FARMING & COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 12, 8 October 1921, Page 10

FARMING & COMMERCIAL

NEWS AND NOTES

AUCTION SALES FORTHCOMING FIXTURES. TO-DAY 101 Cuba Street, Petone, 2 p.m.—Sale of house lease and furniture (Vine and. Wilson). I MONDAY. 141 Manners Street, Wellington. 2 p.m.— Furniture sale (Wheatley and Co.). TUESDAY. Levin Yards, 12 noon.—Stock sale. 141 Manners Street, Wellington, 1.30 p.m. —Poultry sale (Wheatley and Co). 134 Featherston Street. Wellington, 2.30 p.m.—Property sale (Bethune and Oo.). WOOL SALES ALLOCATIONS FOR LONDON SERIES. London, October 6. The Council of Wool Brokers has allocated 300,000 bales for next November and December sales.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. APPRECIABLE ADVANCE IN PRICES AT ANTWERP. (Rec. October 7, 5.5 p.m.) London, October G. At the Antwerp wool sales 10,300 bales of Australian were offered, and all were sold, under excited competition, at prices 25 to 30 per cent, above the August rates—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. BUTTER AND CHEESE LONDON MARKET REPORT. (Rec. October 7, 5.5 p.m.) London, October 6. Government, Danish, and Argentine butter prices are unchanged. First shipments of Australasian free butters are expected next week. There are small prospects of Government prices being exceeded, and possibly they will not be equalled owing to the supplies of the lower-priced, uncontrolled article almost equalling the demand. The cheese market is uncertain. New Zealand white is quoted nt 100 s. to 102 s. per cwt.; coloured, 925. to 94s. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

HIDE AND SKIN SALES A BRIGHTER TONE. The fortnightly sales of-hides and skins was held yesterday by the various brokers. Messrs. DalgetyQand Co. Ltd. report that they submitted a moderate catalogue to a rather smaller attendance of buyers than usual. They report that dry skins showed an advance of Id to Id. per lb. on the last two sales. Heavy ox were on a par with last sale, whilst cow advanced Id. to Hd. Lighter weights and inferior hides showed a slight advance. Super calf were about last sales’ rates; other sorts slightly advanced. Messrs: Levin and Co. report a better demand for sheepskins at prices from par to fifteen per cent, advance for sound lots. There was a good demand for heavy-weight hides at late rates. Lights advanced from Id. to lid per lb., whilst medium showed no change. Yearling advanced Id. to Id. per lb.-, and calf were firm at late rates. The tallow market was easier. Prices receded from Is. to 2s. per c.wl. Messrs. Murray, Roberts, and Co Ltd. report that their catalogue comprised COO hides and calfskins and 500 sheepskins. There was :i good attendance of buyers and bidding was fairly keen for good lots of dry skins, nnd very brisk for hides, which, on the whole, were firmer in price, cow hides showing an advance of fully Id. per lb. over last sale’s values. Ox hides about maintained Inst sale’s level, lights being firmer. Calfskins and yearlings also showed a hardening tendency. The New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative Distributing Co. Ltd. retport that while the prices for hides were generally in the vicinity of last closing rates, sheepskins showed a further advance of from one penny for halfbreds to Ild. for coarse lo fine crossbreds. Salted and green sheepskins sold freely at Inst closing rates. Ox hides depreciated slightly, while cow, yearling, nnd calfskins registered a slight increase of up to a penny

The range of prices was as under-.— Sh.-epskin'.—TTalfhrorl, "M. to fine crossbred. 4d. to 4'.d.: medium coarse crossbred. 2d. to 44d.; short tn half-wool. Id. tn 2jd.; lambs, I’d. to 23d.: 'dead and damaged crossbred, '<l. tn lid ; inferior and badly damaged. Id.: pelfs. Id. to 1kl.; dnmip. salted, nnd green, I=. 11d. lo 3s 3d.; pelts salted, Is. Id.; lambs salted, 6d. ' \ Hides.—Ox, heavy. 591 b and over, I°d. to 141 d.; ox, medium. 501 b. to 581 b., 71d. to 91d.; ox. light. 4.91 b. nnd under, s’d. to BJd.; cut. slippy and inferior. 2d. to 11ld.: row. he-’w. 551 L. nnd over, 7VI. to Bd. ; COW. rnndi’im, 4-°lb. to 541 b.. 6’d. to 71d.: cow, light, under 421 b., 5Jd. to Rd.: cut. <]lnnv- nnd inferor. 2d. to 750.;' bull. stag. IM. to 3Jd.: yearlings, 111 b. to 32HV.. 4d. tn 1.3'0.: calf. »iincrinr., nn to 101 b.. 12’0. tn 1RI0.; cii'f. medium r -ood, nn tn lO[b . 120. to 1910.: calf, damaged, im tn 101 b.. 2-0. to 140. Tallow - Tn casks.-26=. fid.; in tins, etc., 18s. tn 275.

