CALF AND SHEEP SKINS.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 June 1932, Page 2

CALF AND SHEEP SKINS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Before the directors of New Zealand Ltd. leave this country on thentrip to Ottawa, I with thousands, of other farmers would like them to direct us what to do with our calfskins and sheepskins. As,to our cheese and butter, as they are a perishable commodity we will have to give them away to anyone who will be kind enough to take them, even at a loss. I will not touch on wool as before the shearing season commences our directors may be back. They may decide to leave the sinking ship, but if we get no directiton as to our calfskins and sheepskins the farmers must to save money commit vandalism; that is, destroy public utilities. We must burn them or throw them in the river. Each calfskin is worth when' mauufacured about £1 10s and each sheepskin with 41b of wool if just cleaned and twisted into wool for knitting, etc., is worth £1 10s—a conservative estimate. Now the farmers must destroy millions of pounds worth of valuable assets. To illustrate, two months ago I took 16 sheepskins and two calfskins, which cost me 5s in benzine to take to Stratford. The skins netted 3s Id, leaving a deficit of Is lid without charging for labour. I asked to see the account sales for all the skins sold, and the average price was 4d each. Last week I received a statement for one sheepskin sold. It said one sheepskin with 41b of wool realised Id. Commission was Id, and the auctioneers sent the statement for a Id stamp, which wiped but their commission. Before the directors leave New Zealand, what are they "oiug to recommend us to do with our skins? New Zealand has enormous liabilities which must be met, but which we cannot pay with our raw material which is going into the river this year. All over this Dominion the committees are asking for old clothes and old beds, while weliave millions of pounds worth of wool getting destroyed.—l am, etc., QUERIST.