STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3513, 12 July 1921, Page 9

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Weekly Stock Sales. Burnside, Wednesdays Addington, Wednesdays Waiareka Bailway Junction, Tuesdays Wallace town, Tuesdays Forlniglitly. Biversdale, Friday Ashburton, Tuesdays ileriot, Thursdays Winton, Thursdays Wyndham, Thursdays Clinton, Thursdays ’ Baiclutha, Fridays Gore, Tuesdays Monthly. FaLmerston, 4th Thursday Winton, 4th Tuesday

Montbly (continued). liuutrocn, 2nd Wednesday Woodlands, Srd Friday Milton, 2nd Tuesday Bsllour, 3rd Thursday Thoznbury, Ist Friday Duntroon, 2nd Wednesday Otautau, 2nd Friday Rivevsdale, 3rd Friday Waikaka, last Friday Clydevale, last Tuesday Periodically as Advertised. Lumsden, Mossburn, Orepuki, Hataura. Waikouaiti, Riverton, Ngapa-ra, and Otago Central Sales.

OTAGO. The weather experienced during the week in Otago was, good with nightly frosts. Stock are doing well. The next wool sale in Dunedin will be held on the 25th inst. Catalogues will be limited to 12,000 bales. There were capital attendances at the meetings organised by the Otago Expansion League at Palmerston, Goodwood and Waikouaiti during the week, when Messrs R. B. Torment, N.O.D. and A. C. Ross, dairy instructor, delivered interesting addresses on farming matters. The former stressed the importance ■ of laying down of pastures, lucerne culture, use of fertilisers and supplementary crops, while Mr Ross handled various factors in connection with the dairying industry. BURNSIDE MARKET. The qi ;ty of another large yarding of fat sheen at Burnside was good, there being relatively few pons of indifferent grade. There was a good demand on a basis of Is to 2s per head under the previous week’s rates; wether mutton making round 3|d and ewe 3id per lb. Buying for export by only one company helped to steady the market for ordinary weights. The . fat lambs entered, comprised over 3000 of mixed quality, but rather better than at last sale. The demand by exporters was much on a par with that ruling the previous week, thanks to two, and at times four, export buyers; lamb making to 63d per lb. There was rather a small entry of fat cattle, the quality being very fair; but light and unfinished sorts- were not, uncommon. Opening quietly, the demand improved and clearances were effected at up to 48s per 1001 b, an improvement on last week of £1 10s a head. Some 80 head of store cattle were offered, a poor lot for the most part. There was a demand for best animals; a pen of 3 5-year-old bullocks, forward Shorthorn crosses made £9 7s 6d, mixed coloured 24-year-old steers £7 12s; year and a-half steers Shorthorn-Ayrshire crosses made £3 7s 6d; medium ordinary £1 17s 6d; conditioned cows £5 to £7, others unchanged A good many dairy cows of poorquality had attention and sold at £l4 10s. A small yarding of fat pigs made under last week’s rates while store and small sorts met with rather better inquiry. ADDINGTON YARDS. An average number of fat sheep yarded at Addington, including a few pens of fat hoggets, met with a good demand, if somewhat irregular. Best sheep realised on the run of the sale about Is a head higher rates than last week. A line of 60 big Romney cross half-bred wethers from Methvcn made 33s Id, a piece with a top price of 355, and another lot averaged 30s. Iloggets realised to 18s 6d. A small yarding of store sheep sold well, any good sorts of owes and wethers being well competed for at recent best rates. The yarding of fat cattle was a large one, blit the quality was ragged. Sales were effected on a basis of £1 to £1 10s per head lower than rates ruling the previous week. The entry of store cattle was not large, but included some fairly good sorts. Forward conditioned mature steers had attention, find sold at rather better rates, but poor sorts were unchanged. Anything of merit in the dairy section had keen attention, but the supply of quality animals was meagre. Fat pigs realised the previous week’s prices, the entry being but a moderate one, while store pigs met goner-

