STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2356, 20 April 1899, Page 6

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

By Deovbb.

Weekly Stock Salts : Invercargill, Tuesdays. Burnside, Wednesdays Monthly : Ashburton, Tuesdays Clinton, Palmerston, AddingtOD.WednescJays B an ' d Winton Fcrtniqhtly: Periodically: Balclutha, Fridays Heriot.Kelso, and KyeGore, Tuesdays burn. Oainaru, Tuesdays. | [Coromusloatiom of In torsi t t» itookbreedera and.dcc.len ate oordUMj Invited. All oomniunicatlom to rcuch Witneu office net later than Monday nizht.l The yarding of cattle at Burnside was about 250, being in my opinion just about 100 too many for the demand, which, as I have often before pointed out, has a limit. Nearly the whole supply was good to prime beef, but I was not at all surprised to see- bidding slack and prices down about 15s to £1 a head. Butchers know the requirements of the market, and recognising that there was more than enough to go round comfortably, took matters quietly and got their supplies cheaply in consequence. £7 10s to £8 5s ruled for the best, and £6 to £7 for nice small bullocks. About 2200 sheep were yarded, some 800 of which were wethers from medium to prime. The latter sold at from 13s to 14s, medium 11s to 12s 6d. The bulk of the yarding were owes, tho best of which brought prices equal to those ruling for wethers, but the majority of them brought 7s to 9s.

Tho lambs yarded, with tho exception of a few pens, were a. poor show indeed. A few pens suitable for freezers brought 10s to 11s. The bulk of the yarding wae taken by butchers at 7s to 9s.

Pigs continue to command good prices, bacon pigs bringing readily 45s to 555, or equal to 4|d per lb.

At Addington prime freezing sheep continue in very short supply. Prime wethers bring 15 , to over 16s, medium 13s to 14s, heavy ewes 15s to 16s. Lambs arc also very scarce, and hardly any really prime come for-

v/ard. Fair quality lambs bring 10s to 12s 6d, butchers taking medium quality lambs at 9s to 10s. The supply of lamb yarded is only about enough for locnl want 1 ?.

In Canterbury the prices of breeding ewes and turnip sheep and lambs continue to be good. The prices paid at tho Waikakahi sale, as given in last week's Witness, prove this. Forward store wethers bring 12s 6d to 14s, smaller 10s 6d to 11s 6d, two-tooths mixed sexes 10s to 13s, sound breeding ewes from 10s to 11s 6d according to age, full-mouthed 7b to 9s, good store lambs from 8s to 10s 6d. Prices for store sheep and lambs and breeding ewes at local country sale's are not quite up to Canterbury rates, but are, I should Fuy, extremely satisfactory to those selling. I only hope buyers will do as well out of their purchases, but I must say at present I don't see much margin of profit for buyers at ruling rates. Turnips, however, are plentiful, and let us hopo for a boom in frozen meat later on.

I have a few words to say in reference to " Novice's " remarks in his letter in this column last week re "trotting" at auction sales. "Novice" accuses me of only making some weak joke on the subject in reply to Mr Murray's letter some time ago. I am sorry if I did make a weak joke in connection with it, but I can assure him I consider the subject an important one and that "trotting" at auction sales ought to be put down. The Act of Parliament under which auctioneers are licensed seems to make provision for stopping this practice ; but the offence is very difficult to prove. We all know that "trotting" at auction Bales is carried on, but knowing it is a very different thing to proving it, and as a writer in the press, I have to remember that there is a law of libel to face, and though I prove my statements on the subject true it will not save me. There are many subjects the press might deal with to tho great benefit of individuals and communities if a proper law of libol as affecting the newspapers wero put on the Statute Book, and this is one of many. Now that tho Hon. John M'Kenzie has left the colony there may be some chance of getting puch legislation pae?ed. Indeed it is to be noted that even ho has Eoftencd somewhat towards tho pref-s, as was evidenced in his latest remarks. His sound sense was bound to triumph over his temper at last.

So long as agents and auctioneers run dealers as thty do, many of them with little or no capital, so long will <his evil exift. The Block an. offer are often Draciacallv owned

by the auctioneer, and thos is really a breach of the law: I confess that the subject is a difficult one for me to deal with, but I am in entire sympathy with Mr Murray and " Novice," and will do all I can to help them. The subject should be taken up and discussed by the Farmers' Clubs, and I would suggest holding a meeting of representatives of these bodies, say at our Winter Show, to discuss and ventilate the grievance. I can safely promise that the Witness will send a reporter.

