SHEEPOWNERS’ UNION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19894, 23 March 1939, Page 4

SHEEPOWNERS’ UNION

BUSY YEAR REVIEWED MEAT RESEARCH URGED STOCK COMMISSIONS A busy and eventful year is reviewed in the report of the president, 'Mr. C. H. Williams, to be presented to the annual meeting of the Poverty Bay and East Coast Sheepowners’ Union on March 31. The report referred to the remits sent to the annual meeting of the Meat 'Board's electoral committee. Two of the remits, including a proposal for a quality grade of fat lamb, originally recommended by Mr. J. G. Graham, and that half the proceeds of the wool levy should be expended on animal and wool research work within the Dominion, were defeated, but three remits were carried, these referring to the establishment of animal research institutes according to Dr. Hammond’s recommendations, that a meat research institute should be set up and that the Meat Board and Wool Committee should confer with a view to securing adequate representation on the Animal Research * Bureau. The remit in regard to the woo! levy expenditure, defeated at the Meat Board’s electoral committee's conference, received unanimous approval at the annual conference of the Sheepowners’ Federation. "It is very difinitely the opinion of your executive that research into the production problems of meat and wool is not receiving the attention it deserves, and our efforts will continue to be directed towards greater activity in this respect,” the report added. "Our attitude was supported very strongly at the meeting, but as yet no results have appeared from this discussion.” Wool Marketing An expression of opinion in regard to wool marketing and Government control was requested by the federation’s head office. “Your executive was unanimous in opposing any form of Government control and that decision was conveyed to the proper quarters,” the report stated. "At the same time it was felt by some that there is room for improvement and that the problem should be tackled by wool-producers themselves. “Information produced by Mr. R. C Parker discloses the fact that while the commission on sales of stock is in line with some other districts in the North Island, we suffer considerably by comparison with Hawke’s Bay, where conditions are very similar to our own. “The stock and station agents probably can produce reasons for this discrepancy which _will satisfy your executive, and before next selling season they will be asked to do so. Transport Agreement “The difficulty of arriving at an agreement with the Carriers’ Association regarding transport charges has been overcome. The carriers agreed to abandon their former schedule of individual cartage fates and to adopt a ton-mileage basis on a scale adapted to the type of road access. This involved a classification of all roads in the counties concerned, which was successfully carried out. "As far as charges upon sheepowners are concerned, the scale seems to be reasonable. Some, of course, have to suffer an increase, while others gain some benefit, but on the average the cost of transport will be much as it has been in the past.

' “It was advisable, if at all possible, to arrive at a mutual understanding, as otherwise it would have become the duty of the Transport Authority to frame an agreement for us. Such an enforced agreement might easily have been less satisfactory than that concluded. Noxious Weeds Control “Piri Piri.—Dr. Miller visited the district in June with a view to selecting suitable localities for the liberation of the Chilean sawlly promised to us in consequence of the raising of money by those interested. Mr. J. Monckton’s property at Hangaroa and Mr. O. T. Williams’ at Ruatoria were chosen, and liberations were made in October. It is too early yet to determine the success or otherwise of the fly to establish itself. “Variegated Thistle.—Tile money raised in this district is now being spent in a preliminary investigation in Europe of the possibility of finding a natural enemy for the control of this pest. It is becoming increasingly evident that no effective control can be obtained by the ordinary methods of chipping or poisoning. It is possible that some method of pasture management may bo found by which the thistle can be controlled, but at present the discovery of the natural enemy appears to be the only solution.” , Facial Eczema Referring to the outbreak of facial eczema in the Auckland and Waikato districts last autumn, Mr. Williams stated that he took the opportunity of attending a meeting at Pukekohe and refuting the suggestion that the outbreak was due to infection from sheep from Poverty Bay. “Such a suggestion, if unrefuted might have had a disastrous effect upon our market for surplus sheep. I found that the suggested responsibility of Poverty Bay sheep for the trouble was not seriously entertained, and 1 had no difficulty in disposing of it. “The unprecedented severity of the outbreak, though unfortunately disastrous to many, has had the good effect of focusing attention upon what is undoubtedly a natural menace, with the result that intensive efforts arc being made to discover the cause of the trouble and to find a preventative and a cure. Methods of pa dure management which should go far towards minimising the danger and the extent of future outbreaks already have been explored and advice has been published and broadcast by the authorities. “The finances of the branch are in a sound posi’ion, as is evident by the statement of accounts. Accumulated funds are larger by £B3, with overdue subscriptions at £37 16s 6d, showing an increase of £6 over the previous year. This reduces the accumulated funds to a cash basis of £624, being ao increase of £77 over the cash funds of the previous year. “In conclusion, I wish to express my thanks to the executive and to the secretary, Mr. A. J. Stock, for his invaluable assistance at all times.”