STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2199, 23 April 1896, Page 5

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

By Dboveb. I Weekly Stock Sales; \ Fortnightly: Burnside. Wednesdays H U S'S Rya Ashburton, Tuesdays o2mk™ Wtinn Addington, Wed^d'ys Invercargill, Tuesdays. Monthly: Periodically: ■ Clinton, Palmerston, Horiot, Kelso, and Kye and Winton. burs. [Communications of Interest U •tock'orecilerg and dealori mra oordUily inritcd. All jommnnio*tiODj to renoh Wttnesi office sot later than Mondij ulcht,) .

Ab Burnside last week there was a yarding of 166 head of rather poor cattle. Only a few pens could be classed as first-rate beef. Prices for all such were good, considering that the cattle were all on the imall side. Some bullocks and heifers in good order'brought up to £8 ss. The bulk oLthe yarding were a poor lot, mostly half fat, and went at low rates. Competition for all outside of prime beef' was very dull. I quote the price of prime beef at about 21s, but the demand for inferior beef and old cows, of which there seems bo end, is dull.

The yarding of sheep principally consisted of old ewes in very moderate condition. The market for prime wethers and good ewes np to freezing quality was lively, and prices were quite up to those of the previous week. Good freezers seem scarce, and are still bringing prices that surprise one in the face of the quoted rates of frozen mutton in London. Best wethers brought up to 12b 9d, ewes up to lls 6d, or, I should say, about equal to 2d par Ib. The market for all lower qualities was dull and depressed, more ao than has been the case for some time, and I regret to see that the,-bulk of the yarding consisted of -second-class mutton, a comparatively smajl yarding of which quality fills, up the local requirements. v -s In Canterbury prime freezers seem scarce, and' prices there are fully better than down here, competition among exporters for all prime crossbred wethers being keen, and 13s to 14s being given for all such. For store sheep and second-quality mutton the market is dull and lifeless.

The store sheep market is dull, and*p ri "c2B are lower than one would expecb, considering the brightening prospects of the wool market,

but I think that shortly we shall see a better demand. All young, strong 6heep are firmly held, and buyers at present consider they will have what they want of the older sheep later on at lower rates. Wa certainly are well stocked with aged sheep. . \

The low prices which have of late prevailed have caused considerably more activity in the grain" market, and I should think that a low enough point had now been reached to satisfy speculators' and millers and induce them to buy largely. I should say that wheat had now reached its lowest for the; ear. Not & great deal has yeb come to band, and local millers have not been buying wheat largely yet. In fact, farmers don't generally seem inclined to rush the market with their wheat, and in this I think they are right. Prices in wheat are about on a par with Canterbury rates, bub oats are firmer and at higher prices in Canterbury than here. There is more inclination to buy oats now. Supplies have been coming to town moderately, which is j.a»t as well. The Australian market will be relieved of its heavy stocks of oats shortly, and we may then, I am confident, look for some improvement in price. As to California and American wheat for the Sydney market, I am inclined to think that speculators have made the most of this. Bub all these countries seem inclined v to push trade at very bare profits. I notice that the Canadian-Pacific railway are lowering wheat freight rates to develop 'the wheat export trade from Vancouver. When will our Government railways lower rates or do anything at all to develop export trade or settlement? Their Role idea seems to be that the railways were built to supply wages for a certain number of employees and pay a small rate of interest — say, 3 per cent.— on the cose of construction. Beyond this they seem to have no further policy. The yarn circulated in Sydney re bad quality New Zealand wheat to my miud is evidence that speculators have been doing all they could to lower prices by preventing buyers operating in New Zealand wheat till they get in at low rates. '

