LOCAL A. AND P. NEWS

Otago Witness, Issue 2784, 24 July 1907, Page 20

LOCAL A. AND P. NEWS

The Otautau Standard has been informed jMt a. well-known farmer and contractor not 100 miles from Otautau was seen cutting what looked like a nice crop of dun oats on Saturday, 6th inst. Whether the said farmer has made or lost a season the journal is unable- to say.

A committee meeting of, the Taieri Agricultural Society was held on the 11th inst., Mr Charles Findlay (president) in the chair. Before proceeding with the ordi-nary-business the. President ' moved — "That letfcereA.idf sympathy l>e forwarded to the widow and father of the late Mr J. W. C. Craig, who had' been a member of the committee up to the time of ,iS& death. Seconded by Mr Patrick. As' a mark of respect the members stood while the motion was carried. — Mr James Gow wrote tendering his resignation. He- had been a member for many years, and considered he was now standing in the way of a younger and more energetio man. The President said the committee could ill afford to lose Mr Gow's cervices. It was resolved to ask Mr Gow to reconsider his decision. A similar consm.unication was received from Mr Andrew Todd. The committee considering Mr Todd a valuable member they cesolved t>> write him to reconsider his decision. — The sum of £5 was received from the Otago A. and P. Society, prize won at the Dunedin winter show. — Office-bearers for tho ensuing year were nominated, to be balloted for at Outram on July 30.— A draft of the order paper *or the Agricultural Conference- to be held in Wellington on July 30 was read. It was decided- to ask the society's delegate to oppose tie following clauses:— Clause 13 (by Otago).— "That the Government be asked to assist in the importation of stud stock under approved arrangements when the importer would be bound to give the services of the animal to a specified number of females in the district at a price to be fixed by the Government." Clause 14 (by Southland).— "That the Government be asked to frame regulations in order to prevent the export from this colony of inferior stud stock _by a system of grading or otherwise, in view of the fact that the reputation of the colony has suffered in the past in consequence of inferior animals having been, exported as etude." Clause 25 (by Ashburton, Wanganui, and Egmont). — "That the question of setting up special committees to arrange dates for agricultural shows throughout the colony — one for each island — be considered."

The annual meeting of the Wallace A. and P. Association was held on the 12th wet. There were- about 50 members present, and the president (Mr Jamt« King) occupied the chair. The report presented by the president indicated the- principal work which had been done for the year, and the balance sheet sh*;red a healthy state of finance. The eociefcy started the year with an overdraft of £105, and wound up with an overdraft of £160. but bad improved its property by £120, and had assets and material oh hand besides, equal to another £40. In round figures the society is £160 better off than 12 months ago. The annual show and horse parade had been successful, and it has now been decided to make a ram fair one of the annual fixtures of the society. The report and balance sheet were adopted. — It was decided not to hold a winder show this year. — The following office-bearers were elected for the- ensuing year: — President, Mr Joseph Swap ; vice-president, Mr T. A Buckingham ; treasurer, Mr M'Laren ; auditor, Mr Fisher; committee — Messrs John Lindsay, James King-, James Ryan, James Salton, Alfred Duncan, A. Cochrane, and R. Oupples, jun. — A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr King, the retiring president, for his services to the society. The Drummond correspondent of the Southland News writes:— The weather here has, for the most part, been very gocd for winter. Feed is very plentiful, and t<he turnips are holding out much better than was at one time expeoted. There will not bo any shortage of feed unless something very rough in the shape of a bad spring or a late summer happens. But the general opinion is that Southland is in for a cycle of good seasons. About tha usual area will be sown with grain crop during the- coming season. Farmers have done well in the past year, what with good prices for wool, fat sheep and lambs, and now, more particularly, oats, which are- bringing gocd prices — viz., 2s 9d o. t. at stations. The district is fairly well stocked with sheep, but a good proportion ha 6 been going, and is still going, to the works, which is easing the feed to a considerable extent.

