FARMING & COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 96, 17 January 1921, Page 8

FARMING & COMMERCIAL

NEW® AND NOTES

AUCTION SALES FORTHCOMING FIXTURES. TO-DAY. Te Horo Yards, Is noo'n.—Stock sale. TO-MORROW. Levin Yards. 12 noon—Stock sale. Palmerston North, 12,30 p.in.—Sale of Romney sheep (Dalgety and Co.). WEDNESDAY. Tiritea. Palmerston North. 12 noon.—Sale of stock and implements (Abraham and Williams). Waikanae Yards, 12 noon.—Stock sale. Taihape, 2 p.m.—Property sale (Ward and Co.). Featherston' Street. Wellington. 2.30 p.m.— Property sale (Bethune and Co.).

FARMERS’ INTERESTS

AN AUCKLANDER’S VIEWS BOARD OF TRADE CRITICISED (From Our Own Correspondent.) Palmerston North, January IG.

At the meeting of the Manawatu SubProvincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, held at Palmerston North on Saturday, Mr. R. D. Duxfield, president of the Waikato centre of the union, was present.

At the close of a discussion on the usefulness or otherwise of the present Board of Trade, Mr. Duxfield said that ho had been considerably interested in the arguments in connection with the board. The Auckland district had always regarded it as a useless body, which should never have been established, and the union there would have nothing to do with it. It had harassed the farmer in attempting to fix prices for his products. ITe sympathised with the members of the board in what ho considered was the hopeless task of endeavouring to control the laws of supply and demand.

The Manawatu district, continued Mr. Duxfield, did not experience all the benefits of co-operative trading that farmers did in his district. There they had two very large co-operative concerns, and to be a shareholder in either of these one had to be eligible for membership of the Farmers’ Union. He considered it quite time that the Government adopted some system whereby fanners would be relieved of the burden of maintenance of main roads. Speaking of the proposal to introduce a tyre-tax, ho said' it was a question if money was raised by this means bow it could be fairly distributed. In Auckland they were very strong on a farmers’ political policy, as they did not consider that proper attention had been given farmers’ interests by the pre««it Parliament. He believed that if they adopted a progressive policy the townspeople would lie with them. Referring to the butter question as an example, Mr. Duxfield said that if they had been well represented in (he House there would have been no need for the equalisation tax, which, now that suppliers to factories were refused the benefit of the fund, recoiled on their own heads. He knew that it was the weight of the Farmers’ Union that had got the butter price fixed.

FARMERS’ UNION

MANAWATU EXECUTIVE

'From Our Own Correspondent.) Palmerston North, January 16. The Manawatu Sub-Provincial Executive of the Farmers’ Union met at Palmerston North on Saturday.. The secretary and organiser reported that he had collected £lOO in subscriptions since the previous meeting, and had ■secured seven new members. The Minister of Industries and Commerce, in reply to a. request that all meat exported from the Dominion should bear n Government brand on each quarter and side, stated that he would give the matter every consideration. The matter of the continued importation of Asiatic egg pulp was again brought up. After discussion, it ™ eventually decided to communicate with the other sub-provincial district's in the North Island, and ask them to bring pressure to bear on the Department to stop goods of this class coming into the country. . , , x The Dairy Division, in reply to request for a 300-day test for cows, in addition to the present’ 365-dny c.o.r. test, asked as to the number of testing breeders who wore in favour of the innovation. It was decided to ask the Department to take a ballot of all testing breeders so ns to find out their opinions on the matter. It was pointed out. that of a number of breeders who had been approached. the majority were in favour of the introduction of the 300-day test, in addition to the 365-day test now in existence. The opinion was expressed that the innovation would be to the advantage of the small farmers, who were compelled to work their cows on a commercial basis, and who could not afford to run the risk of their cows’ milking qualities being injured by milking for 3(55 days, with the risk of interfering with their breeding capabilities. The following remits were adopted, and ordered to bo brought under the notice of the Government: —"That the sugar beet industry be inquired into with a view to its suitability for its adoption in this Dominion.-”

“That the Government be urged to have all calf foods that are offered for sale analysed for their respective feeding qualities for the benefit of those rearing calves.” > “That owing to the continued increase in the cost of maintaining roads, in consequence of heavy motor traffic, the Government bo urgently requested to bring in a tyre tax to assist in the upkeep of the surfaces of main roads.” “That the attention of the Board of Trade be drawn to the fact that, while boiled linseed oil is being sold in Wellington at 9s. per gallon, the ruling price in Palmerston North is 15s. 9d. per gallon, while at the present time the whole-sale price in London is quoted at 9s. 9d. per gallon.”

WOOL REALISATION PLAN

IMMEDIATE ADVANTAGES NOT ANTICIPATED.

London, January 14

, Senator Millen is gratified by the British approval of the Australian wool realisation plan. He does not anticipate immediate advantages from the allocation of profits, because they will necessarily bo deferred pending the realisation of stocks and the adjustment of the accounts; but he thinks the ultimate results will materially benefit Australia’s mercantile credits in London, apart from the Commonwealth finances.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. PROTEST AGAINST WITHDRAWAL OF WOOLS FROM AUCTION. (Rcc. January 16, 5.5 p.m.) London, January 15. The British Wool Federation is sending p deputation to the English directors of the Australian Realisation Association to enter a protest against the policy of withdrawing the greater portion of the wools submitted to auction in England.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. LONDON WOOL SALES (Rec. January 15, 5.5 p.m.) London, January 14. At the wool sales there was a very good selection of merinos and a poor lot of crossbreds. The reserves were unchanged. Only 19 per - cent, of the offering was sold. Several buyers left the

salesroom disgusted.—-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co.. Ltd., have received the following cablegram from their London, house ~,ir(r.r note January 14: —Free wool sales, 6600 offered, practically all sold Merino wool io to 15 per cent, lower than on December 17- Crossbred wool, very little catalogued, not much alteration. Sales close January 27. Next sales open February 22.

