Gleanings.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1424, 15 June 1899, Page 5

Gleanings.

A scarcity of feed for cattle is expected in tlie Mauriceville district, where there has been little growth m the pastures for some time. A good article fetches a goo-d price. The last lot of Rpngotea butter sold in London “ opened up beautifully, and turned out first-class.” Result, a. ready sale at 103 s to 104 s. The Rongotea factory is now being enlarged. During the early part of last week (says the " Advocate ”) Mr Hull, Stock Inspector, visited the Apiti district with Inspector Miller, of the Napier district, to search for traces of rabbits, it having been reported that rabbits were there. The inspectors, however, are satisfied the fears are groundless, no traces of " bunny ” having been seen. The " Temuka Leader ” reports an extraordinary yield of potatoes. From two bags of seed were raised seven tons of potatoes. One potato turned the scale at Sib, and three wighed ovr 131 b. Thn (continues the " Leader ”) comes the most wonderful fact of all. Mr Scott assures us that 300 potatoes were dug from one stalk. We said this was rather a tall statement to make, but Mr Scott replied that his friends can vouch for tho truth of it, for he gave a neighbour of his fork in his hand, and asked him to dig a root. His neighbour found so many potatoes at the root that he grew tired of counting them, and gave up the ]ob. On the stalk from which the slb potato was dug up there were no less than 75 potatoes in all. Potaotes like these, of course, are not fit for the table, and will have to he used for feeding cattle, Tlie ordinary monthly meeting of the Wairarapa Farmers’ Club was held on Saturday week, Mr Anderson presiding. Dr Murray-Aynslev addressed the meeting on the subject of tuberculosis and promised to deliver a lecture on the same subject shortly, when he hoped the farmers would interest themselves in the matter in case it should require their attention at any time. Mueli of the time of the meeting was absorbed in the revisio nof the catalogue for the next show, and the necessary committees were appointed to carry out the details. It was resolved to further defer the arrangement of the date of the annual dinner until the next meeting. The chairman read a few items from an English agricultural paper concerning the interests of farmers in general, and before tlie meeting adjourned it was resolved to co-operate with the Progress Association in vie wof holding a poultry show shortly. —Wairarapa Star. As an illustration of the benefit the Fairfield Freezing Works have already conferred upon the Ashburton district, it may be mentioned that a portion of a block of land situated between Ashburton and Dromore, and which was bought _ about nine months ago at under £4 per acre, was sold at auction the other day at the rate of between £53 and £54 an acre. Some time ago Mr H. C. Cameron. Inspector of Produce, reported to the Agent-General for New Zealand that lie had made a test of a new “meat marker,” invented by Mr C. W. Herbert, of Liecester, for the purpose of branding meat in the manner desired by many parties in this colony. Mr Cameron has since tested the marker. “If only protection for the sale of the mutton on the wholesale market was required,” he says in a recent report,

“then this brand would be undoubtedly perfect. But as a brand for marking tho principal joints, especially the leg’, where the outer skin is so very thin, considerable improvement on it will squire to be effected.’ Mr Herbert states that he is quite satisfied that he can alter liis brand so as to attain all the results desired by the Inspector, and when the mail left he was working with that object in view.

The Department of Agriculture is acvised that the market in London this season lias been very good for apples. From 11s Cd to 14s had been about the price ruling for best fruit when the mail left. Anticipating the arrival ot the Papanui shipment, Mr H. C. Cameron said he did not think there would be any difficulty in netting 1J cl per lb for tlie apples, should they be landed in good condition. Tlie apples, it may be remembered, averaged aproxnnatelv 10s per case.

Very often complaints have been made 'regarding the slight nature of manv of the bags now in use for covering frozen carcases of mutton and lamb. They are often (says Mr 11. C. Cameron, in 0 report jus trecoived by tho Department of Agriculture) very much tern in handling, and when damp, as they frequently become, they get dirty.' Very often, too. this dirtiness penetrates to tlie carcase through t he wrapper. Also, when the meat is sent to various buyers throughout the Old Country, it has been found desirable, in order to retain its bright, har-i condition, to .enclose the carcases in strong sacks, for which a charge usually made to the purchaser by th? seller.' Mr Cameron has lately had liis attention directed to a wrapper introduced by Messrs Furlonge and Buckcridge, of Taranaki. This bag is composed of calico, covered with strong paper, having a laver of waterproof solution between. Experiments male with the bag were satisfactory up to the time of writing. Mr Cameron understands that one" lea ding firm in Now Zealand is getting a lot of the new bags sent out. in order to make a trim shipment of mutton wrapped in them. The cost per bag, he is informed, is only about one penny more than that of the kind at present in use.

