LOCAL A. AND P. NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2735, 15 August 1906, Page 19

LOCAL A. AND P. NEWS.

In view of the 4 Otago Agricultural and Pastoral' Association's forthcoming summer show a number of* improvements are being effected at Tahuna Park. On a visit to the ground one notices particularly that the loading-bank is being extended and the stall accommodation increased. These aro improvements that exhibitors •will appreciate. ■ At the ( company's offices in Crawford street the board room has been made twice, its original size, and now forms % very convenient room for meetings. Ifc is understood that the woolbrokers will use this room for their sales. Before Mr G. Cruickshank, S.M., at Gore on Thursday Mr Taylor, stock inspector, secured convictions in a number of charges of exposing sheep infected with lice. E. J. Cameron, Mataura, for exposing liceaffected sheep at Mataura Saleyards, was fined 20s and costs (28s) ; John Fisken. Chatton, for exposing lousy sheep at Gore Saleyards, was fined 10s and costs (31s) ; Joseph Cooper, Wendon, for exposing lousy sheep at Riversdale Saleyards, was fined 10s and costs (225); Smith Bros.. Charlton, for expo6ing lousy sheep at Gore Saleyards, was fined 10s and costs (31s); Davidson and Newell,, Wendon, for exposing lousy sheep at Riversdale Saleyards, were fined 10s and costs (355). The Oamaru Mail states that the chairman of the Land Purchase Board and his party were to vieit the Airedale property between Enfield and Papakaio, on Wednesday for the purpose of ascertaining its suitability for resumption under the Land for Settlements Act. The property, which Messrs Hunter and Cameron have placed under offer for the purpose mentioned, has an area of 2600. acres, and consists of good agricultural- land, which is at present running about 5000 cheep. The estate is said i to be a remarkably fine one. The Oamaru Mail states that Mr Barron (chairman of the Land Purchase Board), i and Messrs D. Barron and A. M'Kerrow (members of tho Otago Land Purchase Board), Mr Kensington (Under-secr^tary fos. Lands), and Mr G. Livingstons (a member of the Otago Land Board) are favourably impressed with Hille's property at Kurow, and it is probable that their recommendation will lead to business between Mr Logan (the present owner) and the Government. The party did not visit Otokaiko, as thoy and the Government are quite eatiifkd that ' the property is in every way suitable for settlement, the obstacle being the " big house," which tho. Government coiimc'.cis would be a white elephant of no small proportions. Tho suggestion is made that the deadlock might be overcome by 2id per I acre being put on to the prices of the sections. Tins would moet tho .expense of tho building, and the mis.gi\ings of the Government in the matter vsoukl bo overcome. Our contemporary is assured that none of- those who draw sections would object to tin's arrangement, a^jd though perhaps a rather indirect way out of the difficulty it presents at least one chance for a satisfactory solution of a problem which | has been causing th« Government no small amount of anxiety. Early lambs are beginning to make their appearance in the Tuapeka district. Mr John Galbraith found a mi 111 bo r among his flock last week, and a remarkable circumstance in connection wiili their advent was that half thoir number was black. ' The Palmerston Times states that the Land Purchase Commissioners (M<?»»rs A. Barron and A. M'Kerrow) and the Crown Lands Commissioner of Otago (Mr D. Barron) commenced an inspection of Mount Royal and Meadowbank Estates on Thursday with a view to their lesumption for closer settlement purposes. Tho Cluth* Leader learns that the- owner of a fairly large and first-class property in the Clutha district, whose name has not yet been mentioned in connection with tho cutting-up process, has stated definitely that he would not bo averse to di.«po>ing of his estate to the Government for clo.-e *»ettl<ment. The Gore Standard understands that th« Southland Farmers' Co-operative Association has had a very successful year, the profit approximating about £2000. practically all of which was derived through the operations of the two Gore branches of the business. Throughout the Tokomairiro district (says the Milton Mirror) farming work is, with few exceptions, considerably backward. There still remains a large amount of ploughing to be done, and this applies particularly to the south end of the Plain, and unless the weather improves there is every chance of sowing operations being again very late. The fortunate few are, however, already preparing the ground for the seed. Owing to the wet atat-e of the ground, sheep on turnips have not thrived as well as usual, and the fact that there arc fewer sheep on the Plain this year will tend to make the winter feed, which is not as plentiful a 3 in paßt years, last until "next grass." The North Otago Times says: — An Awamoko farmer related to a member of our staff tho damago that dogs were doing amongst sheep in tho district. He instanced Mr E. Frickei', who had a dozen worried by dogs tho other night. Other farmers in the neighbourhood of Georgetown have bad from thrco to six worried. The farmer says that dogs are nightly on the prowl, and jonce they take to thi3 business their destruction is the only safe remedy for the sheep farmer. A couple of dogs will do an infinite amount of damage in a very short time. At the annual meeting of the Wallace A. and P. Association a committee was appointed with » view to purchasing a gmt-

