SOUTHLAND FAT LAMB SCHEDULE

Southland Times, Issue 24109, 24 April 1940, Page 6

SOUTHLAND FAT LAMB SCHEDULE

Dissatisfaction In Eastern District

PROTEST BY FARMERS’ UNION BRANCH Dissatisfaction with the present fat lamb schedule for Southland was expressed by members of the Gore SubExecutive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at a meeting of the subexecutive yesterday. It was stated that a company operating in Canterbury was giving a premium of up to 2/- a head on lambs with a good fleece and skin and that that premium was not being paid for lambs killed in Southland. A decision to protest _to the Southland provincial executive about the matter and to forward a telegram to the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board for information was made. The chairman, Mr Henry Smith, said that he understood that a Canterbury company was giving a premium of up to 2/- a head on lambs with a good fleece and skin over and above the schedule rates. No district produced better lambs that those produced in Eastern Southland and that premium was not being paid in Southland. The farmers had been waiting for several weeks for an increase in the schedule for lambs. An increase had been made in the schedule for wethers and ewes and that had been made at the expense of lambs. The farmers of Eastern Southland, sending their lambs to Southland works, -were losing up to 2/- a head as the majority of the lambs were Romneys with good fleeces and skins. Mr A. R. Johnston said that he was not surprised to hear that a Canterbury company was paying a premium for long-woolled lambs when one considered the limited number of lambs it was receiving. If 500 Southland farmers forwarded their lambs to Canterbury would that company still continue to pay the premium? He did not think so. At the same time he did not suggest that there was nothing wrong with the present schedule for Southland. If they could get some farmer to produce a Canterbury return and a Southland return for a line of lambs showing the difference in the rate, then they could make a move in the matter.

Mi- G. Clark pointed out that the Canterbury company paid a railage of 1/6 a head on lambs forwarded to it as well as the premium of 2/- for longwoolled lambs. That was 3/6 more than was being paid in Southland. It was the business of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board to look after the interests of the farmers and he considered that the matter should be referred to the board.