STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2695, 8 November 1905, Page 8

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Bf Deotbb. Weekly SttcJt Sales : Fortnightly i Burnside, Wednesdays Invercargill, Tuesdays .Ashburton, Tuesdays Monthly: Addmgton.Wedneadays CUntonf Palrnerf , ton . Fortnightly: Winton, and WaiBalclutha, Fridays kouaiti. Gore, Tuesdays Periodically Oamaru, Tuesdays Heriot, Kelsc, and Eyebura. About 150 head -of cattle were yarded at Burnside, few among them being prime. Best bullocks brought £10 10s to £11 10s; medium, £9 to £9 10s ; light and unfinished, about £8;, good cows and heifers, about £8 to £8 10s; inferior to medium, £4- to £6. Country butchers buying helped the market, and prices were fully equal to the previous week's Tatest.

There is little doubt that at the moment prices for both beef and mutton are very satisfactory, and if. ma could consume our

meat at those rates in the colony there would be no need of an export trade. But, of course, this is impossible. Meat at tbc Burnsido yards is bringing far more than our meat in London, after all expenses of freight and freezing. We cannot expect this to last for long, and therefore the question of exporting is one that must be considered, prepared for, and organised. Ho far as regards frozen mutton and lambs, no alteration in present methods seems desirable; but in regard/ to beef it seems essential that _we should adopt the chilled beef export in preference to the frozen beef, and this in spite of the apparent failuro of our first efforts. I say "apparent" advisedly, for the further information now to hand shows that these were very far from proving at all conclusively that the chilled beef trade from New Zealand cannot be made a success and a valuable addition to our many successful lines ol export.

In the first place, regarding the shipment from Waitara, the Pastoralists' Eeview says: — The 300 to 400 quarters of Waitara beef, ex Kaikoura, were brought at 28deg, slightly jpwer at last. Only six flanks were condemned, and Messrs Borthwick are so pleased with prospects that they have arranged with the New Zealand Shipping Company to mstal special permanent hanging stowage fittings on all their vessels, and "chilled" beef will be

shipped regula'-ly.

The Kaikoura beef

made £d per lb over hard. Had it not bean that some of the beef was frozen rather hard, another £d per lb might have been gained.

With regard to • the- shipment from Dunedin by the Tokomaru: It is believed, upon the very best authority, that this meat should not have been wholly condemned as unfit for food. It was red and fresh in the main, the hindquarters being on the whole better than the forequarters. The meat was by no means decayed or rotten, the main faxtlt, and on that mainly it was condemned, being that it was more or less mildewed. Mr S. Rideail, the eminient authority on such matters, was consulted, and not only examined the meat, but ate some of it, and sent several portions to his friends to eat, all of whom have sent him most satisfactory reports as to its good quality. He differs widely from the meat inspector who condemned the meat, end thus summarises his opinion in sending his report to the Christchurch Meat Company: — "You will see that my opinion is practically try again and that from the facts I am not able to agree with the director of + Jio shipping company who said that the carriage of chilled meat from New Zealand was an impossibility." Let it be carefully noted that this voyage, owing to adverse circumstances, took 70 days, whereas 50 to 55 would be what oue might expect, and could be easily accomplished. I sincerely hope that dairymen and cattle farmers — and, in fact, farmers generally — will take an interest in this matter, and that the chilled meat exports will steadily go on till perfect success is attained. The interests involved are so verygreat that no effort or reasonable expenditure should be spared to attain a good result. Farmers must interest themselves and be more alive than they have been.. Just here let me quote a sentence or two from a leading article which appears in this issue, and which, by the way, I hope farmers will carefully read. After touching on several important matters, and urging farmers to improve, the article says: —

But enough has been said on this score to prove our pomt — viz., that unless our pastoralists and agriculturists turn their attention to the signs of the times there is an inevitable retribution ahead. The trouble is that the agricultural community is so busy at the present time in making money, and so satisfied with the price 3 obtained for produce, that it is in danger of being lulled to sleep by a false sense of security in regard to the future. But the future has an awkward habit of enforcing its claims upon the present, and he is a foolish nfan who affects to ignore those claims. What is needed is not so many drastic legislative enactments, but rather a process of gradual education in scientific methods such as have been attended with so great succe&s in the manufacture of butter and cheese. Tim© was when the system of the Government grading of dairy produce met with strenuous opposition on the part of the short-sighted, who saw in its enforcement the loss of some small immediate profits; but tame and experience have jusitified the adoption of th 9 system beyond all shadow of a doubt. A similar crusade is now needed in the interests of the- better breeding of the flocks and herds of the colony, and, althougk the opposition of the few will at once be manifest, the ultimate advantages must be so apparent as to blunt the edge of all adverse criticism.

About 1300 sheep were yarded at BurnBide, and the market prices were higher than those of the previous week. Prime shorn wethers sold at 19s to 20s 6d; in the wool, 26s to 30s ; medium, 23s to 255 ; inferior, 21s to 225; best ewes, 265; medium, 235 ; inferior to medium, 19s to 20s. In the face of present and prospective London prices I consider such prices marvellous, and the agents must have got all the butchers in a most benevolent frame of mind. Long may it last!

