OUT AND ABOUT

Otago Witness, Issue 3972, 29 April 1930, Page 13

OUT AND ABOUT

THE WEEK IN OTAGO. A fine week, with little wind, was the general experience throughout Otago, and as a result, the pastures are drying up fast, while the root crops are threatened with extinction, and unless good rains soon fall, winter stock feed will be at a premium. BURNSIDE MARKET. Owing to comparatively small yardings of fat cattle and sheep and lambs there was a better tone, with some improvement in values at Burnside. Fat pigs, however, were cheaper. An entry of 159 fat cattle (198 last sale) met with good competition for good sorts. Early in the sale prices were inclined to weaken, but generally last sale’s values, 10s to 15s per head better, were obtainable, until well on with the sale. The quality was only fair, some nice heifers and _ cows and a few extra good bullocks being included. Berf may be quoted as making to 41s per 1001 b. The supply of fat sheep, 1450 (3050 last sale), comprised very ordinary sorts, and only an odd pen of heavy crossbred wethers. A number of Central Otago fine-wool-led sheep were featured, and a good many medium to prime ewes. There was a better sale, and heavy sheep improved 2s 6d a head, medium wethers and ewes appreciating Is 6d to 2s. Butchers’ sheep may be quoted as making to 4|d per lb. A small entry of fair to prime lambs evoked very fair competition, and rather better values were realised for good butchers’ sort. No change, however, occurred m plain sorts and unfinished. Lamb may be quoted as making to 71d per lb. The entry totalled 370 as against 580 at the previous sale. Some 100 head of store cattle elicited very fair bidding at unchanged values: fair three to four-year-old steers making to £ll, medium sorts £8 to £9, and two and aialf-year-old £6 5s to £7 12s 6d.

The supply of fat pigs, 113. was comparatively large, and values i eceded 5s a head, while stores (85) were not over attractive, only the pick of the weaners making last sale’s values. Bacon pigs made to 7|d and porkers 8d per lb. COUNTRY STOCK SALES. BALCLUTHA. There was a very larc;e attendance at the stock sale on Thursday, about 10,000 sheep being penned (the largest entry so far this season), and most of these found new owners, but at values in keeping with the present state of the market, something quite different from that of a year ago. As for example, good store wethers from Lakeside realised 19s 4d, whereas last year the same class of stock was worth 31s 6d. No fat lambs were penned. Fat wethers sold at 24s Gd to 25s Gd; fat ewes. 19s 3d; extra good, to 22s 6d; others, Us 6d. Good two-tooth ewes, 22s to 275; extra good, 30s 6d; wethers (four and sixtooth), a line of 500 sold on account of Lakeside (M'Crostie’s). at 19s 4d; soundmouthed ewes, 14s to 17s; failing-mouthed ewes, 12s lOd; ewe lambs (culls), 7s lOd; good ditto, 15s 8d; full and failing-mouth ewes, Ils to 13s; old ewes, 5s to 8s; wether lambs, 7s to 14s 9d; two-tooth wethers, 10s 6d to 14s Gd. _Dairy heifers, close to profit, brought £7; young dairy cows £9 12s 6d. Suckers were in less demand, and sold at from 10s for small to 25s for better grown pigs. MEAT AND WOOL. That the present exports of meat and wool to Italy should be increased considerably was the opinion expressed by the Count of Pietrasanta to a Victorian press representative. The count is on his way to Sydney, which will be his headquarters. He intends to visit other States to ascertain the prospects, on behalf of an Italian syndicate, principally of meat and wool exports from Australia to his country. Re will also look into the question of wheat export. ’

The syndicate includes the head of a shipping company, which owns 17 large cargo boats, a banker, who is a brother of the count, and other business men as underwriters.

