A. AND P. NEWS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3885, 28 August 1928, Page 19

A. AND P. NEWS.

The annual report and balance sheet of the Otara Dairy Factory Company disclosed a satisfactory year’s work. None of this season’s output has been sold as yet. Messrs R. E. Jennings and J. Blair were reapnointed directors for the ensuing season, Mr Joseph Thwaites being reappointed chairman.

The South Island Dairy Association is making an advance payment of 7s for live calves this year plus Is extra to farmers who make their own delivery to Makarewa Works. The payments will be made through local dairy factories, and farmers are warned that the animals

must be well fed and nourished, otherwise they will not conform to regulations, and will have to be rejected. The cup presented by Mr W. S. Wilson .for competition among boys’ and girls’ agricultural clubs hi s been w. n this year by Master H. Willis, of Matapu School, Taranaki, who grew a crop of mangels weighing 188 tons 7cwt per acre. As has been done in previous years the Department of Agriculture is presenting to Master Willis a suitably inscribed gold medal as a permanent record of his having won the cup. The department is also presenting him with a photograph of the cup. Of 1000 blocks which the West Australian Minister of Lands (Mr Troy) promised some months ago to have made available as soon as possible under the 3500 farms plan the Government board has already dealt with 400. for which there were more than 2200 applicants. A Government official says that there are 1000 young farmers waiting for land, some with as much capital as £lOOO. These include many from the eastern States. Writing from America on the subject of “ Bacon Curing,” Dr E. Mc.rsden, Secretary of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, says that the crux of the whole problem lies in transportation (reports the Wellington Post). Changes in temperature or in humidity are fatal, but this nas been overcome in Canada by the use of properly-constructed refrigerating wagons. Difficulties in the Dominion might be overcome iq a similar way, Di Marsden thinks, by adopting a system of zone supply and possibly of collection, thus saving freight and preventing losses. Will women be found, acting in place of men as judges of horses at agricultural and pastoral shows? At the annual meeting of the Masterton A. and P. Association the retiring president, Mr G. H. Perry, said that breed societies were, he understood, finding that competent show judges were scarce, and he would certainly like to see more young men qualifying themselves to act in that capacity (reports a northern exchange). Every judge of purebreds should have an understudy with him at the shows. “ Apart from the highly important work of judging farm animals, light horse judges are not too plentiful,” said the speaker, “ and I really believe we may have to appoint ladies to some of these positions in future. Young men are not taking the same interest in horses as girls and young women.”

When a resolution from the Hawke’s Bay A. and P. Society was before the Manawatu A. and P. Association urging the Government to prohibit the importation of live stock or substances likely to

carry foot-and-mouth disease inf-CLion, Mr J. A. Mitchell said he thought (says a telegram from Palmerston North) there was no doubt that within a few years the Dominion would be troubled with the disease. He believed that the more rigid protection there was the better it would be. Mr Mitchell said there were at present several head of stock at Somes Island in quarantine. When Mr Mitchell's statement was referred to the director of agriculture, Dr Reakes stated that there were some cattle from the United States in quarantine on Somes Island, but all were in perfect health.

At the annual meeting of the Opunake Dairy Company the retiring chairman (Mr C. J. Griffiths) appealed to suppliers to render every assistance to the factory manager, whose interests were the interests of the company and the suppliers themselves. Nothing would be gained by opposing the manager, he said. The chairman’s remarks were endorsed by a supplier present, who concluded with: “May the Lord help those who do go against him.” The point of his commentary probably centred in the fact that the new manager is of the wiry, atheltic type of man.

The unfairness of the price of superphosphate in the South Island, as compared with the North Island, was the subject of a discussion at the meeting of theWaimate Farmers’ Union. The following motion, a copy of which is to be sent to Mr J. Bitchener, M.P., for submission to the Prime Minister, was carried: — “That this meeting of the Wainrate Farmers’ Union desires to express its dissatisfaction at the continued difference in the price of superphasphate in the South Island, as compared with the North Island, and the reasons given for the same, and asks that the Minister of Agriculture shall make it a condition of the supply of raw rock phosphate to the fertiliser manufacturing companies that the price of superphosphate to consumers shall be the same in both islands.” “ One hundred acres divided into fiveacre paddocks will carry more stock, if well farmed” than 200 acres of similar land badly farmed and ring fenced only. I have satisfied myself on that point,” said a dairyman recently (reports the Waipa Post). He continued: “I could not do enough fencing to suit me this winter because the cows came in early, but I have reduced the size of my paddocks by half, and I am willing to bet I get much better factory returns. The cost of fencing will be easily met in the increased production this season.”

