THE NORTH ISLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3867, 24 April 1928, Page 21

THE NORTH ISLAND.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Mild conditions still prevai over the North Island, and the fact that we are now past the middle of 'he month of April and the autumn-like weather continues clearly indicates the rentalkable season experience'!. Grass is growing, and tho feed position appears to be fairly satisfactory. Along the west coast there is an abundance of feed, and pastures are looking particularly green. On some farms a good deal more stock could be carried, but farmers do not care to take the risk so late in the season in case the n.ild weather is followed by sharp frosts. Over on the east coast the r e has been a good deal of rain, and a nor altogether too hopeful view is taken in regard to the wintering of hoggets. It is felt that the season will not be too goo-1 for young sheep. Wet weather, long grass, and stomach worms will spoil the finest line of hoggets ever bred, and as there is already an abundance of rank feed, it one. requires plenty of wet weather—and if the law of averages counts for anything—to justify the opinion at present held that the coining winter is not going to be too good for young stock. Already some farmers are endeavouring to protect their hog gets by providing them with drench nr indicated salt lick. WOOL MARKET

A rather interesting review of the wool season has been given in a recent report of Winchcombe, Carson, Ltd. It was stated that the purchase of the season’s wool clip had not slackened the demand for the staple in New Zealand, Australia, and London: “The good market in New Zealand generally has proved doubly welcome. There" 98 per cent, of the clip was crossbred wool, for which relatively low prices have ruled since 1924. In 1926-27 the New Zealand clip averaged about Is a pound, whereas in Australia the average was' 17Jd per pound. This season, however, the price of crossbred has advanced 15 to 25 per cent.” The firm considers that the revival in competition for all classes of wool can be accepted as an indication that wool is in short supply in the world. Consumers, therefore, -were not able to pick and choose. WHERE NEW ZEALAND MEAT GOES.

Information revealing the countries to which New Zealand meat goes is always of interest, and a return from the' New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board in that respect provides interesting reading. Tlie London office states that the supplies of meat to the London central markets during the two months ended February, 1928, and comparisons with the period of 1927, are as follows:—

—Beef and Veal.—

DAIRY CONTROL BOARD. In view of the fact that three members of the New Zealand Dairy Produce Control Board are to retire on Jun o 30, considerable interest is being evinced in the coming election, Ihe members due to retire are Messrs W Grounds (chairman of the board), D. Fulton, and W. Bryant- No. 1 Ward takes in the north of Auckland, No. 2 Ward embraces King Country districts, and No. 8 Ward, which includes Ashburton, Geraldine, Mackenzie, Levels. Waimate, Waitaki, Maniototo, Waihemo, Waikouaiti, Taieri. Peninsula, Bruce, Tuapeka, Vincent, and Clutha. The regulations under the Dairy Produce Export Control Act, 1923, provide that the rolls of producers entitled to vote at the election shall be compiled from lists of suppliers of milk or cream to factories as at May 1, sent in by secretaries or owners of companies manufacturing dairy produce for export. Separate lists must be furnished with respect to each factory owned by a dairy company, as the Dairy Produce Export Control Amendment Act,' 1926, provides that the votes of the suppliers of each factory shall be recorded separately. In some instances it may happen that a company may own factories in two different wards. In such a case it is only necessary for the company to suoply rolls of suppliers of factories actually situated in the ward 'n which an election is being held. Each member of a partnership firm may have his name placed on the list. DESTRUCTION OF SHOW CHEESES. Exhibition cheeses for tho Waikato Winter Show have been under preparation for some time past, but the authorities have been much perturbed at an unfortunate affair that has occurred. Last week someone evidently entered the factory and completely ruined four or five of a batch of very fine cheeses by means of . marking ink.- There will not now be sufficient -time to prepare a second batch of cheeses. TOP-DRESSING OF PASTURES. ,