The season for bacon curing has now come on, and both here and in Canterbury there is a good demand for prime bacon pigs, not too heavy, about 1201b to 1601b dead weight treing y those moht SDiyhb after— as near 1201b as possible, if -in prime order, being preferred. There has been a fair export trada with Sydney, and all previous season's stocks are run down. The demand for Australia still continues, and when all Hhe duty comes off in June in New South Wales matters may be still mote improved. Fully 3d per lb should be the price maintained for pigs, and I think this will be so. When pigs are ready for the market I think that 3d per lb should be taken, and I doa'b think holding for a higher rate in such a casa good policy. Figs are apt to get too heavy, and then they are not easily sold, and lower sates have to be accepted per ib. As I think the question of selling by weight an important one, I think that the following from The Times of the 17th February trill bo interesting:-— The first instance of a British farmer having consigned fab live cattle to a live atock ea'esman with written instructions to announce to the buyers that the cattle were to ba sold by weight to the highest bidder without reserve price occurred last week at Dundee. The butchers responded readily to the offer, for they were able to devote their attention entirely to estimating the quality of the beef before them and bidding accordingly, leaving to the weighbridge the settlement of the quantity. The contigaor was Mr John D. M'Janneb, of Woodlands, Stirling, who has done much to popularise the weighbridge, and the Auctioneer! were Messrs Dodds and Bathie, Dundee. The ease is of so much interest that we append a. copy of the sale note, which graziers may compare with the kind of statement they usually receive : — 19 High 6treeb, Dundee, February 11, 1896. Account sales of live stock sold by Dodds and Bathie, auctioneers, in their auction ring, Dundee cattle market, on account of John D. M'Jannet, Eaq , Stirling : Owt qr lb Home-bred brown bullock 11 .2 Oat 33s 9d £19 8 1 Some-bred grey . bullock ... ... 10 121 at 32s 9d 17 110 Irish-bred brown bullock 10 2 Uat 32s 17 0 0 Irish-bred roan i bullock 11 1 Oat 32s' 18 0 0 j£7l 9 11 | Leas charges — i Commission at 3d per £ ... £0 17 9 i Custom and keep 0 6 8 Railway carriage from Oakley ..I .114 Drovsr from station. „, 0 10 _____ oko k a Cheque ' £69 4 2 Bank charge on cheque at Stirling ... 00 10 Net amount , ,„ ... £69 3 4 February 21, 1896. X&U evident from the acco—tf (sales that the

British farmer is uot burdened by heavy oharges The commission is a little less than l^per cent., and the raflage from Stirling to Dundee is also very moderate. In the inter«t of my profession I protest against the low rate of wages paid t« •' Drover "-only «. •• bob." I like the low ratt of commission, and I appreciate the moderate railage, but regret to see that drover*' w«gos are at such a low ebb. I only hope that Mr M'Janneb himself treated •• Drover" to half a gill, and gave him at leait " fivo bob " on this •uspicious occaaioD. Selling by weight is attracting great attention at Home, and Mr M'Janneb is no longer looked upou as a faddist. Canterbury people not being satisfied with the freight rate's provided between New Zealand and New Bonth Wales by our two steamship companies, who have now fixed a rate between them j>nd are uot at preaanb competing at low rates as in the past, have managed to geb outside freight at lower rates. A little more combination on the parb of exporters generally might bring about a considerable redaction for the benefit of growers. In Canterbury it is *&id that local millers ara supplying themselves with oats in Ofcitgo and Southland, as the Canterbury growers generally refuse to accept present rates. This may be the case, but I see no need for rates being lower here than there, as there is a fair prospect of a good expoit trade later on. I have frequently called attention to the fact that of late, and especially in the earlier part of this season, our export of mutton was not gene- , rally up to a first-clftSb standard of quality, and I pointed out that probable disastrous results would follow. All the Utesb correspondence from London shows that my surmise was correct, and that the very heavy tupplies of middling and inferior mutton landing in London have not only checked an improvement which was evidently anticipated by those who bought here, aud expected by the trade generally, bub has weakened the market considerably ; and though re&lly prime sheep are source the price has been seriously affected, as is always the case when second-quality produce is in large supply. Even prime Canterbury mutton suffered a reduction of nearly £d par lb owing to the market having been so weakened by the landing of mutton of inferior quality and in bad condition in superabundant supply. Lamb, however, is reported on as having landed in good order aud of fine quality, and- one thing to be noted is that Wellington lamb appears to have been better than Canterbury. Theae Wellington lambs ■re reported. on as very prime, showing breed and quality, "but a trifle too large thus early in the season." This remark is, to my mind, suggestive. Why " too large thus e»rly in the season " if, as admitted, of prime quality ? I have always had a suspicion that the best of our meat is generally sold as English; and this remark makes me suspicious still. If they are to be sold as New Zealand lamb, and aro of "prime qualiby," "showing breed," &0., I don't sec the point of the remark that they are " too large thus early in the season " ; bub if they are to be sold by the retailer to the confiding British housekeeper as best English or Scotch, then the remark has point and explains itself, as English or Scotch lamb in February or March would nob be generally as large as these lambs, and butchers would have some difficulty in palming them off as such to customers of an inquiring or suspicions turn of ■ mind, for there is no doubt about ib that the average British housekeeper is uneasy on this question, and asuspicion is dawning on them that often they eit Colonial frozen mutton and lamb and appreciate ib and pay for ib as British, and they don't like finding out that they are being had in this matter. When they dohava their eyes opened I have good reason for saying that their anger is great, but takes what I call a most unreasonable form, being often directed agaiustr bhe unoffending meat which bbey have eaten and enjoyed, and not against the butcher who has deceived them.

