OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

Otago Witness, Issue 3581, 31 October 1922, Page 13

OUR CANTERBURY AGRICULTURAL BUDGET.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) WEATHER STILL UNSETTLED. An astonishing variety has been experienced in the weather of the past week. Tho very unsettled nature of the spring ha 3 been most marked in the past month. As many as 6deg of frost were recorded on at least two mornings of the week. There were two nor’-west days that scorched the landscape, with an odd shower or two that brought rather less than a quarter of an inch of rain. The rainfall to date this year is 6in short of what it was to a similar date last year. Sou’-west storms that threatened to bring the needed rain have come and gone, but the rain did not come. Hopes were raised in South Canterbury in this connection dur ing the week, but the clouds rolled by. THE STOCK MARKETS. Prices at the Addington saleyards on -Wednesday showed a disposition to fall, and had it not been that butchers set out to buy fat stock against the possibility of a short supply for the double market next Wednesday there would have been a severe slump owing to the big entries. As it was prices of beef were lower by £1 a head for the heavy cattle, this class being forward in excess of requirements. There was a good demand for nicely-finiphed cattle between 7COlb and 8001 b, But the heavier sorts were 3s to 4s per 1001 b below this class in value. .Some excellent cattle were varded on behalf of Mr W. If. Reid (Wa ngantii River), though they were on tho heavy side for the city trade in these days of violent nor’-westers. A nice line of 14steers on account of Mr G. Stuart (Brooksdale, Tapanui) sold at from £l3 7s 6d to £l3 15s. The North Island cattle mentioned sold at from £l3 2s 6d to £l4 17s 6d. There were 34 in the line, and a pen of four made the top price. The average for the draft was £l4 3s. ’1 he full in price' was confined to- the heavy beef and the inferior quality. r l ho best light steer and heifer beef sold at from par to a slight improvement on recent prices. Spring lambs in Canterbury have kept very high in jirice since the season opened, and sales have been on a basis of lOd to Is a lb. On Wednesday there was an in crease in the number yarded, and values were on a basis of 9d a lb. The best price for a line was realised by Mr C. S. Osborne (Rakaia), who sold 25 at from 26s

to 32s 9d. a pen of eight selling at the top figure. The mui ton. sale \Vas a most remarkable uno. The offering was a record for many months, but there was a rather considerable portion of poorly-finished sheep in tlio pens. The demand was not good in the early stages, but it scon livened up, and the salesmen that drew late places had an easy task in selling their stock. A draft of shorn wethers sold on account of Mr P. J. Andrew (Lismore) made big figures. This was a lot of 181, and the various pens sold were: 1 at 28s 3d, 15 at 375, 42 at 3os 3d. 42 at 335, 46 at 31s 2d. and 21 at 28s lid. Butchers paid as much as 6d a lb on an over-all basis for shorn wethers. Mr C. G. C. Harper (Geraldine) sold the best-priced woolly wethers, his draft of 54 making from 32s to 37s 4d. Ewes and lambs have not sold well lately, and not- more than half of those offered at auction on Wednesday changed hands. At the last Leeston sale some good ewes and lambs sold at 20s lOd all* counted, which is the best price for this class in the saleyards so far this season. A CHANGE FOR THE WORSE. With a view to a change from harvest time the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association altered the date of its annual gathering from March to November, and it was expected that the change would bring an, increased entry of stock. The anticipation is hardly borne out by results, the sheep entries showing a very substantial decline, going from 303 in March last to 139 for the show in the coming week. The only increase in live stock is half a dozen horses. Taking the live stock classes collectively there is a decline of 171, while the produce and cookery exhibits show an increase of 116. Canterbury is surfeited with early summer shows, and the management of them would seem to be of opinion that there is no month but November in which to hold a show. Probably the first fortnight in December would have suited the Ashburton people much better. WOOLPACICS AND WOOL. At the last meeting of the North Canterbury Executive of the Fanners' Union a letter was received from the headquarters of the organisation advising that a deputation had waited upon the New Zealand Woolbrokers’ Association asking for a reduction in charges. The brokers expressed sympathy with the idea, but pointed out that they could make no reductions until the wages for labour were substantially reduced. Members had promised to give careful consideration to the representations of the d op Wat ion, hut in view of the statement that a number of the leading brokers had made considerable losses in their wool departments there did not seem to bo much prospect of an immediate reduction, question of the wool draft was also placed before the meeting, but the association pointed out tiiat although members were anxious to assist producers in having the practice of the draft abolished, it was a matter for the various wool-growing countries to take united action upon. The Woolbrokers’ Association also promised to look into the question of allowances on woolpacks, but it did not hold out much

