GENERAL ITEMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 May 1928, Page 6

GENERAL ITEMS.

Some light was thrown on the question whether it pays farmers to sell their store cows privately or submit them to the hammer, -by the experience of a certain South Taranaki farmer a few days ago. Proceeding to the sale with 10 cows he was met by a private buyer, who offered him £3 10s per head. The farmer declined, however, and resolved to test the auction sale, with the result that he netted £4 Ils per head.

' For Apr il's milk supply the pay-out in South Taranaki will be in the vicinity of Is fid for milk for cheese-making, and Is Id for cream for butter.

A few offers for dairy are still being made in South Taranaki. It is understood that Is 4jd has been available for butter.

In place of the usual weekly mid-day luncheon the Hawera Rotary Club is holding its meeting on Monday evening, in the form of a dinner at which Miss Dawn Assheton, the famous English singer, and Mr. Laszlo Schwartz, the noted Hungarian violinist-composer, will be the guests. Mr. Schwartz will address the gathering on some of his experiences during his eventful life. Since the drought has broken in South Taranaki, showers at frequent intervals have freshened the country to a great extent, so that there appears to be a spring in the pastures. Rain set in again yesterday and a steady fall was registered for the greater part of the day, With the attendant warm conditions the pastures should be further benefited.

Farm properties are still selling fairly freely in South Taranaki, At least five farms have changed hands during the past fortnight, in each instance a fair proportion of cash being paid. In the Manaia district 120 acres sold at £7's per acre. At Mangatoki £72 an acre was paid for a 50-aere farm, at Matapu 150 acres realised £5O an acre, close to Hawera 45 acres changed hands at the good figure of £B3 per acre, and 110 acres near Kapuni sold at about £O5. In the last-mentioned transaction the purchase money was all in cash. Leases are exceptionally hard to procure, espeeially leases of small properties, and there have been very many inquiries for this class of tenure.

The annual military training eamp at Waverley racecourse will be open to visitors to-morrow, and it is expected that there will -be a large number of visitors from Hawera and surrounding districts.