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"PRIME LAMB"

' POSITION OF THE FARMERS PHASE OF THE SLAUGHTERMEN'S DISPUTE. IF THE RAPE CROPS BE LOST. On the one hand, in this slaughtering trouble, are the ."killers" themselves who demand 30s per hundred and practically no overtime. On the other are ■ the small farmers— tho suppliers of lamb, etc. In between the two are the meat export companies. The slaughtermen have intimated what they want, and the companies, too, *ot all practical purposes. And -what can be said for the f" rowers and f attends of "prime ' New ealan<l lamb," since these people have, to all intents, and purposes, made no sign? Evon in the presont deadlock as between the local "killers"' and fche companies at Petone and Ngahauranga, the poßitdon'is serious enough.' If, as is al*' most inevitably certain under* the existing state of affairs, the trouble spreads until the whole Dominion industry is tied up, then the trouble will be very serious indeed. In the case of the farmers, reasons for this statement are appended. Future rontingencies hardly matter so much f the greatest concern, is with the present— »from the fanners' point of view, at any rate. This is largely a question "of rape and turnip crope and lamb fattening. Hundreds of farmers deal in lambs without having a flock of their own. For this reason they sow acres on acres of rape or turnips, on which the lambs' ripen unto the condition known as "prime." Thebe crops are sown with a. view to the " subsequent purchase of lambs to fatten thereon. The sheepraiser, dfl an average, can fatten '6o per" cent, of his lambs by their suckling the ewes; the remaining 40 per cent, are, built up on rape. Contracts are enterled into at the sowing of the ■ crops between the fattehei' and the sheep-raiser, The former, with a clear run before him, sows for so many head of -lambs. The sheep-raiser usually looks around for the fattener. The men come together, and a deal is fixed up at a. certain price. But what if there be no place to send the I prime lambs : supposing (as is the case ij in .an area at present restricted) the ! meat works close' down? Obviously, it is only a waste of time to fatten the lambs. And, if the present trouble extends, the "fattener will have the mortification of seeing, his acres of rape or turnips devoured by flocks rather than the crops should waste or rot, while all the time the adjouring pastures are rich with grass. This, we have it on the word of an authority, then, is the sen' ous part: the big loss that may accrue to those farmers throughout New Zealand who sowed rape broadly in anticipation of reaping a crop of "ripe" lambs. And, of course, there are -the contracts. In the ordinary run of seasons, the rape (in the North Island) should have been ready now, but a somewhat wet spring has delayed it a fortnight or so. To this extent the fatteners will be advantaged. It has been said that a breakdown in our meat export trade at this juncture (in the middle of the season) might seriously imperil it in telation to the Home markete in future by allowing the Dominion's rivals to grip the market. Enquiry shows this to be an unlikely contingency, inasmuch as Australian meat is three months earlier than the New Zealand product, while neither corresponds in point of time with the La Plata. If circumstances compel the growers to retain their flocks^ over the season it will not be, it is claimed, an altogether unmitigated evil. • For this reason : That, "so seductive has been the price offering for lambs, growers nave rushed all and sundry into the market, ewes included. Were the latter held, it would mean that the breeding capacity of the various flocks would be materially strengthened. - But, after all is said, the farmers' present fears are concerned with their rape or the turnips — the latter come later. Is it going to fatten lambs for Smithfield, or is it not? Rumour is afloat to the effect that certain negotiations are in progress between the meat companies and the farmers. Meanwhile, no word has yet been received that any other sheds have given notice to cease work.

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19130115.2.81

Bibliographic details

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 12, 15 January 1913, Page 8

Word Count
715

"PRIME LAMB" Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 12, 15 January 1913, Page 8

"PRIME LAMB" Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 12, 15 January 1913, Page 8

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