HUGE LAND PURCHASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3803, 1 February 1927, Page 20

HUGE LAND PURCHASE.

AMERICAN SYNDICATE OPERATING. WELLINGTON, January 28. It.was reported in Wellington to-day that an American syndicate was endeavouring to acquire in the Lower Hutt Valley an extensive area of land with a view to erecting manufacturing works. The blocks of land are very suitable for the purpose, and it is understood that if the transaction is completed, not only will the most up-to-date works be established, but the land in the vicinity will be laid out on modern town-planning lines as practised in America. Some idea of the magnitude of the deal may be gleaned from the statement that the. purchase money for the land alone will, run into upwards of £50,000, the present offers covering three blocks and ■representing cash down if the sale eventuates. The syndicate, it is reported,, will bear the full cost of the. laying-out qf the : area acquired. ...

AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL NEWS. &

An unusual course has been taken by lasmanian potato growers to bring about a better method of marketing their produce. They have' decided to raise a sum of between £2OOO and £3OOO for organising and office expenses by taxing themselves a halfpenny a bag. tl7 ' J - I F l av .el l ing through Waikaka Valley and Waikoikoi to Tapanui some fine crops of oats are to be seen, while the turnip crops nave made a mod strike and a.e doing well (says the Mataura Ensign). There are some particularly fine crops of oats, wheat, and turnips along the Tapanui flat. Grass harvesting is occupying the attention of farmers at present, and some good crops are being gathered. One of the biggest droves of sheep mustoreci in Southern Hawke’s Bay, passed through Dannevirke during the week-end. a line of 3600 two-tooth wethers being taken delivery of at Mr P. V. Smith’s station at Akitio under consignment to Mr T. Duncan, Otari, Hunterville (says the News). In both quantity and quality the great line of stores were a credit to a sheep-produc-ing district and attracted considerable attention on the road. The big flock was under the charge of Mr Toa Winiata the well-known drover, who on the long’ and dusty trail had the assistance of four men skilful in the handling of sheep and dogs’ Have sheep intelligence? It is a common belief that they do not possess it, but a New Plymouth suburban resident cites cases to the contrary (says an exchange). Some time ago he had the carpenters and painters about his place effecting renovations. Billy, a fat sheep, showed his resentment of their intrusion by promptly making off. He was brought back to his paddock, but finding the strangers still there, he bolted again. Until they had departed he would not stay. -Then the other day a motorist happened along with some sheep dogs aboard, rhe dogs were tied up in the paddock, Billy took umbrage, and went up to the lady of the house, and, accompanying her towards the dogs, gave vent to ’ his displeasure by stamping his feet and vociferously bleating. Only when the car •with the dogs aboard left the precincts of the ijlaee did Billy calm down and resume his feeding. The wonderful growth made by lucerne in Poverty bay during the last few weeks was the subject of comment by a local dairyman the other day (states the Poverty Bay Herald). He said that about Christmas he had cut his lucerne, but owing to the continued wet weather he had been unable to stack it. He kept turning it over and eventually removed it from the lucerne paddock because the rest of the crop was making such rapid growth. Since the fine weather commenced he had had another cut from the paddock and alreaay there was a remarkable growth. This year he was stacking all his lucerne, but in future he intended to make a good deal of it into ensilage, because even with wet weather that could be successfully made.

Pet lambs nearing maturity are nortori ously difficult animals for a drover or a shepherd to handle. They entertain no respect for either the man or his dogs, and the scant courtesy with which they treat mere humans was illustrated after the Marton Show a few days ago. A pen of pet ■lambs had been opened, and the animals were beins* driven away when one of them turned and charged its astonished shepherd. Too surprised to dodge the sheep, the man went down ignominiously before its onset. The Tuapeka Times states that it is not improbable that in addition to taking away the sergeant of police from Lawrence, the department will affect the amalgamation of the clerk of court’s duties with the work of the remaining constable. .“Are you a farmer,” queried counsel in the Pahiatua Magistrate’s Court recently of a witness just sworn. “A ruined farmer,” was the downright reply. “Denmark uses five tons of manure to the 100 acres, while New Zealand uses 12|cwt. ,1s it any wonder that New Zealand dairymen are frightened of that little country’s competition?” asked Mr J. W. M'Cullough at the farm school at Masterton. A good month was experienced by the suppliers to the Kia Ora Dairy Company during December, and the cheques posted amounted to over £lO,OOO (reports the Poverty Bay Herald). The ready money thuns released should have a beneficial effect on the business of retailers in town, who have recently been complaining that trade has been slack. What is regarded as the top price in Otago and Southland for shorn ewe hoggets was secured by a Milburn farmer last week,' when a line of approximately 100 ewe hoggets fresh from the shears were disposed of at 33s per head. The hoggets were purchased four months previously at 335. 6d - per head and shore an average weight, of 121 b of wool apiece. An interesting comparison of the cost of meat in New Zealand and in Brisbane was given by an ex-Gisborne resident in a letter to Mr- W. M. Bayly, secretary of the Farmers’ Union. The writer stated that both in price and quality, the meat there was cheaper than in Gisborne. As evidence he enclosed an advertisement of a Brisbane butcher, which quoted, full sides of mutton for 7s each, and hindquarters at 4s 6d each. Forequarters are sold for 2s 6d and the best loin chops at 7d a lb.