100 years ago — from our archives
Meat piling up
AT the present time the chambers at the Balclutha Freezing Works are practically filled with beef, mutton, rabbits, and byproducts, representing 120,000 freight carcases. No idea can yet be given by the directors when this large amount of frozen meat will be shipped, but from present appearances it looks as though the company will commence the new season next February with the chambers halffull, and the directors are now considering the question of installing more storage accommodation. The congestion of frozen meats in the companies’ buildings throughout the dominion — the position is most acute in the North Island — is causing the greatest uneasiness amongst exporters, and this uneasiness is accentuated by the fact that there is a feeling that the Government may not, after all, be able to secure the 17 steamers promised by the Imperial Government. One Dunedin resident prominently identified with the frozen meat industry says that, if a start were made now to construct storage accommodation, there would be time to have it ready for the season’s produce. The position as regarded cheese, he considered exceedingly critical, and he added some biting criticism of the National Government’s ‘‘wait and see’’ policy, in so far as the important question of storage was concerned. He also stated that the people of New Zealand apparently failed to realise the great financial difficulties which would befall them if the export of the primary products could not be continued through lack of ships. The lack of export would actually mean a restricted money market and hard times for everybody, especially the farming community.
Youthful ploughman
Referring to a discussion at a sitting of the Second Otago Military Service Board at Gore respecting the age at which a youth is able to handle a doublefurrow plough, a North Otago farmer writes to us: ‘‘A contractor’s team of five horses was employed not so long ago ploughing on my farm, and I was surprised and amused to see a small boy handling the plough dexterously. On being asked his age, and how he was getting on, he replied that the was 14, and getting on all right, and he certainly was doing very well, as I went down the furrow with him to see how he was managing the ‘outs and ins.’ He was getting over the ground much faster than the ordinary run of grownups, and handling his heavy team very well. The manly little fellow was quite ‘perky,’ and proud of himself, and I was pleased to be able to congratulate him on his work.’’
Trek to volunteer
According to a recent visitor to the Pembroke district, the people there are not greatly impressed with the arrangements sometimes made by the military authorities. Certain residents of Pembroke, who volunteered or were called in the ballot, had to proceed to Gore for their medical examination, and other residents, who lived just across the river, had to proceed to Alexandra. The shortsightedness of this arrangement was pointed out to the authorities, and a change was made, enabling the men to be medically examined at Queenstown. The travelling tickets issued to the men stipulated, however, that they must journey to Queenstown by the Mount CookQueenstown motor service. Under the present restricted service it is alleged that the journey necessitates the men being away from Pembroke for no fewer than five days!
Expert shearer
‘‘Are you an expert shearer?’’ was a question put to a witness at the sitting of the Military Appeal Board in Wanganui. ‘‘I shear a little,’’ said the appellant. Pressed for further particulars, he said he could shear 200 per day with the blades, and the board agreed that he was an expert shearer.
Lakes’ mild winter
Some of the oldest inhabitants of the Lake County speak of the present winter as the mildest that has been experienced there for the last 40 years. This winter has certainly been remarkable for its numerous sunny days, and on the coldest days the thermometer has seldom registered more than one degree of frost in the early morning. — ODT, 24.7.1917.