TARANAKI AND WEST COAST NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3197, 23 June 1915, Page 12

TARANAKI AND WEST COAST NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) NEW CHEESE FACTORY. The Oakura Dairy Company is going into liquidation, and a new ciiccsc factory, called tiie Patua Dairy Company, is to be established at the limaru creamery site. ADDIiNG TO MuUMAllAivl. The suggestion recently made mat the Government enouid take steps to acquire unotiier 400 or SoO acies acijo.nmg Aioumaliaki Stale Experimental r arm nas been taken up in tuo district, and overtures are being made m tout direction. Farmers who nave visited tlie larm realise trie limitations ol tlie present area, and they are ol me opinion that it cannot be developed at present to that extent it demands. The land mat would make the State Farm such a very lino proposition lies between the present larm boundary and tne railway line, and it is suggested that if the lantl mentioned were acquired, lucerne-growing lor feed could be profitably undertaken, and farmers would tnen be confident of scouring a pure, clean seed. it is said mat where seed has been purchased from outside sources Californian tliistlc and other noxious- weeds nave appeared in me crop, and this tlie farmers ot South Taranaki wish to avoid. CLOSER SETTLEMENT. Some tune ago tne Government purchased a large block m tno nuntcrviUe district, known as tno Otamakapua block, ano many prospective farmers were looking lor ward to the time when tne block would be subdivided for closer settlement. It appears, however, that the Government were anxious to acquire an adjoining block, and delayed cutting up tlie Otamakapua until that stage ol • tlie negotiations was reached. The long delay caused the liunterville Cnamber of Commerce to take tne matter up, and in addition to making representations to the lion. Mr Merries, a communication was sent to the Minister ol Lands. The Assistant Undersecretary of Lands has now advised that a survey of the biock lias been undertaken, jthe suggested scheme of subdivision divides the block into two sections of about 181 acres, three sections ol about 343 acres, and four sections of about 416 acres. Assurance is given that tno block will b** placed in the market as soon as possible after the survey. TURAKINA CHEESE FACTORY. Turakina’s choose factory has done exceedingly well during the first lull year ol the proposition, suppliers having received an average of 12gd per lb for butter-fat. This represents a total payment of £3156; in addition to which a Further bonus of about 4d per lb, representing an additional £IO4O, is to be distributed, or a total of £4200 for the season, x'lns is very gratifying to the small company, winch gives ample evidence of steady growth. TARANAKI AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY IN A BAD WAY. The Taranaki Agricultural Society lias been in deep, as well as shallow, waters at times during its 40 years of existence, and just now the prospects are none too bright —in fact, the president (Mr J. B. Connett) has considered it his duty to remind the country that if it does not accord more substantial and practical support, the society will have to haul down its flag. Mr Connett feels the position keenly, and naturally so, for in a great thriving dairying country like Taranaki one would have thought that the A. and P,. Association would be one of the “ big stars in the firmament.” As it is, data goes to show that the bulk of the support comes from the town. In the course of an earnest appeal to the settlors when reviewing the position, Mr Connett says: “Tlie townspeople have supported us well both in membership and workers. Had the country done likewise there would bo little cause for complaint. They had the material in North and. West Taranaki for making one of the most successful societies in the Dominion. Their exhibits of stock at the last show were admitted to be equal to any shown elsewhere. Why, then, this apathy among the farming community?” He asks if there is no educative value in their shows, and he goes on to assert that the bringing together of the country’s best in fattening and dairy stock, the exhibition of cows producing up to 6001 bof buttor-fat per annum, the" demonstration of the possibilities of increased milk-production by various kinds of summer green feed, and their acreage plots at the Winter Show should surely appeal to the dairymen and the graziers, and impress them with the fact that the officials wore endeavouring to justify the existence of the society, and were entitled to their support. It is hoped that as a result of Mr Connett’s appeal the membership of the society will be very considerably augmented. If not, the farmers will be to blame for the result that inevitably must follow. ASSISTING THE BACK-BLOCK SETTLER.

Under the Continuous Ministry settlers in the back-blocks did not receive that attention now being bestowed upon them by the party now in power, and the settlers at the back of Waitotara were among the neglected. Now, there is a different tale to tell. In the Ra agitata n block great progress is being made. At the present time there arc two bridges in course of construction to give settlors access to their land. Needless to say, the settlers are very pleased to sec the matter in hand.

AN INTERESTING I FOR DAIRY-FARMERS.

A very interesting invention from the dairyman’s standpoint has just been made by Mr Harry Macdonald, youngest son of Mr Stuart Macdonald, of Ball road, in the Patea district. The invention is a machine which draws off and weighs automatically a portion of milk from the milking machine while the cow is being milked. Farmers who have seen it express themselves as being more than satisfied with the usefulness and value of the invention. In the model that is being used for demonstration

purposes one-sixteenth of a lb—that is, loz—of milk is drawn off from each cow and deposited. in a glass bottle with the number of pounds of milk given by each cow' accurately indicated on the side. A special feature is that it requires no attention whilst in operation, nor any extra work in obtaining the strippings. The extraction of the sample from each cow is gradual during the whole process of the milking. This, the Government exports declare, is one of the most valuable points about the machine, as it ensures an absolutely true and accurate sample of tho milk being obtained. The strippings from each cow arc also automatically sampled in the same regular and accurate manner. Tho invention should be of value and utility to dairy-farmers. DAIRYMEN HELPING THE WAR FUND. At the annual meeting of the Kaupokonui Co-operative Dairy Factory (Ltd.), held last September, it was decided to contribute g per cent, of the value of the milk supply during tho continuance of tho war, or until a war tax was imposed. A? a result payments have been made from time to time, and, including the payment made this month, a total contribution of £6OO has been made from this source.