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Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1934, Page 6

Last year the timber trade between the West Coast and Australia accounted for less than 2,000,000 feet from New Zealand, and it is hoped that this year the export will exceed 5,000,000 feet, according to a statement by officials of the West Coast Sawmillers’ Association. At a conference held on the West Coast last week it was decided that the association should control and develop the ■ export trade in rimu through the one channel.

An announcement that the reductions in the number of men required on the Waitaki hydro-electric works, consequent upon the work having reached a stage at which they could no longer be employed, would be gradual and would extend over a fairly long period, was made by the Hon. ■J. Bitchener, Minister for Public Works. The Minister said it was inevitable that as the work neared completion there should be less scope for unemployed men. He could not say how many of the present complement of between 900 and 1000 men would be dismissed. The hydro-electric works had been a very valuable work in assisting toward the relief of unemployment, and it would not be a case of immediate cessation but of a gradual tapering-off in the number of men, required over a fairly long period.

Illustrating drought conditions in England during the past few months, a Somerset paper states:—After the long season of drought experienced, Blagdon Lake, with its enormous storage capacity of thousands of millions of gallons of water, presents a strange contrast to the November days of other years. The great bye-wash which at this season is generally overflowing with a great roar of falling waters, is now hushed, and the stone pillar gauges of the lake stand out high and dry in their prominence. The waters have receded from the banks a distance of some 12 feet or more, and the shore presents more the appearance of a distant shingled beach than its usual majestic beauty of a great river at springtide. A great rainfall of many days’ duration must ensue before Blagdon Lake again assumes its usual appearance.

Over 30,000 tons of butter, meat, wool, cheese and general cargo were despatched from New Zealand for Great Britain during the week-end by four large overseas vessels. Another four, to leave this week, will be followed by three next week. Fully loaded with New Zealand produce the Fordsdale was despatched from Auckland and the Cambridge and Port Melbourne from Wellington for London on Saturday. They were followed by the Taranaki, which left Wellington on Sunday morning. In addition, the Canadian Scottish left Wellington for America and Canada. This week the Port Sydney, Avelona Star and the Cornwall will leave Auckland for London and the Kent will be despatched from Wanganui. Next week’s sailings for London with New Zealand produce will be the Remuera from Wellington and the Orar? and Zealandic from Lyttelton.

“New Zealand must be about the best country in the world for the testing of barometers,” said a leading Christchurch importer and dealer in these instruments. “The sudden changes of weather and temperature which occur so often in a single day keep the barometers working full time. A week ago, in the course of 24 hours, I saw the thermometer fall 30 degrees, from 88 to 58. The hands of the barometer at the time were kept constantly moving, indicating at different times in the course of the day stormy, rainy, change, fair, dry and very dry. The difficulty in forecasting weather in such circumstances can be realised. No matter what the forecast be it is almost certain to be verified during part of the day. Looking at my barometer rattling through all those sudden changes made me think that the instrument would be better for a shock absorber. In spite of everything, however, there is a steady demand for barometers.

Keen shoppers will save money at Manoy’s Ltd., Stratford’s great summer sale. See advertisement on page B.* Entries at Waiwakaiho sale to-morrow include a line of good store rape lambs, which is supplemented by a good offering of other classes of stock, particulars of which are displayed in the advertising columns of this issue.*

Newton King Ltd. desire to remind sheep farmers of the Mahoenui sheep fair to be held to-morrow. Some 2000 sheep have been entered for. this fair and comprise some splendid of 3, 4, 5 and 6-year-old ewes, in addition to one or two good lines of lambs and 2 and 4-tooth wethers. Cars will leave the auctioneer’s offices on the morning of the sale.* . ■