EXPORT OF LIVE STOCK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2157, 27 June 1895, Page 16

EXPORT OF LIVE STOCK.

Elsewhere in thia issue will be found an interesting letter from the New Zealand and Australian Land Company's Edinburgh office to their Kew Zealand manager, giving full particulars connected with the shipment of live sheep by the Banffshire made on the joint account of the Land Company and Messrs Tuutnuji/L, Mautin, and Co., and also the account sales in connection with the realisation of the sheep. The exjjeriment can hardly be said to j have been a success so far as the returns are concerned, leaving as it does a net profit of only 2s 4d per head with the knowledge that the shipping company could not undertake future shipments under the poop, where the sheep were carried, unless they received double the freight charged for the Banffshire shipment. The successful carriage and landing ef the, sheep have, however, demonstrated that under different conditions it may be quite possible to develop the live stock trade from New Zealand. Doubtless steamers would have -to be specially built for the purpose, provided with every facility for efficient ventilation and cleanliness. While it may not be possible to carry the sheep even in steamers specially built for the trade at a lower freight than 10s per head, reductions could be relied upon in some of the other charges which the trial shipment under notice has had to l>ear.» Bonuses were given, for example, on a somewhat liberal scale, and the caretaker's wages came to about 15s per day. Then there are expenses for fittings, water tanks, &c, which in the case of steamers regularly employed in the trade, "would not be a recurring charge. It is quite conceivable that economies might be made that would result in a profit per head much in excess of that realised on the shipment under notice. With large shipments, on the other hand, the average mortality under bad weather or other adverse circumstances might 80 prejudicially affect results that the profit would be inadequate. The whole question can in the meantime only be discussed tentatively. Tt is quite certain, however, that the possibilities of the trade will not be allowed to rest with the Eanffshire's experimental shipment. Sooner or later trials on a large scale .will be made under advantageous conditions, and we trust that the companies and sheepowners who are vitally interested in the future of our export meat trade will not rest satisfied until they have determined the prospects of success or otherwise of the export of live sheep. Including the Wellington shipment, the Wakatipu took in all over 800 sheep to Sydney. The other day a eebhler residing near Masterfcon put his sheep into a paddock that had been laid with rabbit poison. The result was that he lost over 40 cheep.