STOCK & GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2105, 28 June 1894, Page 7

STOCK & GRAZING NOTES.

By Dboveb. Weekly Stock Sales : Monthly : Burnside, Wednesdays Clinton, Palmerston, Invercr rgill, Tuesdayg anQ Winton. Ashburton, Tuesdays Addington.^Vednead'ys Periodically: Fortnightly: Heriot, Kelso, and KyeBalclutha, Fridays -, bura. Gore, Tuesdays. [Communications of Interest t« stockbreeders and dealers are Cordially invited. AU communications to reach Witness office not later than Monday night,] At Burnside last week 122 head of fat cattle were yarded, and prices were a shade better. This was the best yarding of cattle I have'seen for some time, and there seems little doubt but that prime cattle in moderate supply will meet good markets for some time to come, and that prices will be maintained, and probably advance, for, despite dull-times, when people go in for beef they like it prime. " In Canterbury there seems at present no great supply of prime beef, but at the same time fat cattle are considerably lower in price, and I notice that on the whole Burnside seems the best market, and a fair proportion of the best fat cattle seem to be coming from Southland and Canterbury. There is not much demand for store cattle of any kind, those having winter feed being apparently fully supplied, and consequently any sales in the market here or at country sales show a declining market, witli prices very much in favour of buyers, I think. Of fat sheep 2500 were yarded, a quantity considerably in excess of requirements taking into consideration that there was no buying for freezing, which makes a great difference always. The fat sheep, like the fat cattle, were the best lot I have seen in the yards for some time, but owing to the above-named causes prices were considerably lower — in fact, I should.sayfrom Is 6d to 2s head lower — than previous week, quality considered. Prime crossbred wethers brought from 14s to 15s, a few heavy pens bringing as high as 16s ; •• prime crossbred ewes brought 12s to 12s 6d. I notice that at Addington, notwithstanding that there was a demand for export, prices for prime mutton were not so good as at Burnside, prime freezers only bringing 14s to 15s, and these were rather better sheep that the Burnside hesb. I think all other sheep for local requirements WBre decidedly lower. Business in stores was a little more lively in 'Canterbury than at Burnside, but on the whole Tery little has been doing. . In pigs there is al vays a good deal doing, and both at Burnside and in Canterbury bacon pigs are in good demand. Were there a better and more regular supply of good bacon pigs I think prices would still keep up, for I notice that some of the larger buyers, like the Intermarine Supply Co., are not buying, as the quantity offering is not sufficient to enable them to keep their works going regular'y ; but I hope that this t will shortly be remedied, and that there will be a large and increasing business in pigs. Canterbury farmers are far ahead of those in Otago, and I have conversed 'with several who look upon the pig as a good friend and one likely to prove a profitable and jpermanent source of benefit to all farmers. There is not much doing in horses, and prices •are, I consider, much" in favour of buyers. There seems little or no difference in prices at Christchurch and Dunedin, good heavy •draughts going at from £14 to £17 I should think it a good time for farmers to replenish their teams of horses. Other sorts are comparatively neglected. When in Canterbury the other day I found 'that farmers there have agood desl to siy about the Addington Saleyards Company — I mean in the way of growling, of course. The yard dues, they say, are very heavy, and an extra rate of •a halfpenny per head on sheep is charged for those sent in on Tuesday, and owing to the timing of the trains tbis is to a considerable extent unavoidable. The yards are, in my •opinion, very dirty and uncomfortable, and our farmers here are much better off in tbis respect. Added to the cause of complaint alluded to, a •considerab'e amount of sheep stealing seems to •be going on among the lots left on the Tuesday, •and the company apparently takes no responsibility in the matter of delivering the number ■of sheep so left, and don't consider it their duty 'to appoint night watchmen. On the whole I that Canterbury farmers have cause for jgrowling, and it is to be hoped that the 'lAddington Saleyards Company will, if only in <their own interests, remedy matters and show 'more consideration towards their clients. -I regret to notice that all the agricultural and Ipas'toral societies have a little to say on the ''•sheep-stealing industry," and the Auckland have . recommended Jjhaj; substantial teams should be provided out of the sheep .tax as rewarcs for the detection and conviction of those engaged in this nefarious work. In my opinion, were this done and the rewards duly advertised all over, it might have a distinctly good effect and cause a nervous feeling in thoFe gentlemen engaged in the business, and would give lots of young men about the country encouragement to keep their eyes on those who are either known to be or are suspected of being «ngaged~in this far too flourishing but disreputable business The agents selling at Burnside have apparently no intention of reducing commission-, alleging that it will not pay to do so. In this connection I find that the most unprofitable and "risky part of the business of the Canterbury •Farmers' Co-operative Association — at present in course of reconstruction — was the auction■eering business. Farmers should note this, and .great care should be taken by them in any •schemes for altering the existing mode of dealing with the selling of stock and regulation of markets. No class of people, in my opinion, are more to "be benefited by hanging well together than "farmers, but any schemes should be well con

sidered and carefully entered on. For instance, co-operation in the erection of works and carrying on of the freezing of sheep might in my opinion be ss well and as profitably managed as the cheese export trade is carried on by the large factories co-operating in Otago and Southland. Freezing works would, of course, have to cover a greater area than the cheese and butter factories, but I am sure that (he same principles could be applied. It must be admitted that the Burnside works have not been popular with farmers, and that Southland and Canterbury have gone far ahead of us in this respect. In my opinion a proper scheme for the erection of works at Balclutha, or wherever else may be thought desirable, and put forward by farmers and graziers possessing the confidence of their neighbours, will meet with the support to be desired, and if the present works at Burnside are, as is rumoured, to be sold to a company or to the City Corporation for abattoirs, there will be the more need and the better opportunity for the erection of new works on different principles, both of construction and constitution.