Frozen mutton from the North Island for the fourth week in succession shows a fall in value of l-16d per lb, the present quotation of 3 13-16 d representing a decline of 5-16 cl since the first week in May. C'anterbury'mutton has recovered the decline of 1-lGd noted last week. J-viver Plate mutton shows a marked decline, the present quotation for ‘‘ light ” descriptions being 3d below the price ruling on the 7tli May. The quotations for the past nine weeks of North Island and River Plate mutton are shown in the following table :

In dealing with the advance in prices on the 10th ult., we expressed the opinion that the rise was due partly to a better demand and partly to the probability of a shortage in supplies from the '"liver Plate, and this appears to have been right. The trade was unquestionably affected by the curtailment of deliveiies from Hie Argentine, and this is shown ov the comparatively heavy decline in tlie price of Plate mutton. North Island, which advanced rapidly, lias fallen in sympathy with the River Plate mutton. Canterbury mutton, which was really unaffected by the conditions which affected North Island mutton, has not fluctuated, the highest quotation prior to last week was 4.',d, and the price is again at mat level after dropping l-16d. It is possible that New Zealand mutton will again harden because of the disturbance that must follow upon the disablement of the Perthshire and the fire on the Banffshire, which appears to have caused some damage to frozen mutton. The position will depend a great deal, however, upon how supplies come in from South America. If the River Plate output is increased, then the shortage from New Zealand will he made good. The recent advance in North Island mutton, which gave rise to so much comment and led to the local freezing companies being assailed and termed monopolists, proves now to have been wholly artificial,, and the companies were right in treating the advance as such.

The next London wool sales commence on the 27th instant, anu there is very little doubt about late values being maintained, at any rate for merino wool. Hie . demand, however, will be restricted to Europe, the American situation precluding the possibility of any demand from •that quarter for some time to come. The American wool market is thus described by the “American Wool and Cutton' 1 Reporter” of the 29th April:—The market at'present certainly reflects a remarkable condition of affairs. With a f duty of 11 cents per lb in this country on fine wools, • we behold the singular spectacle of the domestic product selling r-at such low prices as to warrant its cxj portation. As one merchant remarked, >.“lt is a case where economic facts controvert economic theories.” Laying all

