PEDIGREE STOCK SALE.

Northern Advocate, 1 August 1924, Page 4

PEDIGREE STOCK SALE.

JERSEY BREEDERS' DISCUSSION. LOW-PRICED SOUTHERN MARKET. At the meeting of the Whangarei Jersey Breeders' Club yesterday Mr H. W. Craw-ford raised the question of the feasibility of holding a pedigree stock sale in Whangarei on the day after the A. and P. Show. If such a sale were likely to meet with support it could easily be held. Mr A. E. Phillips stated that at present there was always a surplus of pedigree stock which local breeders were unable to sell to their friends, but he believed that if members of the Club could combine to make a catalogue sufficiently attractive to draw buyers from other parts of the Dominion an annual sale worth while could be held, as the stock in tlie North was as good as that elsewhere. Mr Christie would agree with him that at the recent sales in the Manawatu the high prices were the outcome of the presence of buyers from all parts of the country. Mr Blumhardt considered that the idea of holding a sale was a good one but that the date of the show was too late for bull sales.

An assurance had been given, said I Mr Phillips, by the Northern Wairoa that they would support whatever was done in Whangarei in the way of holdin.? a Jersey sale. j Mr H. W. Crawford described how at Southern shows a ram sale was held after the show. The winning pen of flock rams was put up first, the second prize winners next and so on. In the North there were not enough sheep to warrant a similar sale but it might be done with pedigree cattle. Stock from other districts would be shown at the Whangarei Show and it was possible that some of them might be put up for sale here and also that visitors from outside might be purchasers of local stock. | Mr H. B. Sloane declared that it was I a positive fact that in the past it had not been possible to sell on Show days, j but he believed that when the railway was taken over by the Kailways Department it would be well to take the matter up. That was the opinion of the auctioneering firm. At present stock were generally speaking too long on the journey to Whangarei. With improved railway communication, Mr C. Stevens considered that a sale could be held if the Show was at the end of September or the beginning of October; otherwise it would be too late.

Mr A. Christie held the view that the proposed sale would be better if held during Winter Show week. Messrs K. Stevens and T. J. V. Dunlop also endorsed the proposal to hold , annual sales, the latf.er adding that the Bay of Islands Club intended to hold them when the time came. , Mr Dunlop then referred to the difi ference in the price realised for pedigree stock in the North in comparison with other parts. He attributed the low prices to there being no organisation and to the Northern farmer thinking that he should get cows for £5 or £10 a-piece. If there were organised sales it would be possible to educate them to" see that they - must pay more. Mr Sloane suggested convening a conference to consider a pedigree sale to embrace all districts of the North. Mr Phillips said that at the Northern Wairoa sale recently there was a good yarding of pedigree cattle, but the prices were poor compared with those in the Waikato, and he attributed it to lack of competition and to the fact that the farmers were not educated to pay ¥or their stock according to its worth. Mr Crawford agreed that he was satisfied that there was not the difference in quality indicated by the prices obtained locally and elsewhere. It was ridiculous that stock in the North, posi sibly equal in quality to that in the South, should bo sold for half or a third of the prices ruling at sales in Southern districts. Mr Stevens suggested that cow and bull sales could be held at different seasons, as breeders did not want to 'sell bulls out of season. I Exception was taken by Mr Sloane to the statement that Northern farmers not prepared to pay the money for their stock, and contended that they f were keen for what they wanted. Amongst all beginners in building up pedigree herds there was to be found locally bred stock, but afterwards the breeders wanted a change and consequently they bought in other districts. On the other hand if catalogues of Northern sales were sent to say Taranaki the reply would he that it was too far to come to the North to attend a sale. What was wanted, said Mr Christie, fras for Northern breeders to show their stock more and to test and show in the bucket what the cows could do. He advised settlers to get a good bull, and never mind the money spent on 2iim; find put what strains would mix best and persevere. Then the district would get the right stuff and it would be found that others would pay the price. Mr Phillips moved that the Club, in conjunction with those in the Northern Wairoa and Bay of Islands, should entertain holding an annual sale of pedigree Jersey stock, the date to be left to a sub-committee consisting of Messrs C. Stevens, Dunlop and Fitness. As an amendment Mr Christie moved that the general committee should meet the Bay of Islands and Northern Wairoa delegates at a conference to deal with the proposed sale.