FARMING & COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 166, 9 April 1921, Page 10

FARMING & COMMERCIAL

NEWS AND NOTES

ROUTING THE RABBITS PLANS AND PROGRESS BREEDING FERRETS FOR FARMERS The past, season, although a bad one for the farmers generally, has been an excellent one for one of the New Zealand, pastoralist’s worst enemies, in the shape of Brer Rabbit. Not for many years has there been such a great propagation of the species. In pointing this fact out to a Dominion . reporter yesterday, an officer of the Agricultural Department, Baid that there was no doubt many farmers with the high prices that had been ruling for rabbit-skins—especially those coming from some parts of the Sout'h Island —became careless in connection with the work of exterminating rabbits located on their holdings. There was a tendency on the part of some to regard bunny as an asset. In place of engaging poisoners they were getting tho work done free of cost by trappers. In some cases, farmers actually receiving a bonus from trappers for permission to trap on their property. The sudden drop in the price of rabbit skins has completely altered the whole aspect of the situation, and this, being followed by the most favourable season for the breeding of rabbits experienced for a large number of years, has apparently led tto a considerable increase in the pest in most of the infected. areas in the Dominion. On the other hand, however, the unusually dry season has made poisoning operations more successful, the conditions being favourable to a successful "take.” In most rabbit-infected districts, therefore, it is expected that, there will be a considerable decrease in the pest, as a result of this season’s poisoning.

The Department of Agriculture recognises, a Dominion reporter was informed, that if the farmers would reduce the rabbits to reasonable dimensions the vermin might then be kept in check by means of their natural enemies—ferrets, stoats and weasels. With this object in view, a large '.number of ferrets are to be 1 bred at the Wnllaceville laboratory and sold to farmers. In this connection it is interesting to note that the extensive trapping of rabbits that was carried on before the drop in skins has also resulted in large destruction of their natural, enemy, ferrets’ skins being valued by trappers as well as those of the bunny.

Rabbits are still far too numerous in the Dominion, especially in Otago and Canterbury and in the King Country, in which latter district there were until a few years ago very few rabbits. Now, however, the King Country is the worst district in the North Island. It is common knowledge that in some parts ol the South • Island rabbits have driven thousands of sheep off the land, and several run-holders have, through this cause, abandoned their holdings; that the situation is still serious m iyirts is borne out by figures in the possession of the Department. These disclose the fact that the carrying capacity of a certain big station in Otago was decreased to the extent of-12,95/ sheep in the last five years. The occurred during last year, when the run pastured 7,035 fewer sheep than inIJI9. The detailed figures are as 191(1 32.439 sheep; 1917, 31,37-; 1918, -8,548; 1919 20,516; 1920, 19,481. . Meanwhile the rabbit inspectors in the service of the Department "gorously enforcing the regulations relating to the extermination of tfie pest. No measures will be taken, and farmers must carry out such work that n; necessary to keep the rabbits in check. In Mqamutu (recently, .a number ot farmmTwere heavily fined for breaches of the Act, -and a warning issued that further failure to comply with tn regulations would lead to still keavie fines. Some of the fi nes £ •idor that it is cheaper to pay a h than to employ men to carry our necessary poisoning. CANTERBURY produce markets PRODUCERS HOLDING- OFF. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, Aoril 8. The Canterbury produce market has shown no improvement this week. Producers, considering the prices have reached bedrock, are holding off m the prospect of an improvement as soon as the depression scare has abated. Millers are fairly well suppliedL.?"?* now and whatever buying of wheat is done is not for more than immediate requirements, but there is a steady though small trade being done with a few North Island nulls. A little business has been effected with oats this week, but in most cases farmers are disinclined to thresh just no , and are leaving their stacks stan in the hope of better results from their outputs to he offered later. The same still quoted from Is. Ild. to 25., and chaff from .£2 lus. to cocksfoot, and other seed lines are still stagnant. Farmers prefer to pit their potatoes rather than offer them at the present tow ruling rate, and J!3 10s is the highest price offered by merchants There have been a few North Island orders for onions filled at round about £2 10s. LONDON TALLOW MARKET Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Ltd., report having received . the following cablegram from their London house, under date April 6 -.-‘'Tallow: Market ve y quiet, nominal quotations. Fine mutton, 385.; good, mixed, 325. to 335. Buyers are holding off.’ Messrs. A. H. Turnbull and Co. yesterday received a cablegram from Messrs. W Weddel and Co., Ltd., dated April 6, reading as follows Tallow, no demand, stocks heavy. 2c lower; no signs of improvement. Fine mutton, 3Gs„ 385.; good, 34, 5 „ 355.; beef. 365., 385.; second and inferior, mixed, 255., 28s. COMMERCIAL ITEMS INVESTMENT SIT ABES. •Sales of Inscribed Stock (1933) at -£B9and Bank of New Zealand shares at .£2 6s 6d were made on ‘Change yesterday. The quotations were as follow:. £ s. d. -£ s. d.

