THE NORTH ISLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3403, 4 June 1919, Page 13

THE NORTH ISLAND.

(Fbom Oub Own Correspond3UT.)

Fine weather has prevailed during the past week, with occasional showers at night,. and, generally speaking, the prospects for winter feed have greatly improved. At the same time there is still a considerable shortage, and many paddocks are bare. To look at some of the sheep on the hills it is a bit of a conundrum how they manage to live, for there does not seem a very big bite for them. Most of the sheep on the highlands, however, are good fossickers, and though they are not looking in the condition they should at the fall, they are not in as low condition as they might have been expected -when such abnormally dry conditions prevailed for such a long time. The swamp lands are unquestionably the best for pasturage just now, and those who have bullocks grazing on such areas maintain that the beasts are getting lust that succulent feed necessary to bring them into very prime condition. The past week has been a busy one for the farmer who takes an interest in those affairs which concern him, and in Taranaki, Auckland, and Wellington provincial conferences have been held. Perhaps one of the outstanding features of the Welington conference was the discussion that took place on matters political. One of the biggest opponents to farmers taking a hand in active politics was Sir James Wilson, but even he feels that, with rapidly-chang-ing conditions arising really out of the war, something will have to be done by the Farmers' Union to protect its interests against the extremists. There is no doubt whatever that a better understanding between farmers and organised labour is possible, and with that object in view the Wellington conference took the praiseworthy step of holding out the olive branch. A resolution was carried that the union was. prepared to he represented at a conference at Wellington with the Labour party if invited, and it would seem _ as if the prospects of such a conference being held are not only distinctly good, but that most beneficial results and a better understanding would assuredly follow. It 6eems extraordinary, but it is true, that a very large section of the community consider that the farmer is really responsible for the big prices which have to be paid for food and clothing. For instance, one delegate at the Wellington conference mentioned that a friend of his was obliged to pay 15s for a child's small woollen jersey, and yet when the article was weighed there was not one pound of wool in it. The farmer's share would l not exceed 2s, and the problem is who gets the balance? That someone is making a big "bag" is unquestioned ; but the Government is apparently unable to locate the offender. Apropos of b4g profits being made by drapery firms, a most interesting table has been pubished by the Daily Chronicle. in a recent edition. The table compares the past year's profits of some of the most prominent London drapery houses well known to some of New Zealand's visitors, with those of the previous 12 months, and also with the figures for the last complete year before the war. This information, I fee] sure, will be very interesting at this stage to readers of the Witness. It is as follow: PROFIT. Last complete year

As regards dividends, only three of the above made lower distributions in respect of the past year's operations than for the year before the war. Bradley's 20 per cent, is double the pre-war rate, while the Thomas Wallis dividends of 13 per cent. compares with 8 per cent, before the war, while that of Spencer, Turner, and Boldero is 12 per cent., against 7 per cent, for 1913. The above figures, at any rate, serve to show that big drapery firms are accumulating big profits, which are made principally out of clothing, the primary product of which is supplied by the farmer. Many of the drapers' salesmen do attribute the high cost of clothing to the farmer, and most people seem to accept the statement in good faith. Is it not time, therefore, that the farmers of New Zealand, by means of propaganda, set themselves right with the consumers? By so doing they would remove many of the Wrong impressions created as to the alleged greed of the farmer, and at the same time reduce the bitterness felt by/ many labourites towards the farming community on account of the high cost of essential commodities, for which, as a matter of fact, the farmers has nothing to do. Exploitation in clothing is undoubtedly going on to a very serious extent, and no one seems to know who are the offenders. The returned men are undoubtedly being bled badly. Most of them require two suits of civies, and it is impossible to get a decent outfit under 20gs. The whole trade is affected, and there has been great weakness somewhere to allow this kind of tiling to go on. It is an extraordinary thing that when, owing to the price of labour, materials, etc., butter-producers contemplated increasing the price of butter above Is 8d per lb, the Board of Trade stepped in and fixed Is 8d as the maximum. Why could not the same course bo adopted in the ca c o of clothing and boots? Wool is no dearer, and hides are cheaper; yet New Zealand produces the manufactured goods at exceptionally high rates only- Anyhow it i 3 not the farmer who is making the big profits, and-the sooner the fact is made perfectly clear to consumers tho fiogner will

