SELLING CATTLE BY LIVE WEIGHT —CAPT. RUNCIMAN IN REPLY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1954, 15 January 1885, Page 2

SELLING CA TTLE BY LIVE WEIGHT —CAPT. RU NCI MAN IN REPLY.

TO TUB KDirOll. Silt, — I am reluctantly compelled to ask space in your valuable papur to reply to Mi ! J. S. iiucklaiid's letter which appealed in I your issue of the 10th. I would ha\e tieated such an impertinent and unfriendly letter with the contempt that it deserves, I but for the position lam placed m respecting the selling of cattle, sheep, and pigs by h\e weight. I was nominated some two years ago by my fellow settlers, who paid my expenses to go to America and Canada and acquaint rayselt with their systems of dairy factories, and also to carefully notice anything connected with agriculture which I considered was an improvement on our method. The dailies s,;e;vk for themselves. I consider the American system of Helling cattlu, .sheep and pigs by live weight a decided impiovement on our slipshod way. The system 18 universal all over the States and ! Canada, where theie is a population of r)O,O0O,OO0, speaking tho same lan^u.igo .and governed by the same laws as ouiselves. They are ever ready to adopt any idei i which is an improvement on their own. They laugh our practice to scorn, and point out that every other product we raise on the farm is sold by weight except live stock, which is «iib of the most valuable. On my return I htrongly recommended this system as a decided improvement on our own, aud the Tamahere Farmeis' Club took means of ascertaining the opinion of their fellow colonists and the principal stock-owners in the North Island, from Hokiauga to Cook Strait, and more than 300 signed a icqnisition to the stock auctioneers in Auckland, requesting thorn to ptovido themselves with the necessary weighing machines to have our stock sold by live weight. At their request tne auctioneers immediately aent for the weighing machines, and assured that ignominious body, tho Tamahere Farmers' Club, that th«y would take active means to have tho nMuhinos erected on .u rival. The machines have now been in Auckland over 12 months, aud are not erected yet, an*' not one of those who signed the requi ition has signified either to the club or myself that they had changed their mind, but, on the contrary, I and tho club aio constantly being twitted by many «>f these very individuals " who supply more ctttlo to tho Auckland market than the whole of thu Tamahere Farmers' Club put together. ' Tho names nf these cau be given if necessary. However insignificant tlio Tamahere Farmers' Club, Mr Rhodes, oi mjvselr may be, we have not been relieved fioin the responsibility of .seeing that the system of selling our fttock liy live weight is brought to a successful issue, and until I am released by ;•' lea^fc a uitj»uty of thobe signing the v ..uisitiun, 1 will not ooano to advooate fchj system a* a right and just one between the seller .\.i.' bu.vjt. and I would oonaider myself uwoit,. of my name were I to desist until ti. ■ object is accomplished, even if I did not. ow n a beast. I fail to understand how Mr Rhodes aud myselt are trying to nko up a uriovtuice against tho very men wlio Imvo bee>j, and »ro now •' vminhijt" us (lot tho unnamed members of the Tamahere Faiiiiors' Club speak for themselves). I challenge any or all of the auctioneers to say that their money ha» " run" me in any other than a legitimate way of business, — a system winch they actuully prefer to cash, as thoy net 2 per cent, upon every tiausactiou. A for whom I retain the very highest «e<pect (Mr Alfred Buckland) has t<>ld iiio m these vvoids : " James, if I L'ould do my bill business witliout my auotionoer business, I would never bell another boast, or own an acre of land," consequently proving that I am one of those unfoitunates who are helping to " >un " the auctioneers, and now one of tho veiy cteatuies whom I am helping to supnoitis holding me up to contempt. As to Mr Rhodes, lie may speak for himself, but I am in a position to know ho has not had accommodtitu'U fiom any auctioneer, — I am, &c, Jami.s KI'XCUIAN. Marsh Meadows, Jan. 13, 188. 1 ).

Fai.sk wit, like false money, only passes otirrent with those who !m\e uo means cf compai 18011. Hi. wlio is always denouncing otliers is either .1 had man now, or will bu the fust oppoitunity that offers. Nl\hi dispute anything trifling with anyone, e\ en though you should be in the right. — Dean Alfoid. Mi n don't fail so often for not having what they want as they do for not know • ing how to use w hat they have. The heat of a book is not the thought which it contains, but the thought which it suggests, just as the charm of music dwells not in the tones but in the echoes of our hoaits. NfcAit Cleveland (US.), lives a hale *iul htarry man, whose wife saya ho is possessed of the most, sensitivp fpelings, and in proof of which she states that when she poe3 into the yard and saws wood for half a day he siU by the tire with tears in his •yes. Mr J. S. Hiickland will sell at Cambridir'' on katurdiy nc»t, on the premises near lnll>'s Hrowery, prior to horso salo, bUckiraitlu' aiid wlir<-l« rights' plant, &c. Wf direct special attention to the b .sinrsi advertisitnent ol Mr (icoi»;(> Dickinson •> Ins annual niaj;,i zincs for 1884, no\oU by Hujfh Conwaj, birthday cards, prayer-book's, &c.