able piece of ground near Thornbury to hold the shows in. Subsequently a deputation from the Wallace C.A. Board waited on the association with a request that -they should transfer the old show grounds, adjoining the hospital, to the board. ThG area, 3a 3r, was too small for show purposes, and the land had been a Government grant. Mr Hackworth moved that the association take steps to have the »and transferred to the board. He said it was an act of grace on the society's part to hand it over to the board, as the ground was too small for show purposes. The motion was seconded by Mr Foster, and carried. For the financial year ended March 31 the Taieri County Council expended £61 Is 7d on the destruction of small birds. The annual meeting of the Gore A. and P. Association was held on Wednesday last, there being an attendance of some 45 members. Mr C. Cooper (president) occupied the chair. The report stated: — Your committee have again to congratulate members upon the close of a very successful financial year, the balance sheet showing a statement of affairs conbiderabjy in advance of previous jcars. The raising of the members' fee to £1 has proved itself to be a great success, the amount taken in members' fees being £178, as against £119 3s scl for last >ear. The receipts (including a balance from the previous year of £152 7s lid) amounted to £793 16s 7cl. After all outstanding accounts are paid there is a credit of £224 14s 4d. The report and balance sheet were adopted. The following office-bearers were elected for the coming year: — President, Mr H. M'lntyre; vice-presidents, Messrs J. Clouston and J. Waddell ; treasurer, Mr W. Macara (reelected); auditors. Messrs Brett and Wise (re-elected) ; committee — Messrs C Cooper, T. .Heron. T. Tclfer, S. G. Inder, A. H. Sim. J. dimming. W. J. Johnston, A. Dickie, and A. Mathieson. — Mr J. D. Hunter mo*ed— "That it be a recommendation to the committee t oconsider the advisab'eness of erecting a grand stand." The motion was carried. The annual meeting of the Western District A. and P. Association was held at Thorrbury on the 2nd inst.. Mr John M'lntyre (president) in the chair. The report having been road by the secretary, Mr V. R. Htickworth (hon. treasurer) submitted the balance sheet, which showed that the financial position of the association was in a healthy condition, there being a balance in hand of £205 4s 4d. On being put to the meeting the report and balance sheet were adopted. — The following officebearers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Mr J. B. M'Lean, jun. ; vicepresident, Mr Chas. Haywood ; auditors. Messrs J. R. Mills and Goo. Robertson (reflected) ; treasuicr, Mr V. R. Hackworth (re-elected) ; committee — Messrs A. E. Willott. C. Foster. W. Hopcioft, R. Officer, W. Officer. Jno. Hamilton, G. Anderson, A. Weir, T. B. M'lntyre, F. J. Linscott, A. Blakio, jun.. D. Te\iotdale, Jno. Plavfair, R. Foster. Ja*. Hamilton, M. Fallow, F. M'Kay. Jno. M'Naughton, Jno. S. Brown, iun.. J. Enan, A. Hall, and B. Hancock.— It was ro«olved that the next show be held at Thornbury on the Wednesday previous to the Inyercargill show. — A committee was appointed with a view to purchasing a suitable piece of ground near Thornbury to hold the annual show. Several district farmers who appeared at ihe Gore Court on Thursday last (says the Standard) ha\e good grounds for complaint in having to pay legal fees for pleading guilty to the heinous offence of exposing lousy heep for sale. In these trivial breaches of the Stock Act it is monstrous that offenders should be sadd'ed in ea-ses in which they pload guilty with legal costs. Departmental officers fchould be competent ■enough to conduct undefended prosecutions of this nature. The law is quite severe enough without the additional £1 Is legal fee penalty. A threshing mill proprietor in the Western District states that with very few exceptions this year's yields on farms on which he has threshed for some seasons now, are very much below previous averages. Among the exceptions was a small paddock of Gartons in the A parima District, which threshed out 120 bushels; the whole farm averaging over 70 bushels to the acre after the farmer taking his chaff for tho year out of it. — Winton Record. The Gibbston correspondent of the Lake County Press writes:— On account of the frost all farm work is at a standstill. Should the. spring be an eaily one, the fanners will be able to take advantage of it. as tho ploughing is nearly finished. There arc a good jnany lambs bhowing on Messrs Kin-i-o**'^ and A. Scott's farms — the earlieet I have hoard of in the district. The Rough Ridge correspondent of the Mount Ida Chronicle reports: — Stock are not looking fo well as tho open winter would lead one to expect, cheep especially being a bit low in condition. However, it all depends on the spring we get whether the death-rate will be high or low. If thefrosts hang on till the end of tho present month, as they sometimes do, sheep suffer severely: if, on the other hand, the weather io at all congenial, they hold their own fairly well.