THE PRICE OF HIDES.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 March 1919, Page 7

THE PRICE OF HIDES.

EXPORT PROHIBITION CAUSES DECLINE.

Farmers in many parts of New Zealand are protesting against the action of the Government in prohibiting the export of skins and hides except by consent of the Minister of Customs. The condition laid down by the Government is that hides may not be exported unless they have first heen offered at fixed maximum prices to the local tanners. These prices are from 2d to 4d per lb less than the ruling market prices. At skin sales held this week the price bf hides has shown a decline of 2d to 2Jd per lb., and this fall is attributed directly to the restriction placed on export. "This is a most serious matter for the farmers," said the Dominion Secretary of the Farmers' Union (Mr. E. C. Jack) yesterday. "The fall in the price of hides, brought about by fhe action of the Government, will bringdown the price of cattle throughout the Dominion by 10s to 15s per head. Many of the farmers who are required to face this loss have bought their stock in expectation of realising the market price. The result is that in some cases their year's work will produce no profit, The principle underlying the Government's interference is thoroughly bad, .A special burden is being imposed upon a small section of the community," The order embarrasses the exporter as well as the farmer. New Zealand may be reckoned to produce about 400,000 hides in the course of a year. The local tanneries can use about 50,000. Rut the whole 400,000 are now required to be offered to the New Zealand tanneries, and the export of the 350,000 bides that the tanners do not want may be held up while the conditions of the order are being complied with The Government has guarded against one obvious abuse by providing that hides bought by the fanners under the order may not be resold