CANTERBURY BUDGET.

Otago Witness, Issue 4028, 26 May 1931, Page 17

CANTERBURY BUDGET.

(Fuo.ii Our Own Correspondent.) FARMERS’ UNION. CHRISTCHURCH, May 23. Many matters of interest and iinP i? rt o'? c ? to farmcr s .were discussed at the 30th annual provincial conference of the North Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union this week. There was a full representation of all the 16 sub-branches, and the president, Mr Colin M Intosh, in a very able address, outlined the main events of the past year, and analysed in a concise and emphatic way some of the problems of the man on the land. Wheat duties naturally came in tor a full discussion, and it was decided, among other things, to ask the Government to ensure that there was an agreement between the millers and growers to enable the latter to secure the full measure of protection intended for him. A protest against the lifting the ban on the importation of stock, for fear of admitting foot-and-mouth disease, was passed, and the need for a reduction in taxation and interest rates was also strongly urged. Altogether 33 remits were tabled, a lot of them being of minor importance. Mr Colin MTntosh was re-elected president, and the following other officers appointed: vice-president. Mr J. R. Cullen; hon. treasurer, Mr J. D. Hall; auditor, Mr AV. 11. Nicholls; Executive Committee—Messrs F. C. Armstrong, J. Ashworth. R. G. Bishop. A. Fisher, G. H. Hassall, R. G. Keith, T. Morton, AV. AV. Mulholland, D. J. Hawke, R. T. M'Millan, H. Oliver, H. G. Parish, F. Quigley, R. S. Roper, William Smith, G. C. Warren; delegates to the Dominion Conference, Messrs J. R. Cullen, AV. W. Mulholland, and G. C. Warren.

ADDINGTON MARKET. After gradually slipping back for the three previous weeks under the pressure of one heavy entry after another, the beef market at Addington this week received a rather anxiously-awaited check to this downward movement—the natural result of a big falling-off in the size of the offering. It consisted of the usual mixture of quality, some of the low-grade beef selling as cheaply as Us a 1001 b. The best of it made up to 32s 6d. With the smaller entry, the demand was naturally a little steadier, though it was still subject to its irregular patches. Well-finished cattle of handy weights were what the butchers were wanting chiefly, and they were prepared to pay a shade more for them. Heavy beef sold comparatively well, but inferior classes of cattle, of which there was plenty offering, were hard to dispose of. Graziers took a lot of them, particularly as the store cattle section offered a very poor selection. For the last few weeks the yardings have consisted almost entirely of local cattle, with a few odd pens from the southern districts and the West Coast. But North Island graziers will be keeping an eye on the market. It is reported that a small consignment of cattle from this source has been shipped for next week’s sale—a venture that appears to be rather risky at this stage.

Shorter entries of fat lambs induced a keen sale, the competition from the butchers and freezing works buyers whipping it along at a great rate. The offering numbered a little over 2000 head, which, in normal years, is much about the average at this stage of the season, when fattening operations start to taper off. This season, particularly over the last few weeks, conditions have been admirable for finishing the lambs off. the warm weather helping the supplies of feed along. There were some splendid lambs penned on Wednesday, and taking it all round the entry was exceptionally even in quality. There were, of course, a few pens of store lambs offered, but they were not such a feature of the yarding as they have been at a good many sales. The best of the lambs made from 16s upward, with a few of the lighter sorts bringing down to 15s. but the fact that there were very few sales under the latter figure is sufficient commentary on the quality of the offering. Not for weeks has there been such an excellent showing of quality in tt-o fat sheep pens at Addington as this week,