hope of this being done, as the packs were of very iittio use when they had Pone duty in carrying the wool to the United Kingdom. Mr D. Murchison said that on his station woolpacks were used which had been in use for seven or eight years. There was a very great waste of woolpacks in New Zealand. A good quantity of wool was retained iu New Zealand, and an allowance could bo made on (hose. The president (Mr \7. W. Mulholland) thought this would place the buyers of wool for _ Dominion consumption in an unfair position. Mr Murchison, replying to a question, said it was the custom for the producer to pay for the packs. If this custom could not be broken, could not. old packs be returned at a reduced rate? tie suggested that the Christchurch Woolbrokers’ Association should be written to upon the subject. The president supported the suggestion that the Woolbrokers* Association should be written to. It should be asked what became of old woolpacks. CANTERBURY SHOWS. Two shews were held in Canterbury during the week. These were tho annual gathering of the Timaru A. and P. Association on Wednesday and Thursday, and the smaller one-day gathering of the Ainberley Breeders' Association at Aniberley on Thursday. At Timaru the equies were very satisfactory, totalling 1396) as compared with the record of 1451. In the merino sheep classes E. H. Smith owept the board, and the veteran breeder Mr E. Kell and secured the lion’s share of the English Leicester awards. Mr A. S. JEI- - scored three firsts, two seconds, and three thirds, but all the championship cards went to Sheep from the Keliand flock. Mr D. Grant secured all the Border Leicester awards, and in the Komney section he was also fairly successful, winning the championship for rams and the reserve for ewes, in addition to two firsts, six seconds, anil live thirds. _ Mr .1. Grigg (Longbeach) won the championship for ewes, reserve for rams, and seven firsts and one second. Longbeach Southdow.ns won both ram and ewe championships and seven firsts and two seconds. Messrs R. Parrv (Timaru) and Cochrane Bros. (Ashburton)" had a fair division of the cards in Bhrotishircs. Mr Isaac Andrew (Waihao Downs), who recently joined the ranks of the Corriedaie breeders, had a field day, winning I he championships, seven firsts, 'and six seconds. In Shorthorn caulo Mr C. Austin won the male championship. There was only moderate competition in .draughts, and Mr J. Patrick won the championship with High Admiral, that led the two-year colt class. Mrs F. K. Hellver ami son were fairly successful in the Jersey classes. The Amberley Show was held under very difficult conditions. After spending two days in erecting the necessary marquees for the accommodation of home produce, luncheon booths, etc., the stewards arrived at the ground on Thursday morning onlv to find that the nor’-wester overnight hail razed them to the ground. The wind blew with great force, and it was impossible to

raise them. A good display of light horses was made. The outstanding feature of the show was the number of fine Corriedales shown. Several fiockowners in the district, who do not usually exhibit largely patronised _ the show. Mr G. D. Greenwood (Teviotdale) secured two first prizes, two seconds, and three thirds. Mr W. W. M’Rae (Glens of Tekoa), two firsts, two secemds, and a third. Mr N. D. Campbell (Glen Dhu), another new breeder of Corriedales, two firsts, a second, a third, and three h o tickets. Mr F. 11. Courage (Peadown) scored a second, a third, and a li o ticket. These awards were gained in very strong competition. Mr 11. M. Burgin’s Macgregor, tho champion hack at the last Dunedin fchow, was champion again.