PIRONGIA NOTES

Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1542, 30 August 1924, Page 4

PIRONGIA NOTES

BRIGHTER PROSPECTS. Endowed with a sunny soil of fairly good quality, the land in our Pirongia district is bearing witness to the oft-repeated assertion oftmany old residents that Pirongia district enjoys the best climate in New Zealand, for after the rigours of winter is the time to judge. That spring, the most welcome of all the seasons of the year, is imminent .is unmistakable. The budding willows along the banks of the Waipa proclaim it; the plaintive bleating of new-born ''calves heralds its approach and loudly announces the, serious approach of the dairying season. Under the new transport arrangement for the carriage of Pirongia. cream, necessitated through the establishment of a new butter factory at Te Awamutu, Pirongia townshjp during tlhe forenoon presents a scene reminiscent of the old creamery clays, with one noticeable difference: that the motor-driven vehicle has superseded the horse-drawn one, cream being collected by means of a motor lorry daily as far afield as Te Palm. Farmers en route will doubtless appreciate the establishment of a permanent and direct service idaily with Te Awamutu, and Te lAwaimutu business people will know how to utilise this new cream transport service.

Top-dressing and the sowing of oats and chaff have proceeded apace during the present fine spell of weather. It has been additionally welcome to the dairymen whose cows are coming in a trifle early this year, especially when the provision of winter feed is short through miscalculation or visitation of blight in the swede crops, which latter was rather prevalent this year. Sheep farmers are enjoying a good lambing average among their flocks; owing to the advent of the good weather over 100 per cent of lambs has been reported' by a number of sheepmen.

Sepsis and red-waiter on several dairy farms in this district have been responsible for the loss of a number of good cows . Timely application to the veterinary officers of the Department of Agriculture has, however, prevented anything in t'he nature of an epidemic of these dread cow complaints. A noticeable and pleasing feature in the farming operations in and near Pirongia is the activity of several comparatively new owners in connection with the development of new country on a number of old farms. Quite a large area has been broken in, and that' work is still in progress on Mr G. Eyre's Pirongia farm, Mr Punch's Whatawhata property, and Mr Woolston's and Mr Thompson's farms on the Paterangi Road. In the township the energy of the Pirongia Dom.ain Board is manifest in tine improvement of the reserve surrounding the nglish church and adjoining the tennis court, where the Board's new lessee has effected considerable alteration.

Mr John Buchanan, who recently acquired a property on the Waipa River, is attacking the Pirongia weed pest in a commendably thorough way, demonstrating the need for some encouragement from the local Chamber of Commerce, as the example of Mr Buchanan is being carried out in a few other parts of the township, notably by Mr D. Sterritt, Mr John Dickson, and others, whose efforts are worthy of the active support of the Chamber.

Pirongia has recently seen started two new businesses in the shape of a fruit and confectionery slhop and a cabinetmaking Both; are supplying a long-felt want, and are enjoying a profitable trade.