when the offering numbered over 5000 lead there was pen after pen of wellfinished ewes, and the sale throughout was a good one at very firm rates. In fact the medium-weight ewes suitable for freezing and for cutting into small sides toi the letail trade, were in keen demand, and prices for these appreciated from about Is to Is 6d a head, and in some cases more, the works schedule beim- exceeded quite frequently. Heavy ewes" and those more lightly-finished and also wethers showed no quotable alteration ia prices, but the tendency was to harden. Wednesday s yarding in the store sheep section assumed somewhere near its usual winter proportions, the offering both of stole lambs and adult sheep being a very innted one compared with those that have been penned up until recently. Despite tile lateness of the season, quite a fair amount of interest was shown in the disposal of the sheep, particularly by those on the look-out for wethers for fattening and men who still find they require a few reliably-served ewes to balance up their breeding flocks, and judging by the tone of the sale a good many more sheep of this class could have been absorbed quite easily. The demand was very buoyant at times, and there was an appreciation of a lull Is a head in most cases. It was rather noticeable that there were not so many buyers about for straight lines of ewe lambs for holding over, and prices for them, it anything, appeared to be a little cheaper. For anything that would fatten off within the next few weeks however, there was a good sale, and buyers were prepared to pay from 10s to 12s for them. There were one or two lines of this class penned, and at those figures they looked quite fair buying for a man ■with the requisite feed. The best price for ewe lambs was 14s, which was paid for a truck-lot of open-woolled halfbreds from North Canterbury. They were nicely bred and well covered, but there were" some rather small ones among them, and at that price they looked a little on the dear side. EXPORT OF FRUIT. Except that the dry spell has been respon ible for the production of a larger number of small-sized apples than usual, the fruit season in Canterbury has been an excellent one. At the start of the season it was estimated that there would be about 25,000 cases available for export. but with the sailing of the Zealandia with the last of -the overseas consignments the total has reached nearly 28,000. The Zealandia carried about 7000 cases, one of the biggest single shipments loaded. PRICE OF BREAD. A refutation of the statement made by Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., Leader of the Labour Party, that while there were thousands of sellers of bread there was only one seller of wheat, and that the latter was preventing bakers from reducing the price of bread was made by Distributors Ltd. this week. All; Holland was reported as saying that lie heard that bakers in Gore had, on February 21, announced a reduction in the price of the 41b loaf from Is to 9Jd. and two days later they had been notified that if they did not restore the old price either the flour would be cut off or they would be charged 30s a ton more. The following reply was sent by Distributors Ltd.: “ Concerning your charge against Distributors Ltd. in regard to the Gore baker, we assure you that such an action as was indicated by you is absolutely contrary to our policy, and we cannot find any facts to substantiate such a charge. Will you kindly supply us with details, as we are satisfied that you have been misinformed. We are quite prepared to give you or your appointee any information or assistance in investigating this matter. —Distributors Ltd.”

COURTENAY A. AND P. ASSOCIATION. The following officers were elected at the annual meeting of the Courtenay A. and P. Association.- —Patron, Air AV. J. Jenkins; president, Mr R. S. Roper; senior vice-president, Mr Geo. Begg; junior vice-president, Mr G. R. Bedford; treasurer, Air F. Westaway; committee— Messrs C. G. Jarman, T. A r aughan, F. G. Sowden. Al. A r . Davis. J. H. Selby, R. Colee, TV. Adams, AV. Harwood, P. Boulnois, G. C. Warren, D. Penney, J. D. Henderson, R. J. Westaway, S. Robertson, A. Anderson, D. Kelly, D. Finlay, AV. L. Stott, G. Seaton, jun., A. Alanson, R. Henderson. .G. E. Davis, F. Johnson, and R. AV’. Wilson. Alessrs K. J. S. Alurchison and E. Harris were elected life members and Air R. AV. Al'Aleekan secretary. The receipts for the year were shown as £490 2s Bd, and the expenditure £507 12s Id. One big item that affected the finances was the amount owing in outstanding subscriptions, which totalled £ll2 10s. FIELD ROOTS COMPETITION. AtVards in the field roots competition conducted by the Northern A. and P. Association were announced by the judges, Alessrs R. APGillivray and J. G. M‘Kay, of the Agricultural Department, a few days ago. In commenting on the entries, Air APGillivray described them as a credit to the district in point of yield, and in all cases there was a remarkable freedom from weeds. One feature that he criticised was that many of the crops were not true to name. It was quite evident, he said, that varieties had become mixed up in the Old Country, and agents here should be backed up in their demands for seed true to description. The awards were as follows:— CLASS 1, best five acres' of turnips. Eight entries. Heyward’s Estate, Clarkville, 85 points 1 Colin Basiett, Burt Hill, 80 points .. 2 A. E. Cleeve, A r iew Hill, 78 points .. 3 CLASS 3, best half-acre of mangolds. Seventeen entries. Walter Eder. Sefton, 89 points .. .. 1 C. Alorgan AVilliams, KaiapoA, 88 points 2 R. Petrie, AA'bodend, 86 points .. .. 3 CLASS 4. best five acres of green feed, quality of land to be taken into consideration. Six entries. T, F. Gibson, Loburn, 95 points .. 1 G. H. Hassall, Clarkville, 93 points ... 3 Colin AlTntosh, AVest Eyreton, 92 points .. .. .. .. ~ ~ 3

CLASS 5, best five acres of green feed, on land that has had a gram crop taken off this season. Five entries. F L. Wright, Coutts Island, 89 points 1 Colin MTntosh, West Eyreton, 80 points •• • • •• ,•••• Ao 1 Heyward’s Estate, Clarkville, *8 points • • **