OUR MAIZE CROP.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 458, 29 March 1890, Page 4

OUR MAIZE CROP.

DEMAND IN AUSTRALIA. It is a pleasing announcement to make to our farmers that owing to the floods in New South Wales, New Zealand maize is in great demand, and has gone up Is 6d a bushel. It may not be generally known that since the Ist of June last, no less than £40,000 worth of maize has been exported to Australia from this colony. The climate of the Bay of Plenty is specially favourable for the cultivation of maize, and we have no hesitation in saying that if our people would only keep their eyes open to the fact thattr.ere is in Australia, with her alternate droughts and floods, an open market at their very door for a large amount of surplus product, we think the chronic cry of “ low prices ” would cease to be heard. One of the Stab representatives asked Mr Creighton when he was over from America what he thought of our farmers competing in the Australian market ? He said that he had watched how we did things in exporting produce to Australia, and he was not at all impressed with our tact; that New Zealand farmers held on to their produce too long, with a hope of gaining, say 2d a bushel, or 10s per ton more ; but they often held tjll their chance of sale was gone and the market practically closed, and interest on the money lost. He advised all our farmers and exporters to act as the most intelligent of American farmers did as soon as the crop was ready, to sell at once at the ruling market rates. Some time ago New Zealanders would not . sell in the Victorian market at the ruling figure, and what was the result? Why, much of their stocks were put in stores to help to fatten the rats, and the owners compelled to pay storage which ate away all the profit, instead of selling immediately from the ship’s side, and turning their produce into cash. Our farmers should not have to be reminded that there is a tide even in their affairs which should be taken at the flood. They ought to watch diligently for the chance of floating off all their available stocks, and not hold back and tempt Australia (as we did) to import direct from America, rather than pay our 1 excessive demands. Let us take a lesson from the past blunders, and when the opportunity crops up seize it.

The number of persons arriving in this colony during the month of January, 1890, was 2,109, and the departure 1,806, showing an excess of 303 arrivals over departures. The arrivals were from the following countries United Kingdom,l4B; New South Wales, 731 Victoria, 1,098; South Australia, -2’; •'Tasmania,'' 69' j 'pth'er' places, 66: The departures were To the “United Kingdoip, I'll ; New South Wales, 769; Victoria, 78J.; Tasmania, 38 ; o'tiier'placEs; 107. " '