Commercial.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1077, 23 May 1882, Page 2

Commercial.

M. R. MILLER’S Hawke’s Bay Stock & Station .Report & Annual Review For the Ybab bndikg April, 1882. The past year’s statistics of live stock annexed, showing such a large increase, will be found highly satisfaetsry. After deducting 431,100 exported to ot her districts, boiled down, and for consumption and mortality, there remains in this provincial district at date 2,392,312 sheep, showing a aeit increase of 347.566 slteep fur the year ending 30th April, 1882. But although the export of livestock to other provincial districts shows a satisfactory increase on previous year, being over 25 percent. — last year 84,460, this year 107,000 sheep—our exports of wool and tallow are far from showing such a favorable comparison upon last year’s returns, from the exceptionally dry •unimer of 1881, followed by a very wet winter, the clip from this province is lighter by nearly 7 per cent, than during any previous year since these returns were first compiled. We have exported 11,636,10618 b wool, showing only a gross increase on last year’s exports of 459,227 lbs, while the increase in the number of sheep •horn amounted to about 162,500. Our export of scoured wool for the past year is very much under the returns of t e previous year, so that making dne allowance for all these items, as well as for the number of lambs shorn, included in the gross estimates, the average clip of province this season would be equal to an average of a shade over 6|lb greasy wool, •gainst 71b last year. There has been a decrease also in the quantity of tallow exported to the extant of 30 per cent, on that of last year, but this to a great degree is compensated by the largely increased export of live sheep above noted. But if the clip of the past sea •on has been light, we have every prospect of an exceedingly good clip next, shearing, as there has not been known a more favorable •eason for feed than the summer and autumn grass of this year. By reference to the statistical tables it will be observed that, the lands under occupation, freehold and leasehold, amount to 1,942,998 acres, now carrying 2,392,312 sheep, 41,000 head great cattle, and 9,750 horses ; and taking into consideration that not quite one-third of the occupied lands are improved by grass-seed sowing, it is not too much to claim that no other district or colony in the world is, from a pastoral view, as productive as the provincial district of Hawke’s Bay. A very great part of our freehold and the bulk of our leasehold lands a* yet are comparatively undeveloped, waiting capital to grass seed and fencing, to convert from was'e lands into most productive pasturage. We are •till making but slow progress in agricultural pursuits. With land capable of producing wheat equal to that of South Australia we do not y» t produce enough to supply our own wants. Our district is much in want of a greater number of enterprising agricultural farmers—the comparatively easy life of the pastoral farmer naiuially finds most adherents.

Business in store sheep has been very active during the past season, as independent of the very large numbers sent to the districts of Wanganui, Waikato, Wairarapa, as u*ual there •were a great number changed hands locally, and prices were at an average advance of fully ten per cent, on previous year’s transactions My branch firm M. R. Miller and Potts, Waipawa, report, having placed 56,300, while this office has placed nearly 61.000 during the past In cattle very considerable imports of

store stock from other districts, combined with the limited demand for fat stock, have weak-

ened prices to an extent fully as much in the opposite direction. In produce rye grass seed has ranged from 3/6 to 5/- per bushel ; cocksfoot, 4id to s|d per lb; clovers, 11 id to l/J per lb. The grain crop, though limited in ex tear, gave good yield and quality. Wheat is quoted at 5/ per bushel, hardening, and oats firm at 4/3 to 4/5. The followit gave the quotation* t! at were ruling for stock during April: Sheep—■'tore merino wedders 2-tooth and 4-tooth, 7/ to 7/6 ; 6 and fresh 8* tooth, 6/6 ; aged, nominal; do. ewes, 10/ for 2 and 4-tooth ; G tooth, 7/ ; fresh 8 tooth, 6/ ; aged, 4/ to 5/ each. Crossbred wedders, fat, 11/6to 14/ each. Store do,, 2 and 4-tooth, 10/ tu 11/6; 6 and 8-tooth, 9/6 to 1 »/8. Ewes same class 2 and 4 tooth, 10/ to 11/; 6’tooth, 10/ ; 8-looth, 8/ to 9s/ ; about 2/ to 2/6 additional for ewes that have been served. Rams, merino, ruling during past season at from £2 10s to £3 10s ; aged £1 to £1 10s. Lincoln do., for stock purposes, from £3 3s to £7 7s each. Cattle.—Fat. 17/6 to 20/ per 1001 b, dull of sale. Store steel’s : Yearlings, 2,3, and 4-year old respectively, £3, £4, £5 5/, and £6 10/ each; market fully supplied. Female stock, same ages, range from 10/ to 20/ under price of steers. Dairy cows, £8 to £lO each.