CHRISTCHURCH WOOL SALE CONCLUDES

BIDDING RATHER SLOW

Bv Telegranh—Press Association. Christchurch, January 16.

The last catalogue of the wool sale was sold this morning. Bidding was rather clow. One lot of Rydal Downs Corriedale ewe A reached 17d., and one lot of the same brand of Corriedale hogget A was passed in at IGJd. Corriedale pieces from the same clip were passed in at Bld Southdown ewe hogget wool was passed in at 10Jd. A choice line of three bales of super three-quarter-bred (Stony-„-ea) made 15id„ the top price of the sale for three-quarter-bred wool.

HIDE AND SKIN SALES The sales of hides and skins were re.uTned on Friday by the various brokers Messrs Dalgetv and Co. report that, rairly large catalogues were put forward to an average attendance of b™ fl mhconskins were on a par with, the rates ruling at last sale. Prices for ° x - h *-avA and medium, advanced Id. on last Bale. Other classes were on a- far. Messrs. Levin and Co., Ltd.. . r *’’° r L tl the market is exceedingly quiet and de pressed, iwd values sagging downwards Although exporters, tanners and fellmongera were fairly well represented, there was no animation in the ■ market, and manv lots were passed without eliciting competition, -this being particularly so with sheepskins. Best crossbred sheepskins were firm at last r.ale prices, tor short, to half-wools the market was easier bv id. to Id. Full wools, green and w.lted. were difficult of sale at from 2s. to 2s 6d. drop. Lambs and celts were down 6 J d to 9d. Super hides were about on a nor with last sale. Inferior sorts neglected ■ Kin and yearling, slight advance. Calf declined Id. per lb. Tallow was unchanged. Messrs. Abraham and Williams renort that they offered a large catalogue to a e-ood bench of buyers, who competed kcenlv for everything, with the exception ot salted skins, the absence of several fel>mongers being considerably felt. Dry sheepskins sold on a par with last sales Hides, contrary to expectations, sold at rates equal to last sales, medium cows showing a slight fall of Jd. per lb., and calfskins Jd. per lb. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Aeencv Co.. TAd.. report that bidders were Cautions, and it. was difficult to sell anything but best hides, calfskins and sheenskins, and for those about last sales prices were obtained. Damaged lots were neglected. Tallow and fat.was only saleable at a redaction of 2s. to 4s. per cwt on last, solo’s rates. T+ a Messrs. Murray. Roberts and Co.. Ltrt.. offered a cMaloErue of 7000 pheonßklns nno IMO hides. The market for nj-lts was in a complete state of collanse. Sheepskin values suffered accordingly, and prices were easier bv Jd. to ?d. in dry lots, and np to Ir. 6(1. ner skin for woolly bamns declined 6d. to 9d. ner flkin. irides hardly maintained last sale’s values for sunerior sorts, and ordinary ond damaged lota wer** slower nf sale, and declined from to Id. nor lb. Stout ox. over 601 b.. was in (rood demand, and commanded extreme prices. Thorp was more inouiry for tallow at Rlichtly better ftaur*H. The Walrnrnna Farmers’ Co-onerative Association, Ltd., renort that the market was irreaulnr. Salted and irreen sheepskins were lower than nt nrevtous sale, prices belner down 2s. ner skin, and for and lambs 6d. to 9d. per skin. Dried sheepflkinfl sold fairly well at about last sale rates. Hides wore on a par with previous sale rat or. Hxtra stout ox were in demand. Calfskins were weaker. Tallow w!’« on a par with previous sale. The New Zealand Farmers’ Co-op. Distributincr Co.. Ltd., renort that prices ruling were eenernllv at nar with those of th A previous pale held four weeks apo. The ranere of prices wa« as und<*r:—Sheepskins.—JTnlfhred. 4M. to 7d.* fine crossbred. 4 <L to s’d.; medium to coarse crossbred. 2?d. tn 44d.; short to holf-wool. Id. to 3M.: dead and damneed crossbred. Id. to 3d. t lambs. 2d. to 4td.; inferior and badly damaged, id", to 2?d.: peltfl. M. to 21d.: damn, oalted and’Veen. 6d. fd 35. Hd. each: pelts, nalted. 3d. to Is. lOd. each; lambs, salted. I 1;, to 1«. 6d._ each. Hides.—Ox._ heavy. Mlb. a*nd nver, 6M. to 13Jd.; ox. medium. 501 b. to sRlb.. 64d. to Ifid.j ox. liirht. 491 h. and under. S-ld. to 7 3 -d.t cow. heavy. 551 b". and over. 6?d.; cow. medium. 421 b. to 541 b., 4*d. to Tid.; cow, b’rht. 421 b. and under. 4d. to 7*d.; cut. slippy, and inferior. Id. to 7id. • bull Rfap. Id. to 4?d.; yearllntrs. 111 b. tn 321 b., 2d. tn Bid.: calf, superior, un to 101 b.. Rd. to 12d.: calf, medium to rood. 73d. to 102 d.: ca’f. damaged. Id. to 7id. Tallow.—ln casks. 245. to 355.; in tins, etc.. ss. to 765. Sundries—Horse hair, Is. sd. per lb.; cow hair. 7id. per lb.; tails, le. doz.