THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER, 27, 1914 THE GRAZING INDUSTRY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 251, 27 November 1914, Page 2

THE Pukekohe and Waiuku Times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER, 27, 1914

THE GRAZING INDUSTRY.

"We nothing extenuate, nor set <loivn auqht in malice."

The rscnt steidy high pricae for beef will no doubt prove an incentive to graziers to make still greater etforts to supply the market. The improved valuas must not be taken as solely due to the war, for th? demand hp.d overtaken the supply before hostilities commenced, an.l it is now apparent that unless the cult of the vegetarian becomes much more popular than it is we shall not see prices down to their former unsatisfactory levtl for a long time to come. 'No doubt the fatter.irg of stock is still a long way f om being as remunerative as dairying, but for oLvious reasons, one of them being th« difficulty of obtaining Mutable labour, ihe butter industry cannot be expected to expand in the future at the same rapid rate as it has for many years past. The production of beef for export will be for jeai9 to come a rapidly growinz one in the norlh, ant. if it is intelligently undertaken will add very largely to lhc prosperity of the community. Owing to climatic influences the northern part of this island is admirably suited to the production of beef urr.vailed in the world, unless it may be by the herds of Ergland and Ireland. The mild winters allow of stock being fattened in the open throughout the year, and on Ihe better qjalities of hnd upon grass alone The reproach uually levelled tgairst the Auckland Province has been that much of the land is of indifferent qiali y and better fitted ?or (>hcep than fir dairying or beef groAi-ijr, tut that cannot be said of

(he lager areas of reclaimed swamp either now h use or rapidly approiclnng the stock-carrying stage, and much of the hill country formerly looked upon as distinctly second-:lass has, by the aid of basic slag an J other fertilisers, becoaie capable of producing nrat of fir»tcliss quality. One of the greatest dirficulcii-i the graziers have had to contend with has been the irregulari y of prices from week to week So great and rapid has been the rise and fall that frequently the obtaining ot a profit was more a matter ot luck than anything else fcr those living si far away from the market that their stock could not he taken home again after a dill nr.le. It Ins I ir.g I. en ftlt that mens should hj employed to secure a comparatively even supply of fat stock to the Wettlield market

we. k by wc;k, and it can be easily understood that the resulting isvel p. ices woul 1 bs belter for the producer, butcher and consumer alike than the present system, or rather want -if system, o«ing to which b.cf soars high one week on a short market and sinks ti tt're price; the n <t Lccause the:c arc perhaps a hundred head beyond iminedi"tJ rcipjir. m-nts. It is giatifyinj; lo lind that at Inst stcpi trc b; i k tak n to povide a rcnr.riv. lhe Farmers' Union, acting upon the iii'iitive of some of th: gra; icrp, \i making an attempt ti have a rcptcscntativc committee si t up to advise tfce fanners .is lo the best times and imthods ti adipi in disposing of (heir stork, dead or alivp. Their dilla'j would im hide afiariinritf lh" cheapest,'best aid m >st expeditious mcnnß of transport, to advise sellers

with a view to (lecurin? an even supply £t auction sites and freezirg works so as to avoid rI :t or con-

gestion. Members of the graziers' as ocation would be supplied regularly with full and reliable information regarding prices, nut only in the Dominion but in th 3 world's market?, and the committee would endeavour to co-operate with kindred associations, and watch and meet any maasire or trust lik'ly to be inimical to pruducers' i Merest*. It has not yet been decided as to ho* many the committee shall consist of, or what districts they shall repr.stnt. Tr.e following will probably be found to be (he fairest distribution, taking into account the areas and producing capacities of the various areas:—North of Auck- ' land two members, Lower Waikato one, Upper Waikato and Thames Valley two, Bay of Plenty one, and King Country one, with two members cf the Farmers' Union Executive to make up a committee of nine. It ii further hoped that in each of the above-named districts it may be found possible to set up subsidiary committees to keep in touch with the parent body and report to it as to local conditions, market?, supplies and requirements. Wc consider this one of the most important matters the Union has ever takfn ia band and hope no time will be lost in pressing it to a satisfactory conclusion. And we would remind those members of the Union who may consider that aa they are dairymen and not fatteners of stock they will eot be greatly concerned that their obtaining satisfactory prices for the young stock they produce depends entirely upoa the grazier being able to make a reasonable profit in bis turn.