KAIMATA-WAITUI NOTES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16721, 23 April 1920, Page 5

KAIMATA-WAITUI NOTES.

FBOM OCR OWN COItBEBPONDENI. Tile recent spells of heavy driving rains make uno thankful that Northern Taranaki is fairly well drained as assuredly we should soon become like the Hogs, or as they term Lincolnshire people of the hens “Yellow-bellies.” When wc reilect that portions of tho Nelson and Marlborough provinces have less than 30. indies or ram per annum tho recent statement tnat nearly a fourth of that amount had fallen in two days at Stratford seems to show that tho moisture is not troll distributed. Tho porous soil of Taranaki, however, requires a heavy rainfall, and for that reason tho preservation of Native hush in Taranaki appears to bo not ineroljv a wise but necessary precaution as an equaliser or the rainfall. Tho hay-making season has not been .one of tlm best, and a fair amount of musty hay ancl chaff must reuult, in fact, in many eases the sheaves had to be cut open and tho tops of tho stacks spread before they were dry enough in stack permanently. In this consistently wet climate it is surprising that so few farmers go m for ensilage which yields more feeding value, lias less wastage, and is practically independent of the weather conditions. The turnip crops wore something of a trouble in their early stages, and some still show tho effects of past ravages, but odd crops arc very good. hand In common with other localities has risen very much in value in this district, in some cases rising 50 per cent in value in less than as many weeks. Sumo farmers have got the idea into their heads that the price of butter-fat will be 3s per lb. next season, but diligent inquiry unearths no cogent reason for the belief. M bun a farm originally launched a few years ago at Jt&J per acre sells at just double that amount, and then a few. mouths hirer ietche.» fifty oiTu pounds per acre one is inclined to ask for a reason of “tho faith that is in them.” Only one tiling is certain, . and Unit is though local laud lias not, commeusuix ate with its quality, reached the prices nlil.lining elsewhere, a very grave po.-ilion awaits the last holder of the land in the event of a slump in pricen of produce. Tne Moa Hoad Board, now doing duty an file Inglewood County, aims to celebrate its enlarged functions next Friday, the 23rd, by a public dinner which is to be graced by no less than a Minister of the Crown and a galaxy of imported and local talent. An attendance of 200 persons is to bo provided for. It is expected the Minister of Lamß. MV. (luthrie, will represent the CJnvernment and will spend Friday in Inglewood, when no doubt needy deputations will take the opportunity of putting their wants before him. I understand it is the intention of the promoters of the dinner to motor tho .Minister over the principal roads of liu: district. If one might suggest fitting matter it would be the planting of the open portions of the beautiful forest reserve on tho Everett Bead and through which tho Jvurapctc stream tlows. Blackberry has in tho southern part of this reserve “marked it for its own,’' inul a necessary precaution against its encroachments would bo to gel the -Minister of Lands to enlist the services of the Forestry Department to plant suitable trees in all open spaeys to choke tiie blackberry ami preserve the Native trees from wind and fire. I hope the scenery preservation people will join with the .settlers in taking steps to preserve this lino provincial asset. This reserve will shortly be accessible through, all its length to motor trathe, as the Moa. Road Board have constructed a handsome concrete bridge over the Knrapele, and their plant is now crushing and metalling the road to the county boundary. Another line concrete bridge is under way over the Makaru stream under the able direction oi Mr. Boobuck, but want of cement has hmig the job up for some time. The bridge, in the form of an elliptical arch, will be a sturdy as well as a picturesque specimen of engineering, and as it is intended to reduce the grades' on each side of the structure and to deviate the road it will be. an increment to the mailing facilities of the farm lands beyond.

A piece of lucerne mentioned in my former nous appears to he standing well and will no doubt ho fallowed by other attempts at cultivation. When one secs the effects ot lucerne culture in Marlborough it would appear wo are merely scratching the surface of our possibilities in this direction, as the carrying capacity of lucerne is simply marvellous. Added to its qualities is the possibility of smothering out black-, berry from infested lands. In tho heforo mentioned district it has been found that the continual growth and cutting of tho lucerne has had tho effect of completely obliterating the Californian thistle from the pastures laid down in lucerne. A largo and profitable trade is also done in the seed, which returns very high profits indeed. Kaimata has been faced with the necessity of shifting tho local cheese factory ’as tho effluvia from the drainage has been taken oxcexjtion to by the Public Health Department, and an undesirable amount of diphtheria has been incipient in the district. f understand a factory in coucrcto is to be erected on another site. Among those who have, departed North is Mr, AY. Burrell, who has sold out nnd purchased a farm some_ Jp miles from To Awamutu in the Waikato. Mr.' Burrell took a live interest in Fanners’ Union avid other matters, and will bo much missed for his energetic efforts in local improvements. Mr. Goo. Giddy has also sold his' farm, and has transferred to Inglewood, where he intends to set up his shingle as a land agent. Tho genial George will bo much missed, particularly as hon. secretary of tho Farmers’ Union and in other local activities. AVo wish Goo Gee all tho success in his new undertaking that his open genial and bluff honesty deserves. At time of writing the Manganui River has one of the largest floods on record and has been made a “banker” for a Jay or two.