The Price of Stock.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7320, 13 June 1902, Page 4

The Price of Stock.

Is api nil, Juno 11

A meeting of fanners hold at Waipukurnu received the delegates appointed by the Waimrapa and Bush sottlers to dulivor addresses in different centres, with a view to obtaining better prices I'ov their fat stock in tho North Island. A strong committee was formed to further tho objects of tbo movement.

Mr R. Smith said it was patent to anyone that something must be done to raise the price of stock. At present tho difference between tbe prices obtained hero and in tho South was from 4s to Gs. The popular idea wa3 that the class of sheep in tho South was very much superior to the North Islaud sheep, but I it had boon shown that nine lots of Hawke's Bay sheep sent to Addington fetched ICI3, against 10.1 or 11s they would havo brought hero. In one or two instances these sheep had topped the Christchurch market. Why should not tha Northern farmers endeavour to pocket tho large amount of money that it cost to take the stock to Christchurch ? Tho freezing companies told settlers to freeze on their own account, but was it laasonablo to suppose that a private consignor would havo a possible chance to get his sheep frozen or put on tho market if tho companies had heavy stocks themselves ? Abraham and Williams, Ltd., purchased argely, and had endeavoured to vat tbo sheep frozen, but neither the Wellington nor the Longburn Companies would take them, tho result being that tho iirm had to ship their sheep to Picton to be frozen. Southern buyers also refused to freeze in tho North to any largo extent, because the charges wero so heavy. Compared with charges ruling in tho South, they wero from 2s to os per shocp more. In ISO 2 Nelson Bros.' buyers and the Loagburn and the Wellington Companies compctodagaiust each other, but there was no such thing now. In the wholo ot tho country south of tho Manawutu thero were only tho two companies' buyers. Fortunately southern buyers had come in pretty largely this year, otnerwiso tbing3 would have been worse thin they were now.

The delegates wore thanked for tho trouble they wero taking to arouse tin settlers to an appreciation cf their own interests.—X.Z. Limes