ally with a good demand. A consignment of pure-bred Berkshire sows and boars made from 4gns to 64gns. NORTH ISLAND STOCK VALUES. Prices have hardened a trifle in the North Island for all best grades of store stock since our previous report. In the Auckland district, at the Westfield market, beef sold to 40s per 1001 b, unfinished wethers 20s to 225, forward hoggets 10s 6d to 17s 6d, medium 8s 9d, medium wethers 14s 6d t-o 16s 6d, year and a-half steers £2 10s to £2 15s, forward 34-year-old bullocks £7 10s to £9 10s. In Poverty Bay two and fourtooth wethers to 17s 6d, hoggets 13s 6d, good in-lamb ewes, mixed ages, to 23s 3d, medium 12s to 17s, heifers in calf £9 to £l2 ; other cattle being dull of sale. In the Wairarapa two-tooth wethers realised 14s, hoggets 9s, in-laml> ewes 15s 3d to 18s, factory-timed cows £lO to £lB. In Hawke’s Bay hoggets were sold at 10s to 11s 3d, four and six-tooth wethers 13s to 16s 3d, in-lamb ewes, mixed ages, 12s, dairy heifers £5 to £9 15s. In the Wellington Province medium wethers realised 18s 6d to 20s, hoggets 13s 9d to 15s, forward bullocks £7 15s to £8 ss. STOCK NOTES. Values of store stock in Otago are very much on a par with rates ruling a week ago, dairy cows, breeding ewes and well bred forward bullocks being vez-y firm, while store wethers and hoggets changed hands at recent rates. An outside demand is wanted before much life in the market generally is warranted. There are oceans of feed in this province which serves, together with the fine open winter, to restrain offerings of stock. Under ordinary circumstances the local freezing works would close about a week henoo, but if “fats” come forward freely, there is a chance that they will continue open fbr a longer time. Farmers should get some assurance on this matter, as once all hands are paid off. there will b-e small chance of freezing the wethers, which rumour says, are ready in their thousands. The writer thinks fatteners will make a great mistake if they “hang” on and miss the present, say 4d a lb for handy weights. After all it is speculative buying on exporter’s part, at the present price of freezing and freight charges to London. The quotations from Home hardly warrant the price. If producers think they do, they can consign on their own account. There i 3 certainly the increase in growth of wcol as time goes on, but who wants wool? At a recent meeting of the executive of the Canterbury Sheepowner’s Union the following motions were carried unanimously: “That owing to the excessive increase in the land tax seriously crippling the sheep-owning industry in Canterbury, the Government be asked to endeavour to reduce this tax.” “That this association requests freezing companies to join with it in a strong effort to reduce charges next, season, as, under present conditions, the industry cannot possibly pay the existing rates.” The Department of Agriculture’s Guernsey Hope of the Wollongar Experiment Farm, New South Wales, leads in milk and butter fat yields. This cow, 64-year-old at the commencement of the test, in 365 days produced 13.4171 b milk, test 6 per cent, and BOolb butter fat, equal to 96331 b butter. This stands as the record for the breed in Australia, The takings .at the gales of the National Dairy Show amounted to £1443 18s 3d. an increase of £361 16s 7d over the takings of last year. This fixture is considered the most successful yet held by the Manawatu A. and P. Association from a financial point of view. In a competition for the best dual-pur-pose bull at Bletehlev, England, first place was given to the Friesian bull Colton Vic Bram 3rd; second place to another Friesian Beecles Bonnie Boy; and third place to a milking Shorthorn. The judge —a breeder of milking Shorthorns —stated that the Friesian was the best bull ho had ever seen. The council of the Hereford Heyd Book Society, of England, have decided to send the secretary. Mr W. G. G. Britten, to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, on propaganda work, and to judge stock. The idea is to link up Home and colonial Hereford cattle societies, and to exchange views with rearard to breeding and management. Mr Britten has already travelled in the United States. Meat exporters who met in Sydney to consider the question of shipping freights, after a long discussion, came to the following decision: —“The position is that with the present, market, value of meat in London, and Ihe present rates of freight, only an infinitesimal quantity of frozen meat cargo is likely to be available for export from Australia during the next six months. Tf freights on frozen meat and frozen sundries are reduced by 3d per lb, this conference is of opinion that there will ho not less than 30,000 tons additional from Australia of beef, mutton, lamb, and frozen sundries.” It is hoped that the Oversea Ship-

