SELLING CATTLE BY LIVE WEIGHT. Tamahere Farmers' Club.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1950, 6 January 1885, Page 3

SELLING CATTLE BY LIVE WEIGHT. Tamahere Farmers' Club.

The usual monthly meeting of tho Tamahere Farmers' Club was bold .it the Tamahere Hotel on Friday evening la<t, when there were about ten members pie tient. Tho meeting was called for 7.30 p.m., but; it was past 9 before the busmen com menced. T .. . Thp chair was occupied by Mr Rhodes who, in opening the meeting, -aid they were all aware that the busi ness for which they bad assembled to con sider was of a special, and he might say of a very important character. Ihe question of selling cattle by live weight had been before the Waikato farmers for some time, and though they had b^en agitating and had had promises made them by the auctioneeia, still they \\eio just as far forward now as they had been two yens befoie. It was about time that the Waikato farmers came toa-satisfa^toiy understanding with the auctioneers in this matter. They had been humbngged long enough, and the X tune had arrived when some satisfactory understanding should be anived at. Captain Runcim.in was present, and he ■believed that gentleman had given inncli attention to this subject, and had come r thero prepared to speak upon it. He would, before going any further, ask the secretary to read the letters tint had been 1 received from Messrs Hunter and Nolan ' >nd Mr A. Buckland bearing on this matter. Mr A. Buckland (Auckland) said ho had had the weighing machine by him for some time, but unless the sale extended over two day* he could not see his way to using it, unless with such an alteration of the raids as would take somo time to complete. Messrs Hunter and Nolan said they were pushing alterations forward as quickly as possiblo, but could not name the time at which the machine would be in working order. The machine had arrived. A letter was also read from Mr .T. C. Firth, which acknowledged the receipt of .v communication from the club and copies of the letters above referred to. He did not see that he could do much to hascen the auctioneers m hxing their scales. He thought they might put it cleaily to then that verylittlo alteration to their yards was necessary, and i»s they had 300 settlers on their petition, could they not get them to agree to send all their cattle for sale, say, tor the coming year to tho auctioneer who first gets his weighing machine fixed, provided only he charges the same commission as now? Capt. Runciman said, consideiing that it was now nearly over two years «ince this matter wu first mooted, Mr Buckland'K letter was exceedingly unsatisfactory ; and it was even still more so when they conbidcred tho fart that over 300 bon.i fido farmers had signed a petition praying for tho change. The letter simply conveyed thu impression that the vvnter would make tlie change when it pleased himself, and if it did not please himself he would not do it at all. Now, Mr Buckland virtually agreed that this change should be made, he had rfiven that promise to tho fanners, he had given them an earnest of his intention by sending for the scales, and notwithstanding all this, and the fact that the BCtlcs weie to hand, they were now told in plain words that it did not please Mr Buckland to concede what the fanners wished, and so they might do without. Now were tho farmers going to «taud this ? They certainly could put up with a lot, but theie was a limit to all thing*, and even farmers must have what they were legitimately entitled to. Mr Auckland's letter was a most ambiguous effusion. One could put almost any interpretation ho pleased on it. He thought the most expeditious way to settle the matttcr would be to write to both the auctioneers and ask them whether or no they intended erecting these scales. They had had two ycirs to do it, and surely if their intentions were at all good they had had amplo time to give effect to them. When the matter was formerly under consideration the auctioneers had represented the great additional cost it would mean and the extra amount of labour it would entail. From reliable information he had received he had learned that it was not going to take much additional labour at all, and the extra cost would be veiy small indeed Ho would suggest that a respectful letter bo addie«sed to Mr Buckland, asking him point blank to do what they wanted him to do. — Capt. Runciman then read an article from an English publication which had been rp pubh-h -din The Waikato Times, and winch referred to the subject of selling cattle by live weight. The matter, he thought, had been argued out, and there was therefore no further necessity for him to go into the det.ul-> <>f the question. What they wanted was \ definite reply from the auctioneers, and until they got this they could not take any further steps in the matter. Mr Rhodes spoke stiongly on the subject. Mr Buckland was merely repudiating what he hid pi utilised to do. Ho had bought tho scales for tho pur|,o»e of using them, and now that he had got them he was tiying to shelve the matter altogether. Mr Buckland had told them that ho would require to incieaso his commission one per cent, and though they had not made any formal objection, still he considered that such a charge was altogether unreasonable. (Hear, hear.) He could have understood the delay had they demurred to the increased commission. He understood there were a number of people who opposed the weighing idea, and these people had gone to Mr Buckland and said, " Oh, wo are satisfied ; we don't want any change ; the thing is ri(?ht enough as it \n," and so it appeared that Mr Buckland was acting on the representation* of these people. Mr Biritgh thought the question hud resnlved itself into n meie matter of difference between the butchers on one h uid tho suppliers on the otliei. A moiiiber said that Mr Hunter had told him th it the bntcheis had announced theii intention of opposing the «chemo, in so far that they would not buy the cattle in the Auckland yard*, The joke was too good altogether. The Auckland butchers were either funning, or else they were greatly mistaken in their opinion of the Waikato farmers. If the butchers thought that the Waikato farmers were amenable to such silly insinuations they were very much mistaken indeed, and the sooner they began to think otherwise the better. Captain Rnnciman said it was priposeed to erect a public weigh bridge lit Hamilton Junction where any ono who liked to have their cattle weighed might do so. Mr Barugh (junr.) believed that the freezing company could a.«ni«t them it this matter. The company was the. largest buyer and could influence the nu< tionrers if it li'<.cd. Mr Dodds did not think that thu soiling of cattle by live weight would improve the position of the fanners in any w.iy. They wanted hr^t to laiso the puce of cattle. They alm> wanted to break down ti - my in Auckland that c inducted th>> ni.uk<'t and made the price of beef Minply what they liked. Tiieie wis nothing to pi event Waikato f.irni^M having convenient paddock accommodation at Auckland, where cattle could remain for a number of days if required. They would also have an agent or an auctioneer of their own by cooperating m Rome way. This was being done in other places, and with veiy great success, and he did not sco why they should not make a similar effort here, If the people in Auckland formed a. little ring to work against them, the best thing they could do watt to form a little ring in Waikato to counterbalance tho evil influence of that in Auckland. Unless something like this were done they could never hopo to raise the price of their cattle. Mr Rhodes thought Mr Dodds' idea very good indeed, but then it was not overy farmer who could afford to join in such a movement. The why aud the wherefore it was needless tor him to explain. Some people when they sold their cattle wanted their money almost immediately after they were sold, and unless this could he made part of the principle proposed by Mr Dodds it would be almost useless to attempt it. Again, overy man was not independent of the auctioneer. However, the farmers had a right to have their produce sold at no much a pound. They had a right to demand that for 2cwt of beef they should get the price of 2cwt, and not lowt, They had been wronged on this principle long enough, ane the time had come when they should ■tand it no longer. He considered tho weighing system best in the interoit both of tho producer and the buyer. The farmer knew what ho was selling and the buyer what he was buying. It was a basis upon which they could make their business calculations. Mr Dodds wanted to know who constituted the freezing company. The fanners might hold the shares, but those very men from whom they sought deliverance were the men who at present conducted the affairs of the company. Mr Dodds proceeded to refer to Homo of the directors individually. Mr Rhodes said thpy were not there to refer to individuals, but merely to arrange a matter of principle. If the men who at present conducted the affairs of the freezing gonipaoy reigned, others, perhaps, no

