OUR CANTERBURY AGRICUITURAL BUDGET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3101, 20 August 1913, Page 19

O UR CANTERBURY AGRICUITURAL BUDGET.

THE WEATHER AND GENERAL. After the experience of an unusually lengthy term of fine weather, a change occurred on Wednesday. For a number of preceding days dense togs occurred, but on Friday the atmosphere became intensely cold, and the south-west wind' was accompanied by heavy rain; which fell consistently throughout the day. As predicted by the Government Meteorologist, there has also been a comparatively heavy fall of snow on the high country. Agriculturists stated that the rain will do an incalculable amount of good, as the rainfall for the year up to date has been unusually small. It is also stated that as a result of the comparatively small measurement of rain that has fallen since the beginning of the year surface and underground springs have fallen low, which is a fact that docs not'augur Wfell for the coming Simmer and autumn months. The greater area of tho spring varieties of cereals has now been sown; indeed this work has been completed in tho districts on the seaboard. Winter-sown cereals are now well above tho surface of the ground, and there have been generally good “ strikes.” The plants have firmly established themselves, and tho crops are looking uncommonly strong and healthy. Lambs arc beginning to make their appearance among the flocks in North Canterbury and in tho seaboard districts of Mid and South Canterbury, and in cases where good shelter is not available the cold and wet weather will no doubt bo responsible for a number of deaths. It is fortunate, however, that lambing is not yet general, otherwise tho losses to graziers would necessarily have been heavy. Owing to tho flocks having boon wintered most satisfactorily, graziers have prospects of a good lambing season, and I learn that in those cases where flocks have finished lambing tho increases are unusually good, there being a largo percentage' of twins. There has boon a marked growth of young pastures, and feed is by no moans'scarce. Generally tho flocks arc healthy and in the nick of condition for breeding. , As is usual at this period of tho year, there is a acarcity of prime tat stock, and retail butchers are experiencing no little •difficulty in getting supplies. Prices for prime fat stock have hardened considerably in sympathy with the demand, and last week as high as £l4 10s was paid by Christchurch butchers for two-tooth Shropshire cross wethers, and up to £26 10s for fat bullocks. Of course, these priors were only given for really special small lines in view of the Grand National Carnival Week. Beef is uncommonly scarce, and buyers arc scouring tho country districts almost every day with a view to supplying the needs of retail butch ere in tho larger centres of population ; and, as a matter of fact, supplies have been also drawn from tho North Island. For several weeks past butchers were seriously contemplating raising the price of meat to tho consumers; but as it is already very high such a course would have resulted in loss moat being used. It would appear, too, that tho days of cheap meat have gone, and there is no prospect, even with tho advent of an abundant supply of feed, of present prices receding. To some extent poultry is taking the place of butcher’s meat, ami in tho ease of poultry prices are also showing an upward tendency.

Since the closing down of the freezing works a largo number of men have been thrown out of employment, and it is roughly estimated that there are upyards of 300 unenip'oycd walking the streets of Christchurch. Farmers are still making inquiries for teamsters, but practically the whole of tho men out of work in the larger centres of population are unqualified to work teams; indeed, threoaparts of tho unemployed are recent arrivals from the Homeland. The Government works in hand in tho province are already fully manned, and in 'these circumstances men out of work are having a particularly bad time, with no immediate prospects of Lettering their position. As the season advances matters pertaining to tho labour market must improve. Complaints arc still being made regarding tho ravages of tho grass grubs in parts of South Canterbury, hut up to the present those destructive pests have not manifested themselves in other portions of tho province.

There arc prospects that tho dairying season will open somewhat earlier this year, and with tho growth already made by tho pastures the season should be a good one. From information I have gleaned, it is obvious that there will bo a marked expansion of the dairying industry during the coming season in tho province, but more attention than hitherto will bo devoted to the manufacture of cheese. Prices for pigs show a tendency to steadily harden, and tho demand for pigs scorns to be stronger than tho supply.

The market for horses has larked that buoyancy that was evident about 18 months ago, and there is practically no sale for inferior-bred and aged horses, botli draught and harness. flood quality animals that are sold on the farm at clearing sales command ready sale at remunerative prices to vendors. At a recent sale in the Ashburton County the average price for reliable young draughts was £43 10s. In conversation with your correspondent, a few days ago, a farm labourer, possessing more than the ordinary amount of intelligence, advanced the opinion that the only practical way to overcome the difficulties that are besetting agriculturists in obtaining the services of competent workmen was for the Government to adopt a scheme for providing homes in the country for labourers, with holdings, say, of from 10 to 15 acres attached thf-roto. After a man had spent a number of years on a farm, he said, and had married, he was in nine cases out of 10 obliged to go into the city or town. It was this continuous drifting into the larger centres of population that was draining the agricultural labour market of its

most competent men. With the present inflated values of land it was impracticable for a farm labourer to purchase privately a holding and to secure a suitable home. He was, perforce, compelled to go into tho city or town, notwithstanding the fact that he fully recognised that any increase ho might receive in wages would be more than counterbalanced by tho extra cost of living. A large proportion of the immigrants who were arriving in the Dominion knew absolutely nothing of tho ivork pertaining to agriculture; and, as a matter of fact, farmers were getting tired of endeavouring to teach them. Thus it was that farmers year after year wore neglecting tho growing of cereals and devoting more attention to stockraising. _ Homes in the country, he concluded, on tho lines indicated were urgently needed, and he thought tho Government, who posed as tho friend of the fanners, should face the question, otherwise the time was not far distant when the country districts would become entirely depleted of that class of workmen in whom agriculturists could place that confidence so essential to a harmonious relationship between masters and men.