GENERAL NEWS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12716, 30 January 1906, Page 2

GENERAL NEWS.

The marvel of New Zealand's tremendous output of agricultural products is rendered striking (says the "New Zealand Herald") by the fact that the last census shows the number of farmers holding land under any tenure to be only 28,337, of runholders 3220, and of dairy farmers 4702. As the other landowners, including horticulturists, vignerons, poultry farmers, etc., do not contribute more than a fraction to the export trade, and very little in comparison to the local markets, it will be seen that the bulk of the £21,000,000 representing New Zealand's annual output of agricultural products is raised on the holdings of only a little more than 36,000 men. Gould anything show more strikingly the importance of the industry these men are engaged in or the necessity for increasing their number? The tendency of a man who leaves a big station to strike out in a small way on his own account (says the Hawke's Bay correspondent of the Ota go "AVitness") is to build elaborate and extensive yards, and it is generally some years before it strikes him that "it was a mistake. For the ordinary farmer a simple set of yards is be«t ; provided with an alley 3 feet 2 inches wide, and 15 feet to 30 feet in length If short-handed, for assistance have a short alley. No set of yards should be without an alley, which is the proper place for ear-marking, branding, picking fats, etc. Many yards are built without them, the idea generally being economy, but it is, very short-sighted economy; the extra amount of work involv-ad^and time lost for want of them would build many alleys. The drafting race should be 14 inches wide and 12 feet in length, fitted with two drafting gates, so as to b»able to draft into three lots. Only a few of the smaller farmers cannot work two gates, and this simply from want of practice. The Sydney "Daily Telegraph" says: A gentleman who ha-s just returned to Adelaide from New Zealand states that the title "Lunatic Asylum" is going out of use in that colony. The reason for this, he says, is that the authorities have become convinced that the designation is so il Kirrent. to manji people that -they will not acquiesce in who may be mentally afflicted to these the committal of friends or relations to institutions until the sufferers are so confirmed in their rouble ha a cure i« practically impossible. The establishments, he adds, are now being called "mental hospitals," not only in official reports, but in the newspapers, and th>6 public are being encouraged to avail themselves of their curative processes while the mental disease, making itself apparent in those in whom they are in-terest-sd, is in its incip;ent stages, ajid when there is some chance of remedial measures proving effective. It is thought, remarks the gentleman quoted, that with th' 3 substitution of the new name for the old much of the horror attaching to admission to the .institutions preferred to will pass away, and that as a result the work they do will have more likelihood of proving beneficial to those under treatment.

It is reported that the sales of country estates throughout New South Wales during: last year have been of

considerable areas and amounts, with great advantage to sellers, and resulting in much greater settlement on the lands. The sales of city, suburban, and country properties, from reports made during* the year by most of the Sydney auction firms and city and suburban estate agents, show an increase on the total of last year of about 10 per cent. The sales reported do> not include the sales of station properties, or sales made privately by banks, mortgage companies, or by country auctioneers, or by some city auctioneers. The total, sales reported during the year amount to about £850,000, approximately apportioned as follows: Suburban, £587,OOOflfi city, £226,000; country, £37,000. Lecturing at Mangatainoka on "Disease? in Cattle" the Chief Government Veterinarian said that instead of there being too many stock inspectors, the number, in his opinion, was insufficient. They wanted men thoroughly qualified for the work, from practical experience, to pass the necessary examinations proving their theoretical knowledge to be adequate. He advocated an amalgamatiori'fof groups of dairy factories, obtaining milk supply from 6000 to 8000 oows to secure the sole services < f an inspector. It would pay the farmeis xo bear half the cost, a: Gd. per cow rhGovernment contributing the other half. There was, he feared, too' great a disposition to put the whole onus on to the Government, instead of the farmers being more self-reliant. A characteristically American letter, was received by the Mayor of Christchurch last week from Dr. Minor C. Baldwin, of New York. Dr. Baldwin has apparently heard of the Exhibition, and desires an engagement as solo organist. He explains that he has been solo organist at all the great American expositions, and would give, say, three recitals in Christchurch. He has an engagement for London in June, and could visit New Zealand in April or July. He has evidently failed to grasp the point that the dates he mentions are before the fair. He modestly states that his terms are £150 and ."working expenses" for each organ recital. Dr. Baldwin encloses a huge list of engagements and testimonials, and a picture of himself. '■'"■■?■»■. Mr. Balfour, speaking at the annual"'! dinner of the British Cotton Growing Association at Manchester, said he was old enough to remember the days of the cotton famine in 1862, and he also recollected that in that time, of clifnculty his mother reduced the'household tothe smallest dimensions, with the re- | suit that his sisters helped to book the dinner and he assisted in polishing the family boots. In these days the ; trouble arc«e through political causes, ' but now the difficulties arose through i climatic conditions and shortage of supply, due to the limitation of:areas under cultivation. These latter-day difficulties, in his judgment, could only be dealt with by the foresight of the' British Cotton Growing Association.