FOXTON NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1180, 1 December 1924, Page 6

FOXTON NOTES

CARNIVAL VOTING. (From Our Own Correspondent). Tho voting in connection with the Foxton carnival closed at 10 o’clock on Saturday night. The numbers were put up shortly afterwards, and revealed the candidates to be in the following position—Citizens, 24,107: Sports, 17,447; Farmers, 13,500; Fire Brigade. 10,410. A gross total of £BIB 6s was raised. The coronation ccjemony will be held, in the .Town Ilall on Thursday evening... The citizen’s queen is Miss Madge Kirkland, Sports Miss Doiis Morgan, Farmers, Miss Sathcrley, and Fire Brigade, Miss Dunn. POULTRY INDUSTRY. ADDRESS BY .MR J. B. MERRETT. Mr J. B. Merrett, the Well-known poultry expert, who paid a brief visit to Font on last week, delivered an interesting address on the possibilities of poultry farming in New Zealand, and the suitability of Foxton climate for the purpose. Hie Mayor (Air John Chrystall) presided. Mr Merrett, in prefacing his address said that, although he was resident in Christchurch, he yet had an interest in this district, having lived for quite a number of years in Rongotca. The fact _of buying "been asked to act as agent in New Zealand for a. United States poultry journal had suggested to him the need of such a periodical in the Dominion and he had subsequently established one. Mr Merrett said he had been instrumental :n introducing the egg circle in Musterton; also the system whereby eggs were graded for market. mid had 'been instrumental in establishing, the New Zealand PoulT’y Association, later having sent the first shipment of eggs to the London market on behalf of the poultrymcn of New Zealand. As a result of the better organisation, bis opinion of tlie industry was much more confident to-dav. Recently he had visited England and the Continent, and America. The prospects for the industry would be poor if New Zealand produced more eggs than she could dispose of, lint the export of eggs to the London market hid great possibilities, and he contended tint, if Foxton hud the “ginger” and fostered ilie poultry industry in this locality, the town could he increased to twice its size, ami the population to twice iis number through this industry alone. Petaluma, the speaker said, was a town of some six thou-aml inhabitants in California, U.X.A., the population of which was almost wholly employed in the poult.:/ industry. 'lliis town eould boast of possessing more money for head of the population than any city in the United States. In drawing a comparison between the natural advantages of f’otahuiia and Foxton Mr Merrett said that Petaluma was served only by a comparatively small stream as a waterway by which the products of the industry were transported to San Francisco. Foxton, on die other I and, had a bar harbour capable of grelt possibilities, an excellent climate, which poultry thrived in, and land at a reasonable price. The soil conditions were cxenlleiit for the growing of the necessary green feed, and a local market-—Wellington —easily accessible. Denmark, which country exported £5,000.000 wort.i of eggs per year, and also Holland, had to obtain their gruin supplies from Canada and South Africa, which was five times as far as New Zealand had to import her grain when buying from Australia. Mr Merrett contended that the poultry farmers in New Zealand laid not. yet reached the position of specialists, and the flocks of birds were comparatively small, seldom exceeding two thousand to three thousand.' The result of this was that the owner was obliged to do menial work, instead of reserving his time for the organising of the business. In Petaluma he had personally visited a farm of 30.(XX) birds, where tho whole work of feeding the Hock had been performed by seven men in one hour and ten minutes. J his was brought about) by the use of machinery and specially constructed store houses. The poultry farmer in this country was detained from expanding and incurring heavy expense for machinery owing to uncertain markets, but he was there to deliver a message of confidence, and to point out that England offered an unparalleled market in the world for cur eggs. Mr Merrett spoke strongly for tho fostering of the imperial spirit and preference in the Dominions. lie san! that British, merchants complained that England look the bulk of our products, but New Zealand in return bought 75 per cent, of her motor cars and other machinery from America. English business men showed great enthusiasm towards trading with the colonies, and our system of purchasing our imports elsewhere was going to prejudice that spirit. Air Merrett pointed out that the question of summer prices was a vital one to the poultry farmer. Big prices in winter were of no avail, as the hens were then taking the rest lhat nature enforced, and the percentage of layers was not nearly sufficient to be remunerative. r io assure good summer prices it was necessary for poultry farmers to unite under one policy, and to develop the export market. Good summer prices would he no injustice to their own purchasing public, any more than good prices for other primary produce, such as butter and wool. If poultrvinen doubled their flocks it would mean cheaper eggs ni winter for the local consumer, as the summer eggs alone would he used for the export market. Mr Merrett, further emphasised the splendid export market to be found in Engalml, and said poullrymen could Jook forward with confidence to the future. . Answering a question as to why the price cf wheat was in the vicinity of 3s 6rJ per bushel for Australian grown, and whether he could account for the shortage in New Zealand at the present time, Mr Merrett said the position was brought about partly by the attractions offered by. other forms of farming with the high prices ruling at present for primary products. The Government and public were not giving wheat growers the support they should, and did not want to pay 6s 6d to 7s per bushel for wheat. The Dominion growers had offered to produce wheat at 6s per bushel, up to 60.000 sacks, but the poultry farmers had reciprocated by asking then, if they could r.ot do it at 5s per bushel. As a result they would have to puy 7s to 8s per bushel, proving that the growers’ previous offer waa a munificent one. Poultrymcn required to organise so they you'd buy well und in quantity. The speaker was accowJed a vote of thanks.