NO SPOON FEEDING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 193, 20 July 1925, Page 3

NO SPOON FEEDING.

INDEPENDENT FARMERS. THE HERD TESTING SUBSIDY. Tho movement' in favour of approaching the Government for a subsidy on herd testing, was condemned by several members of the Matamata branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at its meeting late last week. Tho chairman, Mr H. Rollett, said he understood from newspaper reports, that tho proposal was on foot, and while he realised tho importance of herd testing, he was, nevertheless, opposed to the subsidy idea. Under the group system it only cost 5s per cow for testing, and the man who would not pay that amount should suffer putting up with the “duffer” cow. “I am against tho principle of t always going to the Government for assistance,” he continued. “They say the farmer is spoon-fed, and wo cannot deny that we are always going to the Government for something. The custom of always going to tho Government for assistance was becoming too broad; tho farmer already got certain concessions, such as in respect of the carriage of lime on the railways.” Mr E. Bowler said he also was against the principle, “but all the same, people in tho towns got assistance through the Arbitration Courts.” s - Tho chairman : “But in regard to herd testing, surely the farmer can ehoinder tho cost of what is part of their business Messrs A. A. Bowler and J. W. Simpson also spoke against the proposal, the latter voicing the opinion that heard testing should 'be subsidised by the dairy comTho matter ’will be brought forward again at a future meeting.

STOCK MARKET. Levin and Co., Lid., report for. week: At Bulls on Monday there was a fair yarding of sheep and a small entry in cattle. All classes met with a dragging sale. \\ o quote: Light fat ewes, 26s sd; small fat wethers, 33s 8d; b.f. hoggets, 23s od; mixed sex small hoggets, 22s to 22s 9d; good ewe hoggets, 30s; empty store ewes, 20s.—A. D. Scott’s clearing sale was poorly attended, and no doubt owing to the fact that the cows wero not advertised for sale without reserve and no calving records were kept, prices ruled low, and many ot the later calvers failed to find purchasers. \Ve quote: Best cows, £7 to £l2 10s; later and backward calvers, £5 to £7 10s.— Horace Wilson’s clearing sale: Early calvers, both in cows and heifers, made value, but backward sorts were neglected. Fat cows sold well and sundries made usual auction rates. We quote: Best cows, £o to £lO 17s 6d; late calvers, £2 10s to £7; springing heifers, £4 10s to £7; fat cows, £7 4s; store cows, £3 10s; sows in pig, 25s to 85s; weaner pigs, 14s to ?2a. —B. N. Sandilands’ dairy clearing sale: This herd, though small, was a particularly good one of high grade Jerseys with good butter-fat records, and consequently elicited keen competition and realised good prices. The springing heifers, however, though of equal quality, did not make value. \Ve quote: Early calvers, £lB to £2l; later sorts, £7 to £l6, average £l6 6s 3d ; springing heifers, £5 to £l2 ss, average £7 12s 6d; yearling bulls. 7 to 7£ gns; small weaner heifers, £4 19s 6d.—Feilding sale: The yarding consisted mainly of good quality breeding ewes, w ith a small entry in store sheep and ail average entry iii fats. Cattle comprised a fair entry of fats, some very nice lines of well-bred young station cattle. Favourable weather conditions were responsible for a large attendance of buyers, both local and from a distance, who competed v/ilh much keenness for any lines of good qualitv, both in sheep and cattle, particularly young well-bred catllc, which showed a decided rise on late rates, though any lacking condition sold at relatively low prices. Fat sheep and lanilis were hard to quit, except a few pens of superior quality, but anything not prime was neglected. We quote: Fat cows, £6 13s to £7 17s 6d; light fat bullocks, £8 to £9 ss; stationbred 20-inonths shorthorn steers, on account , Ngaio station, £6 9s; rough 3yr steers, £5 to £5 7s; 18-months P.A. steers, £5 14s; good weaner Hereford steers, on account' K. E. Short. £4 10s; do. smaller, £3 10s; rough 2yr Hereford steers. £4 ; 2yr P.A. heifers, £3 14s; forwurd cows, £2 10s io £3 10s; stores, 20s to £2; springing heifers, £3 10s to £4 10s. iat sheep: Light fat lambs, 24s 6d to 265; fat ewes, prime. 325, lighter 25s to 275; fat, 32s to £2 17s for extra heavy; m.a. breeding ewes r.w. S.D. rams, £3 4s 2d; m.a. ewes r.w. Romney rams. £2 ss; 2 th owes r.w. Romney rams, £2'4s; small ewe hoggets, 28s; small wether hoggets, 25s 7d; small mixed hoggets, 23s 9d to 25s lOd; eulls, 14s 4d

