WELLINGTON AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 18

WELLINGTON AGRICULTURAL NOTES.

(From Our. Own Correspondents Another week of fine weather, and it seems hard that such is not to the best interests of the country. Complaints are rife of want of rain. Not only in southern parts of the island, but up as far as the AYaikato, settlers are wishing for a good downpour. To-day the glass has fallen a few points, and there-' has been a bit of a drizzle for the last two hours, "which it is to be- hoped will continue, and become heavier, as a. couple of inches would be of great service.

The Wmlltcr.

As has been previously stated, the weather could not have been better for lambing, and although the 1 pastures could have been better, still there was no real want, except with those that will persist in overstocking. Taken on the whole, the percentage marked has been satisfactory. At the same time there- aire quite a number of breeders, complaining of the erratic • manner in which the ewes have lambed. Some time back a promiment breeder of purebred Romneys asked ior a- reason why, where one small lot of ewes was duo to lamb, only a email percentage lambed the hist week, and then they "stopped for ten days or a fortnight, when the balance started, and in the end the return was a fair lambing V In this case, which is not. a very uncommon experience, the cause can usually be traced to climatic influence or the ram being indisposed, and various other reasons. But during the last v/eek or two it has come to my knowledge that there are numerous others who have had the same experience, and in some cases the percentage is very low. The complaints are mostly from the hills. When discussing the question with a noted sheep : owner, he ascribed as the probable cause the abnormal dry autumin and want of water when the rams were put to the ewes; but the owner of the ewes in the first case mentioned said: "His ewes had plenty of good water, and also feed, and were in a email paddock, so that it was impossible for the lamand ewes to lose sight of each other." Besides, there is seldom any scarcity of water in the hills, which compels us to look for some other solutio.ir of this somewhat perplexing question. With both sheep and cattle tftas have been forced into condition for show purposes, it is a 400 frequent occurrence to find them wanting in fertility. Some breeders also force their young rams so much as to impair their powers. In none of the eas.es under notice, however, were the rams of this description, so that this cucdmstaneo only adds another instaaice of our ignorance of Nature's laws, especially as reg'ards the propagation of animals'; at the same time it would be interesting to learn if breeders in other parts of the Dominion have had the same experience this season, and if they can ascribe any reason or cause for this apparent going on strike of eitheir the ranis or ewes or both.

The Lambing.

At the meeting of the General Commit tee of the Manawatu A. and P. Association o,n Tuesday, the Wellington Racing Club forwarded £l2 12s towards prize money in ee0.,~.~, ~~.~, *—.., »~> improve the breed of horses, not necessarily thoroughbred. The Hereford Breeders' Association notified that the annual meeting would be held at Palmareton on November 1. The Clydesdale Breeders' Association intimated that a -maeting would be held at Hastings in the evening on the first day of the show. Mr Alex. S. Holms wrote regretting his ;inabiiity to act as judge at the show, owing to having broken his leg. General regret was exqitssed at the cause, and also at the kiss of 'Mr Holme's services at the show. I uji/fsi'stand that Mr Cmrrie, of Wanganua, J accepted the position of judge of Herefords that Mr Holms has been compelled to vacate. The committee appointed to consider Mr Abraham's motion in re district members recommidndod that the General Committee have power to elect not more than, six special members of committee from outside districts who do not reside within a 10-m<ile radius of Palmerston, provided that they are duly elected members of the association,, the term of office to- be 12 months. The rules to be altered accordingly. As reported some months back, this movement is with the idea of a confederation of district A. and P. Associations in oirder to establish a Royal Show in the North Island. The report was adopted. Forty-five new members were elected to the association, of which the secretary (Mr Penny) had obtained 18. He had also obtained advertisements in the catalogue to the value of £ll6, as against a total amount from this source last year of £3l ss. The president (Mr 'Conway) an-

A. and P. Association Koto. _• i:i..i., x

\nounoed that the Canvassing Committee had already collected £459 15s bd, and they had not started yet. It was decided to purchase six of the registering turnstiles in. use at the recent Wellington Exhibition, these to bo installed in time for the forthcoming enow. This innovation has been advocated by a section of the committee for years, and now persistence is being rewarded. The following A. and P. Associations have replied in favour of the. scheme proposed by Mr J. M. Johnston for securing part of the totalisator revenue as a subsidy, and appointed delegates to form a deputation to wait on the Government on the matter:—Otago, Gore, Wairarapkj Waikato, Palmerston South, Central, Lake County, Cheviot, Mackenzie Country, Peninsula, Wanganui, Southland, Oxford, Te Aroha, Egmorit, Taranaki, Auckland, Hawke's Bay, and Woodville. Only one replied objecting on principle—namely, Northern Wairoa,—the reason for objection being given, in the following resolution —"That this association objects to 'the principle of the Government raising revenue' by any form of gambling, and therefore regrets it cannot support the proposal. It would be of interest to ascertain by what majorities the resolutions in favour of the scheme were passed, Mawawatu's decision to formulate the matter being only gained by the casting vote of the president. There aire only 18 associations that so far are favourable. What about the large number that have taken no notice of the circular? However, the time is opportune, as on the eve of a general election the deputation is likely to receive fair promises. I understand that m France receipts from tlie totalisator are expended in charity, such as hospitals, etc. Leaving to one side the ethics of the case, it seems infra dig. fox the mainstay of the Dominion to apply for such a dole. It it is considered politic that A and P. Associations should be assisted by the Government, whv not make the demand out of the general funds, and not from any particular section of revenue. The president said he would not like the meeting to close without passing a vote of sympathy with the wife and family of the late Mr A. K, Mavo in his sudden death (Mr Mayo dropped down dead early in the morning of the day of the meeting). .This was carried, and also a similar motion in regard to the late Mr Skermam