prejudice aside, it is easy to see to what an extent the tariff has failed to meet the expectations of its friends. _lt is true that prices are higher than before wool began to advance in anticipation oi the passage of the Dingley Tariff Bill. Thus, in January, 1897. fine medium territories were selling at 30 cents to 31 cents. Tlie passage of that measure resulted in a boom m the wool market in 1897, the like of which had never been seen before : but since the beginning of 1898 the course of wool has been steadily downward, until now the price of fine medium territory is only 7 to 8 cents per scoured pound above that of January. 1897, and is at such a low level chat it offers an inducement for foreign consumers to buy. Another singular circumstance is the fact that while crossbred wools here are selling at on!\ slightly lower prices than fine wools, in England there is a great disparity between the prices of fine wools and crossbred wools. Thus, crossbred wools which were bought in London, and on which tl'.e duty lias been paid, have ecen sold this week here at S 8 cents per pound clean. To import fine wools irora London, however, costs 70 cents. Thus the singular spectacle is presented or n merchant importing crossbred wools into the market and selling them at as _,e.od a profit as he realises from Australian fine wool in bond, which he is selling tor export. It appears that Germany was a factor in relieving the Americans of much oi their surplus of fine wools. There is no doubt that the speculative buying in anticipation of the Dingley tariff was considerably overdone, and a strong European market is enabling the speculators to re-export their excess supplies. Apparently there is a better demand for crossbred wool in America than for merino qualities, and as the supplies of the latter description must be well nigh exhausted by this time, it is just possible that the Americans may operate n( the next London sales. It would be very welcome to New Zealand wool growers were this so. The butter season is now practical!} over, and we ought very soon to receive cabled details of the renew of tlie season. Colonial butter has, all things considered. realised very well, although at the opening of the season the outlook was by no means encouraging. In their produce circular of the 21st April, just to hand. Messrs Weddel and Co.'s remarks on the butter market are as follows: “Though snow has fallen in Both Ireland and Scotland during the week, and though frosty nights are interfering with the quality and retarding the quantity o: butter, yet prices of Danish and similar varieties of butter are coming down hand over hand, while Australian and New Zealand are. if anything, improving. There is very little Australian butter lef on offer, and prices are therefore nominal, except fortlie cargo of the Warrigal. which is due in London early next week. Prices remain firm for New Zealand butter. and in some instances an advance or last week has been made. The Gothic and Pakelia have arrived since the las* report with a considerable quantity of New Zealand butter aboard, which has fortunately met a very good market foi the time of year. Prices are Gs to 7s per cwt better than last year at this time and 8s higher than in 1897. The Copenhagen committee has again reduced the official quotation, this week by foui kroner, which leaves it one kroner higher than on 21st April. 1898, and four kronei above the fixture on 22nd April, 1897. The fall in the Copenhagen quotation during the last four weeks totals ter kroner, or 11s 3d per cwt. and now tands at 96s Gd for top quotation, while tin selling price in London is 100 s to 104: The difference in lalue between New Zealand and Danish butter in London is about 2s to 4s per cwt. Considerable quantities of Russian butter are finding their way to our markets, nearly 13,500 cwt. having been imported during the last fortnight.”

The question of giving a bonus for the encouragement of the beet sugar industry in this colony has cropped rip several times. As far back as 1884 legislation was passed giving effect to the views of the late Sir Julius Vogel, and in due course a bonus was offered, but the results were negative. More recently, in 1897, Mr Seddon discoursed on tlie subject in his Budget Statement, and a Bill was introduced which got as far as the second reading, if we remember correctly, and was then numbered amongst tlie “slaughtered innocents” of the session. At a later period attention was focused on the subject by some agitation in the Waikato, and the offer of certain French capitalists to embark in the industry, subject to the Government granting a bonus. The matter appears to have been lostsight of during the past eighteen mouths, which perhaps is the best indication that there is no actual call for the industry. In Victoria, where high protection is the accepted policy, and the alleged encouragement of industries the sequel or that policy, a bonus was granted and aid given in providing buildings and plant, but the results have not been such as to warrant auV imitation on the part of New Zealand. The Maffra Beet Sugar Company was formed in connection with the Government aid, but its condition financially at a recent date was anything but satisfactory. The experience of the Maura Cultivation Company, a concern apparently in alliance with the Beet Sugar Company, affords the best illustration of the value of the industry to the farming community. At the half-yearly meeting ot this company, held the other day, it was stated that the average yield of beets

for the past season was but 3_\ tons per acre, with a sugar percentage of 10. for which 17s 3d per ton was obtained, only sufficient, so it was affirmed, to pay the rent of the land. The report proceeds to say that since its inception the company had lost about £TOOO in trying to grow beets for the factory, and experience demonstrated that beets could only be grown profitably by large families. The thought that comes uppermost tothemind is that it is a great pity this knowledge was not acquired before the State was forced into heavily subsidising the industry at the expense of the whole community. Probably the production of beet in New Zealand would show better results than in Victoria, but even then it is verv doubtful whether it would pay. Of this we are satisfied, that, were the industry capable of being established in this colony on a profitable basis, the State would never be asked to expend a single penny in promoting it. private enterprise would be quite equal to the task. The call for monetary assistance from the Government to establish or promote an industry is. in nearly every case, open to the suspicion that the industry cannot profitably be established. In the Victorian Government ‘’Gazette" of a recent date is given a summary cf gross Australasian imports and exports for the year, as well as iai titulars cf wool, butter, frozen meat and other staple products. The net exports of wool, omitting mere transit movements through one colony from another, were as follows:--