Messrs James Caird and .T. H. Johnston, a Wyndham firm of flaxmillcrs, have (the Farmer reports) acquired flaxcutting rights on the Clydevale Estate, Clutha district", over an area, of 20.000 aerca. Mr Caird says there is a splendid lot of blade in sight, and the cutting will extend over three years. The firm intend erecting a mill on the banks of the Pomahaka Stream, and will start operations in the course of. a few woeks. The fibre will be conveyed by steamer down the Molyneux to Balclutha. Mr Caird will superintend the venture. Mr Johnston remaining in charge at the Wyudham mill. The Steward Settlement is not standing the long spell of dry weather, and the various holdings appear as miniature deserts, there being a tctal absence of growth everywhere. Some of the <=ettlers are preparing the gi'ound for crop, but the area already sown in tho settlement is not large. * fortunate circumstance for the stock of the new settlers lies in the fact that not many stocked heavily, while others did not out «heep on their holding-3. .Those who bought sheep in large numbers have been forced to take, them off the land, thus the number of sheep to be seen on the farms is small indeed. It is a vcrv unfortunate year for the beginners. — North Otago Times

At the Magistrate's Court, Lawrence, on the 15th inst., before Mr Cruickshank. S.M.. Thomas Davidson pleaded " Guilty " to exposing 180 sheep for sale at Waitahuna which wero affected with lice. It appeared from the statement of the facts that tho sheep had juet come into the defendant's possession, and that he waa unaware of their condition at the time. A fine of 30s and 7s costs was import!.

The following items are from last Thursday's Southland News: — Transactions in farm lands in Southland have been very nuxneroufl lately— in fact, the activity is x>Tol»bly unprecedented. Properties in all

parts of the district nave changed hands at enhanced prices, and many other sales are in process of negotiation. — The quantity of grain that has passed over the Southland railways this .season to date totals 38*.,984 saciks. a^ asainA 267.042 for the corresponding period of last year. During the week ended Saturday 4979 sacks were conveyed to ship qs store, or 200 more than the previpus week. A special meetingfW the Southland Land Board was held on Thursday last, the following members -being present : — Messrs A. Kinross (in the chair), J. M'lntyre, and J. M'Lean. The principal business was the consideration of an application from. Peter M'Kenzie, whose lease of section 1, block I. Kingston S.D., had been forfeited, and who desired a rehearing of the matter. The forfeiture was due to non-residence and to the area not being occupied exclusively for his own use and benefit. — Mr Evans ap--peaied for the applicant, and, after hearing what he had to say, the board found that justice did not require that a rehearing should b© granted; therefore the application was refused. The annual meeting of the iTiornbury "Dairy Factory Company was held on the ISthinst.. when between 30 and 40 shareholders were present. Mr C. H. Foster presided. The annual report of the directors was read by the secretary, from which the following extracts are taken: — The milk supply, very early in. the season, increased to such an extent that we were obliged to provide another vat, which gives us a holding capacity of 1500 gallons, which leaves us room for 500 gallons more than we dealt with last season. We have manufactured 78 ton 9of cheese (all first-grade), for which we have received the sum of £4231 Is 9d. and we have paid to suppliers the sum of £3426 10s Id, leaving a credit balance of £804 lls Bd. After deducting from that sum the cost of manufacture and other expenses, we have left as a balance to profit and loss account a sum of £325 10? lOd, which your directors propose to deal with as follows: — Setting aside £70 as a depreciation fund, a provision we are bound to make, but were not in a position to do so up till now. Also we propose to devote the sum of £41 9s as the nucleus of a reserve fund for possible contingencies; the remaining sum of £214 Is 4d to be divided among all supplying shareholders on a pro rata basis of 3s 4d per lb of butter-fat. To make our financial position plain and intelligible to shareholders, it gives us great pleasure to fee able to 6ay that we started the year on October 1, 19r6 with a debt in the *hape of an overdraft at the bank of £399 18s 2d. As you are aware, we added considerably to our building, and installed the plant and machinery required for converting into a cheese factory. We have paid suppliers Is tier lb butter-fat, with another 3d per lb due. We have set aside £111 9s as reserve and depreciation funds, and +o-day our total debt is £396 19s sd, against which we have an asset in the shape of uncalled capital on shares amounting to £288 16s sd, which position we consider ought to be_ a source of satisfaction to all connected with the company. The report was favourably r-eoeived. Messrp Heywood and M'Lean. the two retiring directors, were re-elected, and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman. A Redcliff correspondent writes as follows to the North Otago Times: Though we have had bad seasons in the past, the one we are now going through is the most severe by far. The country looks very bad, and the scarcity of grass is telling its tale on stock of all kinds. The absence of feed and the scarcity of water mean a serious loss to stock-owners. Those who are cropping are in an equally bad way. Much of the wheat sown a couple of months ago is not yet through the ground, and the crops that have sprouted are not looking at all well. Altogether, the southernmost part of Canterbury never presented such an appearance before. While rain is wanted so badly, it would mean a heavy mortality to stock were a heavy burst of hand, if we do not experience good rains cold, broken weather to come ; ,on the other stock will be slowly starved to death. Stock-owners are therefore between two gruesome evils, and of these it is difficult to tell which is the less. If rain does not come soon farmers will be deprived of their wheat harvest, and the ground will have to be resown with oats. The Fairfax correspondent; of the Western Star writes: — Although July is looked upon as being the coldest month, it is this year marvellous in the abundance of feed that is everywhere seen for stock, accountable, no doubt, to the absence of severe frosts. Sheep on turnips with a run off are very healthy, and *he usual percentage of deaths amoncrst hoggets is %'cry small. It is very noticeable this year how early hoggets are losing their teeth, and unless a green blade or sliced swede are provided for them they will fare badly. It is a'.eo patent in many instances the "splendid fleeces hoggets just off turnips carry, plainly showing that better attention Is gnen to breeding with rams of the right forr, the Romney cress lambs coming tery much r-> the front both with constitution and fleece, with the Lincoln Leicester -oming next. Amonj the many thousands of lambs this year fattened in Southland therr- are very fewdeaths recorded, plainly showina; the improvement in sheep constitutionally. Al- . though hoggets at last Otautau sale were back from Is to 2s. yet ewes and wethers maintained their former price, and very saleable at from 19s to 21s for ewes and 16s to 22s for wethers, at which prices j they will no doubt continue till shearing, as wool is still maintaining very payable prices ; and with such a favourable season for stock on turnips sheep may be expected to come out of the wool well and shear heavy fleeces. The different dairy factories are now renovating their machinery in preparation for an early commencement in October. The directors of the Otautau factory are securing as many milk suppliers as possible. In view of an increased supply an addition is being made to the factory. Wh*t must be very pleasing to the suppliers is the success attained by the directors in paying off a very considerable amount of their liability, and they expect to pay l{d per lb bufter-fat as bonus. On account of the acreage brought under the plough being this year limited, horses are not up to their usual prices at this season of the year. Of course, youfh and quality will

