THE NORTH ISLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3898, 27 November 1928, Page 20

THE NORTH ISLAND.

, (From Our Own Correspondent.) THE OUTLOOK. While the weather on the west coast has been fine during the past week, some glorious days being experienced, there has not been the same degree of fineness on the other coast, where cold snaps have prevailed. Shearing operations have been pushed ahead as much as weather and other circumstances would permit, but at Wanganui the catalogue for the sale. on Friday is much smaller than the initial sale of last year, The wool, however, is of good quality, and heavier than that which came into the first offering last November. The cablegram from London stating that the November series of wool sales had opened to a strong market and that prices had advanced by 5 per cent, to 10 per cent, on the closing rates of the September-October series, coupled with the splendid reports of the Sydney sales and the advanced prices at Napier, have put wool growers in great heart. The tone of the market is good, and it seems more than likely that this season is going to be a highly productive and remunerative one for flock, masters. Dairying is proceeding apace. Crops are growing splendidly,

pastures are generally providing a flush of feed, so that tine outlook of the producer jusCn'ow is distinctly good. With regard to dairying advices received from London indicate that old stocks of New Zealand butter are now practically cleared, and the market is firm to fairly active, with the best new season’s butter commanding up to 180 s, compared with 174 s to 176 s at this time last year. This rise to dairymen means a big Christmas box, and as production is very heavy just now, cheques generally will be very sub stantial. HERD TESTING IN TARANAKI. Herd-testing in Taranaki is creating much interest in the province, . and the following table supplied by the secretary shows a good difference between the profitable and unprofitable cows: —

FEILDING SHOW PICS.

At last week-end’s meeting of the Feilding A. and P. Association a report was received through the Feilding Bacon Company on the judging in London of the pork and bacon pigs shown at the last Feilding Show. After judging at the show pigs were slaughtered and shipped to England by the Feilding Bacon Company. In connection with the baconers the London judging did not differ from the show judging, pen 46, exhibited by the Cheltenham Dairy Company, being first; pen 45, by the same exhibitor, being second; and pen .44, exhibited by J. C. Christian, being third. The London opinion was that the first pen was the most suitable for bacon enters, carrying plenty of fat; weight, 1451 b. The second was very good, but not enough fat; weight, 1401 b. The third was described as being too light, and not enough fat for the bacon business. The weight of this carcass was 1331 b. The London judging differed from the show awards in the case of the porkers.

Pen 50, exhibited by the Cheltenham Dairy Company, which was unplaced at the show, came first at Home, and in the opinion of the judges was “ a nice sizeable carcass, of satisfactory weight, and most suitable for the London market; weight, 731 b.” Pen 48, exhibited by E. Sinclair, which came third at the show, was awarded second prize—a nicely- prepared carcass, and as suitable as any for the London trade, but rather too heavy; weight, 901 b. London’s third award went to pen 47, exhibited by- E. Sinclair, which came first at the show. The comment was that the frame was rather too heavy and not in prime condition. A carcass of this should carry 61b-71b more flesh; weight. 921 b. Pen 49, exhibited bv the Cheltenham Dairy Company, which came second at the show, was -awarded fourth place—too plain and thin in the legs. If in prime condition should have weighed 10’b more: weight, 861 b. DAIRYING IN OROUA. The Feilding district is developing well as a dairy centre, as may- be gathered from the fact that butter made at Makino factory in October totalled 244 tons, an increase of 17 tons over the previous month. For the four months ended October 31 the make totalled 573 tons, an increase of. 180 tons over the same period of 1927. The increase in manufacture to date represented, approximately, 23.4 per cent., and it is held to be the result of the favourable spring growth throughout the district. The factory has now obtained its own artesian supply, and will in future be independent of the borough mains. The secretary of the company reported at a meeting of directors that the annual instalment of £l2OO had been paid off the debenture account, thus reducing the balance of this account to £2400, which is now the only- liability against the whole of the company’s land and plant. THE FREEZING INDUSTRY. The Wellington Meat Export Companyhad a very successful year, according to the 39th annual report, which will be presented on the 29th inst. The profits accruing from the year’s operations totalled £9500 16s 4d, which were reduced to £BOOO after depreciation had been allowed for. With the balance brought forward from the year ended September 30, 1927, this year’s credit margin reaches £15,724 12s lOd. Out of this amount, the directors propose to pay the preference dividend at the rate of 8 per cent., amounting to £6917 4s 4d, and to carry forward a balance of £8753 8s 6d. Unsold stocks have been taken into account on a conservative value, leaving a generous margin for possible fluctuations in the market.

