THE NORTH ISLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 12

THE NORTH ISLAND.

{From Ouk Own Correspondent.) In my last week's notes I indicated that the long spell of dry weather was seriously affecting the pastures, and since then there has been no improvement. As a matter of fact things are getting very serious. In th© Auckland suburban districts there have been several sharp frosts, and at Papakura the visitation is reported to have been unusually sharp for this season of the year. The lack ot rain, coupled with the cold weather and frosts, makes a bad outlook for winter feed in the country, as _ when the requisite moisture does arrive it may be too late 10 ensure good growth this autumn. Iho Kawa Kawa correspondent of the New Zealand Herald states that the position in North Auckland is now becoming serious in places, Stock are dying for the want of water, and large numbers are getting in low condition. Dairying in the affected area is coming gradually to a standstill, as the feed has not much substance, and there is not muoh of it. A large number of places on the east side of the peninsula stock well up, as a precaution against fixe, and other places burn their grass in January. This means that both these classes of holdings are not in a good position to stand prolonged dry weather in the autumn. They are, therefore, suffering accordingly. The price of stock reflects the shortage of feed in the district. On the west side of the peninsula there has been sufficient rain. ; If a map of the north were taken and a line ruled down the centre, one side could be practically classed as suffering from the dry spell, while the other side has had enough rain to get a good autumn growth of grass. Even if rain fell now, it is too late to expect sufficient feed for the winter. .The outlook is, therefore, most unpromising, and there is a possibility of a heavy mortality among cattle. The conditions prevailing in the north are equally similar in the southern part of the island, and what is going to be the outcome is very problematical just now. Taranaki,- Wanganui, Oroua, Manawatu, Wairarapa, and Hawke's Bay districts are very badly off for rain, and about the only place where there is plenty of green feed is in the Wainiarino. In some parts on the Main Trunk line, whe-e plenty of bullock feed could be depended upon, there is now not even sheep feed, and, combined with the congestion at the freezing works owing to lack of shipping, flockmasters are having a very bad time. They cannot unload cull lambs at prices over about 4s to 6s, and, in fact, it is really hard to get rid of stuff other than the best quality. Hawke's Bay is particularly dry just now, and the ■ following -clipping from one of the local papers tells its own story:—"There has been practically no rainfall in Hawke's Bay since Christmas. At the present time a large area of the country is practically destitute of herbage. Large tracts of country that at this time of the year are usually verdant grass paddocks, are now completely bare. With no immediate prospects of rain the farmers are in despair for the means of grazing their stock. They cannot send their stock to the freezer because the freezing companies are already congested. Startling as it may seem, it is nevertheless a fact that sheep in Hawke's Bay this week aro being sold as low as 4s each. Some stations there have commenced to boil down, this process gives them a return of 8s per sheep for the skin nnd tallow. If the :ain comes now at will be too late todo any good, as already there have been some heavy frosts in the district, and the heat has gone out of the ground to a considerable extent. The above carries a good idea of what North Island pastoralists' prospects for winter are, and there is not the slightest shadow of doubt that if winter conditions are severe farmers are :'n for a bad time. It may be, of course, that we will experience a very mild winter, and in that case it will be the silver lining. The aspect at present, however, is not good, and already some farmers are making-serious losses .by being obliged to sell stock which are going back every day at ridiculously low pnceß because of the uncertainty ahead. I am forwarding, these notes" while travelling in the Wellington province, and it seems to me that rain is as far off as ever. Let ub hope there will soon be a sprinkling, and a good one at that. In the meantime plough--men are making the most of the fine weather, and teams are kept constantly going. There is every chance that cropping areas will be substantially" increased. PRICKLY PEAR PEST. 4t the present time farmers in this Dominion have a good many pests to fight, and just now farmers in the north are much concerned regarding the spread of the cattle tick. In Taranaki noxious weeds are causing some anxiety, and drastic steps will have to fie taken in order to compel landowners to keep their paddocks clean. It is being suggested that another deadly pest may come this way in the form of prickly pear, -which is looming like an octopus in Queensland and New South Wales. Ao-eordii-g to advices received the pest now covers 2,750,000 acres in New South Wales, and that in Queensland, -where it is extending at the rate of 1,000,000 acres a vear, 20 000,000 acres are now being affected, it is 'estimated that 5,000,000 acres of Queensland soil have been rendered worthless owing to the density of the growth. A sharp lookout should be kept to prevent this pest gaining a footing- m the UominiOD' HEMP AND TOW. Some interesting returns are available showing the quantities of hemp, tow, and strippe? slips graded at the ports of the

Dominion during April. These figures show that the total number of bales of hemp graded was 7395, as compared with 16,114 for the corresponding period of last year, a decrease of 8719 bales. For the 12 months ended April 30, 1919, the number of bales graded was 129,738, as compared with 167,595 for the previous 12 nionths, a decrease of 38,817 bales. During the month 1412 balos of tow were dealt with, as compared with 3426 for the corresponding month of last year, a decrease of 2014 bales. For the 12 months ended April 30. 1919, the number of bales graded Wa3 19,539, as compared with 37,061 for the previous 12 months, a decrease of 17,522 bales. No stripper slips were dealt with. For 12 months ended April 30 the number of bales graded was 599, as compared with 2011 for the previous 12 months, a decrease of 1412 bales. TARANAKI DAIRY LANDS.