The great tariff question now before the American Legislature is one fraught with interest to aU colonial farmers. The great fight is just now on, and by the great jight I mean the question as to whether raw wool shall be admitted free or not. Countries that have been given over to Protection are much in the position of confirmed drunkards. The confirmed drunkard desires earnestly to be rid of the curse that bears him down, and recognises that the only cure is to give it up at once and altogether. But there's the rub— the shock to his constitution and nervous system is more than he feels able to endure, and the sacrifice appals him. On a'l hands intelligent people now see the evil of Protection, and admit it — and American people notably so. M'Kinlayism has well nigh ruined them, but as in the case of a confirmed drunkard who would be cured, the strain on existing institutions built up und< r this fa'se principle is tivmendous, and great sacrifice is needed to cure the evil ; and the question now is whether the Americans will

face their position with the courage worthy of the great nation they are and confer an immense benefit on all by a successful struggle to be free from the dishonesty and demoralisation of Protection. As yet I cannot see how the battle is to go, but I hope that raw wool will be made free of duty, and if so farme-s may rejoice, as it means a rise in wool and an improvement in trade. The fact of the question having been in suspense for some time past has been against any improvement in the wool market, but if it is once settled that wool can go into America duty free the market will, I am of opinion, become lively and assume a . healthy and improving tone, and the difference will soon be felt all round, causing firmness and buoyancy in the market both for wool and landed property. Farmers, then, should watch the latest news re the American tariff with attention and interest. From Auckland to the Bluff there has been stir and excitement in the despatch of longwoolled sheep to the great sale of stud sheep at Sydney. The Mararoa, Wakatipu, Rotokino, Flora, Talune, Tasmania, and other steame'B were crowded with splendid speci. mens of all kinds, and I trust that such enterprise on the 'part of New Zealand breeders will meet with the reward it merits financially, and I believe it will do so, although some seem to think that the quantity will be too great for the market. I, however, don't think so. Altogether 5000 sheep have gone from New Zealand, and possibly another 3000 long wools will go to the sale from Tasmania and from local breeders, and this quantity should not be too much, as the demand for this class of sheep is a growing one in Australia, and buyers from all the Australian colonies will be present. At a recent sale of Lincolns in Victoria from the flock of Mr F. F. Rutledge, of Warrnambool, the following prices were made for 928 ewes, all ages, and 420 rams, also all ages : — Two Imported Rams. Royal Constitution 11, lambed 1891, bred by H. Dudding ; sire, Old Constitution (308), shorn September 23 ; R. G. Higgins, Kickerbil lOOgs Riby Cropwell Monster, lambed 1891, bred by H. Dudding ; .sire, Cropwell II (492), shorn October; E. Manifold, Danedite 60gs Averages of Ewes. £ s. d. ] specially selected ewe weaners ... 611 3 1(10 selected ewe weaners 3 57 -200 ewe weaners 2 2 0 100 specially selected ewes, one-year-old 416 7 80 ewes, one-year-old 3 50

30 specially selected ewes, two-year-old 8 8 0 30 ewes, two-year-old 710 6 70 ewes, three-year-old 3 12 8 118 selected ewes, four-year-old 310 3 100 ewes, four-year-oH 220 Averages of Rams. £ s. d. 100 specially selected ram "vveanors ... 415 4 274 ram weaners 2 15 0 24 specially selected rams, one-year-old 23 9 0 20 old stud rams 7 13 6 2 imported rams 84 0 0 Summary. 928 ewes (all ages) averaged 3 15 6 420 rams (all ages) averaged 5 0 0 Total, 1348 rams and ewes (all ages), averaged 4 3 3 Total proceeds £5604 12 9 From these prices, obtained at a comparatively local market sale in Victoria, I think it may be fairly argued that 8000 or 9000 long-wool sheep are not by any means too much for such a market as the great Sydney stud sheep sale ought to prove. Some good merino stud sheep may be bought there by New Zealand breeders, and I hope this will be the case, as a change of blood, even if only in the way of new blood, is sometimes advisable. All classes of long wools have gone, and perhaps the vexed question as to the best breed for freezers may have some light thrown on it at the by no means to be despised convincing ground of such a saleyard as that will prove. I hope to have more to say on this matter, as I have asked a brother drover who has gone over in charge of some of the sheep to send me an account, and give me his ideas on the subject when he comes i back.