£5000 YEAR LOST IN SHEEPSKINS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16310, 11 August 1917, Page 2

£SOOO YEAR LOST IN SHEEPSKINS.

To the Editor of the "Timaru Herald.'"'

Sir, —In our official capacity as local District Supplies Committee, which actii as a connecting link between the local official seliiug brokers (that is, the firms who are members of the Wool Brokers' Association) and the controller for the Imperial Government Supplies Department, we have been asked by Sir James Boaden, the Government appraiser of sheepskins, to draw the attention of farmers and pastoralists to the serious waste and loss that is going on all through South Canterbury and Otago, owing to want of care in many cases in the saving and marketing of sheepskins. Mr Boaden tells us that on a moderate estimate lie considers in the districts whpre he is now valuing and purchasing sheepskins for the Imperial Supplies Department, the farmers aro los.mg at least £IOO every week—say a vear —almost the who'.e of which considerable sum might be saved if all the farmers and sheep owners would take more care with their sheepskins. .

Mr Boaden is emphatic in stating that-the numbers of skins he is obliged to class as faulty, torn, damaged, rat eaten or carelessly butchered are mueli too great. If all fanners would exercise common care in taking the skins off the sheep, dry the skins liung over a couple (or three) rails in ail airy shed out of the sun, and rain, leave the trotters on while drying so that the pelt may not crumple, send the skins down as soon as they are properly dried, the stores of one or other of the five firms who have been appointed Government brokers, and see that the skins are tightly and neatly bundled so that they do not get torn in transit, there would be very much fewer skins to be classed as "damaged and faulty" with an increased return to the farmers, as already stated, of about £IOO a week.

Where a farmer or butcher has no accomodation for drying his sheepskins lie should thoroughly salt them on the pelt side, especially round the edges and neck, fold in the edges, roll up, w-00l side out. and send them down without any delay fo the broker's store FRED. BARKAS, r . C. S. NEVILLE. .Local District Supplies Committee Timaru. '