At the annual meeting of the Wairarapa Frozen Meat Co., held at Masterton, the chairman, Mr W. D. Hunt, pointed out that the company had a very simple job this year, as it was not carrying on a freezing business on its own account. He reviewed the balance sheet, pointing out that the amount of £564 shown as dividend from the Wellington Meat Export Company- was for only part of the year ended September 30, 1927. The dividend for the year- ending September 30 last was not included. This dividend of £4OOO would be paid after the Wellington Meat Export Company held its annual meeting on November 29, and would appear in next, year’s figures. The directors proposed to pay a dividend of 6 per cent, which would leave an amount of £6174 16s 5d to be carried forward. That covered the real business for the year. Under the arrangement with the Wellington Meat Export Company, that company was nowfreezing a lot of stock from the Masterton district. Mr Hunt said that the other works amongst them could have handled all the stock. Last year was a very peculiar year—the worst year the freezing companies ever had to deal with. There was a lot of dry- weather, and the result was that all the sheep and lambs came forward

for killing at once. He thought, however, that even if the local works had not been going, the other works amongst them could have handled all the stock. The Meat Export Company’s works were really open continuously to receive stock because they killed for the local trade. They took stock at any time. He did not suppose much stock would be offering until the first of next month-. It was a later season than usual.

NORTHLAND JERSEY SHOW. There are some very fine Jersey stock in the north of Auckland, and a most successful Jersey show has just been held at Dargaville. The show was easily the best yet held, the entries being a record. In the pedigree cattle section the most successful exhibitor was R. E. Clements. The championship awards w-ere:—Champ-pion cow and reserve champion, R. E. Clements; champion bull, R. A. Lewis; reserve, Mackie and Church. The points prize was won by R. E. Clements, with 58 points. R. A. Lew-is being second with 12, and W. H. Fitness third with 6. The main results in the grade cattle classes were:—Champion cow, S. C. Church; reserve champion, F. Powell. Points prize, cup presented by- Northern Wairoa Jersey- Cattle Club: D. Marra, 16 points, 1; F. Powell, 15, 2; S. Church, 6, 3. NEW ZEALAND DAIRY PRODUCE “Our butter is of such uniform qual-ity-—more so than any other so far as I could ascertain —that the oldest-estab-lished houses, with high business reputations to keep up, can and do buy this article, 14.000 miles away, never seeing it, but buying it in absolute confidence in the Dominion Government grade notes, and reselling it without hesitation or anxiety- of any kind to their most valued customers. This speaks volumes, I think, for the skill and integrity of the New Zealand grading staff. It is the best testimony that I can imagine to the quality of our produce.” The above tribute to the high regard in which New Zealand dairy- produce is held in Great Britain was paid by Mr W. G. K. Wright, editor of the New Zealand Dairyman, who returned from a ■world’s tour by the Maheno recently. Mr Wright represented the New Zealand Dairy Factory Managers’ Association at the World’s Dairy- Conference, held at Westminster, w-hen delegates representing 47 different countries met, and with them were present most of the greatest authorities on the dairy industry. There were over 700 delegates, and every aspect of the industry, from the soil to the finished dairy product was discussed. “Papers read numbered 84,” said Air Wright, “ and it was a.most impressive and unforgettable gathering.” Mr Wright studied dairying methods in England, Scotland, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Holland. “ I was amazed,” he said, “at the intimate knowledge of the New Zealand • industry possessed by the Danes, Swedes, anti Germans. They were exceedingly hospitable, and showed me everything I wanted to see, and answered any question relating to their own dairying industry and machinery that I put to them.”

Mr Wright found the dairy factories in England and the Continent ahead of those in New Zealand in the matter of appearance, but on the whole they were not nearly so well equipped. In that way New Zealand was well in the lead.

The efforts of the Empire Marketing Board and the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board had resulted in the practice of blending New Zealand butter falling off to a large extent. “ Our butter is in great retail demand for its own sake, and for what it is—New Zealand produce, sold as such on merit,” declared Mr Wright. “ It is quite evident that our New- Zealand manufacturers are working along sound lines in the manufacture and distribution of their produce. They have now practically regained the confidence.of the British trade.”

