North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 1894.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8002, 15 June 1894, Page 2

North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 1894.

The fluctuations in tho price of grain in tho old days used to bo proverbial. It was indoed often what is called phenomenal. In the courso of one year vrell within living memory—the year 1847— wheat ranged from 49s up to 102$. This is the only time It has risen above, the only time it has reached 100s, since the pissing of Sir Robert Peel's Corn Bill. The three Crimean War years camo nearest that famine price— B3s in 1854, 78s m 1855, and 83a in 1856. But following close on the heels of 1847 there wore three very cheap years— lBso-1-2— tho avorage pried for oach year being, in round numbers, 4(k But from 1856 till 1884 there were only tyro years when th» moan prico fell so low, viz., 1864 and 1865. It was as high as 67s in 1868, and in 1871-2-3 and 4 it was 555, 575, 58s, and 60s respectively. But it fell in 1875 to 425, which figure it again reached after a moderate rise for three years, in 1883. Since then it has nover risen is high as 40s, but has been gradually falling, till now long borricd Now Zealand wheat is sol* ling in London at 255. Nay, two cargoes of Australian, one from Mol bourne, and tho other from Adelaide, wore quitted tho other day, the first at 21s 3d and tho socond at 21s I It looks as if the price of wheat wore on tho way to the vanishing point ; it lias certainly declined to a figure at which it cannot be produced except at a loss. The present Liberal Government havo no doubt had gome effect in causing tho present severe depression in iho colony ; but there can bo no doubt that the main cause is to bo found in the phenomenal decline in prices, especially in the prioo of wheat. This year tho production of that doscrip>. tion of grain in Now Zealand has shrunk to 4,891,695 bushels from 10,257,738 in 1892, and 8,387,217 bushels in 1893 Our farmers simply cannot compete with America or India, and inu«l accordingly turn their attention to lome other kind of farming. But no kind at presont is highly remunerative, or even more than barely remunerative Wool is low, so is frozen moat, while sheep in somo parts of the colony are as unsaleable as they were in the d»y« before tho moat-nreserving work* were started. Dairying is, perhaps, the moat profitable of the farming industries at presont, but oven in this New Zealand has keen competitors whoro sho fondly thought sho would find her best market, Victoria has put on a great spurfc in the butter lino, and is quite eclipsing this colony. The fact is that we are still a long way bohind tho ago in the matter of dairying. The colony was long in beginning this industry in anything like earnest, and it still lags bohind its neighbors over the way. By this time it ought to havo been running Denmark very close, whereas it can scarcely kaop pace with South Australia, and is boaten by New Sonth Wales. Whoro, it might Will bo asked, is all our boasting about the Huitableness of our climate for butter and cheose? While wo wero indulging in foolish talk about tho impossibility of Australia competing with us, tho Australians set vigorously to work, and soon showed that they could give us points in tho staple of our boasted climate and yet beat us. The report of tho National Dairy Association, which was published a few days ago, says almost in as many words that if our farmers and dairy factory companies do not bestir themselves they will bo loft out of the race. This would bo at once a disgrace and a misfortune, for it is beyond quostion that wo can produce both butter and chooso as good as any that finds its way to tho London markot Only we don't, except in com parativoly small quantities. But now that wo have an expert hko Mr Valentino, in addition to tho other instructors, who have done everything in their power to atir up tho settlers and show them the way, it is to be hoped that thero will bo a marked improvement in our ship monts of butter. New Zealand cheese is much bettor on tho wholo than New Zealand buttor, and simply for tho reason that most of it is factory made. But thero is really no reason why the buttor should not bo as good as tha choQso, or uo reason but tho want of onergy and enterprise on tho part of settlers. Ihere are somo other points in connection with our colonial dairying to whioh wo shall call the attontiou of our readers in a f uturo articlo. In tho moantime we would urge upon all those engaged or interested in this most important industry to oxorb every offorfc to make the dairy produce of New Zealand top tho London market.

