THE NORTH ISLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 13

THE NORTH ISLAND.

(Fbom Otjr Own Cobbespondsnt.)

There have been some slight showers of rain in some of tho North Island districts, but, generally speaking, the week has been a fine one. The long spell of fine weather has had its effect on the pastures, though there is still plenty of feed about. • If the heavy frosts do not come too soon the fcioist weather should be responsible for considerable growth before winter sets in properly. ' . The probable shortage of feed, combined with the scarcity of shipping, however, is having a marked effeot upon the markets, and at the various sales cattle and sheep have not been having too good a run. At lome sales they have been completely neglected, /but there is still a good demand for lambs. This condition of affairs is likely to prevail until there is a definite assurance that the insulated tonnage question has considerably improved. It is quite aafe to say that buyers for export are quite disinclined to operate until they know she prospects of getting the meat are brighter. t _ While most districts have a fair quantity of feed to work on, Pongaroa, in the Manawatu district, has suffered a little more than others. The grass is very brown, and settlers have had to adopt the expedient of changing stock from paddock to paddock. The shortage of water for household purposes has likewise been keenly felt. Many settlers apparently have empty tanks, and have had to adopt all sorts of expedients, even to borrowing from more fortunate neighbours, and carting long distances from creeks, in order to get supplies. Pahiatua district, too, has wanted tain badly. During March there was only a fall of 1.13 in, as against 3.70 in for the corresponding period last year. On the whole, however, the season has beeni wonderfully good, and better grass and oorn seasons have not been known. "BEARING" THE OAT MARKET.

The complaint from the South Island that " bearing" the oat market was being done from Auckland, created some interest in the north, particularly in Auckland, where -the offence was alleged to have been committed. In view of the allegations made, the president of the Now Zealand Grain, Seeds, and Produce Merchants' Association has forwarded a letter to the Minister of Agriculture. The writer says: "The unexpected happened—the yield of cereals in New Zoaland. fortunately, turned out most bountifully. The Government knows in pegard to the wheat purchase how very faiuch above the average the yield of wheat has been per acre. This heavy yield has taken place with regard to oats, seemingly to a greater extent even than the amended Government estimated yield per acre the trade imagines will be exceeded. The remit ia that tho market naturally followed the heavy supply by coming back very lPapidly, and that is the explanation, and the only explanation, of the market coming baok." Referring to the statement from bunedin that growers may eventually have to soil below production cost, the letter points out that the, markot price for B frade oats on April 4 was 3s 6d per bushel. 0.b., southern ports, while tho average over a number of previous years was under os, Reports from all parte of tho South Island point to extraordinary yields—in fact, 60 per cent, over the average. Therefor© at 5s per bushel the farmers were getting k net return of 50 per cent. more. It is further pointed out that merchants in DunWin are holding very heavily high-priced

oats bought from North Island merchants, Auckland, and elsewhere; therefore it was to their interest to do all that is possible to prevent the price coming back to one governed by the fundamental law of supply and demand, although it is the farmer whose interests are ostensibly being advo- . oated. The letter ends: "I am sure the I Government will not think it necessary to take any notice of the suggestion from an obviously small interested source to espeoi-. ( ally arrange freights Home, the result of j which would be to increase the cost of a oommon commodity." I A PLEA POR OPENING GROWN LANDS. In view of the repatriation of the soldiers and the general desire there is for settlement, the Government are not likely to bo allowed to keep idle lands locked up. When passing through Mercer the other day this point was stressed before the Minister oi Lands by Mr A. G. Glass, who contended that a vigorous land policy should be entered .upon, and Crown lands at present lying idle should be opened up. Reference was made to the possibilities awaiting the development of certain swamp lands, and the Minster promised that he would look into the matter. THE HIKURANGI SWAMP.

Apropos' of the agitation for the drainage and operating of swamp lands, it is interesting, to note that while _ recently in the northern part of the peninsula the Minister of Lands arranged for a survey of the Hikurangi swamp, preparatory to commencing drainage operations. The swamp comprises 20,000 acres, of which 1600 acres' belonged to the Crown. The.. Minister agreed with the settlers that if 'they would joii\ with the Government he would have a proper survey made, and an estimate of the work laid before them later on. The Hon. Mr Guthrie also advised the settlers that if an amicable agreement was reached as to shares of the cost, the work would be proceded with by the Government with as little delay as possible.

