CANTERBURY BUDGET.

Otago Witness, Issue 4042, 1 September 1931, Page 16

CANTERBURY BUDGET.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

HERD TESTING.

CHRISTCHURCH, August 29. During the past season the Canterbury Herd Testing Association tested 1578 cows for periods of 101 days and more, and tile association average was 220.8711 b of butter-fat in 226 days, a drop of 12.821 b on the figures far the previous season. The average production of milk per cow for the season was 57041 b. The highest herd average and the highest return for a > single cow was obtained by Mr G Nairn. Mr Nairn’s 19 cows gave an average of 316.121 b of butter-fat in 262 days, and one of bis cows gave 5091 b in 298 days. Another cow belonging to this breeder was second on the list, with a production of 4591 b in 274 days. Other breeders whose herds averaged over 3001 b of fat were Messrs R. Lambie, J. Keeper, and H. Schnelle. ft was stated in the association’s annual report, which was presented at the annual meeting this week, that for the 1931-32 season the Government has authorised a subsidy of £BOOO. Of this it is anticipated that £2OOO will be required for grants for new groups formed, financial assistance for weak groups, and expenditure incurred by associations in renewing plant. The balance of approximately £6OOO will be available for the reduction of testing fees for the 1931-32 season, and on the basis of last year's figures should allow of a subsidy of about 6d per cow being returned to members. In addition to this, the New Zealand Dairy Produce Board, acting on the. recommendation of the National Dairy Association’s conference, has decided to make a grant of £6060 for the sole purpose of enabling associations to reduce testing fees for the coming season, provided an Order-in-Couneil can be obtained to Permit'of the board making the grant. With the addition of the Government subsidy, this will permit of from IQd to Is per cow being returned to members. The following officers were elected at the annual meeting of the association:—President, Mr John Parlane; vice-presi-dent, Mr W. G. Vogan; council, Messrs H. Bliss, H. Stalker, T. Mould, and J. R. Keeper (to fill the places of the retiring councillors); auditor, Mr W. 11. Nicholls. It was decided to adopt the following scale af fees:-—Up to 60 cows, 6s per cow; in excess of 60 rows, 5s per cow; membership fee to be £1 Is and the minimum fee to be £5, which would include membership.

ADDINGTON MARKET. In view of the discouraging prices that were obtained for fat cattle at the previous sale, the big drop in the numbers yarded at Addington this week was hardly surprising. The market, which is extremely sensitive to fluctuations in supply, naturally reacted to the benefit of vendors, the drop of 30s a head recorded last week being almost fully recovered. One noticeable feature was the comparatively small number of North Island cattle. Supplies from that source contributed nearly a third of the aggregate yarding during the previous three weeks, and throughout the winter they have been supplementing the weekly offerings very substantially, to the disadvantage of local graziers. A certain quantity of North Island beef is necessary to supplement the supplies here in normal years, but with the low prices that have been ruling in that quarter for months past, graziers there have sought better returns at Addington, with the result that they have had a bigger say than usual. The combined effect of these consistently heavy supplies and the restriction in the local trade demand has spoilt the market for the local graziers. Many of them have held off as long as possible, and there are still large numbers of cattle in the country awaiting the market. Several of the big Peninsula men who usually start to market their stock in June have held off until the last two or three weeks before sending their cattle forward.

Apparently there are still some graziers in the north who are ■wanting to dispose of their cattle here, though it is hard to see where the inducement lies. Stock firms are being quoted a price in the paddock—about £9 10s to £lO l(fe—but they will not look at it or give buyers any financial assistaiwe. With prices as they are at present it' is not to be wondered at, as the cost of shipping the cattle from the farm to Addington, including everything from droving to rail and yard fees, is somewhere about £4 5s a head. That leaves a far from attractive margin, without taking into consideration the risk of loss on the journey down.

Butchers were more interested in the medium-weight bodies this week, and it , was this class of beef that showed the greatest appreciation. Heavy beasts were not wanted, and they did not show very much advance. With the retail demand these days confined chiefly to the smaller and less expensive joints and cuts, they have to meet it, and the medium cattle ; present the most economical proposition. ’ The sale had its irregular patches, and prices in some eases showed big disparities. The clearance, however, was a satisfactory one, and one noticeable point about it was the fact that the butchers were paying more attention to the local cattie. Up till recently they have been favouring the imported stuff. The best 'of the beef ranged in value up to 35s a 1001 b, this being chiefly heifer beef, with the choicest cow beef exceeding 30s, and heavy steer beef up to about 28s. Down to 17s was paid for some of the inferior quality. A recent improvement in values in Auckland has brought the quotation for the best beef up to 28s to 30s a 1001 b, and in Hawke’s Bay the highest figure is 255.