always maintain payable prices, particularly breed ing marfe and fillips of gocd | quaiitv and breeding. It is universally remarked thai both ploughing matchrs and *h.»',\s aro on the wane. Tho matches juvt pa--od do not chow such bfinpc the m«c, «■* tb* cntli'itiasm is ta'ion up byEl! t! <> youths bred an^l reared on farms, and the iartlicQinuwc shows %:il be more

keenly contested than ever. Chaff is at a very prohibitive price, and many are cutting straw. Oats^are also good property at 2s lOd, and considering that stocks are not on hand, and those that are are very limited, cereals of all kinds may be expected to open out "well the ensuing season.

The schedule of prizes for the North Otago A. and P. Association's forthcoming annual show, which is now being printed, contains the following noticeable alterations: — In class thoroughbreds the prizemoney for the entire horse (three years) has been, increased to sgs, as has also the -prize for the hackney stallion (three yeare), and the thoroughbred dry mare, which is raised to 3gs. The prizes in all thtf jumping contests have been substantially increased, being now sgs, 3gs, and 2gs, and the height limit of between 14£ and 15s hands in the Mounted Rifle horse class has been removed. The "wrestling on horseback competition," confined to the first day and to members of Volunteer corps, has had "go-as-you-please" conditions added, and a similar competition has been added to the second day's programme, which, however, 'is open to all-Comers. ' A new competition will be "Twos over hurdles, members 'of any Volunteer corps in. uniform; prizes, 2gs and lg." To the ponies class have been added two competitions: a pony, between 12 and 13£ hands, shown in harness, and a trotting contest for ponies under 13 hands, substantial prizes in each case being given. In cattle, the growing importance, of the shorthorn class has been recognised by the committee, who have co altered it as to make it similar to what the Ayrshire class has been in past years. The sheep and dog sections have not been altered. Black Devon boar and sow sections have been added to the pig classes, and also a section for crossbred sows. Some slight additions (seed and currant cakes and n.m. # biscuits) have been made to the dairy produce class, and in grain two sections have been added of one sack each of early and late potatoes. The special prizes this year are more numerous and more valuable than has previously been the case in the history of the saciety, these including a number of cups, valued at from sgs to 20gs, which have been donated by Oamaru mercantile firms and private gentlemen. The special prizelist is not yet sufficiently complete for publication.