THE NORTH ISLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3519, 23 August 1921, Page 11

THE NORTH ISLAND.

(Fhom Ouh Own Cohbespondent.' The North Island, at the lime of writing, is enveloped in sunshine. The bad weather lias passed away, for u time, and once again the country speaks of spring. The returns from the cow sheds are steadily going- up, and increasing the outputs and factories, and lambing is becoming general, So that life in the farm is full of activities just now. It is reported til;it the recent very stormy weather did considerable damage to fruit, trees, which blossomed earlier than usual; and in the way back country many slips oecurrred on the roads and tracks. At the same time lov dy spring weather, which is prevailing at the time of writing, make one feels cheerful with the world, and stamps indelibly on the mind the fact that despite all the worries, troubles, hardships, etc., that the man on the land has to face, the

sun has not gone out of business, and invariably smiles at tho right time to brighten the gloom. Just now the sheep farmers are in better heart than they have been for 12 months or more, because of the cheery news that the outlook for wool is brightening. The change in the position, however, cannot come too soon, as there will soon be another clip on. hand. Ploughing operations are everywhere in full swing, and agriculturalists are doing their uttermost to overtake the work that had to be suspended during the bad weather. It looks as if a fair amount of cropping will be done tin's season. IN THE MANAWATU. Reports from Manawatu clearly indicate that the lambs dropped are very healthy. In the Waikanae district there are some very good black faced cross lambs, which have already been docked. Dairying promises exceedingly well and the output from the various factories should show an advance this season. WHAT CAN BE DONE BY INTELLIGENT WORK. If farmers, owning small areas of land, went in more for intensive farming, they could, in some cases double their returns and an instance of what can be done on a small farm, has recently been given by an intelligent and hard working farmer from the south island, who acquired about 96 acres of land in tho Papakura district, near Auckland. Tho soil was by no means fertile, but by intelligent operations, he took off it something like £I3OO in the year. This was done by keeping good cows, growing good grass, and providing a moderate supply of root and fodder crops. Tho average yield per cow for the season was £4O. About 30 per cent, of their yield was sold as fresh milk to the city, the remaining 70 per cent., being sent to the dairy factory. The balance of the return was obtained from the sale of hay, etc. The farmer believes that he could obtain as large a return from even a smaller area of land. Most of the returns come from pasture which is kept in excellent condition, but great assistance was derived from the growth of soft turnips, rape, and maize. By far the best cropping results were obtained from soft turnips, which can be sown from October to March, and which provide feed from the end of January to early spring, when grass is once more in good growth. Experience has shown this farmer that if other feed is provided besides soft turnips, the milk cooled as soon as it comes from the cow, and the turnips fed at night after the milking is over, no taint is found in the milk. As a matter of fact, he received §d extra for quality through the driest parts of lhe year. DAIRY PRODUCE. There is still a great deal of uncertainty concerning the position of dairy produce, and at the time of writing, it would appear as if a game of “bluff” was being played. A Wairarapa farmer informed me that there was a general impression in his part of tho country that the “bulls” and the “bears were operating the market, in such a way that it was difficult to know which Was the best course to pursue. While a few factories accepted the prices offered by buyers’ representatives, a larger number preferred a waiting game, and so the whip was used to make them toe the mark enter into contracts at the prices offered. There is no doubt whatever that butler fat buyers from overseas are keen business men, and their strategy in business deals are beyond the average farmer. They have their finger on the pulse of the market and they can see well ahead. They were not likely to offer such big prices without some justification, and it is felt that the withdrawal of offers had a big motive behind it—namely, to force farmers to enter into contracts. On the other hand there is a movement to induce factories to consign, so that just at present the producer does not quite realise where he is in the matter. SELLING METHODS. The method of selling to the beat advantage lias been discussed more widely since butter and cheese had been withdrawn, and the announcement that previous offers idone suggestion made to a Dominion reporter was that New Zealand factories should follow the example of the Canadian factories by selling output mouth by month. The custom in the past has, of course, been to sell the season's output in advance, or to consign and take tee chances of the market. The consigning system worked badly fast year from the point of view of New Zealand cheese factories, winch received a lower price than they could have commanded m tho Dominion. 'Hie authority in question pointed out that the advantage of the full season contract, was that it enabled the factory to know just what suppliers were o-oino-'to receive, but it required buyers to speculate on the chances of the market for a year ahead, and in these conditions buyers were apt to lie conservative in their estimate of values. The monthly contract system i s not altogether new to New Zealand, and apparently it is being adopted this year by a few factories. Its advocates claim that it has the important advantage of the consignment system, since it gives the producers the benefit of any advance in values during the season, and that at the same time it secures for them the chief advantages of the contract system, including prompt payment and well-defined values. It, ie stated that buyers are quite willing to make monthly contracts if factory directors care to work under that system, ft appears, indeed that competition would be keener than if is under present condii soils, since the buyer would be relieved of some of his anxiety regarding future movements of the market. Tie would not. require to protect himself against adverse movements later in (tie season, and so would be able to offer the full market price as revealed by current London quotations. He would know when to expect, delivery of hi- purchases, and so would lie able to malm bis safes accordingly ;,t the oilier end. The factory would be free at any time to consign or to ship its cheese and sell if while afloat. THE MONTHLY MARKET ADVANTAGE. Mr ,T. T. Martin, of Messrs 'Wright, Stephenson, and Co., of Wellington, in discussing the important problem of selling to th<» host advantage, pointed out what lie considered defects of the consignment system. and went on to urge that factories, instead of consigning should obtain the T on. dep market value by making definite fo b. sales of their cheese and butler every month. They could sell September output alone or Senlembor-Ootober output alone, and so on from month to month throughout- the season. Tbov wouhl in <his wav get full market value, and the Udine buyer would

