STRAY STRAWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1354, 10 February 1898, Page 6

STRAY STRAWS.

Students are now being enrolled, for the current year at the Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln.

The homestead at Mangatarata, Mr Spencer Gollan’s estate in Hawke’s Bay, was totally destroyed by fire a couple of nights ago.

The continuous drought is injuriously affecting many of the plantations in the Ashburton county, dead and decaying trees now appearing in most of them.

A large area of land in Raetihi village, Wanganui county, and Taihape village, Rangitikei county, has been set apart for lease as village homestead allotments.

During last year the export of butter from New Plymouth and Waitara amounted to the respectable total of 51,00dcwt, valued at over .£200,000.

At the Palmerston North ram fair the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency .Company sold one of Mr J. B. Sutton’s Lincoln rams to Messrs L. and R. Bremer, of Waverley, for the high price ot - 160 guineas.

Mrs Jesson, of the Harewood road, Canterbury, has some 5000 silkworms, and recently sent to the President of the Industrial Association at Christchurch an interesting sample of their produce.

The ordinary parade of the Wellington Guards took place last week at the Garrison Hall. In the absence of Lieutenant Harcourt through illness, Lieutenant McDonald (of the Kelburne Rifles! was in command.

An unusually large number of trucks of sheep were brought down the WellingtonManawatu Company’s line by the express last Friday, and the train was 20 minutes late in consequence.

A meeting of the council of the New Zealand Flock Book Association was held at Palmerston North on Wednesday. The second volume is now published. No entries will in future be taken except from flocks already registered, or of imported sheep.

The Dunedin Fanciers’ Club, at its annual meeting, unanimously resolved, on the motion of Mr S. S. Myers, the president, “ That it be an instruction to the incoming committee to authorise the secretary to communicate with the various societies in the United States of America with a view to getting in; formation as to the card system of judging.

The settlers of the Ardgowan estate, Oamaru, are preparing a petition for submission to the Minister of Lands, in which it is set forth that since the earliest months m spring there has not been sufficient ram to keep the grass going, and the land, even now in the summer months, will not carry one half and in most cases one-quarter, the stock it should do; whilst the outlook for the winter months is bad, and the price of stock of all descriptions is frightfully low in consequence. Those of them who have been dopening on the dairy factory find that owing to the want of grass and water, their income from this source is not one-half or what it was last year. The early potato crop on the estato is practically a failure, and it is feared that even if rain came it would be too late to save the late potato crops, &c. The petition concludes: -In view of the mercitul treatment accorded to the pastoral tenants on the occasion of the late snow storm, your petitioners feel confident that some clemency will be extended to them on consideration of the facts set out. We will have practically nothin? to provi le for the rent comm* due in July next, and would suggost that any concession that may be made be directed towards lessening the burden of that payment. *

A quiet, unassuming, but deeply-enthusi-man. died on Thursday morning at 2 o’clock. We refer to Mr Alexander Henderson, Government Poultry Expert, who succumbed to pleurisy, supervening on influenza. The late Mr Henderson, win was 49 years of age, and who had resided m the colony about 30 years, was at one time in the service of the Bank of New Zealand, and was stationed alternately at Oamaru, Milton and Blenheim. He was also in business on his own account at Milton tor a time. In 1883 he joined the Govern--1 ment Railway Department as a draughtsman, I and continued in that capacity until he was appointed as Poultry Expert under the Agricultural Department. Always a keen fancier and a believer in poultry-raising as a lucrative pursuit, Mr Henderson conducted experiments at the Wellington and Porirua Asylums prior to his appointment, since when he has done a great deal of work ad over the colony—by means of lectures and the distribution of eggs, &c-the value of which has been widely recognised. He has not been in robust health for some time, but hi* death came as a great shook to his many friends. He leaves a wife and a family of six to mourn their loss. The funeral of the deceased took place on Saturday, representatives of the different Government departments and a large number of friends of the deceased being present. A short service was first held at St. Joseph’s Church, Buckle street, and the body was interred at the Karori Cemetery, the Rev Father Ainsworth officiating at both places.

Messrs Finn, Chisholm and Co., as agents, are sending 200 tons of cheese by the Morayshire, which left for London on Saturday. Ten tons of cheese will be shipped from the Greytown Cheese Factary.

It has been decided to ho’d the Masfcerton Agricultural and Pastoral Society's next showon Wednesday, 23rd instant, and it is stated that it will be the largest Autumn Show in New Zealand. Money prizes to the extent of .£SOO are to be offered as an inducement to exhibitors. The Society is having a grandstand erected on its beautiful grounds, which are also being improved in other respects.

The Feilding Borough Council recently wrote to the authorities urging that a property containing 2G73 acres, owned by Mr Pharazyn, and adjacent to the oownship, should be taken over under the Lands for Settlement Act and cut up into small holdings. The Lauds Department, m reply, asked if the owner was willing to sell, and suggested that if he were so disposed an offer should be made to the Government.

The Queensland Stock Department is conducting extensive experiments in inoculating cattle against ticks. The experiments were highly successful on one station in an infested area. Over 4000 animals were treated, and very few died. The balance are healthy and in fine condition. Previous to treatment the mortality was heavy.

The Intercolonial Conference of Ministers of Agriculture held at Melbourne, considered the reports of experts who have been conducting experiments, inoculating cattle against the tick pest. The evidence points to the fact that the injection of blood from a lejovered animal into the healthy cattle which have never been in contact with the ticks or tick infected pastures thoroughly protects them from the fever when placed in contact with infected cattle. It is admitted that knowledge on the subject is not sufficiently ripe to warrant recommending New South Wales cattle owners to inoculate all young cattle as a precaution against the extension of ticks southward.