THE SHEEP RETURNS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1739, 21 July 1917, Page 3

THE SHEEP RETURNS.

Mr Massey staled at Pukolcoho, apropos of markets after the war, dial (locks had decreased even iu New Zealand. The sheep'census, taken last April, and published last week, show a decrease of ti 1,820 shoe]), as compared with the figures for 111,10. The fall is so slight, in comparison wilh the large number involved, that the situation 'maybe considered satisfactory, as far as il goes, clearly indicating that the huge export trade has been almost wholly supplied by the natural annual increase. This exact statement will afford considerable relief to (hose who are interested in this great iinduslry, and who have not been concealing their anxiety as tjj whether New' Zealand may not have been mortgaging its future by high prices inducing too great an export trade. The following table, covering the ptist decade, shows the number of sheep slaughtered each year, ending March 31st —including the number killed by farmers for their own use —the number exported each year out of this total, and the number of sheep remaining in the Do-, minion on the following April 30th: Slangh- Koma intern!. Expld. iiig. 1 DOS 5,748,331 4,574,124 22,449053 1909 0,007,071 4,495,348 23,480,707 1910 0,974,554 5,131702 24,2(50,020 1911 7,922,103 0,033,578 32,99(5,12(5 1912 (5,88(5,(535 4,9(50,!)! 9 23,750,153 1913 7,3 J 7,574 5,1(5(5,579 24,191,810 .191-1 8,8(53,011 (5,411,987 24,798,703 ,1915 84)7(5,321 (i.214’ 151 24,901,121 191(5 8,(514,(533 (5,7 35,8 5 8 24,7 88,150 .1917 (.’) 7,857,7(51 24,753.321 The export figures for (lie year ending March. 31st, 1917, represent the actual number exported, 5,202,700, together wilh the 2,(555,0(51 carcases in the freezing works on April 281 h; this corresponds approximately with the number slaughtered during the twelve months.