AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2206, 11 June 1896, Page 14

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

The Mataura Busign understands that Mr Rjbbins, the dairy expert, who recently left for the United States, intfn's to study fruit-grow-ing and fruit-dsying, &/>., nud then return to the colony to take up land in Central Ofcago. The Gear Meab Company, Wellington, will

pay an interim dividend for the half-year at the rate of 10 per cent, per annum. The Christchurch City Council have resolved to call a conference of local bodies around Chris' church for the purpose of foriniug » dairy district uuder the Public Health Acb Amendment Acb, the object being the regulation of the milk supply. Taieri milk suppliers will, says the Advocate, be pleased to learn thab the Taieri and Peninsula Milk Supply Co. are this month giving 4^d per gallon for milk to their shareholders, taking 10-Mb to the gallon. From nou-sb • r.'h«ldera they require lllb to the gallon. TJ c milk is tested, and payment made according to the butter fat it contain?, and, as the cows are now being winter fed, the milk is all of rich quality. The benefit of having such an enterprising company in this duti-tab is very large, and »s shareholding mUlf suppliers get such « direct benefit, Wa should initgiue th.tt the suppoctsis of the compauj w 11 k^eu increasing iv number. Speaking ol a petroleum engine reminds me (writes the Ophic convs^ondeat of the Duustan Tim-s) that, though I have not yet Seen it, I hear the one Mr Sheppard put up recently on hia farm at Lauder gives every satisfaction, and performs everything claimed for it. Would it not bs worth the while of one of our local threshing mill owners to invest in a petroleum traction engine before next season p W&aL a big inducement it would be to the farmers to employ a mill with an ab3olute immunity of risk of fire from the engine.