DISTRICT JOTTINGS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17235, 15 April 1930, Page 9

DISTRICT JOTTINGS

Apple Exports. j From now on there is expected to be a gradual falling oil' in the shipments !of export apples from Gisborne. Last week the total was not very far behind the largest, consignment of the season, and 2077 cases were got away, but from now on the shipments are expected to bo considerably smaller. To date over 1(1,700 cases have been forwarded from Gisborne. The Warble Fly. A Jiltle misapprehension has been caused by a remark of a speaker at i the Poverty Bay Farmers’ Union meeting on Saturday during the discussion on the ox warble fly. The remarks of the member referred to indicated that the warble fly larvae had been discovered on a second beast in the district, but the source of the information was traced later, and it was discovered that as far as was known there had been no infestation in Poverty Bay other than on the rccent]v imported bull from the United States, but that some imported cattle in Hawke’s Bay were affected. Wool Exports. Although there have been large withdrawals from the Napier wool sales of Poverty Bay and coast clips, approximately the same quantities of jwool were exported from these 'districts as last season. In some cases wool has been held on farms and some in store at Gisborne, but apparently most of the usual exports have gone j forward, for 2.8,484 bales were shipped jon overseas vessels from Gisborne and iTokomaru Bay for the nine months tended March 81 compared with 29,000 j bales for the corresponding period the j previous season. The Napier and jWairoa shipments for the same periods j were 71,161 bales and 106,976 bales | respectively, but the position there was affected by the large quantities held- from the sales this season. The Dominion totals were 425,667 and 548,098 bales respectively. Wool Sales for Gisborne. In making their efforts to secure

,'Wool sales for Gisborne during the coming selling season, as suggested by Mr. Vincent Barker at the annual [meeting of the Sheepowncrs’ Union on Saturday, there is little doubt that whole-hearted support would bo received from every local section of the trade concerned. While enthusiasm and optimism are required in tackling Ihis matter, these qualities must be tempered with a full knowledge of tho difficulties in the way. Tho roster for next, season has been already definitely arranged, and the buyer members .of the wool committee has dispersed to various parts of the world, taking with them the sale dates for the next season. The whole world of' fhe wool trade is advised of these dates, and any alterations would mean widespread inconvenience. In addition the full wool committee cannot meet until the beginning of next season, for some of its members would be out of the country until then. It may not be right to say that it would be impossible to secure an alteration in Hie roster at such a late hour, but it may bo very difficult to persuade tho committee to make any change, and a very good ease would have to bo presented tn it. Wool buyers maintain that to hold a sale at. Gisborno it would mean practically a week’s extension of the selling programme, a dav to get. here from Napier, two days valuing, a day holding the sale, a day in getting out of the town, and a further dav, possibly, in getting to tho next selling centre. Even if valuing only were done in Gisborne only a day would be saved. Mr. Barker’s suggestion, however, is one well worth inquiring into fully, and to make out a strong case for presentation at an appropriate opportunity. Three Testing Seasons.

Judged by returns of tho Poverty Bay Group Herd Testing Association, the dairying season in the district is having a very successful finish. With more than twice the number of cows, tlie March butterfat average is approximately the same as it was during the very favorable autumn of .1928, and the figures for March of last year are easily surpassed. A review of the three seasons is given in tho tables given below.

The following shows the numbers of cows tested month by month 1927-28 1928-29 1929-80 August — 370 563 September.. 910 9(57 1565 October 1088 136(5 1976 November.. 1187 1587 2297 December .. 1157 1646 2434 January 999 1658 2455 February .. 1081 1606 2434 March 1058 1592 2363 The following are the monthly averages for the three seasons, the figures quoted being lbs. of buttcrfat: 1927-28 3028-29 1929-30 August — 34.73 32.93 September 87.00 38.83 32.16 October 38.01 37l9.l 36.76 November 35.02 37.77 36.9S December 82.82 85.99 34.35 January .. 2(5.40 33.36 30.82 February .. 2(5.21 28.2(5 28.12 Mu rch 27.28 23.6(5 27.26