COMMERCIAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 100, 23 December 1912, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

AUSTRALIAN BUTTER TRADE

(Received 8.0 a.m.) Melbourne, December 23

Sir George Reid’s report on the Australian butter trade in England, as tabled in the House, shows that the conditions are very unsatisfactory, and that unless the unscrupulous practices which are universally being followed are checked, the result will be permanent injury. A largo quantity of Australian butter is used to rescue at a big profit inferior stuff manufactured in Great Britain; 50 per cent or more is used in blending purposes, and the balance is disposed under names approved by salesmen.

Sir George Reid urges the necessity of a sound system of .grading and marking similar to New Zealand and other countries. While other butters are well known, he does not believe that 20 per cent of the people of Great Britain are aware that Australian is being purchased.

HIGH COMMISSIONER’S REPORT

The High Commissioner, cabling under date London, December 21, says : Butter.—The market is quiet, with a tendency in favour of buyers. The Christmas demand has ceased. Trade will be quiet until after the holidays. Now Zealand first grade 116 s to 12 Is, Australian 116 s, Argentine 115 s, Siberian 110 s, Danish 131 s. . Cheese.—The market is quiet, with little doing, but good feeling prevails. New Zealand white 61s, coloured 625. WAIKATO BACON COMPANY. The first year’s operations of the Waikato Farmers’ Co-operative Bacon Co. have proved almost disastrous. The directors’ report, which covers the twelve months ended October 31st, 1912, tells the story, and it is as under : ■ In placing the annual balance-sheet before the shareholders your directors regret to report that the result of the first year’s operations has been unsatisfactory, inasmuch as a considerable loss lias been made. Condemned pigs have been one of our chief sources of loss. During Die past season the company paid the farmers fuh rates for all pigs received. Owing to the high prices paid and the number of pigs condemned by the Government Inspector, the net loss under this head alone amounted to £1295 11s 6d, which will not occur again. The Government is now paying the compensation for condemned pigs direct to the fanner through the company, and with the improved .method of identification the Veterinary Department will know the farm on which the pigs were fattened, thus giving it a better chance to ascertain the cause of disease and advise the fai mers on the matter. The price of bacon pigs has been far too high in proportion to the price obtainable loi bacon, and though the company u turning out a first class_ article anc. obtaining the market price a heavy loss has been sustained. There is a limit to the price at which the public will consume bacon in any considerable quantity, and when the price of bacon pigs is excessive a loss is inevitable. Heavy pigs have also been a source of trouble, as heavy bacon can only be sold at a reduced price. Added to these onuses w the enlargement of the works, which had to be done during the bacon-cur-ing operations last season, so as to •enable.the, quantity,-of pigs that were sent in by shareholders to be handled, but which made the work of curing difficult and costly. The works arc now very efficient, the latest labour saving appliances having been installed throughout and the work ot slaughtering, curing, and packing has been let by contract, so that it should be carried out in the most economical manner. During the first two months of last season, while the alterations were going on, some indifferent bacon was turned out, which was the cause of loss. But for the last ten month, the quality has been second to none, and although the company has had o bad time, your directors believe that with the experience gained, careful management, and the loyal support of farmers, the company will yet be a success. The balance sheet figures disclose a very unsatisfactory position. The actual loss on the year’s trading is £3561 18s Bd, and as the “preliminary expenses,” amounting to £352 18s 8d are taken in as an asset, the amount to be made good by the company is £3914 17s 4d. As the paidup capital of the concern is only £4124 15s, the whole of this, with the exception of £209 17s Bd, has lieen lost. . . . The net sales during the year amounted to £27,727 11s 9d The pigs purchased cost the company £27,677 15s sd, the working and management expenses totalled £7192 8s Id, and the condemned pigs added another £1295 11s 6d. The hook debts of the company are nearly equal to the amount of the paid-up capital. Altogether, this is about the mas tunsatisfactory balance-sheet of a public company that has been issued this year. The hog industry ought to be a profitable one, tor hog products sell well.

Christmas Greetings have been received by the Stratford Borough' Council from the following sister! bodies:—Hastings, Wellington, Be-1 tone, Masterton, bedding, Whangarei,! Auckland and Nelson. So far, only a small number of! collectors for the Hospital have come forward, and the Hospital Board would be glad if some young ladies willing to assist would call at Mr T. H. Penn’s office for collection boxes. | Our readers are reminded of the benefit matinee, given by Madame Bernard, in aid of the hospital, which takes place to-morrow afternoon at one o’clock. This is a worthy oh-; jffct, and His Majesty’s Theatre should be filled to overflowing. ' i

Through the bursting of a water main in Dunedin recently the City Corporation has had to pay the very tidy sum of £4OO as compensation to a draper, whose cellar was flooded and his stock damaged, and over £4O to a tobacconist.

