds, it is almost enough to prevent an intlux of settlers. But the class of soil in its vicinity being chiefly of an excellent quality, there is every prospect of a bright future for Wairoa, whicli can only he hastened by having a reliable land communication with both Gisborne and Napier. Imagine, people of Wairoa, your township surrounded by pretty little farms, dainty cottages, surrounded by neatly-trimmed hedges, lovely flowerbeds and orchards, green grassy swards with cattle browsing on them, fields ol waving grain, all around you scenes of thriving industries, prosperity, and compare such scenes with your present surroundings, briars, etc., wherever you turn. Does not the contrast strike harshly on your minds'? What it is, and what it might he. Bestir yourselves from your lethargy, and convert your wilderness of weeds into a garden of prosperity, your noble river into an animated picture of swiftly gliding yachts and boats, and a visit to Wairoa will he eagerly looked forward to by tourists and the public generally.

The engine which Messrs Shand, Mason and Co. have constructed for the Wellington Harbor Board is, we believe, the biggest steam lire engine on wheels ever built for tire colony. It has a pumping capacity of over 1000 gallons per minute. Drawing its supply direct from the harbor, it will answer the purpose of a floating steam fire engine, while possessing important advantages over the latterin portability and maintenance. In general design the engine is of the latest pattern, the “ double vertical." London's newest and most powerful steamers are of the same type and make, but the Wellington engine is nearly three times as powerful as the largest steam fire engine on wheels iir London. A stream of water an inch and three-quarters in diameter can be thrown to a height of 230 ft, or a number of smaller streams, from four to eight firstclass working jots, can be used. The power of the engine can bo regulated to supply one small jet only, should that suffice. Its principal features are its twin double acting steam cylinders, which drive a corresponding pair of double-acting pumps. Five delivery outlets are fitted, one for hose Srj'in in diameter and four for 2; jin hose. Instantaneous couplings will be used for the suction pipe and for the large hose, of which there will be 1000 ft in ten lengths. The smaller outlets correspond exactly with the hose used by the Wellington Municipal Fire Brigade. A “ heater " with automatic fittings is connected to the engine for the purpose of keeping the water in the boiler hot while the engine is standing in the fire-station, so that upon an alarm very few minutes will be necessary to got a full pressure of steam, and with cold water steam is raised to 1001 bin less than ton minutes in the patent boiler fitted. A second steam fire engine of the same

pattern, but of smaller capacity (600 gallons per minute), is being constructed by Messrs Shand, Mason and Go. for the Wellington City Council. Christchurch

purchased its first steam fire engine from the same makers thirty-seven years ago, and it speaks well for the construction of the machine, as well as for the care taken of it by the Fire Brigade, that the old

engine continues to do useful work still. Pigs are proverbially “ all muck or all money.” In the United States just now they appear to be all money. ‘‘The men who raise and feed hogs,” says the Kansas City Star, are enjoying their full share of the prevailing prosperity. Prices of hogs have steadily advanced for some time past and are r.c ; ”0 per cent, higher than they were a year ago, and nearly double the prices that prevailed when the depression in agriculture was at its lowest point. Hogs were never be-

fore worth as much per head, when there were as many in the country, as at the pi'esent time, nnd the values that prevail now make hog raising the most profitable industry of the Western farmer. The recent upward movement is due not so much to a diminution of supplies as to an increased demand for pork products. The fact that labour everywhere in the country is well employed at good wages makes the consumption of meals unusually large, and the exports continue lo keep up almost to last year’s figures, notwithstanding the advance in prices.”

In spite of higher wages the agricultural labourer continues to leave the land in England. During the last five years the weekly wages paid to this class in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Cheshire have increased by os SJd, and this state of things is more or less general all over the country. In Durham the average wage paid to agricultural labourers last year, including allowances, »a----22s Id, in Northumberland 20s !ld, and in Derbyshire 20s fid. These are the three counties in which wages were highest. The owest averages were in Dorset, Oxfordshire, and Suffolk, the wages paid being 15s 4d, 15s Id, and 15s 9d respectively. These figures seem to prove that farming in the north must be more remunerative than in the south.

According to the North-Western Miller (U.S.A.), the mills of Argentina could turn out somewhat over 10.000,000 barrels of flour per year, if they were to run full time ; but home consumption and the Brazilian trade take only about half that amount. Our contemporary notes that “Argentina practically has no other export flour trade, but the millers are becoming restless under their limited trade facilities, and with so much milling capacity going to waste. Nor will they be satisfied until they find a market, in Europe, for something like £5,000,000 barrels of flour per year. As most of this amount will probably eventually go to Great Britain, and as making this extra amount of flour in Argentina will reduce the exportablc araouni of wheat nearly 25,000,000 bushels, the millers of Great Britain will have another terrible (South) American competitor, who will not only put flour into their markets, but keep wheat out. An extensive sale of pure-bred Berkshire pigs from the herd of Mr (Russel! Swanwick took place recently at the Royal Agricultural College Farm, Cirencester. This herd has a world-wide reputation on account both of its successful showyard career and of the remarkable sales that have periodically been held in connection with it. In 1876, 104 pigs, chiefly of the Sallie and Stump > strains, w. re sold for £1358 to an American buyer. Sallie 606th produced the grand young boar that was sold last year at a high figure to the Japanese Government. In recent years exportations have also been made to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ceylon, United State b T e Etiilfe, GumfDj, IttJy, ted jiuEtia.