NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3332, 23 January 1918, Page 10

NOTES ON RURAL TOPICS.

No taxpayer but shudders when he learns that a Royal Commission

Land Tenures— Otago.

is to bo set up to elucidate some problem or

tangled skein of policy : and no doubt the Prime Minister was fully alive to this fact when he intimated to the deputation which waited upon him in re Otago land tenures that the Lands Committee of the House of Representatives were dabs at solving problems pertaining to settlement. Yet there is the probability that, even if this Lands Committee found that circumstances and conditions were all against settlers using their host endeavours, their recommendations might be “talked” out by members of the House opposed to the term's of the report. It might in the end prove the safest and the cheapest method, to set up a Commiss : on. if finality in the matter is 'to bo effected within a reasonable time, and so allay any misgivings of Otago settlers in their belief that the National party will fail to anpreciate how southerners are handicapped and production checked owing to the disabilities under which they labour. The members of a commission could, of course, take evidence in the districts affected, while the Lands Committee -would have to content themselves with hearsay evidence, and would generally have to depend on secondhand information, and a little, perhaps, from witnesses who could afford to attend at Wellington. The “findings” of the Lands Committee will take tip considerable time, and conceivably would not then bo built noon all the evidence which might be obtainable. A Roval Commission could obtain the fullest information, and settle the matter once and for all as to wdiether there Is anything in the allegations of Otagans that their country settlers labour under disadvantages in regard to the tenure of their lands in comparison with producers in the north.

One hears contradictory reports as to tho of live stock chewing tlio danger to stock from the bones of animals poisoned with strvchnine, as a result carcases. The off-hand way men give their dogs rabbits poisoned by strychnine might well cause some speculation a« to the risk run. In connection with the danger suspected, somo extracts from Dr \V. A. Hargreaves's (South Australian Department of Chemistry) report are of interest. His reference is to tho poisoning of foxes. '-When animals are poisoned with strychnine the poison is absorbed by all parts of the body. It is quickly absorbed by tho spinal cord, which appears to have the power of collecting the strychnine from the circulation and storing it up in its structure. When the body of tho dead animal is decomposed and dried 'the bones, especially the backbone, contain some of the poison. Wynter Biyth, in ' Poisons: The Effects and Detection,' states: —'So far as all evidence goes, strychnine is an extremely stable subfjtonce, and no amount of putrescence will destroy it. M'Adam found_ it in a horjse a month after death, and in a duck eight weeks after. Nupnelcy discovered it in animals 43 days after death, when the, bodies were much decomposed; Roger, a body after five .weeks' interment; Richter, in putrid fissure exposed for 11 years to decomposition in open vessels; and, lastly, W. A. Novo, in an exhumed body after it had been buried for 308 days. Strychnine could, therefore, be retained for a long time in the bones and dried tissues of poisoned foxes. The question whether the bones contain poison in sufficient quantity to poison other animals that may chew them depends entirely upon the quantity of poison consumed by tho original victim. It appears to me improbable that a poisonous dose of strychnine would be obtained by this means. I know of no poisons which are so convenient and effective as strychnine and arsenic. Both of these substances may be obtained in the form of powders, or as fine crystals, and baits may be easily prepared from them. . 7 .' " Tho_ Chief Inspector of Stock in South Australia emphasises the danger of distributing strychnine a wholesale manner. In his opinion hundreds of cattle in days gone by have been poisoned in Australia through eating the bones of rabbits that' had -been destroyed by strychnine. It is significant that, whereas, in certain parts of the north, the so-called dry "bible" was a scourpfe during 'the time rabbits were extremely numerous, and_ were being poisoned on a large scale, since the rabbits were practically wiped out little, if anything, has been heard of dry "bible."

Strychnine Poisoning of Stock.

Hero is a good way to cure a horse of the intensely provoking habit of balking (says Farm Life). First remove the harness, put on a halter, tie 'the hair of his tail into a hard knot, run the halter rope through the hair above the knot, pull it hard until his head is drawn close to his tail, and fasten by means of a single" turn around the tail, and a loop that cfin be undone by a single jerk on the end of the rope. This is important, for it will not do to tie a; knot that cannot be undone when desired. Now, touch up tbe horse with the whip, and he will begin to lurn round in a circle. Presently he will become very dizzy, and if the treatment is continued will fall down; but this he must not be allowed to do. Now, while he is dazed, confused, and dizzy, as he always is after such treatment, harness him as quickly as possible, and get into, the waggon or buggy and drive on. This treatment rarely fails of the desired results. Occasionally, however, an especially hardened reprobate is found whoso case calk for a second treatment. In such a case whirl him the other way. In the application of this treatment, and, in fact, the treatment for any vice, we must bear in mind 'that we are dealing with an inferior intelligence. However exasperating the horse may be, never must we give way to anger or' impatience. All successful training is based upon a knowledge of the limitations of the equine mind. It is easy to take advantage of these limitations when they are rightly understood; but no one need expect success in this direction without the exercise of that calmness, patience, and good judgment which are the accompaniments of good horsemanship. AGRICOLA. AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL 1 UNION. LINKING UP WITH AUSTRALIA. WELLINGTON, January 16. The ballot taken by the Agricultural and! Pastoral Union on a proposal to link up with the Australian Workers' Union resulted : For, 1325; against, 450. The election of officers resulted: —President—Arthur Coolc (Christ-church) 785, Arthur King (Timaru) 584, J. Townshend (Wanganui) 475; secretary—C. Grayndler 1465, M. Laraey 389; Executive (for which there were 14 nominations) —William Boone (Christchurch) 1131. A. Middlemiss (Gore) 1045; J. Mee (Wellington) 1023, S. Boreham (Dunedin) 966, 0. Baldwin (Christchurch)- 917, R. Register (Blenheim) 837. The positions of the last-named three may bo affected by returns still to come, but their return is considered certain. Mr J. G. Bruce was the returning officer. PRODUCE INSURANCE. NO LIMITATION OF BUSIXE&S. (From Our Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND, January 16. The statement made at the Military Service Board, sitting in Wellington, by Mr Robinson, general manager of the State Fire Office, that producers cannot get insurance direct from private companies is denied by the Auckland representatives of leading insurance companies in Auckland. One authority said that private companies were just as able and willing to-day to meet the demand for insurance as they were before the Office came into business. Companies were not refusing to insure produce. On the contrary, they were carrying large lines. As to the suggested limitation of business, it was authoritatively stated that some little time ago the freezing companies were desirous of making provision for sufficient insurance cover to meet their requirements during the busy season, and communicated with the private companies. The outcome was an arrangement whereby eufficient cover was obtained from companies, and, so far as was known, that margin had not yet been exhausted. The details could not be given in Auckland, as the whole arrangement was worked in Wellington.

Curing a Balky Horse.