bettor would take their place*. He thought they might write- to Mr Buckland, pointing out tli.it he had broken faith with his customeis, and with the 300 gentlemen who signed tho petition. They had been undei the impression that it would have been an accomplished fact by this time. The auctioned should take up the position of seeing equal justice done to buyer and seller. It might n»t affect the price of boef, but still they would be satisfied They did nit want to bo on teunantagonistic with the auctioneers, but at the same time they must have what they wanted. They must try and induce them to give effect to their wishes. On tho motion of Captain Runciman it was unanimously agreed that the auctioneers be asked whether and when they intend commencing the sale of cattle by live weight.

Jill VAtr.K \.N'l> RULWAY RIII'OUM. Captain Runciman said tho Tamahere Farmers' Club had been instrumental m bunging Mr Vnile to lecture- on railway reform m Waikato, but he did not think that they had as yet acknowledged that gentleman's very praiseworthy service by parsing him a vote of thanks. Of course they all felt duly thankful to Mr Vaile foi what he had done in the interest of Waikato farmers and the colony generally, but as yet, so far as he knew, they had made no formal acknowledgment. There _ was another thing to which ho would like to refer. What steps weie they taking to forwaid Mr Varle's scheme? It was very desuable, that having taken the initiative in this matter, they should actively assist in securing the desired advantage. Respect ing the leading article in The Waikato Times, he considered that very bad taste indeed, most ungracious in fact. Mr Vaile had conic to Waikato at theii request, and would not cv en take his expenses. This indicated his greet sincerity of purpose, and showed them that Mr Vaile was actuated by no selfish motive whatever. Ho wathe only man who had got the courage and public spirit to go to tho country and say. You must have lailvvay reform. He would propose a vwte of censure on The Waikato Times for its attack upon Mr Vado. After porno further discussion on the subject, it was unanimously agreed "That a let.tei be written to The Waikato Tunes stating that «a some misapprehension might be caused by a leading a-iticle recently pub hshedmthat journal, the Tamaheie Farmers' Club w ish it to be clearly understood that Mr Vaile came up to Waikato to lecture on railway reform at its special re quest, and at considerable inconvenience and pecuniary loss to himself. The article infers- that ho voluntarily came. It was further agreed that a copy of the foregoing be sent to Mr Vaile, with the hope th-xt ho will keep up the agitation and be successful.