THE FARM INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 509, 17 May 1909, Page 8

THE FARM INDUSTRY

...':■■' BRIGHTER OUTLOOK, •"; A REVIEW OF THE FARMER'S : - A glance over tho markets for our staple products (remarks tho.Christohurch "Press") shows that, generally 'speaking, prices aro good, and tho outlook is satisfactory. When the slump in. wool sot'in, about eighteen months ago, it appeared as if it would tako several years before any pronounced recovery could be mado, but the sales held in London during tho current year have seen a continu-. ous and rapid riso in prices, largely owing to' a- revival of tbo American domand. :• Witli slieep stocks .decreasing:.in som'o;.countries;piremaining stationary/iii others',' with no'largo areas of; pastoral country awaiting' develop-, merit fdr slieep raising, and 'with. an. overr increasing population of wool users and mutton consumers, tho'shoep.industry appears to be on a sound footing.- \ ■'■•;.: '■-. ■ : :Tho frozen meat market is suffering at, present froih over-supply, but wo havo seen tho same thiiig happen;in. years',gone by.The increased competition from the Argentine niay; however, moro..than. mako up. for,,any permanent increased consumption brought about'by low prices, aiid there is also the lessened spending power: of tho people in the United Kingdom.to consider. We aro afraidthat, until,trade improves in England, the market for bur frozen . meat vail continue' depressed, so far as" 1 New 'Zealand'':is con'cprned. .' ' : .•'•.■ '..: '.'■ The fat lamb trade is tHo most important and profitable, and, even now, with heavy supplies on- hand or. going forward for the J Homo market, our farmers are readily getting 12s. to'l.4s. for'their lambs. At tho same, time the sbarp risb in wool will materially -assist to mako up, .'to. the .largo export companies,' the. shortago in p'rofili on meat.' The men who are likely to suffer, most are thoso who took up land on high,wool arid sheep' values. -But their outlook;: has considerably improved thrpugh'the rise in prices, and renewed tho wool market, ■ and .it will be r still'.'.better when money.becomes easier and interest charges can 'bVioduced v ■ '■■■'.'■ ..; : . - ; .: A .,. ■~.!■.,,'' : . ~;,■- ;,'., ..The wheat grower has.now.before'him'encouragemont'to increase tho aroa sown in this staple cereal... The world's wheat supply, has ! .apparently, for the time being; got very'closo : down to consuming requirements, and prices nave readied a highly: profitable, level.. Afow; years ■ ago -'-all over 25.; 6d. was looked upon as prolit..if a good crop was secured; but, the higher price of land, higher wages, etc., will.nocessitate.aEomewhat larger allow-' ariceboing made now. If, however, a return .of anything like 45.. per ,:bushol Can bo i obtained, as at' present, wlieat growing will be profitable again,. Oats'.aro not selling'" at! prices on ,a par- with.thosb.for wheat/ and exporters, both'.', of wheat, , , and 'oats, are. .suffering, from the want of 'shipping/space. ,' '.■■•. 'New.Zoaland dairy farmers have had a.'suor. cessful.';sea6ori , l '': , l)ofli-';f6t;. l butUf''-' , and' cheese,' and-they niigW : do better''if'they set abbntimprbying;their dairy herds,.by-.breoding, testing; and culling. , Tlio .''oiAjobk' for. Now Zealand, farmers , isj; thereforb',.',fullM : . promise.-■-rsEXT;' YEAR'S <LAry|B&; ; i> CONDITmNSjFjiiyOIJRABLE.>■■" .v The abundant';'sTgiis';'of.' a ■'big', outpnt ■from the sheep-farn^',iiest , ',seaMn?.yilUb'e'-*f-canse' of cpißiaerabl^Jr;eripiui;ageme)ttt\y-jio;'v''.ißheep- , owners, ( .'-. and: ;'prpvo', : i';;'welcome':' chatige'. after' .the■ anxiety'/pf.y.a -few.;months! Bbnndance/; !: p , woather, which" have,;so ■'■ far.:'cliar(ictorised : the -season,:, have. left tho. form of- a,;m'oro than'' , usually.irapid 'grbwtKof ;'wo6l. ~Farmers are. consequently ; -begin-, ning.to .count,::on..abig clip next'spring;'arid the gradual':.