LOCAL AND GENERAL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXVI, Issue 3450, 26 November 1932, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

What is claimed to be a world's record, a daily output cf 265 cheeses, was set up by the New Zealand Cooperative Dairy Company's factory at Waharoa. In the period from August 1 to October 31 the quantity of cheese made at the factory totalled 560 tons. The quantity of milk supplied to the Waharoa factory is in excess of the factory's capacity and a quantity is being sent daily to the company's Waitoa factory to be manufactured into butter.

A Featherston resident was the victim of an unusual theft. About a week ago the front shoes were removed from his horse, while the animal was grazing in the paddock. These shoes were replaced, but a few days later the owner was annoyed to find that all four shoes had been removed. The person responsible evidently knew something of shoeing, as the shoes were removed without the slightest injury to the horse's hoofs.

"This is a great country, capable of carrying a much larger population, and we must hope that the lessons of this depression, coupled with man's mechanical mastery over production, will give us a stable and solid society, and build up New Zealand into the finest country in the world," said Mr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P., Mayor of Christchurch, at the Imperial War Servicemen's re-union the other day. "We can do it, and we shall," he concluded.

"Pull his leg; you have been pulling ours long enough," lustily shouted a spectator during a professional wrestling contest at the Greymouth Town Hall recently, amidst much laughter (says the Grey River Argus). There was, however, rather a more serious turn of events, when a ringside spectator informed one of the contestants, who was thrown over the ropes, that he was displaying too much showmanship. The wrestler stood over him in a threatening attitude with a closed fist, but that was as far as it went.

"The great value of nursing training in the home mission field cannot be over-estimated," said Sister F. Playman, of Kawhia, in moving the adoption of the Methodist Deaconess Institution annual report at the South Auckland Synod on Tuesday. "We have many and varied requests in the course of our work. I don't want to add to the discussion in the papers, but the other day a horse was brought to me. (Laughter.) It had a running sore on the leg, and I want to say here that it is now cured. (Laughter.) I am expecting to find a lot of roosters round the house when I get home again." (Renewed laughter.)

A Taranaki farmer who owns a ferocious bull had an exciting experience recently. The animal broke its tethering chain, and defied all attempts at capture, charging horsemen and others and putting them out of the paddock. Luckily the bull had been dehorned, and so did not gore or toss anyone. To get the animal under control'two other bulls from a different part of the farm were brought up. The heavier of these, a four-year-old with horns, was turned into the bull paddock. A sharp contest ensued in which the hornless bull won, the defeated animal receiving a broken horn. Another four-year-old was immediately turned into the paddock, and after a stiff fight was able to conquer the savage bull and eventually drove it through the stockyard gale. Here it was imprisoned and with the aid of ropes was drawn up to a post and the nose chain adjusted once more.

The attention of our readers is directed to the Railway Department's advertisement in this issue regarding the traui arrangements and particularly cheap excursion fares granted in connection with the Waikato Trotting Club's meeting at Claudelands. Captain Mackersey, officer in charge of the Te Kuiti Platoon of the Ist Waikato Regiment, states that the bivouac being held at Mr. Gardiner's property, Waitete, will be open for the inspection of the public this evening and to-morrow. The gun-fire practices to be held at these times should prove of interest to many. Colonel Duigan will inspect the platoon to-morrow afterneon. An unfavourable reply was given bv the Hon. A. Hamilton in the House on Wednesday to a question whether the Postmaster-General would consider the question of having a micronhone installed in the House "in order that the revenue of the Legislative Department may be increased and also that it may be the means of letting people in the country who are connected by wireless hear what members of Parliament actually do say, and not what the press state they say-" A scheme of "cow collars" is un- ! der consideration by the Onerahi Town Board, Whangarei County. The idea is that, by payment of an annual fee, an owner is supplied with a registered collar and is allowed to graze an animal on the roadside. Besides being a convenience to those who prefer their own dairy supplies, the system yields a little revenue to the local body. The clerk has been instructed to obtain information from the Tauranga Town Board, which has the scheme in operation. The announcement of the dates of the breaking up and resuming days of schools will again bring into prominence the question as to which schedule the High School observes. In spite of hopes to the contrary that"are generally expressed by the pupils, the Te Kuiti schools, both High and Primary, will conform to that set down for primary schools, as do all District Highs. This means that the "break-uo" will be on Fridav, December 16th, and that school will resume on Wednesday, February Ist. "There is no notice taken of people driving to the danger of the public with dazzling headlights, but I think that the public should be protected," stated a defendant in the Napier Magistrate's Court recently (says the Hawke's Bay Herald). He pleaded not guilty to a charge of negligent driving, the prosecution being a sequel to a collision in Carlyle street on the evening of October 21 last. He pleaded in defence that he had collided with a stationary lorry because his eyes had been dazzled by the lights of an approaching vehicle. A conviction was entered and a small fine imposed.

