HAWKE'S BAY STOCK AND STATION REPORT.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4012, 31 May 1884, Page 4

HAWKE'S BAY STOCK AND STATION REPORT.

Eleventh Annual Review foe the Yeab ending 30tii April, 1881. The committee of the Napier Chamber of Commerce having- undertaken the duties of collecting and publishing , the statistics connected with the exports and imports of produce and other cognate business of this district, and having- further, at my suggestion, added to theao all other statistical matters connected with stock returns hitherto compiled, with the aid of the Chief Sheep Inspector and the Collector of Customs, by me, it was thought better not to issue my annual review until the publication of the returns compiled by the Chamber. The sub-committee appointed for purpose have been most careful in procuring data from the heads of departments, and the results will be found to give satisfactory evidence of our continued and steady progress in adding to the quantity of our mainstay, pastoral products. It has been a trying year from the low prices of wool; money is both scarce and dear, and we have not yet in this district derived the same advantages in the advance of price of sheep from the export of frozen meat that the pastoral districts in the South Island have. However, we have, thanks to Messrs Nelson Bros, (limited), of Toinoana, made a commencement in this district, they having lately despatched one ship, the Turakina, with 9008 carcasses, and the Northumberland, now loading, will taking about 14,000 more during May. But, large as that firm's establishment is, there is room and stock enough for another such, as of the 163,678 sheep boiled down, preserved, and exported to other provinces during the past twelve months, a large proportion were suitable for freezing, and next shearing there will be a still greater surplus stock that an outlet must be found for. The past winter was a very wet one, and north and west of Napier inland there was greater mortality among sheep, owes, and lambs especially, than during any previous season. South of Napier, and in Waipawa County, the weather was better, there were good lambings, and less mortality amongst the hoggets, but the average death rate the Chief Inspector of Sheep's estimates at per cent, above last year's, which was only 5 per cent. Still making this very full allowance for deaths and local consumption, together 257,873 sheep, and the 168,678 sheep disposed of, with the 17,132 frozen to date of returns, 30th April, we have now 496,873 sheep increase than wo had at the same period last year. Our last season's clip of wool has averaged very light from the wet weather before and during a protracted shearing, but otherwise the fibre is sound, and should realise a better price ; though lower values have been drawn against the whole clip by £68,528 than last year, yet the increased quantity should yield a much larger return. ANNUAL STATISTICS FOR YEAB ENDING 30tu APRIL, 18S4:— Total acreage of provincial district, 3 050,005. Under occupation or pw - tiolly so 1,912,993 L-ind lirokon up but nut undor crop in Hawko'e Bay, Waip>w<i, and Wairoa Counties 16,928 Land tiroken i\p, sown in grass, and under crap 126 232 Land, surface aown ia aras3 .. .. 801,076 SHEEP. In EUwke's Bay, WaiDawa, and Waiioa Counties, 30th May, 1583 .. ... 2,305,436 Inc-ease from 1,341,041 ewea, 1833 lamblnff, say 70 per cant 938,728 Sheep exported and sent by laud to Auckland, Wellington, and Cantortmry, for the year ending 30th f- pril, 1884 .. .. 81,808 Boll' d down and p: eserved .. .. £6,870 Frozen par Turakica and part Northumberland .. .. 17,132 District consumption 108,000 Mortality ami casualties. Ci per cent... 149,852 443,662 445,060 Stud raiiia imported, 17-21; owes. 86 1,807 Nat increaso for year .. .. 490.873 Estimated total cheep and lumba in district, average value 9d, 30th Apr!, ISBI 2,802,304 Other livo steck, estimated great catife, 57,500, averags value. 65a; horsea, 11,500, at £8; pigs, 0250, at 30a. ->000 O OOOro " Un °»: peg- s&si s 2.: a Sg r-rir ffs a:* 11: If if**? Tα I.!-:- 2 .1* : s t!il fl it % '4 : IfJFf n %'• 3 ' ' : ' op w M £g 5 I _|1~. CO MO r> 3 g, «S -c, co o aw^?-™ Sg SB g % p » ypZ^Z* oto s> «> S> is 100 e> mto P P 6 I to £ ws> £' "I 'S i I I §fgi I i rm3 »*. ' S to La g Wm~ 5- M» S O H" O V" E. qq 3. it rr r ' ' ' _ 'f O I lij O3 I 03 OS O** *+■ t- , CO I </> O p* WI o w O Wf VO O nnUl I *W<l CO "o I "--1 Hen aj c* £ Above value of exports of v, 00l ... .. 