LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1437, 7 June 1879, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

That the Colony of New Zealand produces gome of the finest meat ia the world has been repeatedly pr rved, and another instance of the fact presented itself on the 30th ult., when Mr Forsytb, shipping butcher at Port Chalmers, displayed a bullock weighing no less than 15001b. The animal, which was bred by Mr J. Boag of Canterbury, was a known prize-taker, having secured firat honours at the last Agricultural Show at Christchurch, second honours at; Dunedin, and firat at the recent Palmerston Show.

The rapidity with whioh rabbits are spread* ing on the runs between the Teviot and Clyde is, we are informed by a gentleman who haa recently travelled over the country' in question, almost beyond belief, except to those who are eye-witnesses of Iheir vast increase. Our informant states that he was perfectly astonished at tbe droves of rabbits which he encountered ia the country on the vreat bank of the Clutha River, between the Teviot and Alexandra. Their evil presence haa extended right up to Messrs Strode and Eraser's Earns* cleugh station, in the Dunstaa district, and we understand that on this run alone 46,000 were killed during three months _ of the present year ; while on another run, in the neighbourhood of Alexandra, 40,000 were killed last year, and 60,000 the year preceding. There can be no doubt that the evil haa become one of very grave import in the portion of Otago above alluded to, as well as in Southland ; and the expenditure involved in the endeavour to keep it in check is a very serious item in the annual expenses of the runholders. The employment of a number of professional rabbiters with dogs and guns seems to be the most effective means of keeping the varmin in check. On one of the runs above alluded to a large number of traps were procured and set, but the result was nob satisfactory, for in addition to the rabbits which were caught, an inspection of the traps showed that a number of Maori hens and wild cats— the natural enemies of the rabbits— had also been captured, and this mode of destruction was therefore given pp. The Maori hen, or weka, is a most determined enemy of bunny, and vigorously attacks and destroys both old and young. The wild cats also prove of good service, and on some of the runs litters of kittens are regularly turned loosa to join their wild confreres, and in due course take part in the work of destruction.

At the last meeting of the Southland Waste Lands Board, on the motion of Mr Lumsden, it was decided to call the attention of the Chief Surveyor to the advisability of Ihavjng: several runs surveyed, with a view to offering them on the deferred-payment system.

Ten acres of land in Port Levy district, near Akaroa, have just been cleared of an extraordinary crop of mangolds. The yield is 80 tons to an acre. W. Payne, stockman to Messrs M'Lean and Co., Woikato, has brought from Australia a yearling Hereford bull, said to be the finest b"U ever brought to New Zealand. He bas sold the whole of the New Zealand stock which ha took to exhibit at the Sydaey Metropolitan Show, at high pricos.

. The hop-picking season at some of the gardens having closed, the labourers were paid off the 2nd Adhl, and arrived at New Norfolk the aame evening. The 1 ! whole body, consisting of about 500 persona, were brought bank to the city yesterday, by the steamship -Monarch, whioh arrived aloßgsid.e of the Brook street pier at

one o'clock in the afternoon. There was a large concourse of relatives and acquaintances of the passengers awaiting the arrival ?f the iteamejrft 5 the unfortunate oreituresmost intimately] oonsj neoted with the dark side of city liffbeing pra-^ aent in large numbers. k "As the" Bteamer"eam« alongside of the wharf the scene was very saggestire. The moat fitting wordr.to deicnbe the heterogeneous company of mankind aboard the vessel and on the wharf are, perhaps,, a,. conjv ; centration of Ignorance, orime, vice, dissipation, improvidence, and poverty. Strongly developed evidences of the existence of theee oharabterii' tics were to be found in the faces of the majorito of the piokerß. The Bcene would have proved 4S an almost inexhaustible theme for the physiognomist, the moralist, and the divine. ' Am'6xji2? ; £ the arrivals were representatives of every age, from the toddling child of innocence to the fourscore veteran. Several of the hop-pioken arrived in a helpless state of intoxication,- two young women in particular being in «n almost insensible condition. The costumes of the motley crowd, and especially those of the women, were in many oases a disgrace to the wearers. We learned at the watch house last night," that the two young women referred to, named respectively Martha Coleman and Isabella Ward were taken charge of by th« police, and by order of Dr Hall, had been removed to the hospital, as they could not speak or move. They are described as being unmarried, and having no settled place of abode. — Hobart Town Mer« oury. A correspondent of The Witniss recently expressed a desire for information regarding oitrich-f arming, which at the time we could not supply. We, perceive that this industry bag been very successful at the Cape of Good Hope. We extract the following remarks upon Cape OBtrioh-f arming from the Mark Lane Express : — " Ostrich-farming continues to receive a large share of attention throughout Cape Colony, and the weekly sales have been liberally supplied I with feathers. A decline occurred early in November, owing to the fall at Home ; but during the few succeeding weeks, though prices have ruled very irregjilarly, they have not fuffered to any appreciable extent. Among th# large quantity offered the superior classes have been well represented, though the proportion of pluokinga from young birds and the inferior grades of drabs and flacks have been- vejrjr large. Good whitis, ,M)dip white, teUsajid^lhe better description of blacks/ remain in * fairly* active demand, and for other classes the competition remains' unchanged. Whites vary from £7 10 a: for inferior to £40. for prime white* per lb. At Clifford'! Camp a sale of birds has been held, and 20 or SO pairs sold at from £70 to £200 a pair. Thirteen ehiokeni brought £128 10s. The export of ostrich feathers during the quarter recently ended has been £157,77 VaV against £90,910 in the corresponding periowof* l 1877." • - ". r.' "I >.3W, New Zealand (sayi the Auckland News) if steadily commanding inoreased attention on the part of the people at Home. For several months the well-known engineering firm of Messrs J. Fowler hud' Co, of Leedß,vhas had a-repreaeafi tative travelling in New Zealand, endeavouring to introduce, the steam cultivating machinery made by them. Mr W. M. Noakes is the gen. tleman's name. After , having . travelled}, tb,<L, southern , provinces, he , has c.oiae,, on"Jtp,As9jfe£ing tackle made, by this firm is of irarious aiaes^ and can be made 1 to cultivate the soil from thrb'a inches to two feet and a half ia depth"'. ■ sets of this tackle have been introduced intd^haT provinces of Canterbury' and. Qiagoj and we) doubt not that some of our large farmers will show an equal degree of enterprise as their aouthern friendi .. ',v, v