New Zealand meat exporters must now retrace their steps and try to mend their ways. We can produce first-class meat, e,nd should do so. If the freezing companies cannot among themselves combine to raise and regulate the quality of our meat I see nothing foe it bat A scheme of Government inspection and grading, the result of which has been a general improvement is the

)eputation of our dairy produce on the London markets. x / Altboufh the New Zealand butter market this season will show considerably better prices than those, of last year, due in a 'great measure to the shortage of the Australian export to London, there- will be general disappointment at the non-fulfilment of hopes that higher prices would have ruled in London. The butter has improved in reputation, and leading New Zealand factories haye o sold at highest rates, but these have not been hi^h, owing partly to the very mild winter and spring having made continental and English produce more plentiful than usual. The multiplicity of New Zealand selling' agents also ha* tended much to lower prices both of cheese and butter. With regard to cheese, although the rates are low, I think we have done well. Canadian best has been selling at 40s to 43,«, and account sales I have seen of our earlier New Zealand shipments show that we have maintained these rates. Canadian Septembers have been selling Jtgainst our spring cheese. Our later shipments show much finer quality, of course,* than the earlier cheese. It is a greit pity that our February and March make gets ■ Home so late, but I think if our full cheese was advertised as such in London we should obtain ' better prices. Generally, so far as I can see, it seems that justice is hardly done to our best New Zealand cheese. London merchants of repute consider even our earlier shipments of best factories equal to Canadian. I am eenvinccd that our best cheese sees the coninmer as Canadian. lam not at all satisfied about the way our cheese is generally handled j in London. It seems to be usually sold helterskelter as New Zealand, and very little.- atten- ■ tion is paid as to quality, I have seen a great i deal of cheese shipped. Some of it I would j place at much lower in quality than others, and I have traced the sales and seen the account sales, and these show no difference in value in London. I have often seen our southern factory cheese kept here in an ordi- , nary store for over 12 months, and at the preBent moment could show such cheese to any inquirer, who would find it prime and mellow, without any stroDg or rank flavour} butr-suit-able for any market, and yet we hear from London of cheese from such factories reported on as strong. It strikes me that . we may be on wrong lines in keepfug.the cheese chambers at such a low temperature, and that this low temperature checks ripening and causes bitter* cess in some cases. Ici course have Been plenty 'of cheese strong and with bad flavour when shipped, but in these remarks I have alluded to cheese that was clean and wellflavoured. lam of opinion that the cheese chamber 'of the future will be one with a system of cool draught, and that at present there is too much refrigeration only. ~ Tbe subject should be investigated by the National Dairy Association, '