Owing to the shortage of gold (states a London cablegram) the Mint is working overtime and many extra hands are employed. It is estimated that 2i millions will be expended on toys in London, a million on jewellery, half a million on wines and liquors, half a million on books, and half a million on other presents. Compared with 1911, the increase in letters for abroad is a million, those for Australia showing 558,000 increase and New Zealand 142,000. There » a record influx of Britishers from America and Canada, every liner being crowded. A Maori woman appeared at the Magistrate’s Court last week at Auckland, and presented a smilingly impassive face to the Bench, being apparently totally with English. At length Mr. C. C. Kettle, S.M., asked: “Are you dumbr”’ to which the ladv, still smiling sweetly, replied “Yes!’’ After that silence ensued on her part, and the case had to be put down while an interpreter was hunted up. When the services of the interpreter were secured, after a brief chat with the lady, he remarked, “She’s deaf. I’ll have to bawl!” The examination was conducted with difficulty.

At the Dunedin Magistrate’s Court a debtor swore that his earnings for a year totalled £lO3, and that he kept a household of four—himself, wife, and two children—on £B4, including the payment weekly of 12s for rent. The balance went to combat sickness and the repayment of outstanding debts. He confessed that he had not a threepenny bit to his credit, which is not cheering knowledge within cooee of Christmas. The Mag- „ istrate remarked that the debtor had a most economical wife. The debtor agreed that he had, and offered to pay the debt by instalments. What is the record for the Dominion in regard to school attendance? A pupil of the EJlerslie School was presented with a prize for not missing school for seven years, a feat to be proud of. At the same school another boy (Victor Dibble) has a record of six years, his sister Sylvia of five years, and two others, Lauranco Dickson and Olive Conway, of three years each. It is also noteworthy (states the ‘Star’) that the two boys first mentioned have won their public school cricket and football caps. Mr. Oney Tockcr, of Stratford, did even better than this, and received a gold medal for nine years’ attendance without missing.

A Press message says it has been decided as a special measure to throw open nine commissions as lieutenants in the Permanent Forces .of the Dominion to warrant officers and stafi-sergeant-majors of the New Zealand Artillery and permanent staff. Seven of these commissions will he, in the New Zealand corps and two in the New Zealand Artillery. After these appointments are authorised the Department will adhere, to the rule that corps of officers shall he recruited by graduates of the Military College. The nine new appointments above referred to will be made by competitive examination, and those desirous of competing should send in their names immediately to the district head-quar-ter. The examination will he held in Wellington about the middle of January. The executive of the Taranaki Provincial Scottish Society met last week, Mr W. L. Kennedy being in the chair. It was arranged to hold a Burns Supper in the Town Hall, Stratford, on January 24th, and a committee was set up to carry out arrangements. It was decided to offer a prize to children of Scottish descent attending schools in the province of Taranaki for an essay on “The Life and Times of William Wallace.” The age limit was fixed at 15, and the prizes as follows: a gold medal and three guineas for first prize two guineas for second, and one guinea for third. A motion was passed voting one guinea to the funds of the Stratford Hospital. Owing to the number of branches now being formed, it was decided to change the title of the President to “Chief,” and the vice-presidents to “Chieftains.”

A narrow escape from a serious accident, and a bit of presence of mind on the part of tram men, occurred at Christchurch on Thursday morning last at the intersection of Oilmen's flood and Cashel Street (says the ‘Evening News’). A tram was on its way to town, and was going fairly fast, when a 14-year-old\lad, Hector Miller, attempted to cross in front of it. The lad is deaf and dumb, and did not hear the gong which was sounded. The motorman, realising that it was impossible to stop the tram in its own length, promptly dropped the fender, which caught the lad and threw him back, but not quite clear. TJie conductor, who was on the stop in front, reached down and over with his foot, and quickly thrust the boy clear with it. The whole thing happened in a very short space of time, and those who witnessed it state that but for the promptness of both the motorman and the conductor the lad would have received serious injury. As it was lie picked himself up unhurt and continued on his way to catch the Sumner j tram to go to the school for deaf mutes there.

Be sure you get rid of that cold! Take Touking’s Linseed Emulsion and make certain. Price Is 6d. 2s Od, 4? 04 per bottle, at chemists and stores, x

Dolls from 3d to 50s. Ask to sec the Walking Doll, also the life-size doll real hair, etc. No greater display ever seen in Stratford. Charles 1' James,