BUTTER AND CHEESE. LONDON, July 16. The butter market is more active, with a good demand. New Zealand 19Cs to 192 s per cwt; unsalted 194 sto 1965. Australian 186 s, occasionally 188 s; unsalted 190 s. Danish 1965. Argentine 182 sto 186 s. Cheese. —New Zealand, white and coloured, firm at 110 s per cwt. —A. and N.Z. cabie. FIRM ' PRICES PREDICTED. LONDON, July 18. Continued dry weather lias had the effeot of increasing the butter and cheese prices. It is noticeable that Australian and New Zealand butter has continued to harden, despite a slight weakening of Danish. The dormer has advanced ever since Thursday. Arrivals from Australia ami New Zealand during June were heavy, and there are large quantities in the tool stores, but in view of the expanded consumptive demand it will all be needed. ; The trade forecasts linn prices, /both for butter and cheese, for some time to coine. —A. and N.Z. cable. COLONIAL AND OTHER PRODUCE. LONDON, July 16. Wheat cargoes are quiet. Australian cargoes are steadily- held, but red varieties are offering freely at a decline of 9d to Is. Sales have been made at 56s 3d and 56s 6d per quarter. Parcels are in fair request. Manitobas are Is cheaper. Liverpool futures: July, Us 9ad; October, 10s 9:jd. The spot market is firm. Australian, ex ship, 58s. Flour is firm. Australian, ex store, 41s to 425.

Barley is quiet. Australian chevalier, 57s 6d to 635. Beans are quiet. Peas are steady. Tasmanian Maples, 77s bd to 82s 6d; New Zealand, 67s 6d to 72s 6d; Tasmanian blues, ex store, 19s 6d to 20s. —A. and N.Z. cable. LONDON WOOL SALE. NO CHANGE IN PRICES. LONDON. July 16. At tho wool sales a miscellaneous offering was submitted, and prices remain unchanged. The New Zealand lot, “OF” brought up to lod per lb and averaged lsid At the Bradford tops market business is still in small compass, but there is more inquiry for merinos. Quotations are unchanged.—A. and N.Z. cable EXCHANGE RATES. LONDON, July 16. Foreign rates of exchange on July 16, as compared with par rates or as averaged first half of 1914, are as follow: July 16. Par.

DAIRY FARMERS’ UNION. POHANGINA BRANCH. ANNUAL SMOKE CONCERT. Tho Pohangina branch of tho Dairy Farmers’ Union held ono of its most successful smoko concerts on Saturday evening, when Mr J. D. Balmer presided over about ono hundred members and friends. A number of visitors from other districts were also present, among whom wero Messrs N. Campbell, P. J. Small and O. W. Williams, of Palmerston North, and Mr Gordon Elliott, of Feilding. Messrs J. Davidson, H. Cole, 11. Hooker and G. Askam were also present by invitation, and greatly contributed towards the success of the evening by giving various items. In welcoming those present, Mr Balmer, the president of the Pohangina. branoh, expressed his pleasure at seeing so many present, and, although not all were members, it spoke well for the popularity of the Pohangina Union. Stressing tho importance of organising the dairy farmers of the Dominion, he made an appeal to those present who Tind not yet joined the union to do so. With a membership of a thousand financial members in the Wellington province alone, he claimed that the Dairy Farmers’ Union could give a lead to several of the older unions. The primary producers of New Zealand, more than any other industry, required organising, and whether they joined the Dairy Farmers’ Union or Farmers’ Union, or any other organisation, was quite immaterial, as long ns they became efficiently organised. A large number of prominent members in the movement had made great sacrifices in time and money in order to bring the union to what, it was to-day, and it was up to every dairy farmer to join the organisation and give it all the support he could. Once thoroughly organised, said Mr Balmer in conclusion, the primary producers of the country could go to Parliament and demand that which was their just due. UNION’S ACHIEVEMENTS. Replying to the toast of the Dairy Farmers’ Union, Mr N. Campbell, Dominion president, said that no body had made such progress and achieved so much in so short a period as had the Dairy Farmers’ Union. He claimed that it was greatly due to the activity and stand taken by the'union that tho farmer of New Zealand to-day was almost free from direct taxation. It was only a year or two ago when the producers of the Dominion were subject to the income tax, land tux and an indirect mortgage tax. As far as the average dairy farmer was concerned, said Mr Campbell, he was today exempted from every one of these taxes, and the main credit was undoubtedly due to the Dairy Farmers’ Union. Touching on the Dairy Control Board, the speaker said the Union had always been to the jore in advocating the establishment of tho board, and he had no doubt in his own mind that the Dairy Control Board would prove to be one of the most beneficial institutions the producers had ever possessed. Mr Campbell criticised the stand taken by the acting-president of the National Dairy Association when attending the conference in Wellington tho other <iuy that waited upon the Prime Minister with regard to the ward system of electing the members of the ’board. He explained that strenuous efforts were being made to frustrate the ward system and substitute the council system, by which twenty or thirty men would have the power of appointing whom they liked. With regard to the charges made for electric power for working milking machines, Mr Campbell was pleased to say that the union had succeeded at lost in having the flat rate abolished, and motors for dairy farmers were now on the same basis as industrial motors. At the Dominion conference the other day, said Mr Campbell, a remit had been passed urging the Government to establish a minister for dairying. Ho maintained that the dairy industry had made such tremendous progress during the last few years that to-duy it was the most important industry in New Zealand, and as such it did not receive anything like the attention und recognition it deserved.

