FARMERS' DEBT TO DEALERS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 89, 1 May 1937, Page 19

FARMERS' DEBT TO DEALERS

Useful Intermediaries in Stock Pwrchases POSITION IN H.B. In ihe vast trade pf marketing stock in Hawke's Bay the great importance of the stoek-buyer, who has been commonly dubhed ' ' the dealer," is far from heing realised Q? appreciated. So important has the dealer become that it is doubtful if a public stock sale could be run without him. The dealer, to a very much greater extent than any other interest eoncerned, has oontributed to the stabilising of the markets and to the keeping of prices np to levels that have been to the definite benefit of the farmfers. In the present season espeeially the worth of the dealer has been amply demonstrated and but fer his activity the stock market in Hawke's Bay just now would be deeply marked with a depressed tone. It could be confidently sfated that his extensive operations have prevented the bottom failing out of the selling and . sq stalled off a position — the seriousness of which little thinking is requira on the part of the farming community. The continued dry weather which appears to be ushering in droughtjr conditions has eompletely upset the plans of many sheepfarmers. Early in the summer prospeets were most favourahle fqr the safe carrying over of large numhers of surplus stock. Qn all sides was to he heard the remark " We have so mueh feed We don't know what to do with it." That problem has been more than solved and the position has becoine the reversC, At the moment, the writing is on' the wall for a £ ( hungry winter.'? Hawke's Bay has hecome a seller, Over-suppliea havo got to be disposed pf. Fortunate Hawke's Bay. It is particularly fortunately that Hawke's Bay is alone in this respect and that all the outside distriets are huyers. Recognised as being, expert, and at the same time reliable, the dealers aet as intermediaries for satisfying the demands from ontside soufces. Numerous small lines, suc^ as trnck lots, are required by people from outside who cannot attend saies so far distant, with the result that dealers are commisqioned to make he purchases, which otherwise would not he made.

As an. example one-half of the yfirding at Waipukurau on Tuesday was lifted by a well-known dealer and railed ,to the West Coast. On the following l'3ay at Stortford Lodge a Taranaki oerpator was the prinicpal puxchaser. This big exodns afforded a tremendous relief as Hawke's Bay could have absorbed only a fraetion of it, and only special lines at that. "Vendors 'have reaped a great benefit from the dealers' heavy buying without which their returns would have slumped badly. It is important to note that the dealer takes all the risk in his huying orders. The vendors stands no risk of having anything thTown haek on him. -This legitimate business is in no way flavoured with catch-as-catch-can methods. Complaints are frequently to be heard On the rails that if it was no* for the dealers that stoclc could, be purchased a good deal eheape.r. This raising of the market is to the hene-. fit of the farmer and disguises in a great measure a position that would otherwise be very unsatisfactory due to the adverse seasonal conditions.

Operations Elsewhere. On the other hand, when ther# is an exeeptionally keen demand, dealers operate in the outside distriets hringing in sheep and so prevent farmers, who are obliged to stock-up, from having to pay excessive prices. Having the knowledge as to where stock is obtainable is a vital factor in coping with the demands. The average farmer could not be expected to be fully conversant with stock movements throughout the Nortli Island and to him an intermediary relieves h,Tri of much anxiety. In the handling of cattle dealers carry out dehorning much more extensiveiy than any other interests connected with stock. * There is a growing objection to horned cattle but many farmers are without the facilities for dehorning. Many thousands Of young cattle are heing dehorned by dealers, and this is of value to the cattle-raising industry. Farmers who rarely frequent the saleyards^ have associated dealers ehiefly with cull e'wes and boner cows but a review of their operations show that top quality constitute.° a suhstantial proportion of their buying. By their activities the scope of ,the sniphunter has been reduced to a minimum with result that vendors know that their offerings are not likely to be sacrificed as might possibly be the caso otherwise. Dealers have been responsible forbringing into Hawke 's Bay some remarkable quality young cattle. As an instance, Mr. L. E. Harris brought down from Poverty Bay recently a draft of 20-months-old steers, splendidly bred, being full of their breed charaeteristics. Their excellent skins made them a most attractive line of young stock which should develop into handsome cattle, being in striking contrast to the serub bull progeny. The only fault that was to be found was that there was not nearly enough of them. This is the quality that many Hawke's Bay cattlemen are in need of. This draft has been followed, by

other lines of excellent young cattle from the north, one of which' passed through Fernhill early in the week on its way to Waipukurau. It cannot be denied that during tlid present time espeeially, the dealer is pulling a big weight toWards retaining a sound market, and has saved the situation, for which many a vehdof has xeason to be most grateful. '