During the past few "months a considerable number of farms have changed hands. The deals generally have been exchanges or the taking over of mortgages in other parts of the country. It is almost impossible therefore to reahy know what has been paid, except when sold by auction This week Messrs Dalgety and Uo. offered by auction on account of the trustees of the late Mr G. C. Wheeler the wellknown Burford Estate, about six miles from Halcombe, and 12 miles from Feilding. Considering the quality of the land, the sections sold brought highly satisfactory .prices The following were the prices realised:—B7 acres at £lO per acre, 47 acres •at £lB. 57 acres at £23 10s, 69 acres at £3O 10s, 79 acres at £3O. All of the sections were bought by adjoining farmers, and there is every likelihood of the four sections passed in being acquired by neighbours. In this case the subdivision of an estate does not mean closer settlement a,nd, denser population, as the late Mr Wheeler employed a lot of labour on his stud farm, Burford. Mr A. L. Wheeler, second son of the late Mr Wheeler, has taken over from the trustees two seotions that were not offered by auction, and there are hopes that "Burford" will again become itself as the home of a prominent Romnoy flock.

Land Snles.

Again the Reaper lias taboo away three old and respected pioneers. First, Mr John Paa.il, of Beaconsfield, passed away in FeildLng on the Ist of the month. Mr Paul was an old colonist, having been fanning in. the Auckland district three -years before joining in the rush to the goldfields of Otago, including Gabriels Gully and the Dunstan, and then on to the West Coast, finally settling at Beaconsfield on on the Kiwitea River, when, the i district was all standing bush, and the only track to his section, 12 miles from Feilding, -was u,p the bed of the Kiwitea Stream. Me must have been a strong man in those days. It is said he carried, a live pig on his back all the way up from Feilding, which, by the stream, must have beer* 24 miles To show the hardships early settlers had to encounter, Mrs Paul and her eldest daughter did not see a female for 12 months, and it was five years before they got to Feilding, and then they had to walk the whole way on foot. Where does the unearned increment come in in such cases? Mr Paul was quiet and unassuming. _He had been a member of the school committee for 21 years, and a member of the Farmers Union from the first. Of late years his health was none too good Still, he was: able to get about till shortly before his death. He leaves a widow and two daughters, and, ead to say, both Mrs Paul and the youngest daughter are in the hospital seriously ill. The eldest daughter is a noted horsewoman, having taken many prizes in the ladies' jumping competitions at the shows. The next to follow was Mr Skerman, a.t the age of 84- years. Of late he has been living quietly, enjoying a weudeserved rest after many years' hard work pioneering in the heavy bush. In the early days of the Mana.watu Skerman's cheese was well known, and famed for its excellent quality. It was manufactured on Mr Skerman s farm on the Rangitikei _ line, a few miles from PaLmenston. Besides cheese, various other products of the land had a foremost plare at Palmerston Show for many years. To the younger generation his name may seem ancient history: all the Fame, it is to him arid others like hiim that the district is indebted to-day for its reclamation from dense bush to rich pasture land. Mr Skerman leaves a numerous family. I think six sons, all of whom are on the land in various parts of the province except the well-known and respected Dr Skerman, of Marfan. There are also several daughters. Afcain. on Tuesday morning residents in the district of Feilding were astounded to learn that Mr A. R. Mayo had dropped dead when straining the milk in the dairy after _ having milked the cow. Without any warning or sign he fell back. His most intimate friend did not know that he had any heart trouble; but death imus-t have been due to such an affection. Commerciallv he was known as a nurseryman and orchardist, and his orchard at Aorangi was one of the sights visitors to Feilding were taken to see. In public matters he took great interest, and served the community well as chairman of the school committee, member of Feilding Technical School Committee, representing the A. and P. Association, and a (member of the Feild-

QhlU ary.

ing A. and P. Association Committee since the inauguration of the society. He was serving his second year as chairman of the Feilding Branch of the Farmers' Union, was a member of Kairanga County Council, and secretary of the Feilding Fruitgrowers' Association). He also occupied a seat on the board of managers of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church. Mr Mayo, with Mr F. Lethbridge, usually judged the school gardens in the southern, division of the Wanganui school district. It will readily be understood that Feilding has sustained a loss by the death of Mr A. R. Mayo at the early aigc of 44 years, and that the various positions vacated will be hard to fill. Mr Mayo leaves a widow and four daughters, a father (Mr G. Ma ( yo, of Bombay, Auckland), two brothers, and. five sisters, and many friends by whom he was highly respected and loved. ANTIQUA OVIS.