Untitled

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18760, 13 January 1923, Page 13

The kea bird, which is regarded by many as a deadly enemy of sheep and lambs, is not so regarded by everyone. These birds were at one time fairly common .in the Mount Cook district, but they have been shot down considerably. A few were seen by the members of the Tararua Tramping Club during their visit to the Hermitage. They are very amusing birds at times, for they will slide down the snowy roofs On their tails, striking some most laughable and ridiculous attitudes. Although they have such an evil reputation (says an exchange) the guides at Mount Cook, who have been acquainted with them for many years, cannot call to mind ever having seen them attack a sheep or lamb, and they, with ethers, are disposed to regard this belief with n great, deal of suspicion. in spite of the fact that rewards are offered for the destruction of these birds. “The financial screw is being tightened down on some of the hard-up farmers,” remarked a farmer visitor to a Wanganui Herald reporter. The farmer then went on to state that ha knew of some cases in his own district. Cash was more elastic just now, and, knowing that there were persons with good backing on the war path, some of those persons who held the mortgages were anxious to get the strugglers out and let the other fellow in. “And what happens to the unfortunate man who goes out?” queried the reporter. The farmer replied tnat the most of those ho referred to had only been working for a mere existence for a long time past, and although it was hard to walk out, having lost everything, it would be preferable to holding on and still making nothing. A writer in the Wellington Post, referring to the price of butter, says: “Reading in your paper that the price of best grade butter is to be increased by Id per lb, making (ho best brands Is 8d per lb, 1 would be pleased if you would publish the following question: Regarding butter, to bo exported to America from Auckland, 190,000 boxes for £500,000 equals £2 12s 7id a box, £2 12s 7id for 561 b equals 11 l-3d per lb. If Auckland exporters can sell to Americans at 11 l-3d, so that the Americans make a profit of 600,000 dollars, why cannot the butter exporters give the New Zealand people a share of that profit by reducing instead of increasing the price to their own people?” Evaporation daily raises 164 cubic inches of water from the sea and oceans of the world. . . Candidates for admission to the army colleges at Woolwich and Sandhurst have sunk from 600 lwt year to 500 this year.