Pnnd'-l''’.—TTor'chair. 22',d.; tails. 1s io Is. 4d. N.Z. MF AT TRADE SLAUGHTERI vr! * ATn PACKING FOR EXPORT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Palmerston North, October 7. Remarks made by Mr. D. Buchanan, o'f Tiakitahu: . on his return from a visit io the 1 ... Country, and published in TheDomimox last week, touching the manner in which our meat is put on the Ixmdon market, have been discussed with representatives of seme of the freezing companies. While they readily admit that the slaughtering and dressing has deteriorated during the past few years; they consider this is. in a great measure, due to the fact that the immense quantity of stock coming forward during the war period compelled the butchers to work at a very high pressure, and accounted for their getting into slovenly methods of dressing. They made high wages, and the incentive to keep this standard up is not conducive to good work: they are disinclined to revert to the old methods and earn less money, which would bo the case if they took the time to dress the carcasses properly. Factory managers consider that under present labour conditions it would be impolitic to attempt to interfere in the matter. Thus it. would seem that, the matter lies entirely in the hands of the slaughtermen. It is pointed out, however, that what Mr. Buchanan saw when ho visited Smithfield was the tail-end of the comnndeered meat killed under stress conditions, which had been in store for a considerable time, and which he admitted arrived in very hot weather. . As to the complaints of Mr. Buchanan that the shanks of beef and mtuton were not covered by the bags, it was pointed out that such bad been the custom of the trade here for years, and this was the first occasion on which objection to it had been raised. If a change were considered necessary, it was the business of the Agricultural Department to insist upon it. . . . With reference to the question of double bagging, as adopted, by the Argentine (by which the outer coyer is I aken off when the carcns'es arrive at the market, leaving the inner covering clean and free from marks of handling) the advantage was readily admitted, hut it was pointed cut that Ihe Present high costs of freezing and freight and the low prices ruling for meat at Home, together with the enhanced cost of material, the expense of providing the extra bag would prove almost prohibitive.

MAINLY ABOUT MEAT ITEMS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES. The following items arc culled from exchanges to hand by the last mail: — South African Competition. Interviewed at Johannesburg, a prominent meat exporter said that export to the Continent of Europe had practically ceased, owing to the rates of exchange, and South Africa in future must be [prepared to compete on level terms with Australia anel Argentina. The price of meat in South Africa,must, therefore, fall to iis natural level, and it was beginning to do so Iho aim of the farmer and rancher must be greater production and lower prices, and by those means only would they recoup themselves. . . An Argentine Petition. The Agrarian League of Argentina has petitioned the Chamber of Deputies in support of Dr. Aranjo’s Bill for regu.ating the maximum price of meat. I lie petition alleges that one of the Chicago comtpanies made in one year 93 per cent, profit upon capital, while another made 65 per cent. The petition declares also that in- the United States. France, and England it was found necessary to fix a maximum price for meat, and it urges that the Argentine Government cannot defer this step any longer. The Queensland Meat Industry. A deputation representing the pastoral ami meat industries of Queensland recently waited upon the State Commissioned of Railways to urge a reduction of railway freights on live stock sent Io the meat works, anil on products from the works to the wharves The Commissioner replied that notwithstanding the increase in freights in Queensland, they were still lower than those of other States. Queensland had a tremendous mileage, and small business compared with other States. He would, however, place the views of the deputation before the Minister, and no doubt the Government would give them duo consideration. The definite decision has not yet been given , ( A Government Joke.

