COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9036, 20 April 1888, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

[from OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.] Hamilton, Thursday. Mr. George Edgecumbe, of this place, has forwarded by the Rimutaka to England, which vessel left Wellington on the sth inst., 12 cases of apples, containing in all 4811b5., or 401bs, to the case. The apples were of the choicest dessert varieties, and in the case of the larger number of the packages, the apples were separately wrapped in paper, at a cost of one half-penny per lb. The following are the charges for shipment of the above parcel, the shipping company guaranteeing a temperature not exceeding 45 degrees Fahrenheit on any part of the voyage :—Freight to London, 20 feet, at 110s, £2 15s; primage, 10 per cent., at£2 155,556 d ; insurance on £12 and stamps, 3s 6d; to Harbour Board for wharfage, 9d ; bill of lading, 2s 6d ; or £3 7s 3d as the total cost of the 12 cases. To this has to be added 7s 6d for railway freight to Auckland, and the cost of paper and packing, making in all 2Ad per lb. Ac the Resident Magistrate's Court, yesterday, the charge of cruelty to animals brought against Mr. James Forest, of Hautapu, in neglecting to provide food and water for three young calves, was dismissed, as it was clearly proved that he was not the offending and responsible party. Mr. John Lamb attended _at Hamilton yesterday, to purchase wheat from Waikato farmers, a number of whom arrived in Hamilton from all parts of the district, but no great amount of grain was purchased. A thousand sacks, it is said, would cover the lot. Mr. Lamb was more anxious to obtain winter than spring wheat, but little or none was offered. Waikato farmers under the present system of farming — wheat after turnips — cannot grow winter wheat, as the turnips are not fed off in time enough. Mr. Lamb's price was 3s Id per bushel, ca6h down, delivered into the mill at Auckland, which would mean about 2s B£d per bushel, the purchaser supplying the bags. Some of the samples offered were declined by Mr. Lamb as not being up to the mark ; and others again, which Mr. Lamb would have readily purchased, were withheld on account of the insufficiency of the price offered, and the grain was held for higher rates. The price is undoubtedly low, and very discouraging to growers. At the same time millers would scarcely be justified in offering higher when wheat can be put into Auckland at 3s Id for red tuscan, and 2s 10k! for Hunter's white, — and in the face of yesterday's cablegram in the HERALD that a shipment of 80,5()() quarters, or 044,000 bushels, was consigned from these colonies to arrive in England at 4s Id per bushel. Waikato farmers, however, are stubborn in waiting for a rise, and it is sincerely to be hoped in their own and the interests of the district that they may not be disappointed. Te Awamotu, Thursday.^ The result of the shipment of horses to Sydney by Mr. John Hill has been looked forward to with considerable interest by settlers in this district. As an investment the undertaking does not seem to have left a large margin of profit. The horses averaged Mr. Hill between £5 and £6 each in Waikato. and the freight to Sydney, independently of the cost of feed and special attendance on the voyage, ran up another £6 per head. To this would have to be added the cost of collecting the horses in Waikato, driving them to Auckland, feed while waiting for the start, and the same between date of arrival in Sydney and the sale; also Mr. Hill's and attendants' personal expenses. Even then the horses were not all sold, but at the prices obtained for the same he got all round—£l6 for draught and £25 for light

horsesthe average, as there were a much larger proportion of the former, would scarcely reach £20, the minimum at which, with possible contingencies of accident, it was considered the venture would pay. One thing the result of the shipment has shown YVaikato breeders, that light horses are the best for sale, and it is just this class of horses that is most numerous and least valuable here. OTAMATEA. For some time past the Rev. Mr. Davidson, the Congregational Minister at Maungaturoto, has been holding monthly services in the pretty little church erected by the natives at their settlement, Kakaraea. As the number of residents on the river is but few, and the position somewhat isolated, we could not expect more. Indeed, great credit is due to that gentleman for so regularly performing the service, having to ride some 15 miles to and fro over anything but a good road, or rather track, and in all sorts of weather. The Rev. Mr. Oittos also pays us regular visits,'but at longer intervals, that gentleman having a very extensive district to care for. His return is, however, always anxiously looked for, particularly by the native residents, to whom he has been both pastor and friend for many years. The timber-loading ground is now empty, and it may be that until the syndicate have arranged to take over the various bushes in the district, which matter has for some time been in course of settlement, we cannot look for any very lively times in the timber industry. The limited gumfield at Point Curtis is now being worked by the parties who arranged for its opening some months back ; and those who are on it are, from all accounts, doing very well. This will give a little spurt to Mr. Dugard's business (the hotelkeeper). at the Point. This gentleman is very popular, owing to his genial nature and readiness at all times to do a good turn to the needy.— [Own Correspondent.] _^