-nso.; in wool' prices l seems ,, to point' to' the^sheepfarmers. enjoying; '''next iSeason,-' the; gobd^.fortunb.whjch. has' just; falleri'to .the lot .of/.tho dairymenyVarid,-th'p-wheat-growers—-a': big-output i-aind'ibig prices combined.-' .'J'ho,,ineat prices'of t<}-day have: not, necessarily.' any.; beariiig' upon. v ,thd. imeat: prices. 'of next: season,.'and' one' may-reason-ably hope'.'fqr animprpvo'mbn.t:;'-'-,'' h ■ ■,-■-..- \ 'Lambing in New '..Jtedland : iias:been heavy' for a number of. years past, but in .no year* have ; the 'conditions '.been ;.mpro ;siiggestive of: lieavy'.'lambings .'thap; they,';Vero;'t:tm4Vaii-: tiurin:-,': The ■ good -weather,'.: and , -'tiler wealth" of -godd. feed,-..were just ■ whkt jthb ; breeder likes : to see "at '■?■' 'f ■'-'■ A \ '■',

.;;■;: ; ; v an:.im ported stallion.;,a ■''; i ):;-;■ : v' •/ lawsuit: a ;^ n A" 0 At Dunedin 'on '.Friday Young, .farmer, ;of' Blenheim, sued; David Russell ■••for £194, said;, to bo lost to him - by defendant's alleged. breaish .of- contract. : in ., respect - to W< imported statUon, Silvor.Gift, and: for'damage ■avowedly done" to its deputation. -.' '•■■ '■'■] .■Mr.jNeavo; (counsel; for 'plaintiff) said that' after ..defendant had agreed to- travelwithrthy horsb. around'•';' Goro '•■ and ■•'other' districts, ; ■ ho; wrote to, plaintiff asking lliim;fc : reduce ! the' price, and.shis client,agreed-to do .so, ; 'Defendant: then'.scenied- to think'.that hb'c'ould do no .good'with: the was unacquainted with the ■, district" through, which ho .was .travelling,-and.finally-left '.-.tho'-horsV at. a.-hvery' stable,:.'whore it remained '.three' months,, at a. cost .of £20 'Ss.;. There wasVaisp the .expense, .ofV printing :cards i and- advertising,;: chargeable .against defendant. •■ As- to tho 'loss •', of; profit ■ fqri the season, : it: was .unpossiblo ..to: prove'''Wh'at-the 'losses amounted t0..: .'-,..'.■ -:..-...;.;/..■. ,:■'.. . •|.Plaintiff,.in ■ corroborating; -said' that.the reason; defendant gave.for wanting: the. price' reduced was that.- stallions wore "swarminn everywhere." l ',:.■- -.. .. .... ■■,'-. • • ■ '-' .■ •:.: T\'illiam Adamson William Waddell farmers,; testified to ; tho merits of . Silver Cxi ft/"- ■."',"." ■■_•'■ ■. ■ V: j ■':"■.: .'■■;.; i ; , -. ■ . ,■;.'■■.'.* ; : finally _the ease was adjonmed till to-dav ■51th. a ;:viow; to' ;sett!emerit.. ; , /■ ... V. .;;;■.'' !-^ : BALLANOE DAIRY FACTORY. ' : :A .mcoting of : milk suppliers' to tho Bailanco Co-operativo . Dairy Factory recently discussed: tho/.question'of -installing cheesel f^.-rho' meeting was;not a fully representative onp, and ;those present considered-that ■there;-, was. not sufficieiit difference ■' in- tho prices;;of:,the':two ,, .Tirticles to warrant' the ! expense of erecting' duplicate, plant '■■ . ■;;On;Saturday about : .£37oo'was distributed al ™ n S ™..suppliers!of-tho factory for April ™lkr/,.lhe average test' for. the month was 4.4^.. .-;■ All tho .creameries are running on alternative days,: and tho two butter factories will, shortly do'.likewise.'';'.- ■..'■ ' ~ ',:■-. ■A OF. ; PRESS BEPORTS. J ■■ li X : m r e M fcil i s °,l- the Kxe| :ntive. Committee of tho WaUtato Winter Show Association was heldat Hamilton ;■ last week. PresentMessrs.-\ J, S. Bond (chair). Mason, Boll', Voung, ; fceifert; Davis,, Dibble, Parlane iroodivin, I'arr, , Hill, furze, Oliver, Cussen ■a'rid/Uoates.--'---.- , -'---..'-.'.':''- , ■ ; '<■'.; ■ . ; 1 '''■'■ , Mr. Davis .complained, of .the manner ; in ' which tho Auckland papers ignored Wa'ikato by-giving no reports, br. unsatisfactory ones of.-tlio, shows .and "dthbr' functions that take ■place.vin,th'e'.'dlstrict.' : aiid ho moved that tho Auckland-and v ,:Wellington papers to asked-to'apiwint representatives, in Hn'mil- ', ton to report; the. doings of tho association .ana AVaikato matters'in goneral. ; '■.-,-■ '. . Tho chairman- thought that ; tho Wellington; papers be', asked to send .'special representatives', to the , show. .'•'.■..'; -.;■'. .Mr. Parlane also complained that pcoplo' qf/.Hamiltoii, and ..Waikato in general, were boycottedvin-tho; master of news', by tho Auckland papers. '■''' '■ '■•'■ ■:■'■'. ■ ■-: air.