RURAL INDUSTRIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20723, 17 November 1930, Page 5

RURAL INDUSTRIES.

INCREASES IN STOCK. NEW RECORDS ESTABLISHED. STATISTICS FOR DOMINION. Markejl increases in the number of rattle in the Dominion and also in the number of shoe)) and lambs are disclosed in the latest Government statistical report of the agricultural and pastoral production of the Dominion. However, (hero has been a small decline in the number of holdings and also in the total area of land occupied. Horses are slightly fewer, but I lie decline, in the number of pigs in the country amounts to over 12 per cent. Tho following table gives a comparison between this year and last year under a number of the more important headings:— 1020. 1030. Area occupied— Cultivated . .. 10.118.101 19,156.074 Unimproved .. 21.10,1.030 21,212 570 ■13,522.131 43,3r>8.(>53 Number (if holdings 85,002 83,107 Employees— Male -. •• 112.88.-, 110.321 Female . .. 25.721 18.800 Cattle .. .. 3.115.700 3,700,003 Dairy cows .. . 1,371.003 1,410.321 pjnn . . . . 550,732 487.793 Horses . . 295.950 297.195 Sheep 20.051.3.-2 30,811.287 Shorn . .. 25.205,500 20,099.110 Lambs .. .. 13,855.953 14,887.599 It will be noted that while there has been a slight decline of .35 per cent, in the, total area of occupied land this decline has been wholly in unimproved holdings, arid the total area of cultivated land has increased to form a new record in the history of the count)'}'. This increase has been steadily progressive over the last ten years, during which it has amounted to nearly 800,000 acres. •' It will be a surprise to many fo learn that tho land under cultivation in flax has increased in the last 12-monthly period from 62,704 to 68,260. The land under irrigation, which' is almost wholly in Otago, increased from 59,845 acres lo 64,846 acres. The decrease in the number of women and girls returned as occupied in farm work has continued for the past seven years and this year has been very marked. Since 1923 the drop has amounted to about 20,000 and 7000 of this occurred last year. On the other hand, the number ol men and boys engaged in farm work continues to expand steadily, and another 7000 has been added this time. The expansion has been 1800 in 10 years. These figures refer only to those permanently engaged in farm work. The numbers of cattle, sheep and lambs each establish new high records, the sheep and lambs taken together exceeding tho previous best bv more than 1,750,000 From 1918 to 1922 flocks decreased considerably. However, the latter year marked the turning point, and each year since has witnessed a substantial increase in the number of sheep. The afforestation figures arc interesting and show that while conifer plantations increased from 252,000 to 269.000, those classified as eucalypts and broad-leaved trees decreased from 41,000 to 19,000. 7'hf amount of standing virgin bush has been reduced by about 125,000 acres. The harvest of 1929-30 was an average one as far as wheat was concerned. Oats again showed a decline, both in area threshed and in yield of grain, and only once during the last half-century havo smaller figures been recorded —namely, in 1923-24, when 63,842 acres threshed out slightly less than 2,000.000 bushels. Barley maintained the high average yield per acre which followed as a result of the introduction some four or five years ago of the "hot-water treatment" of seed barley.

AUCKLAND APPLE EXPORTS GUARANTEE DRAWN ON. PROSPECTS FOR NEW SEASON. The various pools for (lie past season's apple exports are gradually being cleaned up and it is now definitely established that the Government guarantee will be drawn on to a certain extent. Tn nil, 103,000 cases of apples were shipped from Auckland, 135 commercial orehardists contributing. The South American consignments showed a margin over the guarantee of lis a case gross, but increased rates of exchange and higher costs, generally, helped to bring down the profit. In the. Auckland exports Cox's Orango brought the highest prices, making up to 13s lOd. McLivers variety sold down as low as 4s 2d a case. Present indications in regard to ibis season's fruit crop are satisfactory. Settings for the apple crop, generally, and particularly for Delicious, are heavy. Gravensteins may bo on the light side. Prospects for peaches are good in a number of districts, but the plum crop promises to bo light.

THE LONDON MARKETS. , FROZEN MEAT. (Received November Hi. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 35. The. weekly quotations for tho undermentioned classes of frozen meat are based on actual sales of wholesale quantities of carcases of mutton or lainb or of quarters of beef delivered to Kmithfield- market and/or ex-London stores, 'lliey are. compiled by the Quotations Committee, Smithfield. To arrive at the. equivalent ex-ship values one farthing per pound should bo deducted from the prices quoted below. Quotations given represent the average for the week, and are not selected lines, but for parcels fairly representative of the. bulk of the shipments now on offer. New Zealand Frozen Sheep.—Canterbury and North Island selected crossbred wethers and maiden ewes, 481b. to 561b., s|d; 571b. to 641b., sgd; North Island, 481b. to 561b., s§cl. New Zealand Lambs.—Canterbury, second quality, average 301b., 8d; selected North Island brands, including Downs, 371b. to 421b., Bj|d. Australian Lambs. —Victorian. first quality, 361b. and under, Sjd; 371b. to 421b., Bjd; other States, first quality, 361b. and under, 8 l-8d; 371b. to 421b., 8d; Victorian, second quality, 351b. and under, 7Ad; other States, second quality, 361b. and under, 7Jd; all States, third quality, 361b. and under, 7 l-Bd. Argentine Lambs.—First quality, 361b. and under, 8d; 371b. to 421b., 7Jd. Australian Frozen Reef.—Ox crops, under 1001b., 4d; over 1001b.. 4 l-Bd. Argentine Chilled Beet. —Ox fores, 1601b. to 2201b., 4|d; ox hinds, 1601b. to 2201b.. 7d. New Zealand Pigs.—First quality, 1111b. to 1201b., 7d. The prices for all othej; classes arc unchanged. COTTON, RUBBER, JUTE, ETC, (Last week's prices in parentheses.) Cotton. —December delivery, 5.92 d (5.90 d) per lb. Rubber.—Para, 6d (5 7-8 d) per lb.; plantation and smoked, 4jd (4id) per lb. Jute.—November-December shipments, £l6 12s 6d (£l6 ss) per ton. Copra.—December shipments, South Sea, nominal. £ls 7s 6d (November. £ls 10s) per ton; plantation, Rabaul, £ls 10s (£ls 15s) per ton. Linseed.—£27 (£26 10s) per ton. Turpentine.—34s 9d (35s 6d) per cwt. TIIE PRICE OF GOLD. Gold is quoted at 85s Id per oz.