It appears likely that the Poverty Bay Group Herd Testing Association will Live 40 herds under its jurisdiction this season (remarks the Herald). One complete group has been formed already, and testing has commenced, while ,-onie new members indicated their intention of joining if arrangements could be made. The result is that there are now 35 herds available for testing. The association now finds that it is morally bound to make a determined effort to secure an additional live herds in order to make possible the testing of those who joined after the testing of the first complete group was commenced. It is anticipated that there will be little trouble in securing sufficient herds to make the total up to 40, in which case an additional testing officer will be employed. In view of the comment regarding “ bobby ” calves being ill-treated in Feilding and other districts, an officer of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (reports our Wanganui correspondent) visited the Patea and Imlay freezing works, and reported that he could not find any trace in his district of any overcrowding on lorries or trucks. He found that at Patea out of 3000 cases brought in only in eight cases was it necessary to destroj r them at once. At Imlay, however, he found that out of a line of 63 prime ox brought on the railways 18 quarters had to be rejected on account of bruises caused through careless shunting. He had suggested that the attention of the Jlinister of Railways be drawn to the matter, as it was through careless shunting that so many animals were subjected to cruel treatment during their transportation over the railways. In connection with the reported statement at the meeting of the Manawatu A. and P. Association’s General Committee that foot-and-mouth disease was present in stock on Somes Island, Mr J. A. Mitchell, who was credited with the statement, was incorrectly reported. After stressing the need to take every precaution to prevent the introduction of the disease, Mr Mitchell pointed out that stock was being imported, and it was in reply to the chairman of the association that he said that there were several head of stock on Somes Island. It was not said or implied by Mr Mitchell that these were suffering from foot-and-mouth disease. “ One of the best staffs Riversdale has ever had,” remarked the chairman of the Joll Dairy Factory when a vote of appreciation was proposed to the manager and staff at its recent meeting (reports the Hawera Star). “They know their work all right,” he added. The second batch of calves, under the scheme recently inaugurated by the South Canterbury Calf . Committee, was slaughtered at the Smithfield freezing works on Wednesday (states the Timaru Herald). In all, 55 calves were killed, of which number nine were rejected as being under the required age of five days. “ I noticed in the ‘ Looking Back ’ column of the Guardian the other day that 25 years ago over 20 new members were elected to the association at one meeting,” said Mr W. J. Doak (president of the Ashburton A. and P. Association) the other afternoon when calling for new members '(reports the Guardian). “But you will find the sons of all those men working in the town now,” said a member. “ They are of the ‘ collar and tie' crowd. The old days were the dayi when there was more slogging done thai now.” “ The farmer’s only sentiment is hh pocket; if he gets a bob more from thi other man it is to h with co-opera-tion.” said a shareholder at the annual meeting of the Tolaga Co-operative Dairy Company recently (reporte Um Povarfar

Bay Herald), when it was suggested that the shareholders should assist the company* in trading matters. This remark appeared to express the sentiments of those' present, for there was a general murmur of approval. The matter under discussion at the time was the pig market. He suggested that they should co-operate and send their pigs to the English market. The secretary, Mr W. F. Morton, mentioned that one season the factory had an agency for a pig buyer, but other companies came in and operated at a higher price, spoiling the agency. Nothing was done in regard to the suggestion to join the export trade. The Produce Committee of the'South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, having considered a letter from the director of Lincoln College setting out the position of the college as compared with Massey College in the North Island, submitted the following recommendation to the last meeting of the chamber (says the Timaru Herald): —“That this chamber expresses sympathy with the efforts of the Board of Governors to have Lincoln College placed, as promised, on the same status as Massey College, but is of opinion that more attention" should be devoted to experimental and research work.” Mr Anstey said, that therfe was an enormous field for experimental work, and that which had been carried out at Lincbln-.’College of recent years had been invaluable. He was of opinion that experimental" and research work was of greater value than a multiplicity df lectures. More-attention should "be. paid to the practical side of the Work, both at- Lincoln and Massey Colleges. The recommendation was unanimously adopted.