GERALDINE FARMERS' CLUB.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2612, 25 January 1894, Page 3

GERALDINE FARMERS' CLUB.

The nsu 1! >l monthly meeting of the Geraldino Club was hold on MoMrtny evening Jwt. Mr M. C. Orbell /president) was in t h » dmir, and t.ie attendance wsii onlya«Ugit improvement on the attendance nt List mouth'& jneeting. The chairman said that he had soeu Messrs Vecht and Stockois, of pork industiy fame, and they had promised to be present that night and explain certain things with respect to the establishment of the pork packing industry in this colony. As Messrs Vecht and Stockois had not put 12) an appearance, the best thing ho (<ho chairman) couid do was to read a report of an address by Mr Vecht delivered in Duuediu. Before doing this, however, thoro were a few matters he wished to bring before the club. The first matter he referred to was the draining of land. Ho thought that there was a lot of down land in this district {bat wvuU be grcatjy benefited, by the

use of a drain plough. He saw some land at Hilton hardly worth cropping and he believed the drain plough would be useful on such land. The plough drained to a depth of 18 inches, and the drains lasted for years. The owner of a property told him (the chairman) that a paddock he had drained with the drain plough now took four or five times more sheep than before it was drained. Mr Orbell next referred to the price of oats, and said that from a report from London just received good heavy oats were selling there at from 28s to 30s. The chairman also stated that he had received several leaflets from the Department of Agriculture on the bot fly, Bathurst burr, etc., which he would lay on the table. Mr A. McKenzie quite agreed with the chairman that the downs in this district could be made very profitable land if they were properly drained, and he also thought that lime should be used on these lands. He was sure if so treated the downs would grow double the quantity of grain than they do at present. Mr Orbell then read Mr Vecht's address on the pork industry. To be brief, Mr Vecht represents a syndicate of gentlemen, one of whom (Mr Stockois, of Rotterdam) is represented by his son, who accompanies Mr Vecht. The syndicate, if well supported, intend to establish factories all over New Zealand. They do not ask anyone in New Zealand to take any risk, for they will themselves erect the necessary machinery, and put the plant in the country. They could not build a factory under £20,000, but in this colony they have the advantage that they can connect their apparatus with freezing works now in existence. Mr Vecht believes it would pay the farmers to grow pigs for the company, but if it did not the company would be the losers. The kind of pig he wants is not the styfat pig, but a pig with good flesh, which has been "topped oil" for a fortnight with dry food. He wants a grass-fat pig which has had plenty of running about. The pig should weigh from 1301 b to 1601 b. Mr Vecht offers 3d per lb dead weight for pigs, taking them alive. The pig market would be open all the year round. Mr Orbell was of opinion that if farmers went in largely for pig breeding they would make more profit out of it than out of sheep breeding. The only expense to the farmer for the transit of his pigs would be that from his farm to the nearest railway station. It required very little capital to start a piggery. Mr H. B. Webster said they were indebted to Mr Orbell for the pains he had taken in bringing matters before the club for discussion. The pork question he thought deserved to be brought before a larger and more representative meeting of the club than the one that night. He thought farmers could make Buch an industry a profitable one. Mr Wreathall thought Mr Vecht should guarantee 3d per lb for, say, three years. He thought 3d per lb the lowest price Mr Vecht could have offered, and it would not pay at that price. Mr M. W. Moore thought 3d per lb - would pay very well, considering that' farmers could find a ready market all the year round. w" Mr B. R. Macdonald moved—" That the president communicate with Meß3iß Vecht and Stockois, requesting them to name a date when they can be present at one of the club's meetings to give information on the pork question."—This wj a seconded and carried. Mr Webster mentioned that papers were continually disappearing from the club-room table, and he had given his man instructions in future to watch and try to catch the thief. Mr Wreathall gave notice of motion that he will move —"That the club's night of meeting be changed to one of the nights in the month of the usual fortnightly stock sale days." The meeting then clo&ed.