SETTLING DISABLED SOLDIERS. The' problem of settling the permanently disabled soldiers on land ana providing them with congenial employment Is a really live one, and politicians will have something to think about in- order to provide schemes whereby those who have been incapacitated on the battlefield will not have to suffer unemployment .because of physical unfitness. The question is one of great importance, and will have to be faced in a practical manner. It is pleasing to note, therefore, that the Auckland Patriotic Association has been giving, close study to the question, and as a result about 282 acres of the Ascot_ Estate at Mangei-e has been purchased in furtherance of the scheme to enable these boys to earn a living without undue hardship. The property comprises a level area, with a frontage to the main road of one mile and a-half. as well as to subsidiary roads for subdivision. The land is of first-class quality, and is considered to be one of the best properties in the district. It is the intention of tho association to proceed with the development of the scheme, and to invito applications from permanently disabled soldiers who had gone to the battle front from Auckland district.. The property is well watered, and is in close proximity to a post office, public school, and the trains nnd trams. It is about two miles and a-half from the Manarere bridge, and is considered eminently satisfactory for the purpose in every wav. The area is expected to settle about 120 soldiers. FARMERS AND POLITICS. The feeling is steadily growing in the north that, sooner or later, the farmers must have a big political organisation operating In every part of the Dominion to protect their interests. A sign of the times has been evidenced at several meetings of farmers lately, and further proof of the possibilities of political action being taken was given at a meeting of the Thames Valley Sub-provincial Farmers' Union a day or two ago. It was resolved that the union (Confirm the principle that the Farmers' Union shall enter politics, and a further motion was carried to tho effect that the Auckland Executive be asked to call a conference of representatives of all sub-provincial areas to formulate a platform for submission to the annual provincial conference. AN INTERESTING SUBJECT.. A rather interesting and topical question was brought before the Hon. J>. H. Guthrie, Minister of Lands, at Whangamoraona, in tho early part of tho week, when Mr W. A. M'Cutchan suggested that land values were excessive. He contended t,hati the Government should place the values in the initial stages as low as possible, and in that way the_ Government would obtain more revenue, and the country would be more prosperous. The reason why so many farms were going back was the excessive initial cost and the bad roads, money going into both instead of reproductive work. Land, he said, should be brought into production at the earliest possible moment, and this could bo best done by good roads, and cutting the initial

oost down to the lowest. For instanoe, 160,000 acres had been purchased by the Government at Is 10£d to 2s 6d per acre, and had been sold as high as £2 ss. That crippled the settler from the start, and was a contrast to the treatment of the settler on tho good land, where big estates were purchased and sold at a sHght increase. The Minister explained that /when a block of land was bought at, say, Is 6d or 2s per acre, its quality varied. They had to load the cost of surveying and roading on the land. He did not favour high values, and considered that they should not charge more than it cost to put the settlers on the land. Every acre of land for settlement was now set aside for returned soldiers, end the oivilian would have to stand aside till all returned men requiring it were supplied. With regard to the valua tion question, the Minister said that the system, of valuing land had changed, and would, according to the value of the produce. Lands hod been opened up in three classes, and its classification varied < greatly according to different men. Taking the question generally, the difference in _ tho value placed on land was due to the differ ent men who valued it. AUCKLAND'S EXPORTS.

Statistical information now available shows that Auckland is in a strong position in regard to its export trade. For the year ending February 28 Auckland exported produce to the value of £5,772,770. Of this amount butter represented a value of £2,051,975-. MARKET FOR OATS. During the past week the oat market firmed about 2d per bushel, the reason for the advance being attributed to the fact that farmers are holding back supplies in the hope of securing be'tter prices. With the heavy season'3 yield, however, it is not considered that prices can be forced very high, unless an outlet is found to export the surplus. It is anticipated in Auckland that the market will ease again when the Southland crop is offered. THE MAIZE MARKET. Apparently the cannot meet demands, and at Auckland sales have been taking place at 8s per bushel. Bay of Plenty growers are anticipating good returns if prompt shipments can be made. Oftentimes growers miss the best market by holding on too long AGRICULTURAL TRAINING. The Dilworth Trust has offered the land and buildings of the Agricultural School at Papatoetoe to the Auckland Education Board, and efforts are now being made to bring, the transfer about. In establishing the school the intention of the trust was to offer agricultural training to boys of the Dilworth Institute, but the experience has shown that the demand on the part of the boys of that institution did not warrant its continuance, while the difficulty of getting qualified teachers during the war , proved insuperable. Mr J. P. Kalaugher, director of the manual and technical branch of the Education Board, considers that the proposal justified the Government .being asked to consider it EXPERIMENTAL FARMS.

The necessity of experimental farms being established in the bush lands has been advocated more than once, it being contended that the- Government should assist the young farmer by showing him how to farm on paying lines. It is thought that in view of the number of returned men who are going on the land, experimental farms would be very . beneficial' to them. Tho question was placed before the Minister of Lands at Whaneamomona, and he expressed himself as being in entire sympathy with the proposal. Similar requests which came from other parts were very pleasing to him, as it showed that there was an earnest desire to go in for production on scientific lines, and also bore evidence of the passing away of the old idea held by the old farmers, of which he himself was one, that they knew everything about farming. They were now beginning to learn, said the Minister, that thoy knew very little about farming, and any increase in production became a matter of great importance, owing to increased taxation for war purposes.