SHEEPFARMERS' FEARS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 56, 22 March 1937, Page 3

SHEEPFARMERS' FEARS

Our Own Correspoudent.

Possible Serious Resuits from Russian Commlssion

From

WAIPUKURAU, Last Night. Possible serious resuits to New Zealand sheepfarmers through the activities of a Russian ram-buying commission, were referred to by Mr N. Tibley, Takapau, at the meeting of' the Southern Hawke's Bay Provincial Distrcit. It was decided to write to the Dominion Executive and ask it to watch the position to see that the future of New Zealand stock should not sufferThe commission, whicfi had arrived in the Dominion, intended buying 68,000 rams, though Mr Tilley did not know wbether all wei'e to be purchased liere. He had been told that Russian wool buyers operating in England bought the lines that suited them regardless of price. If that method were followed by the present commission, New Zealand would lose all its be^t rams to a country that. would compete ag/unst the Dominion in priutkuH.v tbe only market. Mr J. W. Mui-ray rcniarked that the commission had brought vetcrinarians to test every ram purchased, and that

before , a single ram was. bought all the flocks' offereing were to be inspected. The chairman, Mr J. Livingstone, did not see what could be done in "the matter. He did not like interfering with private enterprise. One could not blanie the Russians for wanting to improve their stock, nor the breederst for selling at a good price. Mr A. McLeod thought the visit was a compliment to Kew Zealand stock. The chairman added that New Zealand rams had being going to the Argentlne for years, improving the stock there. Mr "W. D. Gray considered that as soon as prices rose through the com-v mission's activities, the. breeders would be eager to • sell inferior rams.