The following, from the Austin han Meat Journal,” sneaks for itself: the Northern Territory wharf charges for frozen meat, were increased from Is fid. ■to 4s per ton by the Federal railway authorities recently. This naturally is their little joke, as the charges, wages and other tomfoolery had already closed the works and killed the export trade. Other increases to give the trade enconracement to start are>33 per cent I o 100 per cent, on 'all by-products of the works and higher charges on ships loading meat. One ship on her last trip paid -£29G for what she paid -C-0 on her previous visit.” Edinburgh’s Meat Supplies. The annual report of the Chief Veterinary Inspector of Edinburgh shows that last year, in addition to the animals slaughtered at the local abattoirs, 2730 tons of meat were imported into the city of which 530 tons represented homekilled meat and the remainder overseas shipments On .the whole, the of the imported meat was good, and the greater part of it arrived in good condition. Ono consignment of frozen mutton, weighing approximately ten tons, was found to have undergone serious depreciation. attributable almost entirely to faulty handling. GRAIN AND PRODUCE CANTERBURY MARKETS QUIET. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, October 7. All-round business in the produce trade this week has been extremely quiet. The slight impetus given to the oat market about three weeks ago was only artificial, and to-day the top prices quoted were: A grade Gartons. 2s. lOd.; B grade, 2s. 9d. on trucks. Offerings from the country are not heavy, but are ample for requirements. . In sympathy with oats, the trade in chaff is also dead, and the rates quoted remain the same, -C3 to X 3 ss. at country stations. Seeds are quiet all round. A lair quantity of clover was shipped by the Corinthic for Txmdon this week. fetlding stock sale IMPROVED REMAND FOR EWES AND LAMBS. By Telegraph. Special Correspondent. Palmerston North, October 7. At the Feilding stock sale to-day there was only a small yarding of cattle, mostly rough stores, which met little or no demand". Best dairy heifers close, to profit made up to .£2(l, averaging about .£l4. There was a much larger yarding of sheep than for some time, owes with lambs predominating, with a fair sprinkling of hoggets and a couple of lines of the first shorn sheep of the season. There was a slightly improved demand for ewes and lambs, but a decline of Is. 6d. to 2s. per head for hoggets, and many did not reach the reserves. Some good lots of Romney ewes with lambs (all counted) made from Us. Id. 14s. Id. A good line of 248. with WO per cent, lambs, brought 14s. fid. each. Forward store ewes realised 10s. 3d., and backward store ewes Bs. 9d. Hea.vily-woolled hoggets brought from 9s. sd. to 9s. Ud.; good shorn twotooths, 10s. 10d.; but a backward lino of shorn hoggets in very poor condition failed to find a buyer. FROZEN MEAT Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Limited, resport having received the following cablegram from their London house, under date of October 6,— "Frozen Meat.—Market demoralised at present, and quotations are merely nominal. New Zealand mutton, 521 b. GJd., GOlb. sjd, heavy 4Jd. to 5d.: small owes, 41d.. heavy 4d. to 4Jd.; New Zealand lamb, light 9d., heavy Bd. "Frozen Beef. —Unsaleable at present, owing to competition of cheap American chilled.” RABBITSKIN!?. Messrs. Dalgety and Company Limited report that the following price 3 were realised at their fortnightly rabbitskiris sale held in Dunedin on October 3:— Runners and suckers, 2d. to 3d.; light and prime racks, 12jd. to IGld.; early autumns, 31d. to 37id.; late autumns, 40d. to 46|d ; incoming winters, 54d. to s<id.; early winter, 59d. to 591 d.; spotted winter, 4oil. to 4G*d.; second, first, and winter super bucks, 71d. to 74d.; second, first, and winter super does, 74Jd. to 89d.; fawn, 21?.d to 50d.; second, first, and super black, 27jd. to 99d.; hareskins, 18d. to 2OJd.; horsehair, 13R1. to IGfd.; summer to winter broken, fid, to 2Gid. MANAWATU SPRING SHOW. General entries are due to close for the metropolitan spring show today, October 8. These general entries comprise needlework, home cookery, photography, fleeco wool, school, and soldiers’ exhibits. Live stock entries close the following week, on October 15. The entries for the Manawatu Kennel Club are due on that date also. Schedules will be posted free on application to the secretary, Box 85 Palmerston North.