Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10418, 16 April 1897, Page 6

At Stonehaven, at the annual feeing market, about the middle of February, there was a large attendance of farmers and servants, but feeing was stiff. Those reengaging received the same wages as they had formerly, but new engagements showed a slightly downward tendency. Foremen and ploughmen, with charge, got £27 to £30 for the year, with the usual perquisites; second hands, £25 to £27. At the oldestablished hiring fair of Annan there was also a good attendance. As ploughing was behind the corresponding term of last year, there was a good demand for ploughmen, bub only a middling inquiry for other classes of servants. Women servants were very scarce, more especially housemaids. Thefollowing weretherulingratesi-Experi-enced ploughmen, £6 5s to £8 ; less experienced, £4 17s 6d to £5 10s; byre women, £4 5s to £5; kitchen-women, £315s to £4 strong lads, £3 to £3 10s; boys, £1 15s to £2 ss; girls, £1 5s to £1 10s- all for the quarter and board. It appears that the growing popularity of Shropshire sheep in the River Plate hue resulted in the formation of the Argentine Shropshire Sheep-breeders' Association, under very encouraging auspices. Tho inaugural meeting was held, by permission of Mr, Lainez, in tho offices of El Diario, Calle Piedad, Buenos Ayres, on January 5 last, when all the principal breeders of Shropshire sheep in the River Plate attended, and formed themselves into a provisional committee to carry out the project to a successful issue. Mr. Brown, of Campana, was appointed president, and Mr. W. T. Cripps secretary. ' It may be mentioned that this is the first sheep-breeders' association established in South America. Mr. Alfred Mansell, of Shrewsbury, was present at the meeting, and was able to render valuable assistance as to details, etc. . A telegram from Capetown stated recently that. Dr. Koch had discovered a process by which cattle can be rendered immune from rinderpest, by means of a mixture oi serum and virulent rinderpest blood. The treatment produces active immunity within a fortnight. Dr. Koch is making further researches with a view to finding if immunity, can be obtained in a still shorter period. He' is. convinced, that rinderpest can be eradicated within a short time, and with little difficulty, by these methods. ">f'