SELLING CATTLE BY LIVE WEIGHT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1892, 21 August 1884, Page 4

SELLING CATTLE BY LIVE WEIGHT.

Mu Wst Andbbson, fai'inor, Wellhouso, Alford, Aberdeenslrire, has the following remarks to make on this important subject, so ably handle*! in thti Live Stock JSutnal Almanac for ISSO by Dr J. 13. JLa'we^ :— •' I am very glad to see from tee newspapers that the farmers in the £arves' district have been taking stej a for erecting a weijjh-bridge for the selling of fat stock by live weight. I regi et to see also that the use of the weigh bridge has not been a success at TuiTilF. I can well enough understand how sellers and .buyers who do not care for honest business are opposed to the use of the weighing machine in the bnyiug and Belling of cattle, but I am sure that honest and honourable men, both among buyers and sellers, if the weigh- bridge ;w'ere introduced into use, would be glad to be assisted by it in the conduct of their busiuess. The use of the weigh - bridge would put an end to the • leap in the dark ' character of the trade, and also to that higgling aboat weights and prices, which ought not to be tolerated, and which ■would not be tolerated in any well-con-ducted business. Those who are opposed to the selling of fat stock by live weight and the use of the weigh-biidge can only be so from prejudice, or on the principle .that they love darkness rather than light in doingbusiness, and thus would keep an open door for dishonest dealings for those who are inclined for it. Local agricultural societies could hardly do a greater service to agriculture at present thau by taking active steps to get weighbridges erected, and thus to encomage the selling of fat cattle by live weight. " The use of the weigh-bndge and the selling of fat cattle by live weight would effect an important roform in the meat trade ; but I think it is the case that the Aberdeenshire meat trade will not be placed on a satisfactory footing in the interests of fanners, until they take the London taade largely, if not entiiely, into their own hands. Aberdeenshne meat is as distinguished articie in the meat supply at Bass's ale among ales, or as champagne among wines. Abeideenshire bullocks take the champion prizes at the great English cattle shows. Aberdeenshire fat cattle have the lecogmsed top place in the London market. I think it important, then, for the interests of both the pioduceis and the consumers of that meat that there should be special stands and special salesmen in the London live stock and dead meat markets, and even in special localities, special depots and shops for the sale and retail of Aberdeenshnv, meat, The late Mr M'Combie of Tillyfour knew well the value of his special brand. 'MC. ' in the Smithh'eld and Islington markets ; snd while no individual feeder of fat 3tock is likely soon to make his place or get the benefit of a special brand, that k no reason why Abet deenshire feedeis a? a body should not take legitimate steps te get the full benefit of the supeiior quality of the article they sell, and that consumers should really have the means ol knowing that when they buy what is named Aberdeen beef it should really be Aberdoen beef. We know it lias often been asserted as a fact that in Loir don Ainciican meat is sold under thf name of Aberdeen meat, and it has ever been whispered that American live cattle have been taken thiough Aberdeenshire, slaughtered these, and sent on te London as Aberdeen meat. It is nol worth the consideration of the agriculturists of Aberdeenshire and the north, both landloids and tenants, whether tin meat trade could not be better managed, in their interests and that of the consumeiß of their meat, by means of ai ' Aberdeen Meat Supply Company, Limi ted,' which could make s>pec;iiil arrange ments, and appoint special agencies foi the sale of genuine ' prime Scots wherever there is a maiket for it. ] know this, however, if my bi other dgn culturists of Aberdeenshiie apply then clear vigorous practical hc.idb and stion^ common sense to the consideration o whether the piesent mode of conductive the meat trade is the best that can be I have no doubt they will see the nee< of reform as clearly as I do, and I thnit they will also see that reform in the mea: trade is almost as much needed in th( interests of farmers as attention to scien tilic farming." In the Pennsylvania Senate lately som< ignorant and thoughtless remaiks wen made regarding the Jews, when Senatoi Amerman (not a Jew) administered the the following scathing rebuke to tin slanderers :— Your poorhouses hold noni of these people, and you slander them They are not in your gaols am penitentiaries, and you taunt them witl being dishonest. You have never beei asked to di op a penny in charity in tin e.t r^risi sof the world. From the earlj dawn of civilization they have been it the van. In literature and art am science they occupy no second place. It finance they lead the world. Ir benevolence and charity they put U shame those who attick them. Thougl apeoplp without nation or country o; their own their statesmanship has served and made nations great undei their leadership. Who will estimatt what England to-day owes to her Jewisr. statesmen ? No one can tiuthfully charge disloyalty or cowardice upon this people, Their blood and their treasure arc dedicated to the nation that protects them." A Hektfordsiiirl friend tells seveial anecdotes of poor " Bob" Grimston. Possibly his encounter with the St. Albans butcher has almost been forgotten. At a contested election, some twenty years ago, Mr Grimston was very active on the Consen ative side, w hich was successful. There was a tremendous noise when both candidates attempted to address the people fiom the hustings, nnd a Radical butcher made himself particularly obnoxious. Mr Grimston — who was, of course, on the platform— several times requested the gentleman to be quiet, but to very little purpose ; and the butcher repeated several times that " he was as good a man as Bob, tho' he wain't a nobleman.'' Some months atterwaids Mr Grimston was driving back to Gorharnbuiy with a friend in his dogcait, down one of those narrow lanes so common in Hertfordshire. They met another tiap, the driver of which cried out roughly to Bob to null on one side. Mr Gnmston at once recognised the butcher, and the latter, a herculean fellow, bscame more cisil as soon as he saw Lord Verulani's brother. " Didn't you say you were as good as lam ?" asked Bob. " That was only at election times, sir, auswerd the butcher. " You must not take notice of that." "0, but I shall," rafcorted Mr Grimston. "You said -o bsfore all the Hertford people, and th- y believed you. Now take your coat otf and let's see." Notwithstanding the objections urged by his friend, Mr Grimeton proceeded to remove his coat ani waistcoat, and the butcher had to do , , likewise. In four rounds the stalwart Radical got as severe a drubbing as be had ever had in his life, pulled his enrt .out of the way, and admitted publicly at the next Hertford Market that 'Mr Grimslon was the better "man of the two. Of late years poor Bob suffered from a .serious complaint, and was much , weakened. Yet ho rode as straight to hounds as ever. We are told by a hunting man, who himself goes well with "the Baron's," how oa one occasion, r,when hounds suddenly turned to the .fighVof a lane, the leader let a gate slain ,ba,ck just as Mr- Grimston waa about to ride f through it.' The gate was much above the lane, the ground rising rapidjy. '[A'gentlertian tried to push it open for the -veteran, but 'the latter,- crying outg "make fooro, iir," rode deliberately Stf' '-itf'qfatl 1 jumped 'it without Vrap. r ' Those , l ow^\yh'at"ifc!iB to jump a fivebarred jgsj§ (Q^i\*Myai,^yi\c\i\&x^ oijt of a low lane 1 , can appreciate the pluck vf,