Despite a considerable drop in the size of the fat sheep entry, the supplies forward were a little too big for the demand, and the result was an easier market, particularly for the heavy sheep, which were from Is to Is 6d a head cheaper. Butchers were interested chiefly in the medium-weights, and the easing in these was not so pronounced. The offering totalled 4009 head, compared with 6156 head the previous week, and except for a few pens of ewes, consisted entirely of wethers. Quality, which, has been sc remarkably even over the last three or four sales, showed some falling away in the proportion q£ lightly-finished sheep penned. There was, however, a very fair showing of good sheep, and even at the lower prices some fairly high-priced sales were listed. The best of the wethers penned made up to 25s lOd, this price being secured by Mr C. A. Ridgen (Greendale) for three out of a line of 11. The balance made from 20s lOd. It is interesting to compare these figures with those that were obtained at the corresponding sale last year, when the effect of the depression was starting to be felt. The top price then was 50s lOd, and anything ranging from 30s to 40s was not uncommon.. The better-class wethers exceeded 16s, and well over half the offering made more than that figure. For inferior sorts the price was as low as 10s or Us —lower than the values ruling in the store pens. Up to 19s 4d was secured for ewes, this price being paid for the tops of a southern line of 34, sold on account of an unnamed vendor. Anything in reasonably good condition was worth over 40s, and the greater part of the limited offering made over this figure.

“FREE” WHEATGROWERS MEET. Wheat growers from all parts of Canterbury and Otago who are not associated with the New Zealand Wheat Growers’ Co-operative Association —the wheat pool —assembled in conference at Ashburton this week, and set up a committee to watch their interests in any agreement between the millers, stock agents, and growers in regard to the marketing of next season’s wheat. Mr H. F. Nicoll, of Ashburton, presided, and proceedings were held in committee. After a two-hour discussion the conference released the following statement for publication:— “A meting of free wheatgrowers was held in order to appoint a committee to represent their interests in. any agreement that may be entered into between the millers, the stock agents, and the wheatgrowers with reference to the marketing of the 1931-2 wheat harvest. About 130 wheatgrowers were present from all parts of Canterbury and Otago, and others arrived late. The meeting was a most enthusiastic one. and agreed unanimously to the following resolutions:— “ (1) That this meeting of free wheatgrowers resolves that any agreement entered into with the millers must be arrived at by delegates representing the parties directly concerned, namely, the millers, the stock and station agents, the wheat pool, arid the free " (2) That this meeting of free wheatgrowers unanimously decides to leave the matter of forming a Free Wheatgrowers’' Association in the hands of the committee appointed at the meeting, it being understood tha such an association shall be formed if the committee considers it necessary, and that the constitution of such an association shall be snbmitted to a special meeting of the free wheatgrowers before going to registration. "The following committee was appointed to represent the free wheat-

growers in any future business that might arise:—Messrs H. F. Nicoll (Ashburton), G. W. Leadley (Wakanni), G. H. Judd (Waddington), P. Porter (Timaru), W. K. M‘Alpine (Waipara), A. M. Carpenter (Rangiora), P. F. Ryan (Weedons), and.G. D. Hunter (Oamaru). AKA RO A COCKSFOOT. Holding that Akaroa cocksfoot was not the same as that grown in other parts of the Dominion, and that there was quite a considerable distinction attached to it as far as the trade was concerned, the North Canterbury executive of the Farmers’ Union has decided to support any action Bank Peninsula growers might take to organise certification on their own account. Better prices would result, it is considered, if the seed were certified as other lines of seed were. The matter was brought under consideration in a letter from the Department of Agriculture stating that the previous announcement that no differentiation, could be made in the certification of cocksfoot from different parts of the country held good. Information obtained by trials carried out at the Plant Research Station indicated that there were many different forms of cocksfoot, such as tall, short, and fine, and that there was just as much mixture on Akaroa farms as elsewhere. The question of certification from an export point of view was now being considered, but if that were arranged the seed would be branded “ New Zealand,” since it would not be possible to differentiate to the extent of using the word “ Akaroa.” The only points required to qualify for ■ certification would be purity and germination, and production from definite old pasture or from new pasture that has been tested and found to be the true New Zealand type. FARM SCHOOL. At present being held at the Canterbury Agricultural College at Lincoln is the annual winter farm school for farmers and representatives of stock and; station firms. Fourteen are in residence at the school, and the session will con- . tinue for a fortnight. The aim of the school is not to make experts of thoce attending, but to enable them to be in a position to give advice to farmers on technical matters. They receive a comprehensive theoretical and practical instruc- . tion in all branches of farming, such as animal and field husbandry, plant breeding, and farm costing. FLOCK REGISTRATION. A proposal that all the flock books now issued separately by the various breed societies throughout the Dominion should be incorporated in one cover is at present being considered by those concerned. The biggest of these organisations is the New Zealand Sheepbreeders’ Association, which looks after the interests of a number of breeds, and in addition there are the New Zealand Romney Marsh Sheepbreeders’ Association, the Lincoln Sheepbreeders’ Association, the Southdown Sheep Society, the Corriedale Sheep Society, and the Ryeland Sheep Society, and they all issue separate flock books. Some breeders register in their own particular flock hooks, and also in that issued by the New Zealand Sheepbreeders’ Association. The idea is that the societies should each control their own register in the book, the major body controlling the registration of the English Leicester, Border Leicester, merino, halfbred, and Shropshire breeds. The proposal is certainly an excellent one, and there is no reason why it should not be supported wholeheartedly. In recent years there has been a growing demand from breeders outside the Dominion for information as to the flocks in this country, and a compendium as suggested would supply them with the required facts in a useful form.