THE EXPORT OF STOCK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2527, 20 August 1902, Page 6

THE EXPORT OF STOCK.

The rcque-i which has been made to the Government by a deputation of butcher= in Wellington that an export duty should be placed upon stock to limit its shipment from the colony i^ rather a surprising one. The demand that i; now being made ou flocks of the colony will, it X alleged, cau-e a great fchortawp in the future. Thi-a is an argument that might with just as much, or as littlp, reason be advanced m favour of a proposition to place an export duty on frozen mutton. If anything was likely, it might be supposed, to cau^e a shortage in the sheep supply of the colony, it would be the enormous drain that i- made upon it 3 flocks through the existence of the frozen meat industry. Four or five years ago, it may be remembered, there was a shrinkage in the number of sheep in New Zealand, but this was due to causes that were generally recognised at the time, and fii:-co then there has been a distinct recovrry Indeed, according to the official approximate return", there were never more '-hcep in thr- colony than there were on the 30th April last. When a peimanent industry bjs.§ £ii^fc which, geuds out of

the colony vast quantities of frozen mutton has not bad the effect, of reducing the extent of our flocks — when, as we see, the colony's sheep supply has actually increased — -it is manifestly absurd to suggest that the demand which has, in consequence of the protracted drought, temporarily sprung up in Australia for New Zealand stock threatens to cause any shortage, serious or otherwise, in the local supply. Similarly in regard to cattle. The number in the colony has increased continuously for the last 20 years. In face of this circumstance, the fear which the deputation of Wellington butchers held up before the eyes of tne Minister of Agriculture, that the New Zealand herds will be heavily diminished because a few hundred head may be exported to Australia, is clearly a bogey. The fact Is, of course, that it would be an excellent thing for the colony if a permanent market existed in Australia for New Zealand stock, especially at such prices as are now Being paid for it. Graziers and sheep-farmers would be encouraged to prosecute more extensively than they do now the breeding of stock; and the entire colony would benefit. It is quite obvious, howerer, that it is the high price that stock is now realising, and not any apprehension as to future supplies, that moved the butchers to appeal t-o the Minister to place an export duty on live cattle and sheep that may be purchased for shipment to Australia. Their desire is to force prices down by shutting out the Australian buj'er. The colony as a whole will have little sympathy with the selfish considerations that would suggest that a profitable trade such as that which farmers of the colony are now enjoying should be checked merely beqau^e butchers are feeling the pinch of an increa=ed price for meat which they find a difficulty in passing on to the consunur. It i^ <to be hoped that the Minister, who professed to regard the matter as. a delicate one, will not take the extremely narrow view that was expro^ed by the deputation.