TO FARMERS, LANDHOLDERS, AND OTHERS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume VI, Issue 1901, 19 September 1873, Page 2

TO FARMERS, LANDHOLDERS, AND OTHERS.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE EVENING HERALD. Wairoa, September 16.

Sir, —I beg to make a few remarkthrough the medium of your valuable jours nal, trusting they may be of some benefit to the public generally. I, first of all, allude to ihe growth, of barley, seeing that the brewers have taken the'first step hi their arrangements for the same. I have seen in my travels between Wauganui and Patea some thousands of acres of land lavin<>waste that wculd well suit the cultivation of either barley or oats. I am only astonished that the owners of such places do not exert by an example (and a profitable one for themselves) by putting- j n small crops of barley or oats. This would be giving the brewers a chance, who, as yet, have.been laboring under every difficulty, such as giving an enormous price for English malt", or perhaps some inferior article others may have served them with. Any brewer not being well acquainted with"the business, and transacting it in such a manner, will invariably find his ruin. I wonder, also, the farmers do not bestir themselves for their own benefit; they are fast approaching half-a-century behind other Provinces. Look .it Nelson, for instance, exportingmalt into Wanganui, and not having one fiftieth part of the available land us there is in these parts. Look at Dunedin, asiain, I well remember when the brewers began to build, the fanners began to plough and sow, and who has reaped the benefit? The fiirmsrs. Look, again, at the Province of Blenheim, some of them growing their two or three thousand bushels yearly, some more. Now, suppose in these parts every settler grew a little, say from JO to 200 acres, according to circumstances. Barley always commands a good price when other grain is at its lowest. Next year, oats may be as low as 3s, and barley is seldom less than si. When cheap, if suitable for malting the drawback is, not keeping the money in the Province instead of transporting to. England and elsewhere. At Wairoa, I°was rather astonished to see a large and extensive brewery on the premises of Mr C. Vincent, and that the pick and shovel have been predominant in its erection, as over 200 tons of earth must have been excavated. In fact it seemed to me to be more than half the outlay of the building. Going through Wairoa and Patea districts. 1 saw niortsexcellehtjland. Arriving at Patea, I saw another brewery, nothing beinjr done in it. If the farmers and settlers would adopt the aforesaid, a good brewery and makhouse combined would consume ten thousand bushels yearly. I say again, grow the barley, brew the beer, keep the money in the Province, and all will prosper. I am, &c, John Barleycorn '