STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES,

Otago Witness, Volume 02, Issue 2420, 2 August 1900, Page 6

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES,

Bs Deovkb.

Weekly Slooh Sales : Fortnight 7 ]/ : Burnside. Wednesday* Invercat G m ' Tuesdays Abhburton, Tuesdays Monthly; Addington.Wednesdays Clinton, Palmerston and "Winton. Fcrtniqhtly: Waikcuaiti Baldntba ridays Ptricdically : fiore, Tuesdays [ Heriot.Kc-lso, and KyeOamaru Tuesdays | bura.

The market for prime fat cattle still keeps "good, and there is every indication that this will continue. Prim& bv-llocks at Burnside last weak brought £9 lOs to £10 ss, medium £8 to £9. A largo proportion, of the yarding (about 240 head) were unfinished and inferior. For good unfinished there were plenty ' of buyers, however, and tne lot were cleared at very satisfactory prices, good forward, stores bringing £5 10s to £7.

I hear of several farmers who have made trial shipments of frozen beef, and the results are so encouraging that they intend continuing to export themselves. Latest advices- early in. June show that hindquarters of best quality New-Zealand sold at <Hd, and even up_to 4^d in some cases. Forequarters don't show so much improvement, and- are not in such strong demand, New Zealand being quoted afc~'3d to 3id par lb. I am glad to say that New Zealand beef sells at from, to per lb more than Australian, and BAver Plate. Up to the present there have been, no complaints,., but I regret to say that among several of the later shipments there have been several casea of " bone stink " reported, and this from several freezing works in New Zealand. Thia ia a matter entirely for our freezing worka tot put right, and great care must be exercised to avoid this trouble. In the earlier days of the export trade from Queensland thia "bone stink" vras a serious trouble, and retarded the progress of the trade very much. In freezing beef far greater care is required than, in freezing mutton, but 'there is no reason why the whole difficulty cannot be overcome. We must have no more of this trouble. If ife costs more to freeze beef properly — and I believe it does — let tho freezing works charge more for beef freezing than, for mutton; but for any sake let the work be done properly. I regret very nrach tha-t any meat with bona stink ho a left our works, and proper inspaclion of the meat might have prevented this occurring. The shipping companies cannot be blamed for this. '* Bono stink " occurs at the works in the very earliest stag© of the freezing of the carcase. Freezing beef must be done slowly and gradually, and. the meat cooled most carefully before freezing.

I hope some day to see the Gothic make another attempt at carrying chilled beef, for the first attempt was eminently encouraging. The difference in value between, chilled beef and frozen (or hard beef) is about 2d per Ib, and the matter is so important that I thinlo our Agricultural department might well assist in making a series of experimental shipments. The plant for uss in steamers carrying chilled meat is now well known and tested, and the Gothic and other steamers could bo employed. The attached list will show the relative values of chilled and hard beef : — Actual Prices Realised for AmericanChilled anO Australian Hard Beep for, Four Weeks ending iVay 26, ISM>. A m«rican Australian Chitted. Haio*. Hin<is. Fores. Hinds. Fores. Weekending d. d. <J. d. May 5, 1900 ...per lb 541 3 00 3?0 2*7 „12 „ ... „ 5-81 3-79 3-£6 281 39 6-21 4-J.9 3£9 27* "20 „ ... „ 6-21 412 3f6 287 The yarding of sheep at Burnside last week was "barely sufficient to supply the town, and prices in consequence advanced. Best crossbred wethers went at froir 19s to 203, and some a shade over; best ewes up to 18s? cvon inferior sheep that some time ago would not have brought 5s sold at from lls to 15s.

In Canterbury supplies of prime sheep ara short, and prices about on a par with tho*o afe Burnside. Freezing buyers can hardly come in at present, as supplies seem all needed for

Send for NiuifO and Blair's List of New Zealand grown Bulbs, containing all tha Finest Varieties at reasonable Prices. Po3fc Free on Applioatioa.

local consumption. Store sheep are slill in demand,- and it-is thought that the high price o£ sheep will be maintained next season. In Canterbury North Island young ewes have teen -sold at from 14s 6d to 16s lid, and considerable quantities of North Island sheep find a ready market there. Canterbury is yet considerably understocked, and no doubt next year we shall see large lots of Southland and Otago sheep going overland to swell the export of prime Canterbury mutton. More's the pity! Cannot our meat works overtake the work of freezing our own mutton, and if not, why? Or are our meat works to rely mainly on rabbits?

Prom latest advices I see that the difference in price between prime Canterbury and prime Dunedin ancl North Island has lately been only about to id per lb, while in lamb prime Canterbury has brought no more than prime Duneclin or North Island.

Now that Mr Thomas Mackenzie has secured a seat in Parliament I hope we shall have more light shed upon this frozen meat trade, ■ more particularly the way it is handled and distributed in London. I consider Mr Thomas Mackenzie a thorough farmer's representativej of whom I regret to say there are, but few in the House, and although it is still true that- the farmer,- with the- gold producer, in the main pays for all, the representatives in the House mainly look only at the interests of those who are living on the producers ancl farmers whe made the country, and will always have to keep it going and pay its debts.

Some time ago I expressed the opinion that the war in China would have its effect in improving the prices of grain, and I am glad to note that there is now a very decided improvement in the grain "market. Wheat has improved in demand, "out as yet not to such an extent as oats. Holders of wheat, however, are firm in Canterbury, and decline to accept present "rates, and in this I think they are right. With regard to oats ' and hay I think the outlook is very encouraging. Seven or eight large vessels are now getting ready in Melbourne for China, and doubtless a great portion of their supply must come from New Zealand. What we want is still more direct shipping trade witii the consumers in South Africa ancl China. Our produce trade has to filter through Australian houses, as in the past, and, of course, this is decidedly against New Zealand interests. I expect Mr Thomas Mackenzie to stir xip this question. I should be glad to see the Government initiate direct steam communication with these new market's. It only needs a start. I don't think that the Government chartering vessels for private firms fills the requirements, ancl this is all that has really been done by them lately. The Government might exercise a bolder policy in this line in the interests of land settlement and progress, ancl let some of the Socialistic fads alone for a bit in favour of something practical and profitable.