COST OF WORKING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14274, 13 August 1910, Page 6

COST OF WORKING.

A BACK COCXTIIY RUN. A rIIAOTICAL FXL'ERIENCE. Ko doubt OeiisKferaUe discussion 13 taking placo in the country disti-Lcts rethe prupu-scd jsuhdivisiun «. crtaiii .Mackenzie, runs, -jo l'ai\ jx has h..en a. quothiM i>i area, oarryinn; capacity, and rent, hut no-one appears to have yet taken up the question of liic fi.,l o! workinc; runs oarrvinn- from "»'■*!» . t.» 1.0.000 5he..,,. The 'fojlowmjr noies i [-CTU the holder of a hack coun-i:-y l-u.i will therefore be of interest. lie points out ihai the sucrcc-sied routs arc ba-od roiuj.hlv sneakon-- at Is per head of shoei) carried. ukc-h looks low '. ,!lll! 's!i. and so it is where a (lock is ken!, lint it must he heme in mind that the cost liuist he reckoned more upon the number of sheep kept. For in.--iane.f-. it will cost- nearlv as much io niamic-e 7000 .sheen on 30.000 acres a.s it would to manage 1-1.000 on the same area. Our informant shears 7.000 sheep and he finds ihat his run. ill!' rent and taxes of which work out at Is 11.U1 per head, harely nays workmo- expenses and jnterest.' The annual losses, 111-.- cost of rnusiorino. especially m fooc-v we;n her. the Vartaoe of wool from the hack country. .elr\. are

I heavy items to face ovei'v year I Ct.iMsr into details of 'the cost of ; working the run mentioned some of Iho .items were for this hist year—Labour , and stores, about C9on. interest on ■ (">lJi'i:i7. rent and taxes. C 77- total :.-C"IG7.-_._ Tin- gmss oxo-nses or gotiina . ilio clip from the railwav station to ■London, and wool brokers' commission ji-Ho los lii.-l, making the total' okipenses :C1S!)0 I:3s l(!d. The net proceeds of the v.ool elio was £-1097 18s o:l.. or a loss of Cl!j3 fK 5(1. on tile year s working of the run. In al)out one year in three there are a. few lurndred cull sheen to .sell—about £of) to £1(10 worth—so that this is not an jitcm ot income to deoend liwm. as the. Annual losses of young sheep in the sno-iv- m this class of country prevent any actual -urnlus for sale Tli- item of" r-nof) for labour and keep may seem largo, but anyone who has experience of a sheen run knows tiiar K n . constant outlay for improvements, alterations, and repairs On ,i run affected hv heavy snow the expense of repairing fences is exceptionally heavy. The cost of hel,> is considerably larger than it used to" be ho wage of- a. cook alone. i s ahout Houhle. end also eomniand nearly double wages, while the food lull nu.sf he more than double, because <--<r lee <!,. m ,uid for a higher standard or living.