THE TRADE OUTLOOK.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 561, 16 July 1909, Page 7

THE TRADE OUTLOOK.

9 SPEECHES BY MINISTERS. A SHEEPFARMER'S SUGGESTIONS (By Telegraph-Special Correspondent) , Ohristchurch, July 15. The subject of the present depression m tho monoy maiket was briefly dealt with by i tho Hons, T. Mackenzie and D Buddo dur- I nig thoir remarks at tho opopmg ceremony of the Wintci Show at Rangiora to-day. Mr. Mackcnaio said a good deal had been i hoard about the depression, hut if- people took part jn tho gieat primal industuos instead of living in cities jt would go a very long wnv towaids solving the difficulty Ho regretted veiy much to see that tho population in the tenrns wns growing at double the rato it was in the country districts. This { increase would cause no nppiohons|on if tho towns were, ojovclomng manufacturuig rndustnea proportionately, but they wcro not doing so Although wo nero eiperiencing a | period of depression, statistic! showed that , Wfi would come out of it successfully Foi instance, om products in 1908 were valued at £4,0Q0,0U0 less than in 1907, whereas this I year there would bo an increase of -£2,000,000 oyer tho previous year. 'Wool, gold, and iron woie also in a, very satisfactory condi- , tiou It was satisfactory to know that wool ' was still'firm, and the production this yeai_ showed f, considerable increase on that Oi last year. Unfoi tunately tho frozen meat I market was GOi)sulonih]y> depressed,. Tho real reason fpr the slunip was that tho British working man nns nwo largely unemployed than in previous years, and tho statu-1 tics showed that the. meat consumption vas considerably less than it was a few yeaTs ago Another reason, for the depression was tho large number of false claims put in for damaged meat, which enabled dishonest merchants to undersell their more honest, competitors. Speaking of tho Teoont conference w London, Mr Mackenzio to what extent had Mr. Goodsir succeeded m opposing unjust claims m jcgacd to damage or quality. Mr Mackenzie went on to stato.that he had received a letter from a well-known sheep ffumer advocating that as a.means of relieving the present congestion in the moat market too Government should at once purchase a million carcasses of frozen mutton lor distribution by tho chantablo institutions of Great Britain to the starving_poor of tho Empire. With the market at Home relieved, the wntor contended there would, be a-n immediate advanpo in values, and with tho inflow of additional wealth tho existing depression would quickly vanish aad labour aß[ l trade regain their normal conditions. With a small export duty on next year's clip of wool, and at present prices, no product was better able to bear the tax, or any other tax on produce which the Government m|ght deem desirable, tho .outlay on tho purchase of a million carcasses would bo«iegainod, and tho producers would benefit by at least £1,000,000 sterling through tlio increased price of meat. The writer, in conclusion, pointed out that with the present conditions of the Homo market prices of sheep were likely to drop by from 3s. to 4s a head, which at 3s. a head would mean a loss to the producer of £1,053,750, and at 4s, a head~£l,4os,ooo. Mr, Buddo pointed out the necessity for every farm to have its experimental plot so that tho land might be developed on the best scientific lines Tho farmers did not scorn to realiso tho great possibilities, there wore 'ahead of the,m with regard to the improvement of their fanns Tho land was bofng moro closely settled, and it would have to be mdro and more intensely cultivated as time went on. During the last three years tho Stato.'had settled 1,530,129 acres in various areas, about 2,000 ( 000 ao,res qf Native lands, and before, the end of August would have Bettled another 218,000 acres through the various Crown Lands Commissioners' ofboes As this land was cultivated, and the available land grow less and less, it would be easily seen that tho position of the farmer would be bettor m future years. As regards the depression m tho frozen meat maikot, prices were lower than he over remembered before, 1 but they must recollect that the valuo of wool, which wa'> tho staple product, was exceptionally high. The present depression I would only bo of temporary duration as monoy was cheaper. , . „~ .