PROFESSIONAL THE Pukekohe and waiuku Times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1915. THE GREAT GRAZING INDUSTRY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 15, 23 February 1915, Page 2

PROFESSIONAL

THE Pukekohe and waiuku Times PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1915.

THE GREAT GRAZING INDUSTRY.

" We nothing extenuate, nor net down aught in malice."

STEPS TO FOSTER AND PROTECT IT.

In our leading columns of November 27th last we drew the public attention to the immense value to the countty of the exprot tn.de in meat, and sirongly advocated a movement on the part of the graziers to direct and control the sale of their produce in some business-like and systematic manner instead of allowing their stock to be sacrificed in the

present haphazard manner at the weekly markets.

It is gratifying to us to see the ideas, which less than three months ago were ouly in the air, crystallising into form, and a definite effort being made tn do something to secure for the owners of tat stock a fair remuneration for fat cattle and sheep, which, owing to the high price of good land, the necessity for using artificial manures, and the steady rise in rates ani taxes are yearly becoming more expensive to produce. The Farmers' Union has now seriously taken the matter in hand, and an attentive perusal of the circular we are to-day issuing with each number of the "Times" should repay every farmer.

The committee to deal with the matter bad been set up, and the Breedets''and Graziers' branch instituted, but they cannot make bricks wittout straw. The plan must selfevidently fail unless the owners of stock render all the aid in their power. A farmer will not aesist either bimselt or his fellows bv saying he quite approves of the scheme, and trusts that it will be properly carried out. The only way he can really aid is by jpining the branch himself, inducing hi 3 neighbours to do the same and furnishing the central committee with all the information he can. Ten per cent of the farmers and ten per cent of the stock »vi 11 mean hopeless failure. With loity per cent a vast improvement in conditions could be secured. With severity per cent a revolution of the business would be assured, whicb would make every stockowner ask hinis-elf however he could have endured the old state of affairs so laiif^.

It will be equally futile if the farmer should say to himself he will wait for a while and see bow the concern progresses, and what advantages it is offering him before joining. Unless the committee has a certain and regular income it can do nothing, and anything in the shape of a general holding back would kill the movement in its infancy, and the stock market would he more firmly than ever at tbe mercy of the agent, tbe dealer and the speculator. The price of the annual subscription, ten shillings, should certainly not be high enough to deter anyone from becoming a member. Even the smallest dairy farmer expects to sell a few fat cows every season, and it is quite possible that the extra gaia upon a

single one of these may sullice to pav his annual fee. We feel pretty lirmly convinced that had a body of this sort been iti full working order during the last three months the price (i beef would have been at ieat three shillings per cwt higher; say, an average of 15s better for every cow and XI 5j for each bullock.

To our many farmer reaifre we

would s-iy "Join, and jji i at once." We do not insist that the details of the schema ars as yet perfect, but the aims are excellent, and anythirg that upon mature consideratian it may be deemed desirable to alter can be attended to at the conference in May. Given a lair, general support from the stock owners we may safely prognosticate that by next season the benefits of_ being members of the branch will tegin to be felt,