WELLINGTON AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 8

WELLINGTON AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

(FlOil OUS OWK COEBESrCXDSNT.)

I The seasons pass very quickly, there being i ittle or no respite between The seedtime and harvest on a TFeatlier. farm where agriculture is carried on. I suppose Eastir is about the slackest time in the year, so that workers look for a holiday at that 6cason. For a number of years past there have usually been heavy rains afc this time, so that we have iooked* for Easter floods as almost a, certainty. Whether owing to the continuous rain 9wo have had all through the season, or from some other cause, we have been favoured with nearly perfect wenthet. for the holidays, and as a rule all

farm work has bien at a standstill, mo=-t of the threshing mills and chaffcuttiiur plants shutting down from Thursday until the following Wednesday. One mill owner on Saturday, when I remarked it was a pity to loose such fins weather, replied, "Well, we might have carried on through tha holidays, but soma of the hands would

have gone to the sports or races at all hazards, and their places would have to be filled by farm hand, who also expected to

have enjoyed the holiday, only being regularly employed on the farm they did not cars to press their claims. In. fact, there would be an undercurrent in the cpjr<ion of most of the hands that they were being defrauded in some way or other, co tliat it is better to stop Work altogether, as it is not only while the holidays are on that this spirit is manifest," as very often ii. rankles for a long time. I believe the mill owners take th» right view of this subject of working on holidays, and farmers

I would be well a<K ised if they looked at the matter in the same light. Although after a spell of backward weather, when there conies round a holiday with fine weather, it may socm hard to miss the d^-y's work, still, in the long run, I believe it pa.vs to lose it, as after al 1 a day's work will seldom make a great deal of difference, and can soon be made up, or lost, by the greater or less goodwill the employee puts into his work. If all farmers decided that

it was necessary that there should be no holiday, there would not b& much cause for dissatisfaction ; but when the labourei sees his mates going away to enjoy themselves,

although he may have willingly stayed at his employment, sometimes, perhaps unconsciously, he cannot put the same vim into his work, as he feels that somehow hi> is being "had." If 'the si>ending powers of the people in pleasure are a true criterion of the prosperity of a country, then we must be about the most prosperous community in the world. At ordinary times it is hard to understand how such a 6malL population can keep our trains loaded atf they usually are, but in holiday times it is amazing to see bow every carriage, and a large number of trucks have to be put into requisition to carry th© pleasure-seekers. Horse-racing is the most popular form of pleasure that townspeople favour with their presence. There are a few farmers who support racing clubs, but if it was not for tradespeople we should not see 8000 men and women congregate on a racecourse and speculate £2 a head on rhe gambling machine, as was the ease at Feilding on Easter Monday. The total investments for the two days' racing on that occasion amounted to very nearly £30,000 in a email town of somewhere about ,3000 inhabitants. Besides horse-racing, there have been athletic sports and picnics and garden parties galore, many of them in aid of some special object. Amongst others, ihc Farmers' Union branches of the Eangitikei district he-Id their annual picnic at Westoe. a lovely^spot on the banks of the Bangitikei. This is the old home of the late Sir Wm. Fox, and his works in the shape of forest trees and shrubberies remain to keep us in remembrance of one of the most popular and progressive men among the old pioneers. Mr J. G. Wilson, president of -the union, in his speech at the picnic, paid a graceful tribute to the name of Sir William under the shadow of the trees h& had planted, and also to the late owner of the estate, Mr James Howard, who passed away during the year, and who wae a worthy member of the union. Mr Wilson's further remarks to the members were all in the direction o c persuading his hearers that the union was still a live lion, but he had no srpcial pronouncement as to future proceeding, except that arrangements had been made with a company to give the union a reduction of 25 per cent, in the accident Tatos for farm hands. The name of the company was not mentioned.

A large sale of flax land is reported, Messrs A. and L. Seifert, acting for Property a Palmerston North local Salei. syndicate, having purchased 3000 acres of the Makerua Swamp at a very high figure. The property is perhaps one of the finest for producing flax in the colony.

Mr F. Lethbridge, M.H.R., has also sold his- estate at Makino to another syndicate, wliich intends to cut it up into small far/ns. I am giad to say that Mr Lethbridge has reserved his beautiful homestead, so that lie is not going to leave Feilding, where he lived before there were any houses in the town.

There appears to be some inquiry for sheep country, and one or two large sales are now ponding.

At the monthly committee meeting of this association, held last week, Manairalu a long day's business was A. and P. transacted, and when trainA^sociafUn. time came round there was

still a large balance of the business on the order paper, and this it was Te&olvfid to hold over until next meeting. One matter that was discussed at considerable length had reference to an alleged improper practice in exhibiting, with the result that it was resolved — "That the secretary writg to the alleged culprit and inform, him. that it is reported that at the Noi ember ahow of 1902 he exhibited a sheep belonging to another in his own name, and ask him, if such is a fact, to show cause why rules 32 and S3, dealing with such alleged improper practice, should not be enforced." It is understood that the belated evidence in this case of alleged improper practices came out when the question of altering the rules so as to admit unregistered sheep to be exhibited was being discussed. It is disquieting to see how an action of this kind, alleged to have been perpetrated three years ago, could be kept a secret until brought forward as an argument in fax'our of altoring a rulf. I may state that the rules have not been altered, and that only feheep Or cattle that are entered in flock or herd books are eligible to be entered fox exhibition. Another (jues-

tion that came before, the committee was ths debatable one as to whether it would be advisable to prohibit "trimming" in-all^the sheep classes, a recommendation to that end - having been brought down by the Sheep Committee for consideration. During the last six months there^ has«been_a' w*rm -discussion going on in' the agricultural columns of the Australian press on this vexed subject, more particularly by ..breeders of Shropshire sheep. Much has- been said \oa both sides as to the utility of 'the practice of trimming, or, as some term it, /faking." The greatest objection; I see to prohibitiolii is the almost inability of any society to enforce its enactments. To • begin, with, it is very hard to draw any particular line* so as to define what trimming really means. Those who practise the game become such adepts at it that they can deceive the best judges ; so that in a great measure ii> would have to be left to the honour of the exhibitor whether he refrained from using the shears or no. Members of the* committee appear to have been very divided, some contending that if "trimming" were prohibited the" society would lose a considerable number of entries, while others were inclined to the opposite belief. Others thought it was not fair to spring such a surprise on exhibitors ~hy carrying the proposal into effect. It would be betfrer,to postpone consideration of the subject,, seeing it is so late in the year, and let matters go on as they are. fpr another year. However, the reform party earned - the following resolution: — "That 'trimming ' be prohibited in the Romney classes only this year, pending a circular letter being sent to all other breeders and; associations . » and _ obtain their' opinion regarding trimming at shows, and on receipt of replies the matter be considered by the Sheep .Schedule Committee, and report to this committee." 'Tis a pity that any one single breed should have been; singled out for the experiment of prohibition. Better to have waited for replies to the proposed circular letter tha;fc is to be sent out, and then let' all breeds come under the same rules. To confine prohition to Romney was invidious, * and has already raised some correspondence in the local press, so that we have not heard the last on the subject. ANTIQUA OVIS. -