559.T33 TALLOW. casks, c>. t. £ To Britain direct .. 2,633 Coastwise to other N.Z. ports 1,512 Ou board Wnimoa arid H orthumberland up to 30th April .. .. 881 Exports for year ending 30th April, 1884 .. 5,056 30,484 64,303 64,303 Exiorts for year ending 30th April. 1333 .. 3,285 23,923 38,404 Increase in 1884.. .. 176112,562 15,830 PRESERVED MEATS. cases. £ T> Britain direct .. 5,550 8,357 Coastwise 4,747 5,935 On board Northumberland up to 30th April 1,401 1,752 Frozen mutton per Turakina and on board Northumberland to 30in April, 17,341 carcasses 15,172 31,214 s^EEpaniNs. To Britain direct, 45,888 skins .. 3,750 Coastwise, 41 bales 402 Turakina it .Northumberland 10 bales 120 Pelts, 296 casks, coastwise .. .. 730 Hides, coastwise, 3,974 .. •• 3.*76 8,574 Oil, sperm and black, 10,629ga!5, £12,135 ; salced beef, maize, and sundries, £920 3,055 Totalvalue,Bl,Boß sheep overland and shipped: 52,240 to Ancklaud ,- -25,839 Wellington; 3,729 Canterbury, and other places .. .. 47,040 Cattle sai.t to other provinces, 1,200 7,2ii0 30th April. 1884, total value of exports from provincial district ~ .. 721,234 30th April, 1383, total value otexpoits from.provincial district .. .. 763,300 In cattle our numbers are largely increasing, as there is little demand from other provinces for our fat stock. Prices are consequently very low and little business doing. It is reported that a trial shipment will be made of frozen beef to the Home market, and if it be as successful, as there are good grounds to believe it should be, it may lead to a largo business. We could spare v few thousand head of fat cattle at a very moderate price. The demand for fat sheep, as well as stores from Wellington and Auckland districts, has not been quite so lai'ge as last year by about 13,000, while early in the season we exjjecled the demand would be greater ; prices have therefore not been maintained. The following are the quotations ruling during tho past month : — Cattle.—Fat bullocks, 15s to 16s per 1001b; store steers, yearlings, 30s to 40s; 2-year-old do, 55s to 70s; 3 and 4-year-old, £4 to £4 15s each ; female stock range at from 10s to 15s under these rates. Dairy cows, springing - , £6 10s to £8 10s each. Sheep.—Crossbred wedders, fut 11s Gd to 13s 6d ; good stores, G and 8-tooth, 0s 6dto 10s Cd ; 2 and 4-tooth, 8a to 9s Gd. Crossbred ewes, business is now nearly over in younger ajyes; full-mouths, a good deal of tusineas done at from 5s to 7s Gd, according to quality and condition. Merino wedders, 8-tooth, 4s to ss; G-tooth, Gs to Gs Gd ; 2 and 4-tooth, 7s to 7s 6'd ; do ewes, 2 and 4tooth, 9s to 10s 6d; 6-tooth, 7s to 7s Gd; Btooth, os to os 6d ; aged, 2s to 3s each.

Horses.—Medium draughts, unbroken, £14 to £18; broken-in do, £26 to £27; heavy draughts, £35 to £50; harness horses, £15 to £25; good hacks, £20 to £25 ; ordinary do, £10 to £12 ; light hacks, £5 to £7 each. Station Properties.—There are a large number of varied extent on the market publicly and privately, and at lower prices than for several years past, taking into account their improvements, yet no concessions seem to tempt to any great extent of business; in. fact, it bas appeared in several instances that the greater the reduction in price tho less confidence the negotiating buyers seemed to have in the property offered so that there have been very few transactions during the past year, and none of great amount, tho numerous enquiries made seldom leading to business, more for want of confidence and the expectations that present holders may be weaker, than from the actual values being questioned. There is no doubt but there are better opportunites for investment here on station properties at present than elsewhere in New Zealand, and when a better wool market restores confidence many will look back to the opportunities missed. That this confidence is on the way to restoration it is to be hoped the better tone of the present Home wool sales will confirm. Population of provincial district, 17,309; natives, 4G42 ; total, 21,951. Total value of exports £721,234, eqaal to £34 per head of the entire population. M. R. Miller, Stock and Station Agent, Napier. Branch Office, 11. E. Miller & Potts, Waipaira.