-'-.Davis said 'tho"'Wellington papers wore: doing more for Waikaip than tho Auck-i kiiil..papers. ■;, ...--■ ■■•.'.■■•■■ •-. ';■■'. -.'..- ■v'Sfry.'yourig.'thought.' tho. request. that theWellington papors bo asked: to appoint cor- ; respondents was unreasonable. Waikato had certainly been badly treated by tho Auckland papors, hut any resolution on thq matter should, bo in the form of asking them to be'.represented nt the show. ••-'-. i Mr.' Mason moved a3 an'amendment that tho three- Wellington papers bo-'-asked'- to send a commissioner to Waikato,to write tip. tho district, and also to send a representative to report .tho ,Wintcr Show. : It was gonerally: agreed that commercial T,ejat)ions with IWollington. should bo encouraged, as a Bot-qlf against Auckland, as it. was found that'.dealings with tho Premiei City wore to the benefit of Waikato. Colonel Bell moved, as a further resold tipnv'thftt a-: meeting of the vaxioua locai

bodies bo called to discuss the question with the object of asking the Wellington papers to appoint special representatives in tho district. . ; - .' .i ; : .'-.' ■ -■ ■ ■■■ . - . "' i'-This resolution,- and the one asking the Wellmgton papers to Do represented at tho snow, were carried.. - ■.. ■ -It wag mentioned that a'misconception seemed to have arisen' as to the admission ' of ladies to tho show, and it was pointed out that five ladies'-, tickets would be issued to each member andj not one, to allow of ono admission as'somo people seemed to think. Mr. John Knight was elected a member of tho executive in place of Mr. Goodfellow, resigned. ■■ . .;■■-..' The committee deckled to tlirow tho'.shoTl. open to school children on thrco days, and that invitations to attend bo issued to an schools in tho district. . . ' 'It was decided to call a. public'meeting to confarm the purchaso of land, tho erection .pt building 3 , and the incurring of'liability with show improvements. ,-!■ he following 'new members were elected: Ur. Going, G. j: W. Barton, Geo. Tanner jGordontpn), C. H. Hunter, J. H. Scott, R/ O. bmith (liihikihi). BUTTER SALE. ; Mt is reported that the North Taranaki Cooperative Dairy,, Company has sold a portion or its April butter output at IOJd- f.o.b. New Plymouth. : ■ THE PRICE OF MILK. . V. •"I'' ;. ■ ■' (To the Editoe.) ;■-■■." ' '.-„ Si r )—You raise tho above vexed question this morning with moro than tho usual in. dehniteness (or indefiniteness, as you please),' and I make,bold to ( presume on your appar-' e ?*i? sin ° ero -desire to uiVravel tho mvsteriesof the.obtrusive-4d..-and tho impossiblo 3d.: Ino hindrances to an open and exhaustive mscussion arc the law of libel and the un-: paid ' ad.'. There is no anomaly in the thred prices breasting besido' 'one another, the higher being by tho grace of tho common-' sense customer, who has tho horso'sense to know that an underpaid articlo means some- , thing, lacking. Why is tho milk 3d.? l'lrstly, becauso it has,been so decreed a .tyro , in :_briof authority, furnished with tho wherewithal by : that class of humans immortalised 'as , thoso'who soon part with their money.' -, Secondly, ' because the farmers—legitimate ' farmers—have made temporary concessions to tho vendors—.workers all of'them, and not "middlemen,".as twitted ; by one ; who is neither-one nor the other— amounting, in my : case to -£100 for April ialono. ~- . ' , . ■■-.''-. -.;■■■ ' . . - . - : rßut don't Wt the.