GISBORNE EARLY LAMB

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18207, 30 September 1933, Page 4

GISBORNE EARLY LAMB

LONDON XMAS TRADE DUE dX DECEMBER 32 CiHJ) RETARDS FATTEN!NO The fust shipment of new season s lamb from (lisborne is due in London on December 12, and if expectations are not upset this will be the earliest that. Gisborne lamb has ever readied .Smithfield. It is hoped to have the first loading made on the liner Taniaroa, which is due at Gisborne on November 1. Tins vessel is lo make a quick dispatch from New Zealand waters, being scheduled to leave Auckland finally a week later. She is due at London oil December 12. which should give time to unload and have the meat displayed for the final week’s buying before Christmas.

The previous earliest arrival of Gisborne lamb at Smithfiehl was two years ago, when it was available on the market, a. week after Christmas, tiltnougli Auckland lamb was selling there about a. fortnight earlier. Last year the season was about three weeks later, and the first- of New Zealand lamb did not reach London until Ihe middle oi February. Gisborne is fortunate tliis year in that the Tamaroa will be clearing New Zealand waters within a week ol loading here. The first shipment two years ago was made early in November, but additional loadings at other ports delayed the ship's departure from New Zealand.

Since application was made from Gisborne for space on the Tamaroa, cold and wet conditions sot in, and, if they continue, the opening of the freezing works may bo delayed. Early in the season the lambs made good progress, and it was thought that, given reasonable conditions until mid-October, they would be well forward by -Show week. On this assumption, bookings for carry killings at Haiti were particularly heavy.

Already, the cold and wet weather this week lias given the lambs a check, and the condition of both the ewes and tlic lambs has gone down slightly. Slight scouring has set in. but. given a spell of fine and warm weather from now on. the lambs should make a rapid recovery, with the result that the calculations regarding the early lamb shipment should not be greatly upset. The forecast C at early lamb should realise 8d per lb. at Smithfiehl has given Gisborne farmers an additional incentive- to send early drafts, lor if tins prediction is realised it will be the best early price for three years, and should make it possible for focal buying rates to be double those ruling at the opening of the season last year.