DAIRY CATTLE RAISING.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 3, 19 August 1911, Page 3

DAIRY CATTLE RAISING.

STOCK AT MOITMAHAKI FAIT',!. Speaking in the House the ether evening the Hon. T. Mackenzie, Minister for Agriculture, said: There was a question that might have been elaborated more than it had been: lie referred to the question of The stock placed on tho Moumahaki Farm. Tor the information of tho House he might say that the Ayrshire herd there was bought on tho recommendation of one who was perhaps the best judge of Ayrshires‘in the world—that was i\!r Dunlop, who was associated with tho Scottish Commission to 1 Australasia. The balance of that excellent herd was obtained from Dr. Lcvingo, of Canterbury, all, with the exception of one, being pedigree stock of which I have the record—and probably that one had a pedigree, too, but it had been lost. The Department had added to tho stock from pedigree stock in tho North. Ho had no doubt tho honourable gentleman who had asked tho question was desirous of seeing a herd established in Taranaki —at least, ho hoped lie was which was essentially a dairying district, with the object of producing stock of a. reliable milking strain to improve the general condition of the stock there. An 'Hon. Member: What about the Holstoins? The Hon. Mr 'l'. Mackenzie said he did not think tho experimental farm country in Taranaki was the best suited for the; Holstein breed. The Department, ' however,' was establishing a valuable Holstein herd at Weraroa. Mr Massey asked, “Where are the shorthornsP”

Mr Mackenzie replied that, lie was not responsible for the shorthorns; he was responsible only for what had boon done since lie had taken over the Department. He had never put a shilling into shorthorns. Men who had been lauded up to tho skies in tho House, and who had been referred to as invaluable officers for this country, had been responsible for bringing into the country shorthorn stock that had never left a heifer worth a twopenny ticket. That was the history of the purchase of some of the shorthorn stock in this country. He was, however, bringing to the country a stock that he hoped might take the place that the shorthorn herds wore expected to take: he referred to the Ilia warm breed from Australia. Those herds were proving not only useful milkers, hut they were good for the butcher. That was a point in favour of the shorthorns: they were what he might call a utility animal, in that they milk as well as beef. In regard to the. Holstoins, he wished to say, too, that in New .Zealand their record of yield was as high as the highest average-yield rycord in Denmark. One..,cow, purchased not very, long ago, had given 15,80011) and £2O 10s Od worth of butter-fat on a valuation (basis of lid per lb. The basis might l fairly bo put at T-s per lb - , which would increase tho return. Without spending too much money, it was his desire to produce well-bred cattle with the money at his disposal, and afterwards, when they reared young stock, to lot that young stock ho within tho roach of tho average dairy farmer. He lipped to have, at any rate, from twelve to eighteen young animals for sale in the spring, and these he was sure would give very great satisfaction to Llieir settlors, who wore in quest of thorn. He had been very pleased to listen to the able manner in which his colleague had simply wiped tho floor with the honourable member for Wairau in connection with the Land for Settlements Act. Ho thought that was one of the finest replies over delivered in the House. The fact of tho matter was that those who condemned the Government so much,

and who wanted to insinuate that the Government were not quite straight in their land purchases, were just as desirous as any member of the House to see that Act carried out.