NEWS OF THE DAY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 90, 25 March 1931, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Soldiers’ Re-union

It is proposed to hold a re-union of returned soldiers in Kaponga some time during April.

The Rise in Woo! The rise in wool prices is very welcome to many sheep farmers. A local district farmer who refused to sell at 4Jd a lb. held the clip, and at Wanganui received 7d to Bd.

Stratford-Main Trunk Railhead On the Stratford-Main Trunk railway, No. 3 tunnel, which is 64 chains in length, has been completed by the Public Works Department gangs, and there remains one more tunnel, No. 4, separating this side from the Ohura end of the line.

Stratford Fire Brigade . The secretary of the Stratford Fire Brigade, Mr. P. T. Aitken, acknowledges with thanks, on behalf of the brigade, a donation of one guinea from Mr. D. Butchart for services rendered at the recent fire, when his premises were in danger of being destroyed.

Haystacks Destroyed One result of the wet summer is now being seen in the number of haystacks that have been burnt in South Taranaki recently. Only last week two large stacks in Normanby were lost through fire, one belonging to Mr. T. Corrigan and the other to Mr. C. Coxhead.

Street Accident

While turning from East Road into Broadway yesterday, a gig being trailed behind a motor-lorry tipped over, and was being dragged along the road when a bystander drew the attention of the driver to the position. When the gig was righted nothing was found to be damaged except one splashboard, which was slightly dented. Auckland “Cheer Up" Business interests in Auckland are determined to “liberate the cheer germ.” The City Council Progress League, in combination with all the city theatres and other business concerns, have decided to hold a “Cheer Up Week,” beginning on April 17. An elaborate programme has been adopted, with a view to bringing happy, smiling crowds into Queen Street. Opportunity will be taken at the same time to celebrate Queen Street’s 90th birthday.

Fresh Eggs ■ i Giving advice to poultry-keepers in an address at Smith’s Rooms yesterday afternoon, Mr. L. Cocker, Government expert, stated that an egg could be of excellent quality in every way, but unless properly gathered at regular and frequent intervals there was danger of the quality becoming impaired, if not ruined, by allowing the hen to steal her nest, with the accompanying exposure of the egg to weather conditions.

Off to the Band Contest There was a full mail train this morning, and a large number of people on the station to bid Conductor McCaskill and his young band of musicians good luck at the brass and pipe band contest at Hawera to-day. The lads looked very smart in their new uniforms. The Pipe Band, under Drum-Major Mills, also joined the train to compete in their section. The quicksteps were held this afternoon, and the selections will be judged this evening. Women Predominate The most pleasing feature to Mr. L. Cocker, Government poultry expert, who addressed an audience at Smith’s rooms yesterday afternoon on the poultry industry, was the number of ladies who attended. There were about 30 of the fair sex and three men —the chairman, Mr. W. Hardy Jones, Mr. A. J. Davey, secretary to the Egg Circle, and Mr. Cliff Murray, member of the committee. The address and demonstration was much appreciated. At the conclusion several questions were answered by the lecturer, and a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Cocker for his interesting address.

The Poultry industry Mr. L. Cocker, Government poultry expert, in opening his address to poultry-keepers at Smith’s rooms, Stratford, yesterday, said that in common with most countries the Dominion was faced with an economic depression, resulting mainly from the low prices ruling on home markets for most of the primary products. Low prices were a serious factor and called for thought by those concerned. Under the circumstances, he added, the dairy farmer and smallholder must seek new avenues to supplement their Incomes, and to make ends meet. The smaller primary industries suggested means which were closely allied to dairying and small farming.

Good Wool Prospects

"There is a more optimistic feeling in New Zealand since the rise in the price of wool,” said Mr. L. R. C. Macfarlane (president), at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association last week. “While the higher price is welcome, the rise does not mean a great deal to the farmers of the Dominion, as most of the wool has gone out of our possession. It is ‘A Lon j Way to Tipperary’ for the wool growers. There is one good thing—confidence has been restored. When the price was going down continuously nobody had any confidence. Stocks of wool are low in Britain, and the people making woollen goods will have to buy, which will clear the air for the growers.

Feeding of Poultry Wheat has generally been associated with the basic requirements of food for poultry, stated Mr. L. Cocker, Government expert, to an audience of poultry-keepers in Stratford yesterday. Latterly, however, he added, owing to the high cost of wheat, other grains had come into more prominence for that purpose. Barley had been tried and found useful under certain conditions. Maize, which was always considered in the main as a secondary or percentage ration, had been «iore largely used. Both grains combined well with the skim milk and butter-fat off dairy farms or the factory.