THE MANAWATU

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

THE MANAWATU

STORE STOCK OUTLOOK BRIGHTER BETTER DISPOSITION TO BUY * (From Our Own Correspondent! ) Palmerston North, April 8. Fine weather has been experienced during the past week, with mild days, but tho mornings are rather keen. Although a few light showers have fallen on a couple of nights they have not been sufficient to more than wet the surface of the ground and freshen up the grass. Farmers generally are calling out for rain, but if it does come now in any volume it is liable to be followed by a oold snap, and any good it might do would thus be counteracted. Feed is hanging out well except in cases where paddocks have been overstocked, although prospects for the winter are not too good. Quite a number of dairymen have been feeding their cows on rape, being careful, however, not to leave them on it long at a time, and then removing them into grass paddocks. By tins’ means they claim that they do not run the risk of having 4he milk tainted by the rape, and the volume of tho lacteal fluid has been considerably increased. As it is nearly the close of the season the milk supply is falling off at the factories, but quite a number of farmers have made arrangements for milking through the winter. This they have been enabled to do on account of the quantity of artificial feed which has been grown in the shape of root crops, maize, etc., while tho amount of hay saved is considerably more than for some years past. , , ’ The tone of the store stock markets continues to brighten, and although there is no appreciable advance in prices there is a much better disposition to buyon the part of those who sold their surplus stock early when the prices were good, and who have been nursing their feed lately. So far as stock as concerned it appears as if prices had reached rock bottom, and in a very short time matters are expected to improve. So far as business generally is concerned matters are very quiet, and there are no signs of improvement at the present. With the flaxmills shut down there are a good many unemployed in the district, and work is anything but plentiful. Ab was only to be expected, a number of those who bought small farms at high prices are finding themselves in difficulties. Men who only patd small deposits and went into the business with very little capital are finding very great difficulty in financing now that the banks have closed down upon advances. An attempt is being made by a Wanganui committee to secure enough wool for shipment by sailing vessel on owners account, and the farmers of . Manawatu 'have been canvassed to join in the venture. The majority, however, have got their wool in store and decline to be tempted to ship on their own account, preferring to await events later. The unsettled state of the frozen meat market, which caused a cessation ot buying for export, put the farmers in a very awkward position. Many of them ha small lots of prime sheep already foi the works, but could not get rid of them except at prices which would have shown a considerable loss. A? many of them could not very well hold, the d«tlers, seeing their opportunity, went round and in some cases bought at very low rates. Thev sent the mutton to the auction rooms, and as the sales were very well attended at first they got very good prices, and it is evident that at the firs, few sales some of the butchers were running the prices up, with the result that the first line of 601 b. wethers brought an average of 26s 6d per which must have left a handsome profit. Puces, however, have gradually come down as butchers have been forced to reduce their prices and values now ruling are not sufficiently tempting to encourage dealers to do much. However, the P ub ’ lo erallv has reaped the benefit, as the trade has now dropped the prices to below those ruling before tho war.