THE FARM.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 15120, 5 January 1922, Page 8

THE FARM.

JOTTINGS,.OF INTEREST,

The small farmers in England were prospering, especially those who marketed their own go ml- says a recent yisitor to Britain). They have not been hit so hard by the high taxation as have the middle class, who previously gained their income from investments in industries, many of which do not now return any dividends. The hardest hit are the large landowners and those owning city mansions. There have been considerable changes in these properties, the old owners being compelled to sell, and Americans and war profiteers are the new “landlords.” They are not popular with the tenants. Tire country people liked tlieir old latidlords, whose families had been so long established, and who took an interest in them and knew them all. But it is not so with the “new rich,” who do not understand the people, and cannot win the respect held by those whose places they now occupy. It is reported (says a Carterton exchange) that ~ a runholder in the Gladstone district who recently pur'ehased a large property there, payingsomething like £30,000 down, is giving up the struggle and turning the land back to the original owner —£30,000 gone to the Winds, and nothing for it. The following observation was made by tfie 'chairman, Mr G. Sheat, in his annual report at the meeting of

the Millowners’ Association: —“A Labour leader who is qualifying for Sunnyside says that if any industry

cannot afford to pay the basic wage,

the industry is better dead.” It must he patent to the most superficial ob-

server that any man who grows oats at 2/- is qualifying for the same home as the Labour leader. The 23/5 price for labour’s share of the product of 1000 bushels of oats was fixed on a parity of 5/- to 5/6 per bushel, and now the Court fixes 22/6 on a parity, of 2/- per bushel.” The majority of the dairy factories in the Manawatu district are payingout to suppliers for November, on the basis of 1/- per lb for butter-fat, but a few cheese factories which disposed of the season’s output early in the season are making higher payments. The New Zealand Dairy Union is paying- 1/2 per lb for butterfat supplied to its factory at Palmerston North. The Levin Dairy Company is paying its suppliers 1/3 per lb for November, ability being afforded for paying the 3d additional to the ruling rate by the possession of a substantial reserve fund established during the years of high prices for butter and cheese. The Eltham Dairy Company, which has been manufacturing butter, has decided to change over to cheese.In the Tq'laga Bay distinct there has already become noticeable a falling-off in the quantity of bufter-

fat produced by the dairy herds. It is unusual for the supplies to evidence a slackening so early in the season, and the mild winter and spring, followed by a long, dry early summer, are held to account for the trouble.

“There is far too great an amount

of drugs 'and so-called ‘guaranteed’ veterinary medicines purchased on the Hauraki Plains,” said Dr. Jensen at a meeting held recently at Ngatea. As proof of this statement, Dr. Jensen stated that, from figures obtained by him from farmers whilst he was engaged in the work of organising the Hauraki Plains Veterinary Club, ■he had discovered that farmers spent annually large sums of money on such articles. One man, continued the Doctor, had at present on hand medicine to the value of over £lO. JOTTINGS. A Taranaki man connected wito the dairying industry has received the following cable from his London agents: “Cheese prices better than butter £56 per ton. Advise butter factories make cheese.” This message is interpreted as meaning that cheese prices are better than butter by 6d per lb butter-fat.