At a meeting of the Otago Motor Trade Association on Tuesday, a sub-committee which had previously been set up to examine and report upon the proposed regulations for the control of the transport of goods by road, recommended that an emphatic protest should be made against such drastic and far-reaching-legislation being enacted by Order-in-Council. The recommendation was strongly supported by the meeting, which unanimously adopted the following ?-esolution:—"That when the Transport Licensing Bill was under consideration no indication was given that interference with private enterprise to such .an unwarranted extent was contemplated, and opposition which would have been undoubtedly offered to the Bill, had the present intentions of the authorities been anticipated, was thereby disarmed; and therefore this meeting is of opinion that steps should be taken to have the whole position thoroughly investigated by a competent body representing the various interests so vitally concerned before controlling regulations are finally adopted."

Outspoken criticism of what he termed "more production propaganda," was exm-essed by Mr. R. A. S. Browne, of Morrinsville, at Monday's meeting of the Southern Thames sub-provincial executive of the Farmers' Union. Mr. Browne said he was tired of hearing the Government and others urging the farmers to produce more. Farmers had produced more and prices had fallen with each advance in production. He thought prices would rise if less and not more was produced. He recalled what had happened in the meat trade. The instant Britain said the foreign countries must send less meat, prices on the Smithfield market jumped up. The only remedy was "less production" or more consumers. It was no use trying to drive the Danes off the market, as the foreigners had nothing else to produce, and would continue to turn out produce at low prices. "We have got to stop this talk of more production." said Mr. Browne. "What is the use of the Government giving us cheap manure to produce more if it is to be thrown in the sink?" i

Mr. J. D. Revie, of Crookston, painted the prospects of the dairy farmer in very sombre colours at the meeting of the Otago Provincial Council of the New Zealand Farmers' Union on Tuesday. Mr. Revie referred to the verv great importance of the dairy industry, and said that butter had saved the country in the slump of 1920, 1921, and 1922. To-day the butter market was in jeopardy and prices had only to fall a little further and they would find the dairy farmer feeding his milk and cream to his calves and pigs, as it would be cheaper to do this than send them to the factory. Mi-. Lee (Goodwood) remarked that the position must be considerably worse in Canada, as Mr. Goodfellow had told them on his return from the Ottawa Conference that the dairy farmers in that Dominion had only been getting sid. per lb. for their butterfat. Referring to the cost of transport of sheep by the railways, Mr. Revie said that recently he had seen 54 of the finest wethers one could wish to own sent to the saleyards. They had realised only 12s per head, and the charge by the railway for carriage had been equal to the price of eight of the sheep

"We are never going to get the ragwort question settled by the Government so long as infested Crown lands had to be dealt with," said Cr. Murray, at the Stratford County Council meeting. "You will never get one department to prosecute another. The solution lies in the matter being handed over to the local bodies," said Cr. Murray. It was contended at a meeting of the Marlborough County Council by Cr. F. E. Fairweather that too much was being made of the failure of Crown tenants to pay their rates. "It has been said that most of the council's difficulties are due to the fact that the Crown tenants are no.t paying their rates," said the councillor. "But if it came to a show down I believe it would be found that a very small percentage of Crown tenants have not paid, and that the percentage of those who have paid is as high as in the case of freeholders." The chairman (Mr. J. H. Dick) said that the point was that if the Council took judgment for rates it had security in the shape of the land, but it had nothing.to back the judgment in the case of the Crown leaseholder or mortgagor. The county secretary (Mr. A. J. Maclaine) said that it was wrong to say that the same percentage of Crown as freehold rates had been paid. He agreed, however, that many Crown tenants did pay their rates, and paid readily. "That is the point I want brought out," said Cr. Fairweather. "I don't want the public to get the impression that the Crown tenants are the only delinquents." A lot has been said of the superior physique and stamina of New Zealand boys as compared with the average public school boy of England. Consequently, it will come as news to learn that the experience of the Flock House authorities is decidedly the reverse (remarks the Manawatu Times). Un to this year Flock House was devoted entirely to training- the sons of seamen of Great Britain, but from now onwards the institution is to be given over to the training as farmers of sons of New Zealand returned soldiers. The first batch of 57 New Zealand lads are at the Institution now, and they are not standing up to the work as did the boys from overseas. Undoubtedly they will harden to their jobs in time, yet it is strange that even sons of farmers are no exception. What is the reason for this? asks the Times. Is it that the average New Zealand boy is pampered in his youth? Is it that he sees too much of* luxurious living as compared with the boy at Home? The facts as revealed at Flock House provide food for thought for those who profess an interest in youth welfare. On the other hand, the New Zealand boy is showing more initiative than his English cousin did at the Institution, is brighter mentally, displays greater keenness over his work, and is generally more cheerful in his new surroundings.