AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3313, 12 September 1917, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS.

Since tho passing of tho act in 1908 which authorises tne supply of wire-netting to landholders on terms, 10,374 miies of wirenetting lias been distributed by the Public Worlcs department, Victoria. The value is estimated at £260,000. The effect of the war was vividly sliown in the recent figures. The cost of netting was now £72 a mile, and very little can be obtained at that price. Just beforo the war began it was £24. During tne year ended June 30, 1914, Uie department sold 1012 mdos of netting, and in the year just closed only 84 miles. I'ho Government, says the River Plate Observer, has sanctioned the exportation of 15,000 tons of wheat and 36,000 tons of flour to Spain, and a similar quantity to Brazil. Moreover, about 5000 tons of flour will be awarded to Paraguay and an equal amount to Norway. Owing to the scarcity of paper in the markets of the world, the ourrent high prices, and the' insecurity of receiving regular and sufficient supplies, the Minister of Agriculture (says an Argentine paper), has called upon the experts in the various bureaux of his department to make an immediate report as to the result of their studies carried on during several years as to the existence in the country of trees and plants which meet the conditions requisite for making wood pulp. At a meeting of the Winton branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, it was resolved: —"That landowners should first be allowed to deduct the amount of their mortgage from unimproved value of their land before any claim should be made for taxation. In the event of a landowner having to pay Land Tax and Income Tax, that the amount paid in Land Tax should be deducted from the amount ho is called upon to pay in Income Tax; further, that this tax is a class taxation upon the most essential industries of the Dominion, and will have the evil effect of driving capital and labour off the land and thus reducing production and consequently increasing the cost of living. It was decided to send an urgent wire to Sir Joseph Ward requesting him to visit the district before the taxation proposals were finally carried. When a director of a Southland cheese factory was spoken to the other day in regard to the increased cost of living, and to the need for liberal treatment to the managers and assistants, his reply was that there was nothing in the business (states the Southland News). Mr John Sawers (president of the Southland Cheese Factory Managers' Union) said that the same man had recentlv purchased a farm at £37 an acre. He could not reconcile that action with tho assertion that there was no considerable profit in the dairying industry. Mr Donald M'Kenzie, of Masterton, has just imported a yearling Hereford bull, Mansel Helmsman. The animal was breu by Captain R. T. Hinckes, of Mansel Lacy, Hereford, England, and was calved on March 6, 1916. He is by the great bull Starlight, 28754, out of Hilder IV. It is understood that tho price paid for Mansell Helmsman was 6Oogs, the largest sum cvor realised for a ycarlinsr Hereford bull.

"The men who make money at dairying are those who work their wives and families without paying them wages."—Mr David Wards (Mataura Island), before the Conciliation Commission on Wednesday (according to the Southland Times). England spends £28,000,000 on bacon and pork products yearly, said a speaker at the Nireana (North Island) Dairy Company's annual meeting, "and New Zealand does not get a threepenny piece of it." The Tuatapere Guardian reports that Mr P. A. Vyner, who possesses a farm on the banks of the Waiau, at To Tua, is adopting a systematic method of tree-planting on his property, so that when the land occupied by native bush has been brought under cultivation there will be something left in the way of timber for the next man. Last

week Mr Vyner planted over 500 willows of various kinds, and intends to put in other suitable trees of the timber-producing kind as oircumstances permit. Some interesting figures in milk-produc-tion were given by Mr Jacob Marx, chairman of tho Mangatoki Dairy Company, when touching on the imposition of tho butter-fat levy. In all, over a million tons of milk were produced annually in the dairying industry, yielding 95,000,0001 b of butter fat, Of this butter fat 40,000,0001 b j was converted into cheese, and 55,000,0001 b into butter. Practically the whole of the oheese was exported, whilst one-third of the butter was used in tho dominion. The Garston Orchard Company has been busy during the past winter preparing the ground for the planting of fruit trees, and a start is being made to plant some 8000, most of which have already arrived (states the Lake Wakatip Mail). The greater number of trees aro apple of all the latest varieties; the balance consists of a few plum and pear stocks. The work is under the supervision of an expert fruitgrower, who will manager the orchard for five years for the company. The various sections of which tho property is comprised will then be j handed over to the individual owners. j