Top-dressing of pastures is becoming more common than it was a couple or three years ago, and it is confidently believed that all progressive farmers will in future devote certain time and money to the improvement of their pasture lands by giving them periodical attention by means of manures. Figures compiled by the Government Statistician show a remarkable increase of top-dress-ing during the year ended March 31, no fewer than 219,510 tons of fertilisers having been used during the period in question. FREEZING AT POVERTY BAY. Poverty Bay freezing works report a very good season, which is likely to be extended beyond the limit of last year, for cattle at least. It is also expected that more sheep will be killed, despite the reported shortage in the district. HAWKE’S BAY PRODUCE. Hawke’s Bay has evidently enjoyed a splendid season judging by export figures, every class of produce showing an increase on the previous half-year’s returns, wool being up as much as 15,720 bales, beef 2157 tons, mutton 45,604 carcasses, and lamb 91,008 carcasses. The balance of trade has swung very' much in the district’s favour, imports of all kinds showing a decrease of 9533 tons. Export figures for primary produce were as follows, those of 1926-27 season being shown in parentheses:—Wool. tallow, etc.. (bales). 106,457 (90.737); beef (tons). 2600 (443) ; mutton (carcasses), 245,523 (199,919); mutton (pieces). 7464 (6750); lamb (carcasses), 408,891 (317.883). From the foregoing figures it will be seen that Napier’s return of produce that went overseas is one that must give complete satisfaction to the province of Hawke’s Bay. THE DAIRYING INDUSTRY. The dairying season is now nearing its end, and this is reflected in the shipmen's from the Dominion during tho March period. The month cf March in 1923 was not nearly as good as the month of March in 1927, as tile export figures disclose During March of this year 203,452 boxes of butter were shipped away compared with 236,917 in March of 1927. The decrease is, of course, attributable to tho dry spell experienced prior to that month. Cheese exports totalled 120,484 • crates, against 114.257 in March. 1927. The total shipments from the Dominion for chi eight months ended March 31 wore 2,284,532 boxes of butter and 731,064 crates of cheese, compared with 1.889,124 boxes of butter an.l 664,803 crates of cheese in the correspond ing period of last season. DAIRYMEN’S PAY. In the Auckland province Te Awannitu Dairy Company paid out £5243 for March compared with £4220 for the same month last year. The payment is based on Is 4d per lb for butter-fat. compared with Is last j’ear. Cambridge distributed £15,300, compared with £14,000 last year, the butter-fat basis being Is 5d for cheese and Is 3id for butter*

Bruntwood distributed £2375—a decrease , poany £2OO on the corresponding period oi last year. Maungaturoto paid out £2916, as compared with £3533 for March of last year. P ft y oiit f° r the season has been £35,468. compared with £32,375 for the corr°rruOnt^ll’. P <?l ’l<*cl of the previous season, k-aipara Dairy Company raid out £l 3>*2o, agßnut £12,501 for March, 1927. waipu Dairy Company paid out £2146, against £2246 in March. 1927. IN TARANAKI. Latest returns, from the Taranaki Pro. ducers breezing Company show that a decrease of .99 per cent, in butter-fat has taken place m dairy produce graded. This is attributed to the dry s pcll. which began late m December and did not break until well into March. , a'drop of approximately 331,1451 b of butter-fat, represented by 5093 crates or 2.6 per cent. Butter, however, has increased aporoximately 134.2001 b in tat. equal to a percentage of 1.3. There were more boxes. These figures show a decrease in butterfat when compared with 1926-27,. of 196,9451 b. spared Big qecreases have also occurred in tho quantities brought to the stores during the month. March 10 to April 14, compared with last season, while there is also considerably less in store than was the case at this time last year. FERTILISERS MARKET. ’’ s a good steady demand for fertilisers for top dressing purposes, and it is quite evident that farmers will get good teed for late autumn and early' winter as tho result ot their top-dressing operation!

Britain and Ireland Tonnage Tonnage 8,842 7,155 Australia . . 408' 459 New Zealand .. v .. 201 236 Canada 595 United States of America Argentina .... 175 324 32,252 34,795 Uruguay, etc. 1,273 Netherlands Other countries — — Totals: Beef and veal 43,439 44,837 —Mutton and Lamb.— Britain and Ireland 6,797 6,736 Australia 2,830 3,791 New Zealand 8,323 7,485 Canada United States of America 21 16 Argentina 3,575 4,323 Uruguay, etc. 1,055 836 Netherlands Other countries — — Totals: Mutton and • ■. 22,601 23,187 —Pork and Bacon.— Britain and Ireland 7,386 5,146 Australia 3 New Zealand 60 68 Canada 31 61 United States of America 226 185 Argentina 125 45°. Uruguay, etc. 12 6 Netherlands ♦635 *488 Other countries *416 *323 Totals: Pork and bacon 8,894 6,799 •Bacon.