owners’ Association will be duly impressed with the decision, and acquaint London owners. CANTERBURY CRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKET. Lytelton Times, July 8.) On the whole business in the grain and produce market has been quieter tins week than for some weeks past. No class of produce is showing an upward tendency, and in some lines the trend is distinctly downwards. Local merchants are very pessimistic about the potato market, which shows no signs of recovery, in spite of the better demand from Auckland. Although Auckland merchants are willing to buy potatoes, the price they are prepared to pay does not allow local merchants to offer to farmers more than £2 10s to £2 15s per ton on trucks at country stations. This seems to indicate that there are plenty of potatoes available, and merchants fear a repetition of last year’s experience of an oversupplied market and low prices. A while back merchants were hopeful that this month would see an improvement in the price of potatoes, but at that time it was thought that the supply was not as large as last year. Now the indications are that there are more potatoes in New Zealand than are needed to meet requirements. Farmers appear to realise the situation, for they were selling more freely this week, especially those who had just dug their potatoes. Garton oats remain firm at lute rates, but the amount of business being done is not particularly large. Although the tone of the London oat market is reported to be better, Home merchants are not very keen to buy New Zealand oats, and it needs a little “push” from this end to effect sales. Recently a local firm received a cablegram from London stating that the reports regarding the effects of the drought in England were exaggerated. In any case, a good general rain in the United Kingdom during the next week or so would probably change the whole outlook for the harvest there. At present the price that farmers here are asking for their oats and the price offered by London merchants does not allow a very great working margin. The chaff market is very dull, demand at present Vicing practically nil. There appear to be ample stocks all over the Dominion, and even local sales are hard to make. Merchants are rather afraid that there will be a slump in chaff. Seeds generally are quiet, but late rates have been maintained, and there is a littlo business being done in anticipation of the spring trade. Linseed remains about the same, but few sales are being made. The following are quotations for produce to be paid to farmers, at country stations, free of commission, sacks extra, except where otherwise stated : Milling Wheat. —According to Government prices: Tuscan, 7s 104 a, f.o.b. ; Hunters, 7s lgd; Pearl, 8s 24d. Oats. —“A” Cartons, 2s 9d to 2s lOd; “B” Gartons, 2s 8d to 2s 9d; Algerian, 2s to 2s 3d. Chaff. —£3 5s to £3 10s. Perennial Ryegrass.—2s 9d to 3s 3d. Cocksfoot- —5-|d to 64 d. Barley.—3s to 3s 3d. Cape Barley.—2s 6d. Rod Clover. —6d to 7id. White Clover. —9d to Is 3d. Potatoes. —£210 s to £2 15s. Onions.—£3 (nominal). Peas.—Partridge, 5s 6d to 6s. Linseed. —£12 to £l3. Flour.—According to Government prices: £2l per ton, f.0.b., Lyttelton, Timaru, and Oamaru. Bran.—According to Government prices: £6 to £6 10s per ton, according to packing. f.0.b., southern ports. Pollard. —■ According to Government prices: £9 to £9 10s, according to packing, f.0.b., southern ports CLYDESDALE HORSE SOCIETY BUSINESS AT ANNUAL MEETING. At the annual meeting of the Clydesdale Horse Society of New Zealand there was a fair attendance of members. Mr W. G. Park, of Te Awamutu (vice-president), was in the chair. Tlio report submitted to the meeting stated that tile business of the society had been more alive during the past year than since pre-war times. During the year 49 new members had been elected, which was more than the aggregate for the preceding five years. A number of members had showed. renewed interest by paying up arrears in subscriptions and by registering their stock. One pleasing feature had been the keen competition at dispersion sales for well-bred mares and fillies, especially those combining character, quality, and soundness. Very few exports had been made during the year. Two stallions had lieen imported, Stan ter from Australia, and Myroe Footprint from Britain. Few breeders availed themselves of the scheme of veterinary inspection, and it was hoped that the interests of the owners, and of the breed

