DISTRICT NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1924, Page 8

DISTRICT NEWS.

WHAREROA, (From Our Own Correspondent.! In common with other parts of Tara* naki, this district has been favoured with an ample rainfall of late, and in consequence there is an astounding growth of grass and clover, the stock beng unable to keep it down. ‘Notwithstanding this flush of pasture, the cowa appear to have passed their maxiimnik of milk production. Present indicationa appear to point to as good a- dairying season as that before last, which was almost abnormal in its regular rains throughout and consequent unchecked growth of grass. The present humid spell is not tou> welcome to those who have had their hay cut and lying in the paddocks foy a week or more. Haycutting has start* ed unusually early there this season, and some neighbours have had theirs down for ten days or more. It is $ good plan when bringing in such hay to scatter a layer of sale over each load as it is stacked. The salt, besides making the coarsest hay palatable, is reputed to ensure the stack from heating. The season has been much more favourable for the making of ensilage than of hay, as the former is not so dependent on weather conditions. The extent to which imported pesW are over-running this district was welj illustrated the other day, when a local farmer (Mr. H. Cate) found a pair of full-grown stoats with no less than t«>U I young ones in a patch of scrub. One the parents with three of the progeny suffered a violent death, but tne rest escaped. If these pests usually breed 1b this fashion, they must be as fecund the rabbit. I am pleased to hear that Miss Dor<B thy Benton (formerly a resident Whareroa) has returned safely from an extended tour of the Old Country, and is now residing with 'her parents at Bell Block. In contmon with other parts of Tar<« naki, the roads of this district arecoming more and more disfigured witK ungainly-looking poles for the transmission of electric power and light, telephone and telegraph. Soon there well M no corner in all the land where an old ultramontane may sit in leisure moments under the shade of some spreading ngaio and dream of the pleasant vdd« spaces that used to be. Verily progress hag its drawbacks, at sentimental sepsQ,