A NORTH ISLAND TALK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3197, 23 June 1915, Page 11

A NORTH ISLAND TALK.

I (Fkom Cue Own Coheespondent.) i _ PALMERSTON N„ Juno 17. While Auckland district leads in the matter of prospective new plantings of orchard trees during the present dormant season. Nelson stands a good second, with Otago close up. The Otago expansion will cause surprise. I believe it is due to special activity m Central Otago. The total new plantings this winter in acres, as estimated by the Government orchard instructors, are as follow : —Auckland, 875 acres ; Hamilton, 80; Hawke’s Bay, 150; Wanganui and Taranaki, 5; Palmerston North and Wairarapa, 35; Wellington, 35; Nelson, £SO; Marlborough, 200; Otago, 450; Canterbury, 200 ; South Canterbury, 45. These new areas will bring New Zealand’s total orchard lands up to 44,748 acres. I notice that the Hon. Mr Herdnian in the North Island recently expressed some confidence in the future of the Auckland province, but seemed to say that the purchase of Native lands must precede any extensive outlay of State money on reading. Such expenditure, he pointed out, was only increasing the price which would have to be paid when those lands were taken. Perhaps some extensive operations in North Island Native land purchases are in the Cabinet’s mind. Mr Herdman saw much good land, and even the poorer land seemed well fitted for fruit-growing. The Prime Minister, however, who has also been speaking in the north, seemed to exhibit a more liberal outlook. He said in a New Plymouth speech that he hopes that ultimately the whole of New Zealand will bo as closely settled as Taranaki now is, for that -would enormously increase our exports. The Prime Minister is elaborating a scheme of returning every penny received from sales of back-blocks land for the making of back-blocks roads. Quite a number of settlers had, he said, taken advantage of the scheme, which was working very well. During last session he obtained Parliament’s consent for raising £1,000,000 for road and bridge construction, and when the war was ended he believed it would be available. The Government was introducing the principle of rising the proceeds of land sales in the purchase of other blocks in districts where largo estates were stopping settlement. SUGAR SCARE AND SUGAR BEETS. In the midst of the alarm as to the future sugar supply, Waikato has again launched the question of a sugar beet industry. That vigorous, enterprising centre has on some former occasions gone very elaborately into the question, and has appeared to show a very good case even in normal times for making a beginning. For the life of mo, I don’t understand what prevents the promoters from giving the thing a proper start now. For year’s past there have been capitalists ready to finance the operations, and all that seems to have been wanted was such Government subsidising as is usually given to beneficial new enterprises. Speakmg on the subject before the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce last week, Mr H. J. Weruhan said Waikato could grow sugar beet to the limit of perfection. The world was face to face with a shortage which threatened to affect the sugar supply for sevon_ or eight years to come. Germany, which hitherto produced 78 per cent, of the world’s sugar, was now out of the business, and the refineries of Austria, Belgium, and North France were also idle, i A beet sugar industry, by means of the beet pulp residue, would solve the cattle ! feed problem, and he was satisfied 3000 acres of beets would provide enough crop for profitably starting the industry, yielding 16 tons per acre. Mon were making a good living in Belgium, France, Austria, and Germany on a 15-acre field of sugar beet. Mr Wernhan suggests that the Government should open up some large Waikato estate for the purpose, of a sugar beet and dairy-