This is what the Melbourne Argus of the 24-th ult., says about rabbits, and if the statements made are correct, it i 8 not creditable to New Zealand: — Victorian rabbits appear to be in high favour in the London maiket just now. In Mr Sinclair's last report to the Agricultural department, dealing with market conditions, he says: — "For Victorian large-furred rabbits to arrive sales have been made at 9d and 9id, ex ship, with a good demand. Shipments from New Zealand for the season have now practically ended. Owing to the bad condition in which New Zealand rabbits have arrived during the past season, many traders in them havo lost heavily, in addition to being put to a great deal of trouble in getting rid of their shipments. Their damaged condition has been duo chiefly to carelessness prior io shipment, bad packing, and unsuitable crates. Many of the insurance companies will not cover New Zealand rabbit shipments now. All this is in favour of tho Victorian rabbit trade, and we aro now reaping the benefit of making shipments in sound condition and exercising caro in regard to grading, packing, and the adoption of a suitable crate. This careful attention to quality, condition and other details should apply to all perishable products shitmed from the colonies, and when carried out will always tell eventually in favour of the Victorian exporter in the British market." Last fortnight's shipment of rabbits from Victoria is tho largest on record, the number being 262,520. The London Times gives the folllowing quantities and values of butter and cheese imported into the United Kingdom during the years 1694-1693: —

Tho same paper remarks that the average price of imported butter was slightly higher in 1898 than in 1897, for though we received 3,7o9cwfc less, its value waa £43,654 more. It is a striking circumstance that last; year we should have imported 63'l,25Bcwt— or nearly 25 per cent — more butler than four years previously. Even more impressive is tho Ret that in 1898 we paid to foreign and co!o:nnl buttermakers more by two and a-half million sterling — actually, £2,503,872 — than we similarly expended in 1891, and that our bill for imported butter last year fell very little short of 1G millions sterling. The demand for and consumption of butter Lave quito kept pace with the increase through the expansion of the Now Zealand, Australian and River Plate manufacture, and doubtless will still increaset This moans that the dairy trade in New Zealand must continuo to expand, and must becomo one of tho fjrcato3t of our agricultural industries. Already tho export valuo is very closo on half a million, and, added to this, s very largo amount is consumed in the colonies. The main trouble, a& ever, this year has been the irregular arrivals in "London, of butter more particularly, heavy shipments by several boaU arriving within a few clays of one another.

I sincerely trust this is the last year we shall hear of this trouble. Tho dairy associations aro doing what they can to remedy the evil, but as yet thoy are not strong enough without Government aid to cope with it, as several large factories and traders cannot bo got to join in heartily. Strong and united combination would remedy tho evil, and tho meat companies should assist in bringing pressure to bear on tlie shipping companies, as the slumping on the market of largo meat .shipments irregularly must be very bad for tho meal trade. I believe that the shipping companies are willing, but, of course, they havo their own tiade jealousies, and only an impartial outside party — liko tho Government — can, in my opinion, bring them to a proper and fair understanding that would meet requirements and remedy tho evil.

Large quantities of New Zealand butter continue to go to Australia, and at the moment prices are weaker than they wore a few weeks ago. Cheese, however, is meantime in good demand and largo shipments are going, and there is a possibility of overdoing this limited maiket, as was the case a few months ago. A very large portion of this cheese and butter sent to Australia is undoubtedly used for tho rapidly-expanding Cape and, to some extent at present, Manila trade It is a matter for regret that New Zealand cannot, owing to tho action of shinning rings, do something to secure the great trade undoubtedly open, and still to extend, for our produce.

Year, (uantitics. 1394 „ 1895 .. 1896 .. 1897 .. 1898 .« Butter. .. 2,574,833 . . 2,825,062 . . 3,037,718 . . 3,217,802 „ 3,209,093 Cheese. 2,266,1-15 2,133,819 2,2i4,525 2,603,178 2,339,452 Values. 1894 ... 1896 .'. 1897 .... 1898 ... £ .. 13,456,699 .. 14,245,230 .. 15,344,364 .. 15,916,917 . 15,960,571 £ 5,474,940 4,675,130 4,900,312 5,885.521 4,970,247