FARMERS' TOPICS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 June 1917, Page 7

FARMERS' TOPICS.

MARKETING OUR PRODUCE. Mr. Leonard Hill, of Burton, was to have given the following paper at Thursday's wetting of farmers at New Plymouth, Circumstances did not permit, however:— Handling our produce.—The dairy produce of Taranaki before the War was I valued at about two million pounds per j annum, and the coat of handling it about fifty to sixty thousand pounds. To emphasise the importance of this proposition, I will refer to the meat trade. Last year there was a difference of two million pounds between what the New Zealand meat producer got and what the retailer paid. In the local papers of the 21st April, 1917. The following appeared: "From the High Commissioner.—Meat—Even though Argentine mutton and lamb are in fair supply prices are higher owing to continued small Hupplies of New Zealand mutton and lamb and Australian lamb. New Zealand rnutto<i, par lb., 8 7-8 d ewe, mutton 81-8; Argentine mutton, heavyweight 121-4 d; New' Zealand lamb lOd; Argentine 14 l-4d."

A differencj of a little over 4d per lb. Before the war New Zealand mutton and lamb beat Argentine mutton and lamb by Id per lb. This makes a difference of over sd. Since that was cabled I suppose complaints had reached Home, for later quotations make New Zealand and Argentine mutton and lamb about the same price, and although tho price for English mutton is higher, the peculiar thing is that Argentine meat has come down to New Zealand prices. On May 5, 1917, the following press message appeared in the local papers: "Mr. H. G. Hill, well known in the frozen meat and dairy produce circles, has been appointed chief of the New Zealand produce and dairy prodee t'oi- Armour and Co., Christchurch." Tt may be only a coincidence, but the name of Armour and Co. happens to belong to one of the largest meat packing firms in America, so that if he starts in the dairy produce business we can look for trouble, Now' by handling our produce right up to the retafler it would be impossible for the trusts to rob us. As a move is being made to have our own ships, the distributers of our produce could bo the buyers for all the requisites we require for the, farm and factory. Referring to the meat, as tho British authorities commandeered the New Zealand and one class of higher-priced mutton I presume is wether mutton, it would be rather interesting to know how it got on the English market. I don't know how much the New Zealand producers are going to lose this year, but it looks as if it will be more than last year. Now unless the dairy factories make a move and co-operate for the handling of their produce we shall be systematically robbed. This war has shown up onr weakness, but it has also shown the farmers their strength if they liko to use it. CO-OPERATIVE CALF MEAL MANUFACTURE.

Mr. V. Baker (Frankley Road) was to read a paper on the above. His paper is as follows:

Tho time has arrived when the dairy factories of Taranaki should manufacture their own casein and sugar of milk, 4 greater demand will arise for more calf meal to be used than in the past. Taranaki raises between sixty and seventy thousand calves per annum, and owing to a, world shortage of stock I anticipate that more calves will bs raised than in the past, at least for several years. It takca about 1 cwt. to rear, three calves, so it will easily be seen '.vhat an immense quantity is required each year. Tho Agricultural Department hao issued a bulletin on calf rearing, and good meal can bo manufactured by following the advice given. One of linseed and beans ground would be a splendid meal, and quite easily manufactured, and the cost would be from ten to eleven shillings per cwt., that is at pre-war prices. And as we knov/ that the Agricultural Department is very generous in all its applications, the farmers can rely on getting a first-class article; probably much better than is now supplied. There is a splendid site in New Plymouth, with a never-failing stream, and the grinding can be done by water power, whieh would make the manufacture verv cheap. I hope the dairv factories will take the matter up, and 6avc the farmers at least half what it now costs for calf meal. CO-OP. LIME WORKS. Mr. A. O. Binnie, of Carrington Road, wrote -the following on eo-opci-ative lime works:— As you are probably aware, analyses which have been obtained from the Aaiicultural Department from time to time have shown that our light Taranaki lands would be greatly improved by the addition of lime to the soil, but I do not ■now intend to take up your time in giving you results, which, no doubt, most of you are aware of, or which you can easily get by turning to the Agricultural Journal, or'one or other of the various farming papers. Rather let me draw our attention to tho present retail price of lima. .gOtf-to aOsjwta&^PjJrf-jtai

to' the great reduction in cost which could be effected, about 50 per eent., if we farmers of Taranaki wer«.to go in {or our own Hhw works, rui on co-operative lines- By acquiring the right* of the Vast deposits of limestone which, J am told, exist at Molcau, purchasing our own boat, and availing ourselves of the cheap water carriage, I am of opinion that, with our own crushing plant, etc., we could deliver lime at the breakwater at 12a 6d per ton, and probably a bit less. Enquiries made by ua (the directorate of tho Frankley Road Dairy Company) show that a good second-hand boat (a scow) could probably be had for about £ISOO, and would be capable of carrying from 70 to 8(1 tons per trip, at a cost of £6O to £7O per month in food and wages for crew, and fuel £SO, or, say, £ll6 per month. The crushing plant costs about £350. Assuming that our boat makes three trips per week she would thus carry in the course of a 50-week year 10,500 tons of lime, at a Cost of '£l3Bo. which rung out at 2s Bd per ton in freight. To this have to be added:—lnterest on cost of scow, '£lßoo at 6V» per cent., £97; interest on coat of crusher, £350. at 6%' per cent., '£22; depreciation at 10 per cent, on plant, £185; royalty say 3d per ton, £131; wharfage 2s per ton, quarrying Is per ton, crushing Is per ton, drying 2s per ton, £3160; total £4968 10s.

These figures run out at a total cost of 9a 6d per ton. It, therefore, we put the lime on the New Plymouth wharf at 12s 6d per ton wo would have a margin of £1596 to work upon and meet unforeseen expenses, and I think these figures would quite justify the farmers of the district in making a start taking tho matter up. AH I have to Say further is that if any of you gentlemen who take the Government Agricultural Journal have noticed the ''declared" values of certain manures in W«llihgton, and the retail prices charged here (in New Plymouth) it surely must have struck you that the farming people of Taranaki are not getting a fair run for their money.