Horse Stock. —Medium draughts are in fair demand at £25 to £35 each ; heavy do., £5O to £6O; light harness, £l5 to £2O ; good hacks, £2O to £25 ; useful do., £lO to £l5 ; light do. and packers, £5 to £7 each. Wool.—The annexed tables contain full particulars of our exports to Great Britain, Victoria, and to other New Zealand ports. Though but a small quantity has been shipped from this port to the Melbourne maiket- this season, vet from Messrs Goldsbrough & Co.’s report of the largely increased sales held there, and the satisfactory prices obtained, especially for merino clips light in grease, several merino growers here contemplate consigning their whole clips to that market next season. Station Properties.-—Although a considerable number of properties have been in negotiation, fewer transactions have been completed than might, have been fairly expected from the comparatively low prices asked for station properties here, to those obtained in the Southern, and more largely populated. Island ; though the high prices obtained by Government in February last for the Otago leasehold runs has led to more numerous enquiries for runs here, where they are so much lower in price and the leaseholds much longer in tenure. The sale of 55,0(H) acres of the Rissington estate held on the 13th inst., was a disuppoimnent to the vendors, very few from outside the province attending the sale ; and although from the large extent of lands put in the market high prices were not anticipated, the bidding was even less brisk than expected. After a few blocks had been sold at prices very much in favor of buyers, the greater portion was withdrawn, but is now in private treaty. Annual Statistics, — I have again to acknowledge with thanks the courteous assistance I ave received from Mr E. Patten, Collector of Customs, and Mr Pasley, Chief Inspector of Sheep, in furnishing me with the following statistics, and also for the assistance of Mr Menzies, Secretary to the Chamber of Commerce, in compiling them. Total acreage of provincial district, 3,050,000 acres. Under occupation or partially so, 1,942,998 acres ; land broken up, but not under crop, in Hawke’s Bay, Waipawa, and Wairoa Counties, 10,590 acres; do. do. under crop, do. do , acres ; Surface-sown grass, do do., 686,897 acres. Sheep Inspector’s Returns, 31st May, 1881, 2,044.746 ; increase by 1881 lambing from 1,110,000 ewes, 70 per cent., 777,000 ; export by land and sea for the year, 107,000 ; sheep boiled down for tallow, 41,850 ; district consumption, 180,000; mortal.ty and casualties, 5 per cent., 102,250 ; nett district increase, 345,900 ; stud rams imported, 1,200 ; ewes, 46G ; nett increase for year, 447,566. Estimated total sheep in district, average value 7/6 each ; estimated great cattle, 41,000 head, -average value, 80s ; 1 orses, 9,750 head, £lO ; pigs, 6,750 head, 30s Wool, &c., as per Collector of Customs’ returns, exported from the Port of Napier to United Kingdom and Victoria during the year ending 30th April, 1882 : —Greasy wool, direct to Britain and Victoria, 20,023 bales, 545 pockets, 29,1514 bales, 7,643,<»491b —£3-56,625. Scoured wool direct, tu Britain and Victoria, 2,892 bales, 3,173 pockets—s,GS6| bales, 1.582,2371 b, £114,774. Wool, coastwise tu New Zealand ports, 1,127 bales, 410 pockets — 1,237 bales, 453,9501 b, £22,697. Wuol un board Crownthorpe and in stores for shipment, 3.271 bales, 1,696 pockets—3,69s bales, I. £62,210. Wool from Coast, stations direct to other ports—l.B63 bales, 713,8901 b, £32,968. Nett wool exports to April, 1882—32,640 bales, 11,636,1061 b, £ >82,374. Nett wool exports to April, 1881 —32,301 bales, 11,176,8791 b, £608,93-5. Increase in quantity and decrease iu value—33.) bales, 4592271 b, £20,561. Wool as above, £588,374. Tallow, to Britain direct—Bl7 casks. 6,OO6|cvvt., £11,270. Tallow Coastwise at Customs—l,3B2 casks, 11, cwt., £16.599 Tallow shipped per Crownthorpe—3B2 casks, 2,830 cwt., £5,016. Nett Tallow exported 1882—2,588 casks 19,902icwt., £32.885. Nett Tallow exported, 1881—4,064 casks, 30.515 cwt„ £46,2941b. Decrease in quantity and value in 1882— 1,476 casks, 10.612|cwt., £13,409. Sheejakins, to Britain, 2GI bales, 14.550 in number, and 15 casks pelts, £2,805. Sheepskins coastwise, 48 bales, 5,420 in number, and 35 easks pelts -£7OO. Oil, sperm and whale, to Britain, 4 tanks, 97 casks ; coastwise, 6 hhds., 69 casks ; total gals., 7,257, £1,862. Hides, coastwise, 2,405 in number, £2,164. Preserved Meats, to Britain, 881, £719. Potatoes, 505 tons, £1,265. Maize, 1,471 sacks, 5,884 bushels, £1.030; Grass Seed, 9,045 bushels, £1.809—£2,839. Total, £633,623. Total value of 107.000 Sheep exported to other provinces, £42,799 ; of Cattle, £16,500 —£59,30’0. Total value of exports from Provincial District, £692,923.