in this direction, would not be r.eglectecL The transfer of registered stock, when sold, was a matter of great importance to the society, and to purchasers. It was necessary that when sales were made notices of change of ownership should, without delay, be sent to the secretary. Failure in this respect would lead to expense, and possibly to disqualification. It was one of the best safeguards against the confusion of pedigrees, whether accidental or intentional. Breeders, as a rule, recognised this, and a large number of notices had been received and certificates issued during the year. It had proved one of the best means of strengthening the society and bringing in new members. The balance sheet showed that the assets had been reduced to bedrock. To the liabilities must be added about £SO for medals which had been awarded but not yet supplied. The receipts from all sources for the year 1919-20 amounted to £225 10s 9d, and for 1920-21 to £678 5s 6d. Payments in 1919-20 totalled £483 5s 3d, and In 1920-21 £364 18s lid. The society had therefore received £452 14s 9d more, and paid out £123 6s 4d less. In moving the adoption of the report and balance sheet the Chairman said that the society had passed through hard times, but had now turned the corner, and was at least on the road to success. Mr J. A. Johnstone, of Bushy Park, Palmerston South, who seconded the motion, said that he thought the society was to be congratulated upon surviving the adverse conditions under which it had struggled during the past few years,. If there was one member more than another who deserved their thanks it was Mr Alex. Hunter, of llawera. They must not delude themselves into thinking that they were out of the wood, and that there were no difficulties whatever ahead. The fact, was that if the society was to have the great influence which was its due in the draught horse breeding industry, then every member, whether he served on the council or not, must make himself individually responsible for doing something definite on its behalf. Never since the society was formed had it been so apparent that the size and quality of Clydesdale horses was not being maintained. This was, he thought, chiefly due to the fact that for some years past very few importations of really high-class stallions or mares had 'been made from Scotland. The duty of stud masters was immediately to set about restoring the prestige of the New Zealand-bred draught horses, and this could only be done by importing some good sires and mares from the Homeland. He considered that New Zealand had reached a position in connection with the importation of stud stock from Great Britain when the breed societies and the agricultural and pastoral societies should band together to ask the Government either to do as was done by the South African Government —that was. bear the cost of bringing out stud horses, cattle, and sheep—or subsidise those who were enterprising enough to undertake the business. The most vital interests of the Dominion; rendered it imperative that its stud herds and flocks should be replenished, for unless this was done, and the good name that New Zealand had had for high-class live stock not only maintained, but improved, they would pay a high price for the deterioration already everywhere 60 apparent, and in danger of being accentuated. 0 The following officers were elected for tne ensuing vear : —President. Mr G. C. lhomson, Dunedin- vice-presidents, Messrs J. Bit-ties (Waikouaiti), J. D. Wyllie (Se.fton), W. G-. Park (Te Awamutu), A. M’Nicol (CTevodon). To fill the vacancies on the council the following were elected : —Messrs Q. Donald. A. Hunter. W. G. Park, A. M’Nicol, D. G. Wright-, T. Logan, G. C. Thomson, J. D. V yHie. Air 11. 18. Burdekin was reappointed as auditor. COUNCIL MEETING. Prior to the annual meeting a meeting of the council was held. Five resignations were accepted, and the following new members were elected: —A. M. Steven, W. B. Lelford, J. M. Smith, Otago; W. Chittock, Southland; J. W. Mawson, C. Hale, Canterbury; 11. Akers, L. Lupton, Manawatu A. and, P. Association. Wellington; 11. Gray. Taranaki; F. Barugh, J. C. Begbie, L. M. L. Malcolm, Auckland. The following prefixes were agreed to: Te Momma, R. J. Nicholls Son, Tlelensville; Tintagel, F. Ormond. Napier[ Oloverles and Glenstuart, D. and W. Dickie, Mafaura. Tt was resolved to express the council’s approval and thank Mr R.' J. Nicholls for his suggestions re identifications by means of photographs, and also encouragement of veterinary examination at A. and P. shows. It. was also resolved t? reply to the Manamal u A. and P Association that when funds permitted the society would subscribe to the Breeders’ Club. Accour is amounting to £322 15s 6d were passed far payment. Messrs W. H. Park and A. Hunter were a pool nted delegates to the Council of Agriculture? Tt was resolved to make inquiries as to the truth of a report current that the Vio-

torian Department of Agriculture did not Itow accept tire Xew Zealand Govaarnmerjit veterinary certificates, and also whether 't was proposed to bring New Z. aland into line with other countries in the way of licensing stallions. A sample book suitable for kceuincr records of _ ;i ea si «k was approved. It was decided that, where application is made for registration of an animal not already notified as produce, the council may accept tbe_ entry on payment of a fine of £1 la. Trophies \v< re allotted for competition during the 1921-22 show season as follows: Union S.S. Company’s (ftp, Waikato A. and P. Associate :. ; iiriti-h Ciyde-:dal< Horse Society’s gold medals, two each tc Timurir and Manawafcti A. and P. Associations. Messrs Birtles, Gow, and Kail* were appointed aa a committee to supervise the competition for the Wright, Stephenson Cup. The pedigree of Mr A. Lnrcom’s mars Blossom of Ararata was passed for registration, arid the Victorian Government certificate for the stallion Shanter. with endorsement thereon, was accepted as proof of t ran-for frr>m Mr O. Syme to Messrs Mitchell and O’Bi icn.