STOCK MARKETS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 23 January 1926, Page 5

STOCK MARKETS.

POSITION MUCH IMPROVED. PROSPECTS VERY PROMISING. If the farmers had reason to comn;n.n, mid no one will deny that they had in the middle of the season—ol the prevailing conditions, that has been removed by the very favourable weather during the past month. Up till that time the position certainly looked very bad, and was undoubtedly serious for all classes of stock. Naturally some districts suffered more than others. That is nearly always the case when there is trouble, but all over there was _a very adverse influence which was operating, much to the disadvantage of the farming community. And it was hitting them very hard, so hard indeed that the position at one stage looked desperate. All.that, however, has been changed 0v the excellent rains that h av<J fallen during the past four or five weeks. They have put a different complexion, on the countryside, and have put new life into the farmer. His young crops, which had not come away have now jumped ahead vigorously and look really well. The lucerne, however, despite the dry weather, lias always looked well, audit has been a joy and also a relief when ! ooking out over the brown pastures to- see the lucerne always a deep green. Farmers report that whereas up to Christmas the milk supply was going down fast, despite the feeding out of lucerne —which prevented the drop being as severe as would otherwise have been the case—there has. since the conditions improved, been a marked increase. Thut, coincident /with .the good price of dairy produce, which has shown an improvement of late weeks, has been keenly appreciated, and wil' lie I p the position generally. Wool. too. lias shown a more healthy tone. It lias been good to note that, while cheese has been consistently good, the drop in butter has ceased, and indeed the price has improved. It is the confident be 1 ief of local men interested in the business, and it was forecasted a considerable time -ago, when things looked very black, that butter would, remain at or about th e present price, which, is ,a .pretty good one. Concerning fat stock, the position has not materially altered. The works onotations of 9UI for lamb, (JRI for wethers and 4Jd for ewes are not by any means bad, and fill oil Id p'ease the grazier.

There is good inquiry for lambs to-go on feed, and also a satisfactory demand for store- sheep, due probably to the improved conditions, and this will be ai)predated by the sheep ,men. While Ibis is so, there is uilwa.vs the probabi'-

■of a still further improvement. Summing it all up. it must be acknowledged that the position gives much ground for optimism. The bad early part of the season has been followed and present conditions appear to ■ imnise expedient crops and a very good autumn. The prospects are very encouraging all round.