CUSTOMS REVENUE. Oo»wai revenue collected n» the non of Wellington yesterday totalled £11,735 6s- Ud. MELBOURNE HIDE SALE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. (Rec. April 8. 7.35 p.m.) Melbourne, April 8. At the hides sale the catalogue wai well filled Heavies and mediums declined a penny and a halfpenny per lb. respectively. Stouts and kips were unaltered. PRICES OF METALS. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Bee. April 9, 1.20 a.m.) London, April 7. Copper.—On spot. £69 2'. 6d. per ton. three months £6B 17s. 6d.; electrolytic ingots. £72 ICS.- bars, £73 10b. Lead—On spot, £2O sa. per ton; three months. £2O 12s. 6d. Spelter—On spot, £2o per ton; three months. £26 10s. Tin.—On snot. £l5B 12a. 6d. per ton; three months, £l6l 15s. Silver.—Bars, 33&d. per ounce standard. MINING NEWS $ WELLINGTON SHARE MARKET. The quotations for mining shares yesterday were as under: — Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d- £ s. d. Waihi 16 9 1 7 6 Junction 0 7 0 STOCK EXCHANGE. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, April 8. Sales reported:—Bank of Australasia (ex div. cum. rights), £B2 155.: South British Insurance, £1 9s. 3d. Dunedin, April 8. Sales:—War Bonds, 1938, £7B 10b.; Soldiers’ Settlement Bonds, £B9. SOUTHERN POTATO YIELD LOWER THAN LAST SEASON. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, April 8. At a meeting bf the Central Council of the South Island Potato Growers’ Association reports from delegates as to yield and acreage were that crops were in many cases digging out) at up to 50 per cent, less than last season. Proposals were submitted with the obect of assisting members of the association, uno are compelled to meet immediate financial obligations, |and these proposals were referred to the various branches for approval. It was decided to communicate with the Union Steam Ship Company with a view to securing a better shipping service to tho North Island ports. The assistance of the Government in this direction will also bo sought.

Inscribed Stock, 1939 Inscribed Stock, 1938 Inscribed Stock t5£ per - 79 78 0 15 0 0 cent.). 1933 89 0 0 War Bonds (41 per cent.), jqXfl — 79 0 0 W«r Bonds (4$ per cShf.l 19.30 87 0 0 War Ronds (4J per cent.), j 933 88 15 0 89 5 0 Bank Australasia — 84 0 0 0 Bank New Zealand 2 6 6 2 7 0 Union Bank 11 7 6 11 10 0 rroldr.brouirh Mort 1 9 0 River Plate 0 17 0 Well. Investment —— 11 0 Trust and Loan — 5 17 0 National Insurance ■ 2 13 6 2 15 0 New Zealand Insurance 1 4 9 N.Z ItefriKeratinB' (ord.) 0 15 3 0 16 0 Well. Export (£3 12s. M.) —. 3 i fl tTnddart-Parkcr — 2 0 TT.fi.6. On. (pref.i — 0 17 0

Kaiapoi Woollen 1 6 0 Kaiapoi Woollen (pref.) —- 1 5 0 Mosgiel Woollen — 5 0 0 Well. Woollen (ord.) —• 9 15 0 Well. Woollen (pref.) —- 7 17 6 Westport Coal Waipa Coal 16 3 0 12 6 1 7 3 Leyland-O'Brien Timber 1 11 0 1 12 0 Shari and and Co 116 1 2 6 Wairarapa Farmers (£5) —— 6 1 0 Wairarapa Farmers .pref.) —■ 0 18 0 Wilson Cement — 0 15 6