VALUE OF TOHEROAS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21799, 14 May 1934, Page 5

VALUE OF TOHEROAS

COMMERCIAL ASSET CHIEF DEMAND IN AUSTRALIA " When the great Maori warrior, Te Rauparaha, made his great march through Taranaki to Orewhenua, the only rations carried by his troops wcro dried toheroas," Mr. A. E. Hefford, chief inspector of fisheries, remarked to a Sun reporter in Christchurch last week.

" It is the philosophical consolation of the conservator," he said, "that the pakeha does not recognise, as did the Maori, the nutritive value of such foods, for, if he did. the supplies would soon be eaten out."

Two companies were at present engaged in canning and exporting toheroas , and toheroa soup, one near Ninety-mile Beach, the other at the North Kaipara beach, near Dargaville. These two wcro the only beds in New Zealand exploited commercially, and they alouo were, in the judgment of the Marino Department, sufficiently productivo to warrant their being reserved for leasing by canning companies.

In the last six* years the more southern of the North Island toheroa beds, those between Waikanae and the mouth of the Mauawatu River, had been remarkably productive, though they were not so extensive or densely stocked as those of North Auckland. "It is a disquieting fact," said Mr. Hefford, " tnat though big toheroas are abundant, so far we have never come across any promising quantities of young ones." ; The chief market for New Zealand toheroas is Australia, though some consignments go annually to Great Britain and the United States. "To a limited extent," said Mr. Hefford, "the toheroa. will always be a valuable asset." In the United States there were large clam-canneries and the American clams were no better than, if as good as, the New Zealand toheroas. " The tendency in America to-day," Mr. Hefford said, " appears to be for the more highly-esteemed clams to diminish in quantity and for more inferior ones to be canned in their place." There was a very strict limitation put on the extent of their exploitation in America, by means of season and size limits. " If a Californian picnic party wants to dig clams on the beach," said Mr. Hefford, " they must first get 3 licence to do so." The day would probbably come, he added, when similar restrictions would have to be made in New Zealand to conserve the toheroas. STOCK SALES CATTLE AT NGARUAWAHIA The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Limited, report having held their Ngaruawahia stock sale, when a medium yarding of cattle came forward, and values showed no alteration on late quotations. Quotations:—Medium fat cows, £2 7s 6d to £2 14s; light fat cows, 39b to £2 Ss; killable cows, 30s to 375; boner cows, 15s to 25a: Jersey-cross two-year heifers, run with bull, £2 to £2 Is; M.C. heifers, run with bull, 25a to 37s 6d; Jersey and Jersey-cross cows (June calvers), £2 10s to £3; Jersey and Jersey-cross cows, later calvers, 35s to £2 ss. WAIHOU QUOTATIONS The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company," Limited, report:—At the Waihou sale an extra heavy yarding of fat and store cows was penned. Exporters operated freely on stores and boners, and there was no variation in values. Fat cows fully maintained recent Quotations. A medium yarding of sheep sold freely at satisfactory prices. There was a good yarding of fat pigs, n large proportion of which was of the unfinished class. Competition wus keen for all baconers and well-done porkers, the top price of £3 8s being paid for nine pigs sold on account of Mr. F. M. Strange. A larger entry of stores and weaners sold at firming prices. Quotations: —Sheep: For-ward-conditioned ewes, to 15s; medium fat shorn lambs, to 18s 6d: light fat woolly lambs. 17s to 17s 4d; forward lambs, 14s to 15s; fat hoggets, to 24s 6d. Cattle: Heavy prime fat cows, £4 12s to £s_ 13s; medium fat cows, £2 15s to £3 lis; light fat cows. £'2 to £2 12s Gd; heavy Jersey cows, £1 15s to £2 la; good boners. £1 8s to £1 15s: boners, 14s to £1 Gs Gd; heifer calvcti, 19s to £1 ss; heavy potter bulls, £3 17s to £4 2s Gd: medium potter bulls. £3 to £3 7s; light potter bulls, £1 2s Gd to £2 10s; Jersey heifers, early calvers, £3 10s to £4. Pigs: Prime heavy baconers, £3 to £3 8s; prime medium baconers. £2 15s to £2 19s; medium baconers, £2 lis to £2 14s; light baconers, £2 2s to £2 10s; heavy porkers, 34s to 3Ss; medium porkers, 29s to 325; light porkers, 24s to 275; unfinished porkers, 18s to 225: stores. 14s to 17s; slips, 10s to 13s; weaners. 6s to 10s 6d; small weaners, 3s Gd to 5s Gd. SMALL YARDING AT WAIHI The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Limited, report:—At the Wailii stock sale on Thursday a smaller yarding of cattle came forward, consisting mainly of boners and dairy cows. Although stores were not keenly sought after, a total clearance was effected. Fair competition ruled in dairy, cattle, which were of inferior quality. Quotations:—Fat cows. £2 Gs to £3; heavy honor cows £1 12s to £1 19s; poorer boners, 12s Gd to £1 7s; heifer calves. 18s to £1; potter bulls, £3 to £3 4s; in-calf Jersey and Jersey-cross heifers, to £2 15s; in-calf cows, best. £2 10s to £3; poorer sorts, £1 5s to £2 2s Gd.

MATAWHERO SHEEP VALUES [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] GISBORNE, Saturday Tlie sheep market at Matawhero yesterday was little changed from last week, except that a slight easing tendency was noted for storo lambs. The fat sheen market was firm, tile quality considered, with a brisk demand for lambs. An entrv of nine fat cattle was most unattractive. Two good Shorthorn-Here-ford cows made 47s od. this being the only pood part, of a poor entry. The fat sheep entry totalled 450. Most of the ewes could have done with more finish. In view of the quality the values were about those recently ruling. Ewes, best, sold at 15s 4d and 15s 9d, but. generally 13s 3d to lis lOcl. Lambs were brisker, and made 18s 7d to 20p 3d. and 14s 3d for a pen of small sorts. Secondgrade ewes sold briskly at 12s 7d and 13s 3d. Store sheep offered up to lunch time wen almost nil lambs, and for these the market was somewhat easier. The best lots sold at 12s fid to 13s 3d. the latter being for ewo lambs. Fairly good lots sold for 9s Gd upwards: good conditioned four, six and eighttooth ewes ma<lc 16s. and forward wethers 18s Id. COTTON. RUBBER, JUTE, ETC. (Received May 13. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. May 12 (Quotations on May 5 in parentheses.) Cotton. —Spot, 6.15 d (5.93 d) a lb.; June delivery, 5.95 d (5.73 d). Rubber. —Para, 6d (5Jd) a lb.; plantation and smoked, 6 9-16 d (7d). Jute.—May-June shipments, £ls 7s 6d (£ls 15s) a ton. Hemp.—April-June shipments, £ls 10s. Copra. —May-June shipments, South Sea, £7 17<* 6d (£7 12s 6d) a ton; South Sea. smoked, £7 (£6 17s 6d); plantation, Rabaul, £8 10s (£8 ss). Linseed 0i1.—£23 (£2l 10s) a ton. Turpentine—47s 3d (47s 9d) a cwt.