WAITARA.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 145085, 9 September 1916, Page 7

WAITARA.

jfboh'oub own courestondesi. September 9.—Bearing upon the sub-leader in yesterday’s Herald, dealing with lime for agricultural purposes, some time ago tho Waitara Chamber of Commerce approaclicd the railway authorities, with a view to obtaining .some concession in the railage- of lime for Taranaki. The railways carry lime 100 miles freo of cost, but this district is a long way from the limo host suited for agricultural purposes, and recommended and used by the Agricultural Department in the experimental plots, namely, Napier lime. The lime is cheap enough, 12s Cd a ton, but the charges by the time it gets to the paddocks come rather expensive. Take, wo will say, 'Sentry Hill. A truck of lime weighing six tons costs for tho lime itself £3 15s, the sacks £1 15s, and tho extra railage, to Sentry Hill overthe 100 miles free £3 7s. making a total of £8 17s, or £1 Os 6d a ton. The Chamber of Commerce endeavoured, to persuade the railway to make a charge to those living within 100 miles, and to reduce the cost accordingly to those living beyond that distance, which would soera only fair. Unfortunately their efforts wore unsuccessful, and no reason was given by tho railway, but merely a refusal. There is no doubt whatever that lime, in some form is wanted in this district, and must be used if the productivity of the. land is to be maintained. Whether Mokau limo could bo seaborne cheaper than from Napier, or whether the lime is suitable. I cannot say. To he of real value it must bo vorv hnclv ground to enable it to bo drilled, tn the' Old Country farmers am not so particular in this respect. I have wen tons of it thrown on the land by hand, crushed and in lumps, as it happened to come to hand, but labour was only about 2s Cd a day, and pientv of it, so that a few days employment in shovelling lime over a paddock was no expensive matter, especially as the material could be had close at,hand. It is interesting to note that although there were thick layers of chalk or lime immediately under Hie top soil, the farmers nevertheless limed tho land periodically, experience of generations having taught them that the lime sunk down in tho course of time and required replacing from the top. Tho, Zealandia. which is expected next week, will lift about 30,000 earcases from tho freezing chambers.

FIRE BRIGADES AND INSURANCE COMPANIES.

It strikes the ordinary man as somewhat anomalous that lire brigades should need to canvas for funds hi order to keep up. and maintain their tire fighting appliances. The Waitara Fire Brigade, for instance, aro giving a social for the purpose of raising funds, 'which means that besides tho firemen giving their time" to become exports at their 'work, their wives, sisters, daughters, and immediate friends have to go around the town selling tickets for tho social, raffles, and, in addition, tako supplies fob the supper table. IP is true tho Borough .Council and Harbour Board make grants, but tho balance, has to bo made up by “ cadging. ” Admittedly tire practice is a useful form of recreation, and when a tiro occurs, the men.no doubt fee! a glow of satisfaction and excitement akin to that oxoerieneed by our men when thev aro attacking the Huns. What body benefited most by the work done'by the firemen in Now Plymouth? Had there, been no brigade tlio various insurance companies would probably have had to pay out many thousands more than they have done— Hiese> thousands of pounds being saved the insurance companies solely by the fire-fighters. As a matter of fact, a ftre brigade is a cover ior # the companies’, only tho companies pay no premiums. No doubt there is. some wise reason why volunteer fire brigades are not subsidised by tho msuruce companies, hut it requires some finding. Talking over the forthcoming basket social f enquired of one of tho firemen whether" the insurance companies did not contribute to the cost of keeping un the brigade, and 1 was replied to in tho negative. Hence to insure the insurance companies against loss, lor which they pay nothing, and in order to pav the brigades’ expenses, townspeople are asked to support a social. buy l a ticket for a raffle, and so on. It seems almost degrading that it should ho required to obtain funds lor so necessary an institution as liie volunteer fire brigade by means of Oils character, but until some other and better way of paying expenses is adopted the hrumdo" must command the support ot itsfollow-citizen by whatever means that can he. devised, and let the insurance companies go apparently scot free. .