know just exactly when his produce was going to reach the Home market, and arrange his sales accordingly. There are companies in New Zealand who are prepared to operate on these lines, and a few factories have already adopted this system, but in the main the New Zealand factories are very conservative, and insist, on the old consigning system, though the consigning system in nearly every other commodity has broke’* down. The proportion of wool consigned i« infinitesimal compared with the quantities sold at auction in New Zealand. The U'r’oers know that in the meat business they do not consign their meat excepting in rare irst-nces, but instead sell outright to the freezing companies and other dealers in this country, and if they were asked V> take ik-- risk of consigning their meat Hone AonUl be inclined to state that the tsisk# were too great , yet they will not yppiy the «ame rule to their products of bitier and cheese. Hides, skins, tallow, (jrafr,, hemp and all other lines are in the main sold outright, and not shipped on consignment, but in dairy produce we hang on to the old conservative system of consigning" TUB WOOI. POSITION. The Auckland wool sale has been post- | poned until September to follow on after the London sales, which have been fixed for August 30. According to information received, the catalogue at Home will comprico 145,703 hales, including 30,300 bales of New Zealand free wool, 18,302 Australian free wool, 600 from South Africa, and 86,500 f rorn South America. Tho catalogue also Fth-uvs the offering of 60.000 hale#? of 8.A.W.10A. wool. In discussing the position. Mr A W. Perkins, chairman of the Aucklnnil Wool Brokers’ Association, expressed tho opinion that the proportion of South American vool was too large compared with tlie offering of New Zealand free wool. r Piio South American clip con aisled largely of crossbred of a similar quality lo the Xew Zealand wool, arid placing it. on the market in competition wilh the D omiriion offerings would, lie thought, more or less tend to reduce the price for the latter. Wool-growers all over tho Dominion would naturally watch future de▼elopment.s with the kindest interest, as •o much depended on a clearance of the wool now held in store. TIIE MEAT SITUATION. Tho moat question has been receiving I some consideration in Taranaki, and at a. Meeting of the executive of tho Farmers’ Union it was held that the recent slump in meat was not justified. In view of the fact, therefore, that neither the consumers in Kagland nor the producers in New Zea’and

were benefiting by it, ihc meeting urged for the favourable consideration of the farmers in the Dominion the question of forming a Producers’ Association for the purpose of establishing retail shops or depots for the sale of meat in England, and to establish some system by which the producers could draw a reasonable sum against their meat pending its realisation in England. A SOLDIERS’ FACTORY. In accordance with a promise made to the soldier settlers at Tiratu, in Southern Hawke’s Bay, the lion. D. 11. Guthrie, Minister of Lands, officially opened the soldiers’ co-operative dairy factory during the past week. These soldiers have gone to work with a will, and in a way that has surprised most people. Three years ago the land comprised a 3000-acre sheep run ; today it is a well-established settlement of 34 settlers, most of whom are dairying. The factory, which is well equipped, is capable of dealing with the milk of 600 cows.