THE PRICE OF MORSE FEED

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1230, 12 September 1911, Page 8

THE PRICE OF MORSE FEED

EXISTENCE OP A COMBINE DENIED. Tho existence of anything in the shape of a combine was emphatically denied by all, says an "Otngo Daily Times" representative, who visited several Dunedin grain and seed merchants to ascertain, their opinion on tho petition complaining of the price of horse-feed. The position, it is stated, seems to be that all. or nearly all, the chaff and oats that is held in storo in Dtmedin belongs to the farmer, who is at perfcct liberty to sell when and at what prico he likes. The option is not with the agent. It was also stated that the carrying into effect of the suggestion to take the duty off Australian chaff would not have the effect of remedying their grievances as Australian chafi' is of inferior quality, and would be by no means acceptable to consumers. "Tho bulk of the produce," said a representative of one of the largest firms, "that is in the Dunedin stores, belongs to the farmers, and is held here on consignment, and tho merchants simply can't sell until tho farmers give selling instructions. If these people have got any grievance at all, then it is against the farmers and not against tho merchants. All merchants hold a certain quantity of cats in store for seed purposes, but those are now fast going out, and w-hen all deliveries are effected there will be very' little oats indeed held in stores owned by Dunediu merchants. For this season of the year there are exceptionally small quantities of oats held in stores .or in farmers' barns, and owing to a heavy demand from the North Island prices are advancing rapidly. The South Island this season cannot supply North Island requirements in oats, and in consequortce thousands of facks of Algerian oats have been shipped from Melbourno ■to Auckland. As regards chaff, it may be said, as in the case .of outs, tliat.prac-tir-allv all tho chaff held in Dunedin at the present time belongs to the farmers, whose reserves ave higher than to-day's market values. Hence the scarcity. To show how keen the demand has been for chaff lately, sales have be.n made to North Island buyers of Dunedin chaff at prices liighor than could be obtained from local consumers, and yet the North Island has been obliged, owing to the scarcity, £o import from Australia compressed chaff, which is meeting with considerable acceptance wherever it is used. Tho consumers here growl about tho price they have to pay for their feed, but they aro very close to the producer, and can buy their stuff at the lowest market values. On the other hand, look at tho position of the consumers in tho North Island! Chaff is sold here at fr,om 2s. Gd. t'o £5 ss. per ton, f.0.b., s.i., and it go OS up to Auckland. There is wharfage, cartage, and railage to pay on it, and every time it charges hands it is turned over at a profit. So that tho consumer up there lias to pay..£6 10s. per ton for his chaff. As for the talk about a combine, there is no combine, and could bo none. It is absolutely a product of the imagination."