-public Irun'j away with the idea , that that. ends tho trouble.,-' A winter supply for a city like' Wellington takes years of looking forwaid. Price's have recently encouraged winter, production in spito of ill-informed inspec'toral efforts; but let; that movement bo checked and confidence in.tho industry's future, bo disturbed and 6d. per quart/would very soph be the ruling.rate:whicli will bo the' more 'than'pos-' sible resnlt of tho. syndicated, action.;:, I use the torrn, syndicato' rather than :' company because in tho'case of the latter, one can find out who is'who, but in the former the individual;identities are concealed,' and , stand as mero confederates in the eyes of the moro especially when their seen movos are- found to be on similar bases to the American trusts and'eombines, with their "bearing" of prices/unnaturally; speeding! up witbtho,exertion wago; rebates to favoured customers, as.in. the printed preferent ' offers to-Civil Servants;, andfthouse of secret agreements.. , Will the low prico holdP Yes,_ because/the £3000 staked to produce it will, hold out ~a 'long timo.-unless'tho , syn-l dJcate get., customers, faster' than they', aro doing 60 far, and it,is custom moro than carts and horses that will of sight.for' them.' :What will, bo' the effect of the.existing vendors? It will depend upei , .' the breaking strain of resources or reserves,, unless—but. that is asifar .as ; I dare g0... ■•<■.*■"■.'• V- ;'■' ,!a:; ".'.■ .■.•■,■-..■ .'. + :■ ,-.' ■'. I.have made> a forecast in my own:case, and.'anticipate;a- winter, of fivo months, with, seven days for every week, sixteen working hours in every day, and.a loss ranging: somewhere- .between V; two '• and ..three ■ hundred pounds. , Two ■ inaccuracies have , been promulgated in; your .columns', which:. I.^wish , to' j

correct, viz., £2 a week is not moro than £2 55., and tlioso -who :wasto milk-by. upwards of 50 gallons at a timo can not truthfully say thoy have-no spilt milk to> cry over.—l am, etc., HENRY BODLEY. :' May 14.' ,'"/.. -, ' ; -, , .■ .' '~ ' [A portion of this letter has been omitted.) WELLINGTON FARMERS , MEAT COM- •; ■-.■.■.. PANY. : ;■';.: \ . *..;■'! '. (To the Editor.) .'■ , I Sir,—Permit me 'in the interests of fair play to reply to-"Manawatu's".letter in your issue of Wednesday last on. the above subject. Froin tho tone- of his letter I take it that he is an interested party, which accounts to. a certain extent for his bias in the matter. In giving "correct facts" of the total exports of each island compared,- your correspondent should give comparative totals •forj say, thg. last five, years, instead of 'taking', ono ...of-out. driest seasons .on record. Anyone taking sufficient interest in- the matter, will find that the North Island'is forg.'ing',ahead;of the South in meat exports in a surprising, manner, and, as tho South Island is, Clearing her limit in that respect, the North is only starting as it were,!. especially in lamb production. So much for that part , of; "Manawatu's" letter. - ,'Take , another assertion: If the Wellington Meat. Export Company could have- frozen '.without'difficulty another 160,000 more "sheep and lambs'this season,! it only proves that they'■ would not tonch them under'a fair margin'of/profit at the expense of the far'mer, -who has- to hold -them right through; whereas a farmers 1 company would take them,, and "relieve the farmers directly 'and indirectly..' . "Jianawatu" will, no, doubt say irireply, that that would still further injure thei market at' Home. Tho market will right itself in time, .but a.farmer's.business is to sell fat. stock; as.- , soon, as he. gcte-it. hi .that condition. ■'Comparing'the- quality of stock ■in , ';' both - islands,' that is. being remedied every year, and as tho North Mand;nnistof necessity go. in; more for lambXeach year, it simplifies' the niatter, as it-. mea.ns that rams suitablo' for lamb production will bo introduced moro and inoro each year.- All new companies. in this lino must ; expect. opposition from various sources, but tno obstacles will bo met with and From - my own. observations during ten years .just passed. amongst stock and freezing companies; in tho, South Island. and North, al- , lowing for tho start'.Canterbury; has got' , in the markot, there'is hot so niuoh, leeway to make ,up as your correspondent would infer in this matter'.", Thanking 'you , Jα. anticipation;—lam, etc., V. : .■; : : ■:,-. ':'■ ■ ' ■'.- :.''■'•.,,: ■'■•'■ ••,-'.'• : V : . WOODVILLE. ...May 14.,;. ; ;;;: . •■;. ;■;.;. ■:,.;>:,.. /;■<, /.-