DISTRICT NEWS.

Northern Advocate, 22 January 1920, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS.

(Own correspondent.)

TANEKAHA

During the Christmas holidays we have been pleased to welcome in our midst quite a few friends and relatives on holiday bent. Mr s Hotson and Miss Elliott, from Auckland, spent a few days with their parents, Mr and Mrs F. Eliott. Mr Maslen. Mrs Maslen and family spent Xmas week with Mr W. R. Forsyth. Nurse Long, from Wellington, was spending her vacation wijth her brother at her old home. The weather conditions were not such that our harvest was completed as expeditiously as could be wished. Meadow hay was all harvested without rain, but on almost ?very crop cf oaten hay Jupiter Pluvius vented his spleen. Yet little harm was done, and all. or nearly all, was stowed away in good order. All report light straw, but heavy-headed crops, so (that the resultant chaff should be of firstclass quality.

Though individual areas, in some cases, were not so large as formerly, yet more oats has been harvested this season than for some years.

The general area of cultivation, too, is in excess of that of other years. On almost every farm sea green crops of on e kind or another, being grown for fodder purposes—mostly dairy cows.

Turnips—December sown—are showing the effects of the drought; in fact, much has failed to make its appearance.

Earlier sown areas are now moving along, although at a standstill for some time. The showers of last week have made themselves felt. Maize, whore conditions of cultivation are favourable, is looking well now, but did not g p t away at all well.

Mr Dinsdale has a small area in Japanese millc', which, from the road, looks well, and should amply repay the trouble and time spent in cultivation. This is the first crop in Ihe district, and mrh rtterest r s taian in its progress. Last week saw a shipment of beeves loave the district for Auckland. Mr Elliott sent a very nice line of steers which should bring "grist to the mill." This gentleman has been successful in growing some very fine beef off his property. In previous years quit e a few cattle were fattened on the Government flats here, but for some reason the usual good feed found there is not to be seen. The store cattle are, however, in forward condition, and should start the winter in good heari, if nothing more. Worrying dogs are again a nuisance on thes c flats. During the last fortright two dogs were seen to persistently chase a beas; for the better •.art of the day, w''h the re;i.t th*:-t iC animal had ah-* est "c-as"? * 1 -n,' and has not yet fully recoyer-'d. .xs the dogs were recognised, it is likely we may hear of some missing in the near future. Dairying is going on apace. Most of the herds were reduced this seaseason from one cause and another Those still at work, however, are, or rather have been, doing passably well. The absence of rain and lack of succulent foodstuffs have caused most of the cows to materially reduce thejr output. One of the leading herds, from a butter-fat viewpoint, is that owned by Mr A. Christie, composed of pedigree and grade Jerseys, of best quality. The pity is that this herd is not up to its knees in clover. However, Mr Christie is to b e commended fcr his zeal and determination to have nothing but the best. He has built up from a cow of sterling quality a herd of grades which would be hard to beat anywhere in the North, while he has introduced som c of the best blood in Jersey cattle to be procured in the Dominion. The bull at present with his herd owns a full sister with GlOlbs butter-fat to her credit, while his dam was reserve champion in her class at the recent Auckland Show. Cattle of thi s quality deserve better than we hay present conditions —to give them,

The efforts of all, however, are being directed to a distinct improvement in th dairy herd of this district. The "herd testing," conducted by Mr McKenzie, dairy instructor attached to the Hikurangi dairy factory, is being patronised by nearly all of us, with the object of endeavouring to cull with certainty. Mr S. Forsyth—with a Dabalara bull —has a splendid herd of dairy Shorthorns, mostly heifers. On these, as with others, the shortage of feed has told its tale. The old friend of the Jordan settler —paspalum —has gone back pn him again (this year, and only in isolated places has i t done any good at'all. Mr James Taylor has just left the district, having completed the metalling of some 40 odd chains of road. This work will prove a boon t 0 many daring the winlter, as our road is now quite popular to motorists. Hardly a day goes by without som c eight or ten motor cars passing along en route to Hukerenui or vice versa, Our bridge s in consequence are suffering, and all the planks are loosening, if not breaking. Mr W. Rowley is at present engaged with the road grader in cleaning watertabks, etc., preparing for the wet season.. Mr Mclnnes. our representative on the Counjty Council, makes it his boast that we have the best clay road in the county, and he intends to keep it so till he finds it possible (to convert it tg a m l> tal road. May h e live till it is accomplished, and I'm confident he will die an aged man.

The drainage of the swamp—so far as all we hear about it —is apparently a past number. Maybe \the election is over. However, we are informed that the survey is complete, and the engineer is now engaged in preparing "working plans,'' while we settlers are to RvOpare for other things— among them, floods and (the usual "Taihoa" of the Government works bureau. With th e thousands of acres of Crown lands in the vicinity at .present earning nothing, which, would be converted (to producing areas —as is proven h.y the stock now grazing on them-4one would think that "Massey and Co." would use S om e "Stir-em-up," and think of other means to swell the revenue rajther than swell the taxation. Matters postal and telephonic are. progressing. We have now a biweekly service with the outside world assured for another month or |two, so far a s mails go. A party line with telephonic connection at Hikurangi has been installed, and already we hear of "Wonder how we did without it?" from the members of the parjty. let another line is about to be constructed with Whangarei as the centre, traversing Oitakairangi. and linking us up with the west. With such signs of progress, surely Tanekaha (or Jordan) is no longer the "Proj mised Land,"' but *s m T e slUy a "part of the universe."-

Imperfect digestion of food produces acidity, flatulence, and sick headache. Sharland's Magnesia corrects the acidity, relieves the flatulence and removes the headache. Sold everywhere. 294