CORRESPONDENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 April 1921, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

HOME MEAT MARKET. (To the Editor.) Sir, —Perhaps It would interest some of your readers to learn the • price -of stock in. England, so I enclose you the Rugby market report. This market is a good criterion, as it is .the central market.of England. You will . graziers there are paying up to £47 ei.Gh. fOT store bullocks, which, does not look beef will be any cheaper there for ftome +ime to come. The only Way that I can see for’ibfe. producers of this country to realise .fair prices is to have their own agents at Home and compete in the open market. It does not look as if we are getting a fair deal.—l sun, ’.etc., A. J. LILLBY. Warea, 15 th April. (Enclosure.) There was an increased supply of fat cattle on Monday last, and some very good quality was shown. Buyers were more in evidence, and a fair all-round trade was done, especially in handy-weight cattle, were more in demand than heavy sorXs. Best quality was quoted up to 110 s per live cwt; heavy sorts 109 s 6d; useful cattle, 100 s to 105 s; secondary sorts, 90s to 955; other sorts 60s to 65s per cwt. A largei consignment of dairy cattle came to hand and a moderate demand was met with. Prices ruled up to £6O for best cowls and calves; heifers and calves, £5B 10s to £54; useful and secondary quality, £45 to £4O; other sorts, £2B to £3B each; two-year-old store heifers, £37 15s eanh. A few more fat sheep were oh offer, and a little brisker trade was done, prices ruling up to £8 10s per head in a few cases; secondary and heavier sorts, £6 to £7; useful sheep, £.5 to £5 15s; and other sorts, 70s to 83s per head. A smaller supply of veal calves came to hand, and a fair trade was met with. Best quality was averajjilfcf ft-ora £7 to £8 per head. Secondary and useful veal, £5 to £6; . otter kinds, 80s to 90s pfer head. Best strong stores were enquired for, and a brisk trade was done, prices ruling to £6 5s for best, and seconds 90s to 105 s each. ‘An increase of nearly one hundred pigs on last week’s pitch, the majority being bacon and porkers. A moderate demand was met with and a clearance was effected. Handy-weight baconers were quoted to 32s 6d per score; secondary sorts, 30s; and heavies 25s to 27s 6d per score; young sows, 20s to 225; best porkers to 335; secondary sorts, 303. Strong stores were in better demand, up to £5; useful and secondary sorts, 65s to 80s; and smalls 25s to 34s 6d per head. The usual consignment of poultry was offered, and the fol-

lowing prices were realised: —Cockerels, 12s 6d to 15s per couple; pullets, 16s to 18s per couple; young hens, 10s to 12s per couple; ducks, 15s to 22s per couple; large rabbits, 3s and 3s 6d each; half-growns, 2s and 2s 6d each; smalls, Is and Is 3d each. Stock in the market included: 503 beasts, 372 sheep, 58 calves, 205 pigs, 2 horses.

TREE-PLANTING FOR FARMERS. (To the Editor.) Sir, —tt can hardly fail to gratify an enthusiast like Mr. El Maxwell to. learn that the reading of the report published in the News of the 15th Inst., of his address on "The Value of Tree-planting" to the Farmers’ Union at Bell Block, has aroused quite considerable interest amongst the settlers of this district. This was shown by what could be heard in conversation on the streets of Inglewood, on Saturday, only one day after publication. One speaker was heard to say: "Though I did not know that Mr. Maxwell was recognised out New Zealand as an authority on forestry, I do know tkat ha is an enthusiast who has made a practical test of his ideas, and that when.,he addresses a gathering such as that at Bell Block, what he tells ot his experience with different trees may be relied on as absolutely correct.” Of course criticism was to be heard here and there. One wanted more about deciduous trees. Another thought that some trees not mentioned in the report should have been included, and so oil In fact, the diversities of view were as numerous almost as speakers, but that only pointed to the strength of the interest taken in the subject. Certainly it would have made the report even more interesting had the principal questions put to Mr. Maxwell after his address and the answers to them been reported, but that could hardly be expected, in fact their omissioii. may lead to better results than tteir inclusion would have produced. Settlers are, many of them, of a tenacious nature, once they get on to a scent that Interests them they are apt to stick to it, and it is not unlikely that the start that has. been given may lead to an invitation to Mr. Maxwell to give a repetition on tho same subject here. If anything in this line should be decided on, it should ba acted on promptly, for the planting season will soon be upon us for one thing, and to strike while the iron is hot Is always a good rule to follow.—l am, etc., TAHI HERENI. Inglewood, April 19, 1921.