Disappointment awaits certain woolgrowers who shipped their clips in the hope of catching the May sales. The list was fixed to close on the 24th April, or as soon as 250.000 bales were received, and -it so happened that the limit fixed by the Woolbrokers’ Association was reached on the 10th April, when the list closed. Wool shipped by the steamers Gothic. Itakaia and Pakeha. and by the sailers Taranaki. Pieione and Sterling, were, in consequence, shut out of the May sales, although tlie vessels reached port prior to the 24tli April. This wool will, of course, be catalogued for che JuneJuly sales, but if the market shows a decline on May rates, it will be very annoying. This shows that Australian woolgrowers see some benefit in early shipments, and the bulk of the May catalogues was Australian-grown wool. The list for the fourth sales closed several days ago, and shipments that reach London after the closing date will be carried over to the fifth series. It is as well that growers should know these facts, as it will save much unpleasantness between them and the shippers. The silver challenge cup, valued at 25 guineas, which a. number of ladies of this city presented to the now defunct Wellington Agricultural and Pastoral Association as a prize in connection with the jumping competition, lias been handed over to the Wairarapa Society, which will offer it as a prize—to be won twice in succession or three times at intervals—at its show in November next. The cup was competed for on four occasions under the auspices of the Wellington Society, with the following results :—1894. won by Mr W. E. Bidwili’s Canute; 1895, won hv Mr W. H. Williams’s Timothy; 1896, won by Mr E. 31. Mcßae's Rambler; 1897. won by Mr R. J. Neagle’s Rasper. One of the largest growers of wool in tlicl Wellington province writing from London early in May says : —“The tremendous rise in the value of wool is truly a splendid thing for New Zealand. The market is tremendously excited. 1 have been in the wool rooms and never before saw such a crowd of buyers, all unable to disguise their anxiety to get wool. I have often said that I had no faith in the cry of ‘oversupply of wool,' and that some day the world would wake up to the fact that there is not wool enough to go round, and then prices would go up with a bound. This time has come on us very suddenly.” The writer is quite right as to the effect of the riso on New Zealand. The colony will benefit very appreciably. His theory, however, for the advance is somewhat crude. The rise lias taken place in merino wool, and other descriptions have moved up in sympathy, but not to the same extent. The special reasons operating in favour of merino are—(l) The trend of fashion, which is for goods manufactured from fine wools ; (2) to the enormous decrease in the production of this class of wool. The drought in Australia has wrought havoc in the flocks, and New South Wales, which in 1891 registered about 66,000,000 sheep, could only show 40.000,000 last year; this exhibits a decrease

of 26.000.000. without taking into account the natural increase in the seven years, which has also been lost. What is true of New South Wales is relatively true of the other colonies. In the Argentina a few years ago, about seventy per cent, of the clip was merino but owing to the clevelopmnt of the frozen meat trade in the Republic the proportion of merino has been reduced to about thirty per cent. In the three years. 1895 to 1898. there was a decrease in Cape and Australasian wool of 477.000 bales. The number of consumers has increased during the period, and if the circumstances are taken into consideration, the reason for an advance in values becomes apparent. Furthermore the fact must not be overlooked that during the past three years of shortage the manufacturers have been able to work off their reserve stocks, and are consequently well able to take in fresh supplies, even at higher rates. The advance noted at the last London sales is not so much a rise in value as the arrest of a decline. Wool is regaining the ground that was lost in 1897 and 1898. Crossbred wool has advanced in sympathy with merino, and as the tendency is for the production of this class of wool to increase, the probability of present values being maintained for more than a limited period is not very strong. Crossbred wool is a by-product of the frozen meat industry, and as this is further developed, not alone in New Zealand, but also in Australia and the River Plate, the output of wool musn increase, and with the increase must come lower prices, so long as the demands of fashion are adverse to this class of wool. Mail advices show that 184.500 bales were available for the third series of London wool sales, and of this quantitv 6100 bales were from South Africa and the balance from Australasia, distributed as follows :