The count said a good portion of the Italian meat supply was imported from the Argentine, but it should be possible to take much more from Australia. They had used a lot of Australian wool, but would like to use more, and were particularly impressed with the finer types. Canadian wheat had largely found its way to the Italian market, but the Australian product, by reason of its blending properties and gluten contents, appeared to offer favourable opportunities for greater use than at present. RURAL BIAS IN EDUCATION. The argument that a definitely rural complexion should be given to rural elementary schools with a view to preparing country children for rural occupations has been examined by Mr L. E. Matthaei, chief of the agricultural service in the International Labour Office, in an article in the official review. He remarks that agriculture cannot absorb the whole increase of rural population, which will produce an increasing surplus with the development of mechanisation, so that a certain, even a large, proportion of the young population from the countryside will seek employment in the towns. “ The rural bias, therefore, if it really aims at keeping population on the land, is pursuing what must frankly be called a sentimental end, in defiance of a fundamental law of economics,” says Mr Matthaei. “ Countryside education should never be so formulated that the town and country child can be said to have been differently educated. This would not only be an injustice to the rural population and put them at a great disadvantage in seeking employment, and it would be fundamentally opposed to the idea of a united nation. ... It is legitimate to point out, even to children, the advantages connected with agricultural or other rural employment, but the advantages must be real advantages, such as cannot be disputed. The elementary school is not entitled to create an artificial desire for any particular employment, the purpose of the elementary school being general, to fit boys and girls to take their place in human society. The rural bias, if carried to a

point which gives it a true vocational complexion, may certainly be attacked as an improper attempt to force certain groups of the population into certain occupations. It would perhaps be an exaggeration to say that it amounts to a subtle interference with the true freedom of contract, but it verges on this.” OTAGO WINTER SHOW. Applications for space at the forthcoming Winter Show are coming in freely and the Space Committee is finding some difficulty in meeting the demands. Several meetings have been held, and close on 40 per cent, of the applications received have been allocated, and it is expected that, the, balance will be dealt with next week. The main difficulty is that the committee does not know what space will be required to accommodate the fat stock and other sections until all entries have been received for the various classes. Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., have again come to the assistance of the society by granting it the use of one of their brick stores. This building has a floor space of over 8000 square feet, and it is proposed to utilise it for the staging and displaying of the home industry section, which includes bread, scones, cakes, biscuits, preserves, honey, farmers’ butter, needlework, returned soldiers’ exhibits, and others of a similar nature. This will considerably relieve the strain on the main building and not only enable the committee to display this interesting section to advantage, but will give both exhibitors and the general public a better opportunity of inspecting the articles entered for competition. It is proposed to erect a canvas passageway between the two buildings, thus enabling the people to have free access under cover and avoiding the necessity’ of issuing passes to or from either building. A large number of applications has been received for selling stalls and sideshows, but these have been held over until all other applications have been dealt with.

A WORLD BEEF SHORTAGE. Sir William Haldane has made himself an expert on questions of meat supplies, and his informative article in The Times deserves the careful attention of all stock breeders. The trend of world supplies and world demand points to a shortage of beef in the near future, chiefly on account of the growing requirements of the United States. Her own head of cattle is appreciably decreased, and for the last few years Canadian cattle have gone across the border in far greater numbers than before. Farmers in England know that by the abandonment of the trade in Canadian stores to this country. Now increasing quantities of canned beef are being drawn from the Argentine to meet American demands. The disease regulations of the States do not allow the importation of fresh meat from the Argentnne, where foot-and-mouth disease is prevalent, but canned beef is coining in freely. These circumstances, Sir William Haldane suggests, give the British farmer an opportunity of developing beef production. The trade has been poor, and thousands of pounds were lost byBritish graziers during the South American meat war, but now the outlook appears brighter than for many years. The forces of supply and demand have reasserted themselves.

A notable speech, also predicting a shortage of beef supplies, was made recently by the chairman of Bovril, Ltd. Lord Luke urged the necessity of Australia developing her cattle supplies more effectively by the use of beef bulls imported from this country. Pedigree breeders will welcome the prospect of increased trade in this direction.