FARMERS CONFER.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19904, 5 June 1936, Page 12

FARMERS CONFER.

MEAT AND WOOL. SIR WILLIAM PERRY’S VIEWS. PALMERSTON N., Wednesday. The fifth annual meeting of sheepbreeders opened at Massey College this morning. The sessions will exfpnd over three days, the programme of lectures and demonstrations concluding at noon on Friday. Opening the meeting this morning. Sir William Perry (chairman of the Massey College -Council), said that, during the year the farming outlook bad Improved considerably, prices for dairy produce, meat and wool being on a better plane. Farmers who had been struggling now had their heads above water, and the altered position was really due to the prosperity in Britain, on whom they depended for prices. The Meat Market. The position of the meat market bad been very satisfactory, commented Sir William. Compared with the corresponding months of last year, lamb" prices had shown increases of Ad per lb in February, Ad in March and Id in April. It. was .lust this margin that made all the difference to the farmer. The question of cgiotas was still alive. New Zealand had been able to ship abroad practically all the meat that she produced, but was now sailing very close to the wind in filling the quotas, the killing average having mounted at an astonishing rate. Figtires for lamb production this year would parallel those of the preceding period. There had, continued Sir William, been a tremendous expansion in the pork industry, and up to April 30 some 15.000 more porkers and 75,000 more haconers had been killed. There was no fear of failure to fill the quotas for these. The exports of chilled beef had advanced very considerably. Last year, up to April 30, some 28,000 quarters of chilled beef and 164,000 quarters of frozen beef had been shipped. This year, for the same period, 83,000 quarters of chilled and 102.000 quarters of frozen beef had been exported. Nominally, frozen beef was selling better at. present, than chilled, but this was attributable to an acute shortage for the former, army contracts having absorbed considerable quantities. Australia was now giving Britain a referential tariff for certain commodities. and Japan was taking exception to this, said Sir William. It was a \erv interesting and important matter to New Zealand that. Australia should improve her position with Britain so far as tariffs were concerned. It was Britain’s policy to treat all the Dominions alike, and although New Zealand stood high in her estimation this country could not expect, to be treated differently from Australia. However, the latter’s action would help New Zealand considerably. The Wool Position. ?ir William stated that, the wool position was very satisfactory, not because of high prices, but because practically all the wool was sold and likely to go into consumption. It augured well for the future, because in the past there had been too many unsold hales held. The improved situation in this respect should create a keen demand, whatever the prices might be. Butterfat prices were now on quite a useful level, and with the excellent growth of grass, dairy farmers should come through the season quite well. It was one of the best years the speaker 1.; < i experienced. Just what effect guaranteed prices would have lie could not, say, and he would not venture an opinion. He considered that, there was nothing to fear in the future with reasonable liberty in production and sell-