Tho Rovision Court for the county sat yostorday, but as thero wore no objection! there vras no work to do. A party of six guns from Oamaru «hot 176 hares on Mr T. Mock's Bakateramea property. Thero must bo still plenty of hares in the Hakateramea. The Education Board met on Wednesday. The secretory was instructed to pay Mr Forrester tho balance of his contract for tho erection of additions to tho Waiareka •chool in term* of tho solicitor's opinion. A meeting of those out of employment at Enfield and Weston will be held at Enfield on Saturday night at 8 o'clock to discuss what steps should be taken to obtain work . Mr S. Borehum will be present. A new record has been put up for the round of the local golf links, Mr D. A. Brydono, playing against Mr R. W. Muir, having negotiated tho nine holes in 43 •trokes as follow* : 4,6,6,4,4,4,6,4,5. There was an excellent attendance of 18 at tho first aid lessons for men held under the auspices of tho St. John Ambulance Society last night in tho Athonnoum. Dr Whitton gave an interesting and practical address On the 4th page of this issue we reprint a second articlo from tho Buenos Ayres Herald on the Biibjoct of State banks. Wo are indebted to a resident for the papers, the articles from which come in very opportunely at the present time. Tho Hon. J. G. Ward, Colonial Treasurer, will deliver an address in tho Public Hall to-night, beginning at 8 o'clock. The addroaa will T>e more than uiually interesting. The dres< circle will bo reserved for ladies and gentlemen accompanying ladies The Mayor will occupy the chair. Wo learn that the Presbyterian Congregation of Lawrence has decided to present a call to the Rev. J. A. Will, of Waiareka, Tho Daily Times says : Tho Prcibyterian congregation at Lawrence have made a call in favor of the Roy. Mr Will, who received 171 votes against 91 cast for the Rev. Mr Bissett. Subsequently the call waß made unanimous. Tho house of Mr B. Battersby, at South Waitaki, was broken into the other day and a gold watch and some money taken. A window was broken to effoct an entrauce. The polico received a description of a man who nad been seen about the neighborhood, and then found that the watch had been sold in Oamaru. On the description supplied to the police, a man named Geoige Wilson was arrested at Hampden last evening by Constable Joyce, and charged with the offence. The following are the initials of the men choien to go to Catlins to take up bush farms: G. C., C. M., J. M., D. M., J. P., J. G., T G., R. M., W. Mo,, W. K< The abovo have been chosen with a view to tlieii settling permanently on the land, and anyone not intending to carry out this condition should inform Mr S. Boreham at once. The men will obtain railway passos on Monday at 12 o clock at tho Labor Bureau office, and mutt bo prepared to loave by Tuesday morning'a train for Catlins. The letter of Mr Matthew Clyde»dale to the Borough Council last night was given to ono of the councillors to read. The councillor was making wonderful progress with tho words, but the othci; councilors utterly failed to pick up the thread of the •übject, In desperation the Council resolved to hand it to tho reporters, saying it would be casior read in the morning paper than in Mr Clydesdale's manuscript. But to us the characters on the Egyptian pyramids would bo as understandable as Mr Clydesd«llo'n letter, and that is the only reason why it doos not appear this morning, The Council must therefore make another try at it. When tho letter of Mr Thomas Kerr was up for consideration at the Council mooting last night tome remarks, which savored much of the kind that many an honest word is said in jest, were made. Mr Keir is the owner of tho Town Belt Hotel, and the ground is tho property of tho Borough Council, and Mr Kerr wrote stating that ho could not pay the rent A Councillor snid ho wished " a member of th# Licensing Committee had had a mortgage orer tho hotel." "Do you think the license would have been retained then?" asked anothor councillor, and councillors smiled as they contemplated the possibilities of solf-interest in mankind. Tho football match between the Athletic ■econd and tho Excelsior first was played yesterday, and wat won rather easily by the former. Tha Athletics won tho toss, and took advantago of the wind, and the Blues started play from tho southern flag. During the whole of tho spoil play was Krotty well confined to the Blues' quarters, ut they made a stubborn dofonco, und when half-time was called Harrison was the only one who had crossed their line. In the second »pell tho Athletics' superior weight told against their lighter opponents, and trie 9 were scored by Cooke (2), Hastie, Morton, and M'Ellenhoy, making six in all, three of which Harrison piloted over tho bar, bringing tho Athlotics total up to 24 points. For the winners Harrison, Courtnoy and Robertson (backs), and Rivers, Cooke and Mannix (forwards) played well. For tho losers M'Culloch and Buist playod splendidly, their kicking boing exceptionally fine, and they wero well backed up by Orr, Townsond, Chalmers, Thomson, Phcloung and Dickson, Mr W. Burns officiated at referee. A correspondent at the Naseby road works write* : 24 mon have been engaged on tin road for tho last month, and they have now completed, as far as manual labor is concerned, with the exception of about 40 chains of formation and a few culverts, the Waitaki portion of tho road, which means that 16 miles of tho road from Mr Hutton's is complotetl. At a distance of 14 miles from Hutton's an iron bridge, required to bo erected, is now in the courso of oonsttuction, three men being at work in placing tho iron work in position. The completion of this bridge opens tho road as far ai tho boundary of the Waitaki and Maniototo counties, The bridge is expected to bo completed in about a fortnight's time. The men have now been shifted to the Kyeburn end of the road, and there is now, betweon formations and outtinga, about four miles of road work to bo done to complete the road through tho Pass to connect Naseby with Oamaru. This, I daresay, would give employment to another 20, man in addition to those already on tho work, for about three months, and I maintain that tho oxpenso connected with tho completion of the road would not cost as much as the fjrat mile and a quarter from Hutton's to tho table-land on M'Master's run. Tho men have worked heartily through the froity and rough weather, and although thoy have made but a comparatively »mall wago, thoy aro content to still persevoro, considering the stato of the labor market. It is to be hoped that now the road has been made so far that it will bo finished so that it will bo of some Use to the people of the two counties, and can bo handed over to the local b >dies for maintenance > If it is not completed th«ro is every probability of (/he work falling into disrepair, and part of it will have to be formed over again.

James Gemmell invites inspection of his first wintor consignment of Scotch and English suitingt, coatings, and trouserings, ox Tekoa, A choice selection of oxclusivo novelties ; also Oamaru and other Colonial goods of the best quality, This Establishment has long been noted for the first-class character of its productions. Suits from 7Cs upwards. Waterproof overcoats to order and ready made at lowest curront rates. — James Gkmmell, Thames Street, Oamaru. English Cvoles.-^Wo are offering our largo stock of English whcols at pounds loss than lauded cost. General lJecston Humbcra, L 26 10s ; Now Howo, L 23 10s ; Raleigh's Model 6, L 25, fitted with Dunlop tyres and Hall's rubber brakes.— Adams, (Jurbios, (vncl Co., Christohurch. J. Ogilvio, agent, Oamaru.