WAIKATO FARMERS' CLUB.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8327, 6 August 1890, Page 6

WAIKATO FARMERS' CLUB.

HAMILTON BRANCH.

[FROM OL'R OWN' CORRESPONDENT.] Hamilton", Tuesday. The monthly meeting of the club was held on .Saturday at the Chamber of Commerce, Hamilton, the president (.Mr. A. Primrose) in the chair. There were present:—Messrs. Coates, Edgecombe, Bailey, Barugh, Runciman, Parr, JJawson, Von Hturmer, Gwynne, Graham, and others. The question of lime ■was again brought up by the .secretary, Mr. BURTON, reading correspondence with the Government on the matter of obtaining stone irorn Te Kniti. Mr. Coom, of the Railway Department, had stated that limestone would be carried at a minimum price to a central point. Five hundred tons could be got from Te Kuiti over and above what was required for the Cmehunga. ironworks, and this would be sufficient as a test experiment. Mr. Coates .said he feared no further supply of stone could be relied upon from the land for the line ceded to the Government for railway purposes. To start lime burning at least a block of ten acres would have to be procured from the natives contiguous to the line. Captain P.uncirnan spoke to the advantages of using lime, referring to a crop of turnips at Te Awamutu, the best in the Waikato this year, grown on a poor piece of land but limed. Mr. BAIM'.Y (MeNicol and Co.), late sheep inspector, then read his promised paper on "Sheep arid the Freezing Meat Question." Referring to the increase in the trade from 217,77*2 carcases of sheep frozen and exported in 1884 to 1,013,032 in 1889, he pointed out that hitherto the local market had absorbed all its available fat Kto;k, but this supply lias been supplemented annually by drafts from the East and West Coasts of the island outside trie Auckland provincial district, and that should freezing operations be carried on as vigorously within trie area from which this supply has been obtained, as elsewhere, it will become a question whether there will be any surplus to deal with for freezing purposes. At, least two or three years must elapse before the supply will be largely in increase of local requirements, which amount to from 100,000 to 110,000 head annually. One great point to consider was when the time came for freezing largely, that the slaughtering should be done in the district and the carcasses lie .sent down to be frozen. The cost of carriage would be cheaper, rejected sheep could be utilised on the spot, or be taken back by the owner instead of being sacrificed; and local industries, such as fellmongery, tanning, as well as dealing with the offal, would ■lie established. We might even adopt the Arktos system of freezing in the district. Mr. Bailey, in the course of his remarks, warned farmers not to be misled by the temptation of high prices obtained for frozen lambs to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. None but wether lambs should be exported. Again, our 2-tooth and 4-tooth iiheep afford the weights and quality best fitted for freezing purposes, and was it not possible that too many persons in freezing these for present profit were sacrificing tinfuture ; for, by killing too many of this class they must affect the stamp of those remaining, and possibly, deteriorate their breeding ilock. 'J he question of freezing bed' was referred to, and the capabilities of the district and climate of Waikato for sheepBreeding. Looking at the enormous and growing increase of sheep in the colony year by year, the time must soon come when the freezing of sheep must be carried on continuously, and to a very larga, extent, and it behoved graziers to be prepared to avail themselves of all its advantages when it did come.

On the motion of Mr. EDGECUMBE, seconded by Mr. SKDDON, a vote of thanks was warmly accorded to Mr. Bailey for his excellent address, and the discussion upon it held over until next meeting. On the motion of Mr. Von Sturmkr, a committee, consisting of Messrs. .Seddon, Coates, the president, and the mover, was appointed, to meet at half-past two p.m. on Tuesday next, to prepare suggestions for the amendment of the Dog Act this session, so as to provide more adequate protection to eheep from the worrying of dogs. This concluded the business.