Comparative Table.—April, 1871, Sheep and lambs shorn, 97-5,000, 14,631 bales, 5,266,9001 b. April, 1882, Sheep (1.698,816) and lambs (34-5,900) 5h0rn—2,041.746, 32,640 bales, 11,636,1061 b. Increase, 1,063,716 sheep, 18009 bales, 6,369,2861 b.

Population of provincial district, Europeans 17,463; Natives, 2.720—t0tal 20.183. Total value of exports, £633,623, equal to £3l per hear! of the entire population, exclusive of £59,300, value of stork exported to other district in New Zealand.—M. R. Miller, Stock and Station Agent, Auctioneer, &c. Napier, N.Z., April 30th, 1882. Note.—On the 2nd May I sold the surplus sheep ot! the Rissington estate, consisting of 16,04-3 longwool and crossbred ewes, and 23,900 same class wedders ; total 39,914 sheep, realising £19,816 sterling, being an average of nearly 10s 6d each overall ages. Tins sale fully endorses the high reputation which the Rissington flocks have obtained. I have also (18th May) to report, the sale of all the remaining portion of Messrs Rhodes and Co.’s Rissington estate to Rechab Harding, Esq., of Mount Vernon, Waipukurau—being about 57,000 acres freehold and about 12,000 acres leasehold, with the residue of live stocx, estimated at 36,000 sheep more or less, about 800 cattle, and 63 horses, with all the implements, plant, stores, and furniture as they stand, for the sum of £125,000. It is gratifying as evidence of the fair valuation placed on this estate to note its having been offered previous to the auction at 210,000, that a local buyer of experience has completed t he above purchase, yielding with previous sales reported a gross amount of £215,000 sterling to the ,

vendors. The sale to Mr Harding is the largest transaction ever effected in Hawke’s Bav, and there is no doubt that it will be a most profitable investment, as the lands are fust developing in carrying capacity.