BRAND AND POLLARD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 276, 26 October 1925, Page 5

BRAND AND POLLARD.

SUPPLY FOR FARMERS. “That farmers have the prior right to be supplied with bran and pollard, instead of bakers as at present, was one of the remits passod at tho recent Dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. This resolution was forwarded to the chairman of directors of tiie South Island Millers’ Association for his comments, which are as follow: “During the past few years there has been an increasing tendency on the part of bakers to purchase bran and pollard, but of my own knowledge I can say they are largely prompted thereto by consumers who appear to think it is an extra avenue through which they can secure their requirements. So far. as we can we endeavour to discourage the practice, but we cannot make a rule to eliminate the baker, because in many cases (and particularly in country districts) bakers are also storekeepers, and consequently the recognised distributors of many commodities. They are entitled to some reward for their services, and any so-called ‘prior right’ is only applicable in such cases. There is one difficulty about supplying to farmers generally, and'Hhat is the question of payment, the great majority of their accounts running from harvest to harvest (sometimes to the second harvest), whereas storekeepers have to observe the usual terms. Notwithstanding this, 1 beiieve the country mills here are serving the farmers fairly well, because at tunes we have difficulty in obtaining their proportionate quantities for shipment, and this failure has to be met oy tho town mills.

“Under these circumstances,” he adds, “I imagine the resolution applies more particularly to the North Island, and as it is impossible for us to deal direct with farmers there, the only thing I can suggest is that, if the New Zealand Farmers’ Union is prepared to make purchases themselves for distribution to their members, we will do our best to meet their requirements according to tho quantity available, but from recent investigations it will be about two months yet before New Zealand mills can supply requirements based on last, year's ligtires.” This opinion as to when New Zealand mills would be able to supply requirements was given about six weeks ago. 'The Dominion secretary of the F armers’ Union states that the millers’ reply will probably be considered by his executive next month. GR ADING CONFERENCE. COMPETITIONS FOR FACTORY MANAGERS The Manawatu Dairy Factory Managers' Association has arranged a grading conference, to be held at Wellington on October 27. Tho conference will commence at the grading sture, Pipitea Point, at 2 p.m., and at 3.30 there will be grading competitions for factory managers, for which first, second and third prizes will be given. The conference will be continued at the Dominion Farmers’ institute in the evening, when an address will be delivered by Mr W. M. Singleton, director of the Dairy Division. An_ invitation has been sent out by the National Dairy Association to dairy factory directors and managers throughout the Manawatu, Hawke's Bay, \\ airarapit, Nelson and ATarlborough districts to attend the conference. CANTER BURY MARKETS.

Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 23. The swing m tile potato market this week is downward, the movement being pronounced to-day. Yesterday purchases were made at £6 15s per ton on trucks, but to-day merchants are not prepared to go over £6 ss, though in the morning £6 lUs was paid. The easing apparently is a natural end of the season development. Buyers' at consuming points are buying on a hand-to-mouth basis, and the needs are being met with sufficient freedom to iu- ! dicate that there is no shortage. The I Karetu sailed yesterday for Sydney I with 600 sacks, and it is rumoured that I a further dispatch is probable. However, merchants generally are looking askance at export so late in the year. The Katoa lias 6350 sacsk on board from southern ports for Auckland. The next vessel, the Waipahi, is due to sail on Tuesday or "Wednesday, and her space has been cut down. Prompt 'values are £8 os to £8 10s f.o.b. 5.1., and a shade more for November, but forward business is negligible. A little next year’s business has taken place at £3 12s 6d to £3 15s on trucks. All classes of oats are firm, and one or two substantial parcels of B Cartons have been sold at up to 4s Gd f.o.b. S.I. whilst A’s were quoted at 4s 9Jd to 4s lOd.

With the exception of cocksfoot, which is firm at IORI for standard seed and for which there has been some demand, the seed market is quiet and unaltered.

At a lecture in Levin, Mr W. J. McCulloch gave many instances of the value of top-dressing. Ho told of a soldier settler in a nearby district whose neighbour could not make his farm pay and walked off, and he was in trouble himself because he could not get a payable return. In 1923-24 from 25 cows he took 4270 lbs of butter-fat. Following Mr McCulloch’s advico ho topdressed 33J acres in 1924 with 3 cwt. of fertiliser per acre. In the 1924-25 season ho took 6724 lbs of butter-fat from the same cows with two heifers added, making a herd of 27 cows. That was an increase of 71 lbs of but-ter-fat per cow, which at Is 6d per lb. gavo an increased return of £l6O 19s (id. The cost of the top-dressing was £47 10s, leaving a. clear profit of £ll3 9s 6d—the difference between success and failure. The farmer was so delighted that he was talking of taking up his neighbour’s farm and seeing what lie could do with it.