CONFISCATION OF MAORI LANDS. The confiscation of Maori lands has been a burning question for many years, and it Jias to be admitted that the Reform Government did its best to get at the bottom of the trouble and, if possible, remove some of the causes. With that object in view, Mr Coates. Prime Munster, had a commission appointed and certain recommendations made concerning compensation. The older Maoris, however, were not much impressed with the idea of receiving money. The appeal of the land, with its mountains, its lakes, and its other natural features, was more important to them, and this side of the picture was presented at the Te Whiti anniversary gathering held at Ketemarae on .November 18. “Give us our mountain,” said one of the elders. “We want that, not the money.” No money, in the opinion , an ,°‘, chief, could compensate for the loss of the peak Taranaki. .’ n ttle same way the tribes of the Waikato, in whose land were Lake Taupo and Lake Rotorua, insisted that they must be given the lakes of their forefathers. They, however, agreed to accept an annual payment, with the condition that, if the ■ revenue of the lakes realised more than the stated sum, they shoold have a halfshare in that surplus. Now, as the result of the discussions and the arguments put forward by Taito te Tomo, the envoy of Sir Maui Pomare, who was present at Ketemarae on Sunday, and of the Rev. Robert Haddon and his son, who attended both on Sunday and on Monday, those who were assembled at the pa were convinced that the recommends-, tions of the commission were just and generous, and that they as far as was possible righted the wrongs of the past. At the beginning of the conference at Ketemarae all the elders, harking back to the days of Sir George Grey and the Waitara land troubles, insisted that the land must be returned to them. They argued that the commission had agreed the war was unjust, and that, in spite thereof, a huge area of land from White Cliffs to M 7 aitotara had been taken from their fathers. The payment of money was as nothing compared to the land taken, their birthright, and so the argument waxed hot and strong. A remarkable influence was exerted by Taito te Tomo. Beginning in the picturesque oratorical fashion of the old-time Maori, with a chanted song, he urged them that there was no need to worry about the payment; it would be made whatever Government was in power in New Zealand, so long as they had Sir Maui Pomare and Sir Apirana Ngata to look after their interests. He added that the words and prophecy of the great Te Whiti were now fulfilled, for he had said “ a son of Waitara will be needed to put right the Waitara troubles.” So it turned out, for Pomare was a son of Waitara, and under his guidance the wrongs were being righted. Taito was strongly supported by Rangihuna, who urged that “ a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush ” and “ a half-loaf was better than none.” He said he was much pleased that this big effort had been made to right the wrongs of the past. The Rev. R. Haddon commended the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. J. G, Coates) for his work in setting up the commission and in dealing with petitions that dated back to the times of Grey and Bell. No conclusion was reached on Sunday, and once more on Monday the courtyard was filled, all intent on one object. To Mr Haddon and his son must be given credit for convincing the chiefs. They said that the members of the commission had, in spite of all outside influence, decided that the war had been unjust and that compensation must be paid. They had recommended the payment of £5OOO per annum. They had admitted that their countrymen of 60 odd years ago had done •wrong, and were doing their best to right that wrong. Then the elders were convinced, and they agreed to the proposal that this sum should be held in trust for the good of the Maoris of the area involved, to improve the conditions, so that their welfare generally might be guarded. They should, as had been the case round Taupo and Rotorua, improve their dwellings and equip the pas in conformity with modern ideas, build a hospital, and equip it with Maori doctors and nurses, and so give the people the same treatment as the Europeans. DECREASE IN LAMBS. While the yield of lambs has been satisfactory on the west coast there has been a shrinkage on figures on the east coast, particularly in the Poverty Bay district, the percentage of lambs tailed being only about 70 per cent, this season over five counties, namely. Cook, Waikohu, Uawa, Waiapu, and Matakaoa. The Poverty Bay Herald, commenting on the decrease, says that the abundance of feed created a fatness in the ewes which to some extent created a bearing-down trouble, resulting in a little mortality, but it is calculated that this affected the , percentages but little. The main cause of the reduction appears to be that a number of the ewes put to the rani came . in dry, and it is reported that there were numbers of such cases affecting the averages. ( In Hawke’s Bay there was something ’ of a similar experience, but the average ■ was not affected to such a great extent r there as it was in Poverty Bay and the r coastal districts to the north of Gisborne. [ Over the whole of Hawke’s Bay (stated 1 a recent visitor to Gisborne who spoke • with some authority on the subject) the t average would approximate SO per cent., a reduction of about 6 or 7 per cent, on , the previous season’s estimate. It was - thought that probably there would be as - many lambs in the district as there were * last season, but there had been a con- ' siderable increase in the number of ewes ’ put to the ram.

No. of Cows Monthly Group Average. Highest Herd Average Lowest Herd Highest Lowes Cow. Average. Cow. Group. tested. Cows. Milk. Test. Fat. Cows. Fat.. Cows. Fat. Fat. Fat. Kaimata . . . . . 1041 > 39 872 4.7 41.2 56 48.9 36 22.2 79 8 Eltham-Mang. . . . . 1059 48 923 3.9 35.6 Do 48.1 52 23.6 76 3 Pembroke-Cardiff . . 886 35 797 4.3 34.0 42 45.3 19 21.2 71 10 New Plymouth . . . 888 33 754 4.5 33.8 26 45.7 46 20.3 69 5 Uruti . . . . . 1107 43 906 4.3 39.1 38 50.9 13 17.8 87 7 Opunake . • . . 1239 48 936 3.9 36.9 50 49.1 41 27.9 86 3 Eltham • • • . . 1105 44 913 4.0 36.6 64 47.1 37 28.4 83 8 . . 136G 51 872 4.1 36.2 68 48.5 36 20.1 88 5 Oaonui-Warea . . 1175 45 8824.0 35.5 1 32 • 43.6 47 24.7 68 7 Bel' Block . . . . 1055 39 820 4.3 35.3 18 44.2 33 16.2 83 4 Puniho-Patua • . . . 1112 43 823 4.3 35.3 33 43.9 33 26.0 84 7 Midhurst • • . . 1000 38 780 4.4 34.0 39 40.9 b5 22.0 70 5 Moa ... . . . 917 35 775 4.2 32.8 20 48.4 19 17.5 72 7 (Average for 13,950 cows tested : 8551b milk, 4.2 ;est/ 361b butter-fat (" B ” cows included in averages.