Topics For The Man On The Land

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 25, 27 February 1948, Page 5

Topics For The Man On The Land

Wool Board’s Meeting Recommends Further Use Of Crossbred Wools Discussions concerning the 1948-49 budget for the International Wool Secretariat occupied the major part of the New .Zealand, Wool Board’s monthly meeting recently in Wellington. Mr N. R. Jameson, chairman of the New Zealand Wool Board, and Mr W. Horrobin, deputy chairman, will represent the Board at the executive committee meeting of the International Wool Secretariat to be held in London on May 18.

It will be the I.W.S. executive committee’s first meeting since 1944, and the agenda will be exhaustive. Policy matters, future administration, finance,' and many aspects of the Secretariat’s activities, are to receive the committee’s attention. The I.W.S. has rapidly expanded and contacts in many lands since the executive members met' in 1944. How best to consolidate the. work in these countries will be another major subject for discussions and decisions.

At the recommendation of the New Zealand Wool Board a special survey on furthering' the . use of crossbred wools will shortly be made by the I.W.S. This has resulted from a report prepared by Mr R. G. Lund (New Zealand’s representative on the Secretariat), and approved by the New Zealand Wool Board. Emphasis on the use of crossbred wools in America was made by Mr Lund during his recent visit to New York.

English Wool Unionists Demand 15 Per Cent Increase in Wages Trade Union application for higher wages has been made on behalf o’f about 140,000 workers in the British wool textile industry, the application covering all but the woolcombing section, according to advice from London received by the New Zealand Wool Board.

In November of last year,, wool textile workers received wage ad-' vances at the same time as working hcurs were reduced from 48 to 45 per week, the net effect being to increase the labour costs of the industry from 12 to 15 per cent. Existing weekly wage rates for a 4 r 5 hours’ working week are: Unscheduled adult male workers, 82s; scheduled adult male workers, 84s; scheduled adult female workers 555. Over 180,000 workers will be affected by the result of the application. They are claiming a wage advance of .15 per cent, on time rates and 10 per cent, on piece rates. Saddle Prices Reduced For Ex-servicemen Buyers Following persistent representations to the appropriate authorities in Wellington regarding the high cost charged to ex-servicemen for used Universal saddles which were being disposed of at £ll 10s each, the Wairarapa R.S.A. has now been informed by the Director of Re-, habilitation that as a result of later supplies being in a poor condition the prices have been reduced to £6 10s plus a. packing charge of 3s. As a result, those ex-servicemen who purchased Universal saddles direct from the Rehab. Department at the higher cost are entitled to a refund. * Raddle Has Adverse Affect, On Wool Price ; The' excessive use of raddle tar for branding sheep is a tendency that, is developing among: many farmers; ip New Zealand. Such markings ? are difficult to eliminate from the wool, with the result that lvalues are adversely affected. Com-, plaints had been received from England regarding the amount of tar brands and. raddle in wool purchased from New Zealand, stated one authority.' The complaints did not refer to any district in particular, but in view of the export season’s drafting' operations, the time ; was opportune to draw the attention of those concerned in such operations to the considerable loss in value that was occasioned by the excessive use of raddle, particularly when raddle "was placed on the back, .which was the most valuable part of the fleece.

Maori Maize-Growers During the 1946-47 season, Maori growers planted 1,000 acres of maize that would not have been grown under ordinary circumstances. The target in the Aid for Britain campaign is 12,000 .acres, an area riot approached since 1920, when 12,181 acres were planted. The largest area in maize during the war was 16,896 acres planted in the 1940-41 season. Because of conditions peculiar to maize-growing by the Maoris, their recent efforts represent a. real financial sacrifice. Productive Cow & Sheep Products of the cow and sheep provide nearly 85 per cent of New Zealand’s income from export trade. The sheep provides rather more of the total thari the cowJ During 194546 the sheep contril; uted nearly £40,000,000 /'wool, meat, skins, etc.), and the cow nearly £34,000,000 (butter, cheese, meat, hides) dried milk, etc.).

