A VALUABLE PUBLICATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17279, 21 September 1916, Page 4

A VALUABLE PUBLICATION.

MESSRS PYNE AND CO.’S REVIEW

For many years Messrs Pyne and Co.’s annual Review of the live stock, frozen meat, land and produce markets lias been looked forward to with a great deal of interest by tho agricultural community, sinco it rightly came to be regarded ns thoroughly reliable, and a true rellex of tho position of our great primary industries. Tho Review for the season 1915-16, which ha s just been issued, nnd which forms a booklet covering some thirty pages, containing in tabloid form a review of the past season’s operations, and a glance at tho probable course of business m tho near future, is in every way worthy of its predecessors, and will no doubt bo closely studied by farmers and stockowners generally.

Naturally the Review deals extensively with the statistical position of the nocks and herds of the Dominion, and many interesting comparisons are made showing the progress made during recent years. Emphasis is laid on the fact that the sheep population of tho Dominion as compared with the averago of the last ten years shows an increase of 1,616,131. The figures showing the Dominion’s meat exports are decidedly instructive. For the twelve months ended April 30, 1915, the exports of mutton and lamb totalled 5,846.810 carcases as compared with 6,438.968 carcases in 1913-14, or a decrease in 1914-15 of 592,158 carcases. The figures for 1915-16 were on the whole satisfactory. There was a slight decrease in the sheep flocks, and a considerable decrease in meat exports, but on tbo other hand there was a slight falling off in the exports o| wool. Dealing with the Dominion wool sales, the Review states tuiat l of the 55,131 hales offered at the Christchurch series of sales. 51,343 hales were sold, the percentage of sales being better than in 1914-15, when 56.219 bales were offered and 51,138 bales were sold. The average return to New Zealand growers was nearly £2O per halo compared with about £l4 for the previous year's clip, farmers thus finding themselves with an increased return from .-heir wool of from 25 to 30 per cent more than in ordinary seasons. Regarding the wool outlook, the Review says;-—“A review of last year’s operations has enabled us to record one of the most remarkable and favourable selling seasons New Zealand has ever known, and with another wool period close at hand, the question arises. * What of tho future?’ With such stupendous issues still undecided—much more favourable though they are—the future position of the wool trade must be largely affected by the duration of this war. The termination of this conflict—come when it may—must very largely do away with tho special demand for military clothing, which lias been tho main factor in forcing values to the level at which they have been for the last twelve months, and at something like which they will probably continno until the war ceases, or until its early conclusion is within sight. Present indications point in this direction, though the issue is not yet sufficiently advanced to enable us .to judge definitely when the struggle will be over.” From cover to cover the Review is packed with useful and instructive tables and other information, and ns in past years, it will repay tho careful perusal "and study of all interested in agricultural matters.