STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES,

Otago Witness, Issue 2433, 31 October 1900, Page 7

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES,

Bt Deoyeb,

WeeUy Stoc* Sales: Burnside, "Wednesdays Monthly • Abhburton, Tuesdays Mon " 7" . tn _ Addington, Wednesdays dinton^ "Fortnightly: AYaikouaiti Balclutba riaays Periodically : Gore, Tuesdays j Heriot.Kelso, and KyeOarnaru Tuesdays | burn.

The yarding of cattle at Buvnside last week was about 190, and taken as a whole they were inferior to those of the yardings we have seen lately. A few pens of prime — not extra heavy — were well competed for, and brought from £10 to £13 2s 6d per head, or equal to 25s to 27s 6d per hundred. Somo prime co%vs and heifers brought over £10.

Prices are now very high, and town butchers have been obliged to raise retail prices id per lb. Many of tho smaller butchers have been obliged to close their shutters, as they were unable to compete with the larger butchers who had bought forward supplies at lower rates. People in town are fairly prosperous, and can afford to pay more for meat, and it is a good thing for the country when meat and other produce command high prices. In past years farmers have had much the worst of it. The producers of the country mainly provide the high wages payable in factories in the heavy customs duties levied to protect bur manufacturing industries, and in face of this heavy taxation they certainly need good prices to make ends meet.

Reports from London under date September 21 show clearly how our export of frozen beef from New Zealand has increased. Since January 1, 136,865 quarters have arrived, being 81,205 quarters more than for the corresponding- period of the previous year. Australian in'ports are 191,803 quarters, or 50,4-74- quarters less than previous year. River Plate imports are 157,202 quarters, or an increase of 100,934 quarters ove^ previous year. The total increase of frozen beef imports from all countries ovei IS9S season is about 200,000 quarters, and yet prices keep higher. The report says that high prices ruling for chilled baef have furthered the sale of frozen beef and in many quarters where chilled has -hitherto been used entirely the superior quality and condition of the greater part of tho New Zealand frozen beef at lower ratea than chilled have been a powerful incentive to buyers. Prices at September 21 were as follows: — New Zealand hindquarters 4£d, fcros 3gd; Plate hindquarters 4--kl, fores 3£; Australian hindquarters V s d, fores 3£d. 'ihe prices of American chilled at this period were: — Hindquarters 5Jd to 6d, forej <kl.

It is gratifying to see that the quality of our beef is attracting attention, also that the quantity is rapidly increapir>». There is then, I should tay, the more need that we should at once commence to send Home our beef under the best possible conditions, so that its high quality may be further phown, and the highest prices realised. Our beef trade has now fairly commenced under moEt favourable circumstances, and we should be able to avoid the mistakes made in our mutton and lamb trade in its earlier stages, the re-ults of which, in my opininon, have not quite bean overcome yet.

At Burnside last week the yarding of sheep was an extra large one, over 3200 being penned. Quantity wa? all right, but unfortunately quality wa? deficient. Export buyers took all prime wothers at 19s to 21s 6d, some ■extra prime going at over 245. Primes t ewes 'for export Fold as high as wethers. Butcher.* liad an opportunity of getting sheep suitable for their requirements at lower rates, as exporters did not compete for these. At present high rates exporters are particular, and won't take what they used to he content with. In my opinion the bulk of the yarding should &aY« bson held till after shearing, as feed.

to properly finish sheep is abundant, and no

one I know of is overstocked.

The quantity of lambs forward is as yet small, and prices are no guide to the future. Primest sold at lls to 15s and down to 9s. I hear of some farmers who have sold their season's lambs for delivery weekly a& ready at 10s to lls.

At Addington last week supplies of sheep were fax short of requirements, even butcher&' ewes being in short supply. The yarding was only 2200, being about half what it usually is at this season. Exporters and butchers were in competition therefore, and prices ran high. Prime heavy-weight wethers brought 25s 6d, freezers 20s to , 235, prime ewes 245, butchers' ewes 18s to 235, merino wethers 18s 6.1 to 20s 6d, ewes 36 3 6d to 17s 6d, shorn crossbred wethers 16s to 19s 6d ; out of 225 lambs yarded the bsst brought 14s to 16s 4d, smaller 9s "6d to 13s, butchers takingall. Very few store sheep were yarded. Hoggets brought 16? to 16s 9d, and ewes and lambs (all counted) 10s to 11s.

The sooner fat sheep are shorn the better now, as I am of opinion that full value of skins is not being given. It is said that a dispute among fellmongers is the cause of this. The wool market is at present depressed. No one seems to know the reason for this, and I am of opinion that prices must improve very shortly.

A friend of mine who has studied our mutton trade very carefully calls my attention to a paragraph in the C. C. and D Company's report of 21st September, as f ollows : — "The diminished imports of Australian mutton, preventing any numbers going to provincial markets, have allowed Plate importers to appropriate the bulk of trade in the populous Midland and Northern districts, where the leaner, lighter Plate mutton meets the requirements of consumers far better than the fatter, superior quality New Zealand mutton." On this my friend comments as follows: — "The consumers referred to are solely the working classes. The employer clasj is not catered for, and it is a large one. The requirements of the working classes are generally quantity for their money rather than quality." It will, in my opinion, be a good thing for New Zealand when direct trade with Liverpool and Manchester can be brought about. There is a meat ring in London, and I believe the sooner our trade g«ts, at any rate partly, into other hands the better. In shipping and discharging facilities Liverpool is far ahead of London, and. I believe that London is just a bit conservative, not to say slow, in many respects.

Last week I made some remarks re our shipping facilities, as they affect our grain market. In Adelaide the same state of things prevails. A leading grainbroker there sa.ys : "The breadstuff's market* is almost entirely controlled by freights at present, every tipward movement in European values being either the result of or at once inducing to an advance in rates of freight, so that the improved London quotations do not benefit the Atistralian wheat-grower." This is exactly the position here. Even our Melbourne friends are paying a further advance 01 5s on South African freight.