DOMINION SHEEP

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 August 1929, Page 3

DOMINION SHEEP

FLOCKS’ LARGE INCREASE.

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, August 28. • “It is gratifying to note that sheep /flocks have established a record dur- . ing this year, with regard to num- ■ bers, in the history of the Dominion, ’ over twenty-nine million sheep having been returned,” said Mr. H. D. Acland, . Chairman of the Council of the N.Z. ’ Federation of Sheepowners, to-day. ’ “Since 1922, when our flocks were at their lowest point for a number of ; years previously, there has been an average increase per annum of nearly one milion head, or a total of over 62 million sheep during the period. It is gratifying to note that every province has shown an increase. It is clear that the increase is due only to a very small extent to the reduced killings of lamb and mutton. Increased carrying capacity, induced by top-dressing, and in some cases by resumption of grazing, as against grain growing by some farmers, has contributed more than any other cause to this satisfactory position. “The value of the increased numbers of sheep this year can be roughly set down at approximately £2,000,000. This is a substantial increment to the assets of the sheepowners, and the increased clip we may expect this year should, in a large measure, offset the lowered value in world markets, which we unfortunately are experiencing, and which from present indications may possibly continue, and I am afraid, if the downward tendency which is apparent in all round values on a world basis, continues, we must prepare ourselves for still further reduction in price levels during the coming year.. “Although considerable increase in the Dominion’s flocks was shown by last year’s returns, no great increase in the export of lamb has occurrd. The result may probably be a greatly increased export of carcases next year, the effect of which may be still further to lower the price of our frozen mutton and lamb on the London market. I expect the increase in exports in this direction will make the work of our Meat Control Board extremely difficult, and I feel that every care will be necessary in the placing of our exports for next season, in order that increased quantities available may not have a bearing.effect on values for our frozen iamb.” . . DEPUTATION TO PREMIER, WELLINGTON, August 29. A deputation waited on Sir J. Ward from the Sheepowners’ Federation to ask that a levy be imposed on sheepfarmers to provide funds for research, and advertising of wool, to combat the falling prices and artificial rivals. Sir J. Ward said the Government was prepared to draft such a Bill. The deputation also offered a protest against the taxation proposed on farm lands and endorsed the resolutions of the Farmers’ Conference. Sir J. Ward said the Government did not want to do anything unfair with regard to taxation. It had moved as it had done because without a cer-

tain amount of revenue coining from the land, it could not make both ends meet. The Government wanted to avoid any' incongruities, and was prepared to go into the matter. It did not want to press the small or average farmer with the legislation it proposed. He was guided in land values largely by the Commissioner of Taxes, and with the Commissioner he had gone into the matter very fully before submitting it in the Budget, to his colleagues for consideration. If the Government abandoned its proposals for taxation, it would have to introduce another system and ask the same people to pay it. The Government could not have such a deficit as existed without taking steps to make it up. If it did not, then at the end of next year it would have to put murderous taxation upon the people of the country to make both ends meet. There were other countries which were having great difficulty in doing that. The de-putation-might be right in its views, but he reminded them there were other opinions.