STOCK AGENTS PROVIDE A SERVICE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29021, 9 October 1959, Page 11 (Supplement)

STOCK AGENTS PROVIDE A SERVICE

T HE s J ock a nJ station firm and its representatives

. . The r "“I. no ' d ™« | y »«■ ««P or spin, but yet their contribution to th. progress of th. faming ind V try and th. economy of this country is a very great and real one. 1 ’

Stock and station firms do not generally provide finance for the purchase of land or at

least not to a very great extent, but they will help the man taking up a farm to find finance for the land. They will certainly help to finance him with stock and plant and with his running expenses. Then when the farmer is set up on the land he can obtain his fencing materials and his super and the hundred and one other things needed on a farm through his stock firm. He can arrange to have his hills topdressed from the air. His wife may arrange to buy her groceries through its merchandise departments.

Stock Sales—

He may of course sell his grain and seeds through its agents. His fat lambs may be drafted by a stock agent for sale at stock yards or for

slaughter at the works. The agent will also advise him on the best method of disposal of store sheep and cattle.

In one case in this country, where a stock firm has a trust department, the farmer may even arrange to have his will drawn up completing a virtual cradle-to-grave association.

The other afternoon the Christchurch office of a stock firm received by telegram from a remote outpost a request for the purchase of two inflatable mattresses and material for covering car seats. A stock and station firm executive with many years’ experience recently recalled how, during the days of the depression, with appropriate measurements supplied, he purchased a dress for a country woman who could not come to town to make her purchase. She later wore the frock to a ball and has since been eternally grateful for this stock and station firm’s service.

Close Ties—

Because of these wide associations between farmer and stock and station firm and its representatives the stock firm is to many farmers much more than a mere service organisation situated miles away in a city or country town. Recently a firm celebrated the one hundredth anniversary of its establishment in this province. To celebrate the occasion it entertained some 2000 of its clients at a great social function. This was almost like the meeting of a There is often a great loyalty between rural families and their stock and station firm. The mention of a rural name may in the mind of the listener be immediately linked with the name of one of the familiar stock and station firms. Sometimes for two or three generations the. family has been associated with the same firm.

Sound Advice—

The local agent, and perhaps a member of the firm’s executive, are regular callers at their clients’ farms. Quite apart from the business that is done the farmer is often

happy to discuss his problems with these men.

The agent of long standing amasses a great volume of knowledge and information that can be of great value to his clients. Farmers quite frequently discuss the course of their stock breeding programmes with these men.

Naturally the degree of contact varies from farm to farm but there is no farm where there is not some contact with a stock and station firm.