SHEEPSKINS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4815, 12 March 1918, Page 6

SHEEPSKINS.

THE REQUISITION ARRANGEMENTS.

SOME POINTS EXPLAINED

Some farmers appear to be in doubt still as to details of the arrangements made for the purchase of sheepskins under the requisition scheme. The position, as explained by the Imperial Supplies Department, is that all sheepskins, except those from sheep slaughtered for export at freezing works, are requisitioned on behalf of the Imperial Government, and it is unlawful for any person to sell or offer to sell, or purchase or offer to purchase, skins, save by way of sale to and purchase on behalf of the Crown.

Provision is made for the issue, by the Controller, of dealers’ licenses, by which certain persons may purchase sheepskins from farmers. Such purchases must afterwards, however, be submitted for valuation and purchase by the Government through a registered Government broker. Farmers selling skins to a dealer should in all cases insist on seeing the dealer’s license. Licenses are also issued to certain individuals to purchase skins and skin-pieces which have been submitted to valuation but have been rejected by the Government skinvaluer as unsuitable for Imperial Government requirements. Such skins and skin-pieces are fellmongered bv the purchaser on his own account, and the resulting slipe wool must be submitted for valuation and purchase by the Crown through a registered Government broker. RANGE OF VALUES. The price at which the Imperial Government agreed to purchase sheepskins from New Zealand growers is 55 per cent above the average prices realised in New Zealand for sheepskins in January, 1914. The following is the scale of values per pound for skins with sound or undamaged pelts:— Fine Coarse Half- cross- crossMerino. bred. bred. bred. Three-quarter d. d. d. d. to full-wool 101-lli 13 -14 12 -13 111-121 Half-wool 83- 93 11 -12 101-111 10 -111 Short to quar- * ter-wool 71- 81 91-103 93-10? 81-103 Shorn 53- 6? 8-9 81- 91 8 -10 Lambs 11-121 , Skins with damaged or faulty pelts are to be valued at prices proportionate to the above. Seedy skins are to be valued at lower values according to tlieir condition. Black skins are to be valued according to tlieir proportionate value to ordinary skins of the same class. In valuing green or salted sound-pelted skins allowance is made for the extra' value of the pelts compared with dried, sound skins of similar quality. The value placed on the skins is the price at which the Government purchases the skins delivered loose to drays ex brokers’ stores after valuation, all charges for store handling, salting (if necessary), weighing, cataloguing, displaying for valuation, storage for fourteen clays after purchase, invoicing, etc., being paid by the seller; and for these services the broker is entitled to charge such commission or other remuneration as may be in accordance with the established custom of the trade in the locality. The cost of baling or bundling skins after valuation, and cartage from store to rail, is, however, borne by the Imperial Government. Fourteen davs after completion of purchase b 3 valuation and invoicing payment is made, free of exchange, to the. broker in whose possession the skins are held, and the broker receives ancU accounts for same as the agent of the seller. Skins are trimmed at the brokers’ stores by removing shanks, cheekpieces, and dirt, and are classified into lots according to . quality and length of wool and condition of pelts. Each lot mav contain skins belonging to many different owners, but each owner’s skins are weighed separate!j before being .added to the lot. CARE OF SKINS.

A great loss to the farmers in New Zealand results through careless nayincr of skins and indifferent care on the farm afterwards. ' The annual loss due to these causes runs into many thousands of pounds, and the «rent quantity of pelts which are useless after the wool has been lemoved and have to be destroyed is deplorable. Skins should be carefully flayed, painted while soft with an arsenical mixture as a protection from weevils, and carefully spread over rails or wires under cover to drv. Skins from sheep which have died should, if found in time, receive the same care as those from sheep slaughtered for consumption. the difference in value between a sheepskin producing a first-grade pelt and a skin carrying a similar quantity and quality of wool, but with a ruined pelt is at least 3s per skin.

DISPOSAL OF SKINS AFTER PURCHASE.

Sheepskins after valuation and purchase are allotted to fellmongers for treatment at contract prices under Government expert supervision. All fellmongcring works in New Zealand are engaged on • Government work. The slipe°wool, ajfter being passed bv the inspectors and haled, is revalued for Imperial purposes, and delivered to shipping stores for dumping and shipment. The pelts after curing are graded into qualities (all useless pelts being discarded) and packed into casks, and after supplying the requirements of New Zealand tanners, and of the New Zealand Defence Department for jerkin leather, the balance is shipped to the Imperial Government. , SKINS FROM SHEEP SLATGH-

TERED FOR EXPORT. Sheepskins from sheep slaughtered at freezing works for export are not requisitioned as skins, but are lelimongered by the freezing companies on account of the owners. Ihe l esulting slipe wool is purcaasef behalf of the Imperial Govern a;

a fixed basis of prices according quality, and the pelts are allowed be shipped on account of the owners under certain restrictions.