Of the total available. 50.000 bales were forwarded direct to the manufacturing districts, and there were 9150 held over from the previous sales. Commenting on the sales. Messrs Dalgety and Co. say : -- The present rise in merino wool; is a logical consequence of the continued decreased production during the last three years, and the fact that, in addition to this, fashions have favoured them, and unless there should be some sudden change in this direction, it seems as if, for the time, present prices will iu only be maintained but may possibly go ye. dearer, though values are now approaching a somewhat high level. For cro. sbred the demand has been most irregula., except for the fmer-haired grades, the difference between these and the coarser wools being very marked, though even these latter, in spite of the continued depressed state of Home-grown wools nave in sympathy with the general excitement, risen about .Id per lb. During the month of May there was exported from the colony 4688 cwt of butter of the value of -£19.047. and of this New Plymouth was responsible for 3551 cwt. valued at £14.265. The quaidity of cheese exported amounted to 6525 cwt, valued at £13.281. and of this 1327 cwt.. valued at £2816. was shipped at Wellington. Of frozen mutton 177,200 carcases were exported, valued at £94,537. and of this 146.710 carcases, valued at £79.461. were shipped from North Island ports, and 30.490 carcases, valued at £14.876. from South Island ports. Of lamb. 169.054 carcases were exported, valued at £79,068.and of these 16,898 carcases, valued at £7552. were shipped from North Island ports, and 152.156 carcases, valued at £71,516, from South Island ports. It is evident that more attention is paid to the lamb trade in the Sou*h than appears to be the case in this island. When early last month the price of North Island mutton had reached its highest level at the Smithfield meat market. we attributed the advance to the shortage of supplies from the River Plate, and we are amply supported by the advices received by last mail. The Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company, in its circular of the sth ult., states that the supplies of Australian mutton were very short on that date, Plate mutton also being light, and in consequence values had gone up. Messrs Weddel and Co. express the same views, but it was anticipated that prices would recede as soon as shipments then afloat came to hand, which, as we know from the cabled reports, did occur. Some astoundingly large profits were made by the advance. One report says:—“The rapid rise made in values of all kinds of imported mutton have given c.i.f. buyers a rich harvest. Not only have the original purchasers cleared d and id per lb on the low prices at which they bought, but those who bought from them have realised a further ',d to id per lb. New Zealand mutton bought to arrive c.i.f. at 2£d and 3d per lb have since sold at 3gd. 3id and 3 11-16 d per lb to second buyers, who have again sold at the Central Meat Market at 4id an per lb. Australian mutton has been equally profitable ; bought very cheaply, present prices, 3;d and 4d per'lb show a very handsome profit. Perhaps the largest amount ever cleared on a single c.i.f. purchase was a

clear Id per lb on a large shipment of about 20,000, due here in June, the first buyer’s profit being estimated to be £6500 to £7OOO, and appearances at present indicate a handsome return to the second buyers”

North Island. RiverPlate per lb. per lb. d. cl. April 9 ... 3 7-10 3:’ April 16 ... 3 9-16 3.1 April 23 ... 35 o 1 April SO ... 4 4 May 1 ... 4\ 4 May'll ... 4 1-16 3J May 21 ... 3 15-16 o! May 28 ... 35 o June 1 ... 3 13-16 3jj

From Quantity. Value lb £ Victoria 6G.224.16o .. . 2.228,476 Is.S.W 249,067.242 .. . 8.308.047 Queensland 36.678.960 .. . 3,009.196 S. Aus 33.322.132 . 908 702 \Y. Aus 10.126.3C6 .. 2^7.731 (Tasmania ... 7.792.976 ... 26 L AGO IN'. Zealand 149.376.886 .. 1.616.643 602.478.663 19.703.266 Tlie values cf frozen and chilled mutton and beet exported from each colony were as follows : — Mutton. Beef. £ £ V ictoria 9.767 N.S.W 284,784 ... 46,641 Queensland . 12.947 ... 660.800 S. Australia 13,600 ... New Zealand 1.492.647 ... 104.062 1,881,636 ... 820.160

New Nett Arrivals. Available Bales. Bales. Victoria . 38.006 22 OUl. Now South Wales.. . 72.099 51.100 Queensland . 27,216 28.300 South Australia .. . 12.762 12.690 Worst Australia .. 2,346 2.400 Tasmania . 1.688 1,(00 New Zealand .. 65,111 57.300 219,116 173 400