The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state nr persuasion, religious nr political. TUESDAY, JULY 26, 1892.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3125, 26 July 1892, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state nr persuasion, religious nr political. TUESDAY, JULY 26, 1892.

If we were asked to name the sub jeet most likely, at the present moment to lie occupying the lion share of bucolic attention, we should at once reply, the remarkable fall which has taken place in the value of sheep. So far as the Waikato is concerned, the causes for the drop are perhaps not far to seek. As we pointed out some time ago, the efforts of both dealers and farmers have been mainly directed for the past year or two, in importing as many sheep as posssible into Waikato, the demand seeming almost unlimited. Naturally, our flocks have increased and multiplied on all sides, even the Maoris in the King Couutry are now breeding sheep largely, and as if to assist matters, thu summer before last was a magnificent one, both as regards the pastures and the growth of turnips for winter feed, consequently sheep were required right through. Last season, however, proved a bad one, the dry weather lasting through the summer and well into the winter during which time there was rery little growth in (he pastures, and the turnip crop, owing to the same cause being comparatively a failure. Upon these reduced food supplies, have now to be kept the vastly increased numbers of sheep. Is it any wonder theu that stores of all kinds are plentiful and cheap? To most people, however, sheep will appear, at the present moment, to be better worth the high prices formerly given for them than they ever were. At no period has the outlook been more promising. Wool at the last sales in London had risen from £d to l|d per lb, according to the different grades, crossbred wool, the staple of Waikato, sharing largely in this advance. The frozen mutton trade stands out as being the most permanent the colony possesses and is fast becoming more reliable and profitable even to the small sheep farmer. Inasmuch as although British prices have not materially increased, the cost of transport is being steadily reduced, while less risk is now incurred by shippers. In the face all this comes a big drop in sheep values. There is a screw loose somewhere, perhaps several of them. We will just refer to one, and it is one which is very apt, even in experienced hands to become loose. This is the undue speculating in sheep. Buying for the rise which, this season at all events, has never come. There is too much of this; big profits are made occasionally in a very short time, but it is risky and we consider, it is detrimental to the best interests of the sheep industry and of the district where it is earried on. Sheep farming to be profitable, must be regarded as a regular business and is certainly not one to be picked up hurriedly just when it happens to be paying well, then thrown aside if a bad season comes round. Those who enter into it, must make provision for carrying their stock, not for one but for twelve months. Again, much more attention should be given to the systematical disposal of the surplus stock.. Our breeders will readily admit 6hat this is the most important point of all. Greater effQrcs must be m*de to turn out the crop of lambs fat for freezing at about Christmas. This is the time they are wanted. Wo venture to say, if only half the number of lambs which have been bred in Waikato during the past season had been produced and then fattened in time to have left our shores as frozen lamb for England, it would have paid the breeder far better. It would have made room for the breeding ewes and doubtless have done much towards preventing the late disastrous fall in the value of sheep. _

" Are New Zealanders growing more sober ?" asks :\ oontamporary, and then answers the question by quoting figures which show that while the " drink bill " in 1881 was £3,533,077, in 1801 it was