DAIRYING DECLINE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24758, 4 December 1943, Page 8

DAIRYING DECLINE

28,000 FEWER COWS HEAVY KILLINGS SHOWN (0.C.) HAMILTON, Friday A recent canvass by the National Dairy Association showefl that during the last year there had been a reduction of 28,080 cows on 1009 farms supplying milk or cream to 96 dairy companies. This information was given to the South Auckland Dairy Association by Mr. W. Harbutt, of Cambridge, who added that 60,000 boner cows had been killed in the Auckland Province during the last season and that the number of bobbv calves handled had increased by 17,0fX) to 72.800, as compared with the previous season. Mr. Harbutt contended that the principal cause of the decline in production was shortage of labour. It was decided to draw the attention of the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. B. Roberts, to the position. TROUT AT TAUPO CONDITION IMPROVING SOME GOOD CATCHES (0.C.) TAUPO. Friday Fishing continues to be hard, with good intervals. Since light rain began on .Wednesday some nice fish have been landed. Reports show that the condition of the fish is improving. The green heetle is now very plentiful and most fish taken are full of them. The largest catch this season was of 111b., in a bag of 15 fish landed at the Delta mouth by Messrs. W. Edwards and A. Fisher, of Opimake. Messrs. P. Dempsey and G. Edkins also took 11, including a nine-pounder, from this spot. Messrs. L. Sleightholme and W. Russell, of Wellington, took 18 fish with the fly between Pangatira Point and the Taupo wharf, the best being a 7\pounder.

BULLER RAILWAY THE OFFICIAL TRANSFER (■O.C.) WESTPORT, Friday In his dual capacity as Minister of Railways and Minister of Works, the Hon.' R. Semple arrived at Westport bv special railcar from Christ-church this afternoon with the Hon. P. C. Webb, M.P. for Buller, and the general manager of railways, Mr. E. Casey, for the handing-over of the WestportInangahua (Buller Gorge) line from the Works Department to the Railway Department. The official party was welcomed at the station by the Mayor, Mr. J. M. Robertson, and the chairman of the Buller County Council, Mr. J. Ward, who congratulated Mr. Semple on having done what previous Governments had been urged to do since 1906. The Westport Municipal Boys' Baud, which will visit Auckland early next year, played marches. Mr. Semple was guest of honour at a civic dinner to-night. The 84 guests included local body members and prominent citizens. Speakers referred to the railway as tho biggest public work Westport had known. The Minister was presented with a silver rose bowl as a memento of the occasion.

The Mayor, who presided, asked the Minister to change the name of the station at Inangahua Junction to "Semplevale," thus placing on record a permanent memorial of his great work in resuming the construction of the railway and carrying it through to completion. Messrs. Semple and Webb will return to Christchurch in time for the races to-morrow. The last .spike in the line was driven by Mr. Semple 011 December 2, 1941, and the line has been used for passengers and goods since then under Works Department control. THEFTS FROM SOLDIERS MAORI SENT TO PRISON Four charges involving the theft of £O, three cigarette cases, a fountain pen and a mirror from the uniforms of soldiers in a dormitory at the Y.M.C.A. 011 the night of November 26 were admitted -bv Wilkio Campbell, aged 21, a Maori soldier, before Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., yesterday. 111 sentencing accused to three months' imprisonment on one charge and convicting and discharging him on the others, the magistrate stated that there was no case for leniency. Accused, who had been before the Court previously, had gone to an institution for servicemen and they were entitled to be protected.