) ing settlement. The discussion is to bo . continued. The movement receives some ■ new interest from the report of a reduction > of fruit-preserving operations by Kirk- ■ patrjck (Nelson) and Thompson and Hills , (Auckland), owing to a lack of sugar. Mr Philson, the Auckland manager of the I Colonial Sugar Company, expresses surprise at the reports. He thought these companies had enough sugar; but he has none to . spare “for speculative purposes.’’ HAS THE MEAT TRUST COLLARED 1 OUR SHIPS? Auckland at times takes an advanced view of a current question, and it is from Auckland that we get the suggestion that the American Moat Trust has laid th© last straw upon our burden of the shortage of ships by collaring a, couple for its Australian needs. T{ie suggestion is made by tho Auckland Star, which has been publishing views of various men on the ships question. 1 That says that on tho outbreak of war the New Zealand refrigerated fleet numbered 54 vessels, giving 135 sailings per ' year. These were reduced by one-fourth through the authorities taking 12 for transports and tho Germans sinking- two others. But now we lose suddenly eight more—four going to Argentina and four entering the service of the American Meat Trust m Australia. Thus the fleet now numbers 52, and the yearly sailings only 80, with tho inevitable prospect (says the Star) that next season’s output of meat and dairy produce will be in a state of glut unless tho people can induce the Government to cry out loudly enough to save at least ohr 40 steamers. “ Commercial men in this city,” the Star declares, “are of opinion that the powers of control at Home are subject to the influence of shipping rings, and that New* Zealand will be face to face with tho greatest crisis in its commercial history if the Government does not insist that hands must bo kept off the few remaining ships.” Mr Robert Burns, chairman of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, predicts that dairy farmers will pour their milk into the creeks next season for want of an outlet for their produce owing to the ship shortage. He makes the astonishing statement that, although 12 refrigerated stcagicrs aro due to visit New Zealand in July, only four of them are to take in cargo. Tho steamers in his mind are the Corinthic, Delphic, Waiwcra, Indrabarah, Athenic, La Blanca, Opawa, Indrapura, Somerset, Makarini, and two others. Wednesday’s Wellington Times, however, gives the vessels available in July or arriving before the end of that month as being tho Kia Ora, Rcmuera, Indrabarah, Athenic, Tongaviro, Opawa, La Blanca, Delphic, Corinthic, Somerset, Ruahine, and Waiwcra. Tho Prime Minister called this “the turn ol the tide,” and said that three of our ships wore taken for carrying Argentine moat to . France, but that two others were sent hero in their place, leaving us a net loss on tho transaction of one ship. The Prime Minister says “-as far as ho can learn ” 14 ships are here now or due here before tho end of July—namely, the Rangatira, Paparoa, Kia, Ora, Remuera, Indrabarah, Athenic, Tongariro, La Blanca, Opawa, Delphic, Corinthic, Somerset, Ruahine, and WaHvora. I give these various lists for Witness readers to ponder over without attempting to pick out for them in tbcsf perplexing times the “correct card.” BUTTER MORE PLENTIFUL. There was an increase of stored butter reported on June 15, and this confirms my note of last week that the current winter make" is well able to meet the shortage and give a surplus over for tho new season. In fact, tho surplus seems likely to be quite substantial. If exportation were permitted the stored butter could bo exported at New Zealand values, and as the barrier will doubtless bo removed about tho end of July, giving exporters then a free hand, il is unlikely (unless European prices fall) that the present New Zealand prices will be eased. In fact, Auckland has just raised tho wholesale price by |d, making it Is sid. It is practically certain, however, that the Australian demand will vanish before the end of July, and the European price alone will dominate the local values. Margarine does not appear to have attacked Now Zealand butter locally, such margarine as I have encountered being merely a cooking commodity more resembling lard. The tasty English article seems to be unknown here. The storings officially reported as ou June 15 were as follow: jjcwt boxes. Auckland 12 625 New Plymouth 3,953 Patea 1,475 Wanganui 2,631 Gisborne 172 Wellington 11.788 Lyttelton 6106 Timaru 307 Dunedin, Port Chalmers.. 2,087 41,149 Ou June 15, 1914, 78,012; 1913, 54,176 boxes. •

SOUTHLAND PLOUGHING MATCHES.

SUSPENDED DURING THE WAR. (Fbom Oub Own Cohbespondent.) INVERCARGILL, Juno 20. Thd ‘Southland Champion Ploughing Match .association Ims decided to suspend operations during the period of the war. The decision was arrived at at the annual meeting on (Saourday, when it was shown that the association was In a good position, with sound finances. Members expressed th«

opinion that it would bo inadvisable to continue its matches on account of several reasons, chief among which was the fact that people were occupied with the war, and could not be expected to give interest and support to the affairs of the association while calls were being made for the rehef of human suffering, anti, secondly, that many of the most prominent competitors had gone to the front, reversing the poet’s ideal of placing the plough before the sword. It was decided to leave the present officers in office, and to revive the association at the end of the war.