a better feeling bo created between rural and town dwellers. CONGESTION AT FREEZING WORKS. The mishap to the Westmoreland put Feilding quite down in the dumps. It was arranged that the Foiding freezing stores would bo relieved of a large number of carcases, and were made accordingly. The mishap, however, altered matters completely, and Feilding is lamenting its bad luck, as well &3 that of the steamer. As a matter of fact, Feilding is only one of many badly-congested stores, and, without relief does come quickly, the position of North Island freezing companies is going to be even worse than it is at present. THE FARMER'S WIFE. A good deal of interest was centred around the farmer's wife at the Wellington Provincial Conference, a remit having been moved by the Hukanui delegate aa follows: —"That an injustice ie done to the farmers' wives engaged fh actual farm work by refusing to allow deductions for suoh services, and the conference urges the Minister of Finance to allow a reasonable deduction to be made in assessment of income tax." The Masterton delegate pointed out that if wages were actually paid to' the wife or son or daughter at the time the service was rendered, the Commissioner of Taxes would allow the deduction. But the Commissioner would not allow a lump sum to bo set down at the end of the year to represent what the wife had earned. "The wife must actually be paid the wages." The president (Mr G. Marshall) pointed out that the income tax. form specifically provided that no deduction oould be made on account of any payment from the husband to the wife, or the wife to the husband, or on account of payments to children, " except amounts actually paid for services rendered in earning the income." That, he? thought, made the position clear. The children could be paid wages for helping on the farm., but not the wife for the performance of domestic duties. After much good-humoured discussion the remit was adopted. AGRICULTURAL BANKS.

The Wellington Provincial Conference rejected the proposal for the establishment of land banks, but the Taranaki Conference adopted it. Mr Buckeridge placed a few facts before the conference, which oar: ried weight. He stated that suoh banks had been established in Germany, and we had felt the effect of them during the war. Many States in Europe had adopted the co-operative bank system with much success,'even in districts where the people Were very illiterate and poor. Under the circumstances he could not see any reason, therefore, why agricultural banks in New Zealand should not be a great success. He noted that the Acting Prime Minister had intimated the likelihood of a change in the banking system of the country, and he thought they should see that the co-operative system was not left out in any new scheme adopted. He knew personally that the Prime Minister was inquiring into these things on his visit to Europe and America. SHORTHORN BULLS.

There has always been a good demand in Australia for pedigree Shorthorn bulls bred in the Dominion, and Mr M'Lean, of Hawke's Bay, has had his stud represented at the Sydney sales for several years past. Dalziell Bros*, of Hunterville, also sent- five two-year-olds over this year, but, unfortunately for the New Zealand breeders, the consignments arrived lust at the time when influenza was at its height. It was impossible to bring the beasts back, and they had l to be disposed of at prices far below the encouragement expected. However, the period of the sales was disastrous all 1-ound, and no doubt the Hunterville breeders will retrieve the position next year, when, I understand, it is intended to send over another consignment. Mr M'Lean's stock realised slightly better prices owing to the fact that as a breeder of the best the country can produce, he is well known in New South Wales. ' A sale of Shorthorn bulls took place at Masterton last week on behalf of Sir Walter Buchanan. A catalogue of 35 bulls and nine heifers was submitted, but owing to the dislocation of shipping buyers from the South Island and Poverty Bay were absent. Only selected bulls excited competition, therefore, and prices realised were:—Eighteen-month bulls, 85gs, 64gs, 50gs, 45gs, 43gs, 40gs, 32*gs, 31gs, and 25gs, and for heifers 40gs, 30gs, 28gar, 25gs, and' 20gs were obtainable.

STUD AND HERD HEREEORDS. The Hereford breeders of the Wairarapa combined, and held their first annual sale at Masterton on "Wednesday > last. Most of the bulls yarded were in iftrst-olass condition, and of good quality. Competition, nevertheless, was by no means animated, and the best prices realised were as follow: —Stud bull, on account of Mr Donald M'Kenzio, lOOgs; herd bulls —on account of Mr Donald M'Kenzie, 40gs to 48gs; on account of Mr George Allen, 15gs> 18gs, 20gs, 25gs, to SOets; on account of Mr J. Garne Bidwill, 20gs to 25gs; on account of Annedale Station, to 25gs; on account of Messrs Percy Bros., 40gs; stud cows—on account of Mr Donald M'Kenzie, 39ga and 40gs; on account of the estate of H. Jamce, 2ogs to 35gs; stud heifers—on account of Mr Donald M'Kenzie, 38gs to 40gs. AUCKLAND FAT STOCK MARKET. A marked improvement was noticeable in the Weetfield fat stock market on Wednesday, prices for- prime cattle being much firmer. Calves were short marketed, and the entry sold up to £8 16s for a 16-month heifer. Heavy-weight steers sold up to £22 17e 6d, and cows up to £l6 ss. Sheep were penned in large numbere. and for good quality competition was keen. Best wethers realised £1 19s to £2 2s; others, 34s to 395; best ewes, £1 14s to £1 18s 9d; others, 29s to £1 133 9d.

1918. 1917. jefore war. £ £ £ Bon March© 50,500 A3,900 33,300 Bradley's 90,700 104,100 '67,600 83,700 Dickens & Jones 66,100 60,406 Hatred's 862,800 282,300 295,200 Liberty " 99,000 61,600 61,500 Mapl© 403,150 225,400 146,900 Peter Robinson.. 92,900 87., 100 94,400 Selfridg© 322,800 258,800 131,500 Spencer Turner, & Boldero 74,600 55,700 37,700 Swan & Edgar.. 51,000 40,900 35,000 Thomas Wallis.. 68,800 33,200 23,100