Larger Car And Truck Allocations Urged By Morrinsville Farmers “That this branch requests the Dominion executive to press for a larger allocation of trucks and cars for country centres as against the cities.” This remit, sponsored by the Morrinsville branch, was approved by Morrinsville sub-province, Federated Farmers. Facts relating to the availability* of new vehicles and the state of transport in farming districts were presented. Old transport units, it was considered, would deteriorate still more rapidly at an early date, through additional use brought about not only by increased production, but also through the changeover to whole milk supply. Shortageof spare parts, and the inability of mechanics to keep pace with requirements, coupled with increasing demand for service, accentuated the position. ;

New replacement vehicles, both cars and trucks, were distributed oy importers without restriction upon a population oasis, resulting m me greater proportion going to me main centres, urcy aistrioution aid not xavour peopie engaged in primary production, it was reit mat me minister ox fc>upp*y couid request importers to aivci t xor a iew months meir wnoie output to iarmmg districts, ana supply less urgent city cases rater. v ‘ The branch considered that transport played a major part in primary proauction ana- every, eifort should oe made oy orgarns&ubhs interested m me weii-Demg ox me iarmmg community to soomc a oetter custrioution ox new' Vonicies. 1

Success Of Aerial Grass Seed Sowing m Australia The first Australian aerial seed sowing was inaae at Gayndah, v Queensland, recently when Rhodes grass' seen totalling two tons was suceessiuny. laid irom an aircraft operated oy Agriculturalists Aviation service Pty. ijto., whose objective is tne sowmg or big pastoral noidings quicKiy and cheaply, states a special uispatcn sent to me i\ew Zeaiand Wooi .ooard by tne Australian wool rsoara. The seed was laid on 300 acres of land in even swathes at . the rate of J lau acres an hour at less than onetmrd of tne cost oi nand sowing, it would have tahen a man 80 days to do tne work ny nand. Rain fell two hours after the seed hau been spread. Tins emphasised another important advantage of aer- , lai sowing—quicK, adequate, even dissemination made at a time designed to catch tne rain and so " give tne grass every help in germination. inside tne plane, twin hoppers of 56 cubic feet, fitted with extensions', held the seed in flight. A slide trap operated by the pilot exposed the seed to air pressure. It was then sucked into twin venturi tubes mounted beneath the wing roots and was carried back by the slipstream to fail on-the land. !

New Zealand Wool Board Concerned About Over- y Weight Poundage of Bales The New Zealand Wool Board is still concerned over the ‘ aver-:, weight poundage of some bales of wool coming into store. It is' essential that growers endeavoiir to keep their bales 'at a reasonable weight. Early last September'the Department of Agriculture urged growers to observe the 4001bs. limit; This appeal was also supported by Wool Brokers in their annual circulars, and if some growers, continue to abuse the revocation of the Wool l Packing Control Order, they not only penalise themselves and, other growers by causing congestion in brokers’ stores, but their action may well precipitate, a serious industrial situation. Members pf the 1 Wool Board appeal to growers to keep as closely as possible to the bale weight of 4001 b. gross;

Export Meat Killings Export meat killings for the period October 1, 1947, to January 17, 1948, show an increase of B.l7o'tons over the corresponding period for last season, states the New Zealand Meat Producers Board. Lamb killings for the period are 582,509 carcases in excess of the corresponding period last season whilst beef and pig killings also ;show appreciable increases. Average carcase weights 'this season; although still very good indeed, tend t'o show a slight reduction! on tbe record weights achieved ikist season. Export killings, to January 17 areset out below with the correspond- . ing figures for the previous season... in parentheses:— North Island: Lamb (c/cs) 2,944,-. 512 (2,657,251); wethers (c/cs> 99,448 (108,687); ewes (c/cs) 101,656 (125.489); beef (qrs) 61,024 (51,047); porkers (c/cs) 5,928 (7,275); baconers (c/cs) 68,047 56,895). Dominion: - Lamb 3,846,565 (3,264, 056); wethers J 102,796 (115,506);; j ewes 114,924 (134,489); beef 61,d24 ' (52,008); porkers 6,072 (7,584); baconws 78,017 (60,287).