A.h Addington prices were, as may he seen, on about a par with Burnside, and this was a double market, as butchers had to take a fortnight's supply, there being no market during this (Carnival) week. Prime woolly wethers, 25s Id to 29s 6d; lighter, 22s to 24s 6d; prime shorn wethers, 21s 3d to 23s lid; lighter, 18s 3d to 20s 3d; light and unfinished, 16s 4d to 17s 2d; prime woolly ewes, 22s 6d to 24s 3d; shorn, 19s lid; merino wethers, 19s to 24-s lid. Lambs were in request for Carnival week, and sold at from 13s up to 21s.

Last week I had a good deal to say abou tho prospects and general surroundings of tbe frozen mutton and lamb trade, and my \iews are apparently confirmed by later advices from London. Messrs GordonWoodruff c. for Instance, writing under date 30tb September, say — and mark the finish, "Trade depressed," and "Trad© very slow." This is the first time I have seen such a wind-up for many years: —

New Zealand Lambs. — The market is weak and overstocked, and it is almost impossible to sell a line of lambs; buyers will only purchase for their trade from day to day at slightly under the day's prices, and in this way the tlecline continues. There seems very little prospect of any. better, state of things

for some time to come, as the quantity of lambs to be dealt with is too large for the time of year, and the present situation ha 3 been brought about by want of regulation of shipments from New Zealand. During June the shipments were so extremely light, notwithstanding the lower freights, that the trade was entireCy misled as to the future, and its anticipation of small supplies in prospect kept prices high in London, which curtailed the consumption, and stocks were held back to meet the supposed shortage later — consequently when the heavy shipments of Julj became known, the market was taken by complete surprise, and hence the deplorable state of things which has prevailed during the? last few months. If it had been known hero that large quantities were coming forward from the South Island late in the year prices would have been eased to some extent during the height of the season, and in consequence; the consumption stimulated and a good level of prices maintained until the end of the year. It would appeaT that those responsible for the treatment of the stook should have been able to forecast these large shipmentsafter June, and it would have been better for their own purchases and for the consignments of their clients had London been advised as to the position. We quote Smilhfield spofc pric«s as follows: — C.M.C. or C.F.M.O. lambs up to 361b a. 41d to 5d per lb; do do, 36ib to 42".b, at" 41d tc 4£d; Crescent and Cross Keys, up- to 361b afe 4Jd to 4gd ; do do, 361b to 42ib, at m to 4*d. Trade depressed.

Australian Lambs. — Prices have slightly advanced in the colony, and forward business ia at a standstill for the moment.

TCew Zealand Sheep. — Canterbury sheep axa difficult to sell, and trade generally is quiet; what demand there is seems to be for the b&st North Islands. The trade for the last 12 months has been anything but satisfactory^ cheap beef and increasing favour among butchers for River Plate sheep being responsible for the fact. There seems little doubti that bash as regards New Zealand sheep and' lambs lower prices may be looked for here next; season. We quote Smithfield prices as follows: — Canterbury Sheep up to 721b, at 3g& <o 4Jd per lb; W.M.E. Co. sheep up to 701b* at 3|d to 4d; P.A.Q. North" Islands up to 70lb, at 3id to 3£d. Trade very slow.

Farmers might note wiiat is said re holding back. I believe it was the farmers v.-ho held back, not the meat companies. All held, I think, to secure heavy lambs later, and this has been the case for years, and the result is far from satisfactory. The trade will improve, and farmers in the leng run fare better, by endeavouring to oatsr for a trade in real lamb, not tegs, the latter being in my opinion the most tasteless meat one can eat, and I expect London consumers hold the same opinion as I do.

There were some Australian frozen lambs aboard a steamer here lately. I musS say they were Aery nice, and just whafe London consumers want — plump, nice, srr all carcases, about 351b. We in New Zealand won't have any monopoly of the lamb trade. We have nothing to boast of lately, but if tegs were at a premium we might have been on top easily.

' The campaign oi tue cheese buyers haa now ended, and the prices paid are most satisfactory — viz., from s^d to s|d generally. A few factories have decided to> consign, and at present the market is firm ;*at 575, which would yield fully the buying prices. It may, and I think will, improve, and probably go to 60s, but it is by no means certain. High prices restrict consumption often, lut I believe trade is good in Great Britain, and I also believe that Canadian stocks are in goed strong- hands, and are by no means heavy, so I am hopeful regarding cheese. lam not so regarding butter, and the reason is that shipments from Australia now afloat are more than double what they were at this time last year; also, that a very large portion of Australian, and some New Zealand, i 3 jToinjr home unsalted to the margarine factories, and the high prices now ruling will be lowered by large arrivals, and more still by the cheaper margarine going heavily into consumption. I notice the British agriculturists are urging the passing of the Butter Bill, and we in New Zealand, both farmers and Government, must stand by them and help them, for our interests are identical.

Letters from London tell U3 of forward offering of butter at 102s to 103s, and of cheese at 53s to 545, and these offers are in many cases made by parties who den'ti own one pound of New Zealand produce. All this bulling and bearing goes on every year, and it seems to me as if many London merchants were more like gamblers and poker players than the principals of decent mercantile houses. The leading firms, however, doing business in New Zealand deprecate this state of matters.