OUR LETTER BOX

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10889, 17 July 1928, Page 5

OUR LETTER BOX

DEHORNING OF CATTLE. Informative correspondence on any bud. iect is welcomed, but the Pahiatua Herald cannot identify itself with the various opinions exprec d by the writers. (To the Editor.) Sir, —In the first letter, Air J D. Piper says most distinctly that the man who contracts to do the job does not provide proper dressing for wounds of this magnitude, which is quite contrary to fact. I have given Mr Piper an invitation to see for himself, before going into print, so that be may be able to give more protection to the settlers and poor dumb cows. Mr Piper refers to what he done in the .eighties. Since those days we have gone through a period of great changes, thanks to science. Everything is modernised. Motorcars have supplanted pack-horses in this district. Milking machines were never thought of at the time Mr Piper refers to. and let me tell Mr Piper that if it were not for this modern machinery dairy farming could not carry on, so why try and condemn an outfit, one of the most essential to dairy and cattle farmers, in general, before seeing it in operation .

Mr Piper can go on any boat, steamer or sailing ship that he may choose, and he will never see a sailor or anyone else bandaged up with Stockholm tar and castor oil. But why go back into Nelson’s time or the eighties. They have nothing whatever to do with me or my profession.

Regarding ranch cattle being dehorned in America in large numbers, in warm spring, I would remind him that our spring is extremely warm. Our doctors do not wait for these periods for operations, neither do I. For the benefit of the settlers whom Air Piper is trying to protect, I am now going to challenge him to a dehorning contest in the Pahiatua sale-yards at any time be may state or choose, providing he will bring along or erect the structure that lie used in the eighties, or even now. AVe will put through cow for cow bull for bull. I will advertise the demonstration at my own expense, and call it the Piper-Preston Dehorning Contest. I feel sure in saying not one farmer within 50 miles will miss seeing it. Not only that, but I will guarnnttee that it will be tlie finest contest ever s.?en in this district. I trust that Mr Piper will accept this challenge in a true sportsmanlike manner. We will leave tlie miblic. or rather the settlers, whom Air Piper is protecting. to judge for themselves tlie work done. I am. etc., Hv. PRESTON,