1938-39 SHOW SEASON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23631, 15 October 1938, Page 3

1938-39 SHOW SEASON

ROSTER OF DATES Summer shows have been arranged for the 1938-39 season as follows: — October 28 and 29.—Timaru. November 10 and 11.— Canterbury Metropolitan, at Addington. November 16.—Waimate November 16.—Kelso. November 18 and 19.—North Otago, at Oamaru. November 19.—Taien. November 22 and 23.—Otago Metropolitan. at Tahuna Park. November 25. —Clutha and Matau. at Balclutha. November 26.—Winton. December 3.—Tokomairiro Farmers Club, at Milton. December 6 and 7.—Gore. December 10,-Wyndham. December 13 and 14.—Southland, at Invercargill ■■ . December 18.—Manlotolo. at Eanfurly December 17.—Otago Peninsula, at Portobello December 27.—Tuapeka, at Lawrence. 1939 January 14.—Waitatl. January 21.—Waikouaiti. January 27.—Palmerston-Waihemo, at Palmerston. April 10.—Stratb-Taieri at Middlemarch. April 10.—Mackenzie Highland, at Falrlie.

Department of Agriculture, with headquarters at Hamilton, according to an announcement made at the meeting of the Lincoln College Board of Governors recently. While Instructor in agriculture at Auckland, Mr Smallfleld made important investigations into lime resources and the supply and uses of fertilisers. He organised and supervised the Ruakura State Farm, and was promoted to fields superintendent for Auckland nine years ago. His wide knowledge and ability to give sound opinions on farming matters proved invaluable. Experiments made by Mr Smallfleld led to the development of thousands of acres of pumice land about Lake Taupo, turning them into permanent grasslands, giving a return of over 2001 b of butter-fat to the acre. This led to the development of extensive pumice areas held by the Crown. Mr Smallfleld also earned out experiments of great value to the pig industry at Ruakura. Costs and Market Limitations "It is with a feeling of apprehension for the future of New Zealand, and especially of its producers, that I once more issue a grave warning, ' said Mr E. M. Edkins, chairman of directors, at the annual meeting of the Farmers’ Co-operative Auctioneering Company, Ltd., held at Hamilton last week. “I think it is high time the farmers of the Dominion awakened to the dangerous position into which we are drifting with the ever-mounting costs of production,” Mr Edkins added, and continued: “ This country is adopting a dangerous experimental policy, involving the raising of costs, and is taking absolutely no notice of the fact that unless other countries, producing the same goods as ourselves and competing on the same markets, adopt similar methods, so surely will they undersell us. To hold those markets we shall have no alternative but to sell below cost, thus causing ruination to our producers, wholesale un-. employment, and the very repercussions affecting all classes of the community that we are striving to avoid.” Mr Edkins, according to the official report of the meeting, stressed the check imposed on rising prices by the production of substitutes such as margarine, In competition with butter, and Wollstra, in competition with wool. He also remarked that “ if in the near future the enormous expenditure on armaments, which naturally creates an abnormal demand, should suddenly cease, New Zealand will wake up to the fact that it is loaded with huge commitments for taxation, reduced revenue to meet it with, and high cost of living. "No Government can force purchasers overseas to pay us a price in excess of a world competitive price,” Mr Edkins averred. “A practical demonstration is at hand in last season’s rise in shearing costs from 28s 6d to 34s per 100. Wool, however, dropped by over £6,000,000. The Government then reduced the wages to 28s 6d. But why do this if we can insulate New Zealand from world prices? Why not keep the price of wool stable and wages up? Who, however, is to find the huge deficit of over £6,000,000? ” Australian Woollen Mills The growth of woollen manufacturing in Australia and the support the industry is giving the woolgrower there is the subject of an article in Dalgety’s annual wool review. It is shown that the quantity of wool absorbed by the Commonwealth has substantially increased since pre-war days, but as production is limited to local requirements it would appear that progress of the future must mainly depend upon an Increase in Australia’s population. In 1906-7 the Commonwealth factories absorbed only 66,019 bales, but by the outbreak of war the intake had risen to 83,557 bales. The abnormal demand for military clothing resulted in a rapid expansion to 136,331 bales in 1915-16, but with the arrival of peace, requirements were reduced to 87,772 bales in 1920-21. The post-war years, however, saw a rapid expansion in the industry, and from 138,079 bales required in 1921-22 the mills’ demands rose almost consistently, reaching 332,179 bales in 1937-38. Although buying on local users’ account is never on a spectacular scale, the review states it is, nevertheless, distinctly helpful, and its steady increase during recent years has been of material assistance in the market. A feature of the demand from local mills is that it is well spread. The Australian manufacturer is so close to the producer that there is not the same necessity, as in the case of Old World users, to build up stocks. Expansion in recent years has been greatest in New South Wales. In this State in 1901 there were four mills employing 234 employees and using material valued at £30,272. In 1936-37 there were 20 mills employing 6289 workers and using materials valued at £2,657,891. In six years the woollen and worsted cloth produced has risen from 5.660.212 yards in 1930-31 to 14,992,758 yards in 1936-37,