SEASON’S PROSPECTS. Air O. W. Williams, pioposing the “Dairy Industry,” said that the prospects for tho coming season were better for the dairy farmer of New Zealand than they had been for many years past. Prices were offering today for both New Zealand butter and cheese, which up to the end of the year would assure from Is 8d to Is lOd per lb of _ butter-fat to the individual supplier. Tin’s, no doubt, was an excellent price, and spoke well for the season ahead.

Ail 1 I*. J. Small, in replying io the toast, congratulated in the first place the Pohungina branch on the great success achieved. He paid a special coinplinient to the president, Air Balmer, in having the privilege of presiding over such a large gathering, and to Air Wagstall’,. who was one of the most enthusiastic and reliable members of the Palmerston North executive. He expressed the opinion that if the union had many such members and many such branches the weight and usefulness of the union would he greatly extended. In spite of all that was being said to the contrary, continued Air Small, their legislators were blind to the requirements of the industry. The dairy farmer in New Zealand received little assistance. Help wus urgently wanted on the farm and scientific methods and lesearch were lacking everywhere. Disease among dairy stock was more rampant than ever, said the speaker, and it constituted a real loss not only to the dairy industry but to the whole of tiie Dominion. Pie instanced one case which had come under his notice the other day in Kairanga, where a man on 50 acres and milking 30 cows was looking forward to a good season. Pie had made great improvements on his farm, hud culled his herd heavily, and had every reason lo believe that lie would receive the benelit duSing the coining season. During the last few weeks thirty out of the fifty cows had aborted and seven bad (lied, and to-day file man was facing ruin. This was no isolated case, 'said Air Small; it was going on all over the country. Speaking on the ward system Air Small said that, although lie wus in favour of the ward system, he was of the opinion ihut it should not be brought in for a year or two. He maintained that those opposed to control were advocating this system of election as it was the easiest way out of their difficulties. However, he would leave it at that, as he knew that his opinion was contrary to the policy advocated by the Dairy Farmers’ Union. As l« the bucon industry, the speaker stated that the dairy farmers had lost- a golden opportunity in not accepting and making use of tile generous offer made by the late Air Massey which wouid have enabled file farmers to acquire large bacon works itt Wellington. Irt co-operation, concluded the speaker, was to be found the only salvation and solution of the New Zealand bacon industry.

Mr G. Elliott responded to the toast of Parliament and said that lie was' looking forward to the coming election when Mr R. Cobbe and himself would contest the Orotta seat. He assured his hearers that (lie election would be carried on purely policy lines, without bringing in personalities in any shape dr form. He also apologised for the absence of Air Cobbe, for whom ic was impossible to be present. “Kindred Associations” was proposed by Mr Fitzherbert, and replied to by Air Smart, chairman of the Pohangina County Council. Air W. Howell proposed the toast of the ladies, which was suitably replied to by Mr R. MacDonald, while Mr J. Davidson replied to the toast of the visitors.

At the Dominion Dairy Farmers’ Union Conference at. Pukekoho, the following officers were elected;—President, Air N. Campbell (Palmerston North); vice-presi-dents, Alessrs W. 11. Waterhouse (Runciniun), C. I. Harkness (Otaki), B. Roberts (Wairarapa), C. Parker (Hamilton): executive, Alessrs M. C. Eaton (Wairarapa), J. B. MaeKinncy (Bombay), A. J. Geddings (Wairarapa), J. I. Fox (Manawatu), G. WagstafFe (Manawatu), J. Bovce (Manawatu); J. O. Crouch (Franklin); secretary < Mr J. G. Wynyard (Te Awamutu); treasurer, Mr J. I. Fox (Manawatu).

A cow owned by a farmer in the Fairview district look ill recently from a cause which was not ascertained until after her death (states the Timaru Herald). An examination revealed a three-inch nail in her heart and numerous nails and staples in her stomach.

New York, dots, to £1 4.86i 4.866 Montreal, dols. to £1 . 4.86 4.865 Paris, francs to £1 ... Brussels, francs to £1 103.05 25.22i 104.90 25.221 Amsterdam, florins to £1 12.12a 12.107 Stockholm, knr. to £1 18.10 18.12 Oslo, knr. to £1 27.12 18.12 Copenhagen, knr. to £1 23.27 13.12 Berlin, Reischmark to £i 20.42 — Rome, lire to £1 130| 25.22£ Yokohama, pence to yen 201 24.43 Calcutta, pence to rupco 181 24 Hong Kong, pence to —A. and N.Z. cable! dol. 2 24 •