Dairying land has advanced in price v.ery considerably all round, particularly in Taraiiaki, and suggestions are now being made that fresh valuations should be authorised. The Dominion must be reaping in a large measure the fruits of increased taxation, ;md it is pretty certain that some of the and speculators are going to be hit. As Recently pointed out by a Taranaki paper, the man who will feel the pinch the hardest is the bona fide farmer, not the speculator, who is content to stay and work his land. If he is valued at the present time at £4O per acre, and his adjoining neighbour has sola at £BO, what defence can be put up against a largely-increased valuation. Some land has jumped from £6O to £IOO, though valued at only £4O. The anomaly jb obvious, and the Government will have to listen to the cry being raised for fresh Valuations. DECREASED INCOME TAX.

It is quite obvious that there is going to be a serious decrease in the income of farmers as a result of the heavy drop in the prices of oaten chaff and stock, and this shrinkage must reflect in the amount Of income tax paid to the Government. ,Mr J. W. M'Laren, who has contested several flections, deals with the matter in the course of a letter to the Auckland Star, and he points out that oaten chaff has dropped in price from £l6 a ton to £8 a ton, and hay also 100 per cent. There has also been a heavy drop in all classes of young stock; yearling cattle last year were bringing £7 per bead, whereas now 18 months to two-year-olds axe only realising from £5 to £6 per head. "One can understand," he says, the amount of income those farmers will have who bought 12 months ago at £7 per head, and can now only realise at £6 per head. With the present prices of fertilisers, fencing wire, and other merchandise requirements of farmers, they 'are hot having such a rosy time as some people imagine. The class of weaner calves that ■were realising up to £2 10s per head last year are this season realising from 15s to £1 per head. The farming community are not in the happy position that the town dweller imagines them to be; and at this stage it is just as well that the latter should know it. Farmers are the only portion of tile community who as yet have adopted the frofit-sharing system with their employees, imagine others will fall in line soon, and wages, pure and simple, will soon be a thing of the past." What Mr M'Laren says is quite correot in the deductions he haa arrived at. Many people run away with the idea that the only people in the Dominion who are coining money are the farmers. They would speedily have those Jdeas dispersed if they w«re farming at the present time. One thing is perfectly plain. The income tax gathered in by the Government this year will be seriously affected as the result of decreased revenue obtainable for farmers produce and stock. .THE HIKURANGI SWAMP.

North Auckland settlers find those interested in the 'development of the north &re displaying great keenness in having the Hikurangi swamp drained and made available for settlement. The Minister of Lands has been asked not to delay the commencement of the work by the preparation of estimates. An Execution _ Committee was appointed by a publio meeting at Hikurangi to expedite the work. PRACTICAL ADVICE TO SOLDIERS. There is" a conflict of opinion as to whether District Land Purchase Boards or Farmers' Advisory Boards should be appointed to act in conjunction with the Government officers in making a selection of bush lands for soldiers. It has been sugJ;ested that the men most competent to elect land for soldiers were the practical farmers in the back-blocks—successful men who had turned virgin land into productive country. At a meeting of the Auckland branch of the Farmers' Union one speaker contended that it would pay the Government £IOOO a year for their services, and see that their farms were looked after during their absence. The idea is that these men should be put in charge of gangs of returned soldiers to fall the bush on suitable areas. When the bush was down the engineers would decide where to put roads and railways, and the surveyors would cut the land into suitable blocks for settlement. The' soldiers who have worked in the bush gangs would be entitled to first choice of She sections. Remits to the above effect will be discussed at the annual conference of the union. TALLOW. Latest advices show that a good clearance Of freezing works' stocks of tallow is being effected, some very heavy lines having recently been shipped. At the Wellington sales, at which miscellaneous lots were offered, the demand was poor, but best parcels showed an advance of 2s 6d per owt upon the previous sale rates. OTA GO AND GOVERNMENT TESTS FOR SPRAYS. At a* conference of fruit-growers of Auckland province Mr Shelton spoke on a remit from Central Otago urging the meeting to pross upon the federation the need for Goyernment action with regard to the deteriorating quality of sprays, and also urging that all sprays should be analysed, and their sale authorised by the department, thus placing them on the same footing as artificial manures. Mr Shelton said the idea behind this was to get all sprays tested by the department, and this was one of the Strongest policies of the federation, which tad been working for this all along. The remit was adopted. ADVICE TO NORTHERNERS.

Tho Hon. Sir William Fraser has just paid a visit to the North Auckland districts, and he impressed upon the farmers the necessity for going in for ploughing to a much greater extent, rather than depending fo much on surface grassing which tho experienoe of this season has proved ia As a re-ralt of his travols ho said he was quite convinced that not 1 per cent, of the farmers in the Whangarei district had made provision for winter feed.