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Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21994, 20 June 1941, Page 3

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Position- Of Back Country Runs Increased Costs And Smaller Returns The combined runs of Benhar and Omarama were now carrying 25,000 less sheep than they were before they were cut up for closer settlement, the price received for their produce was less than it was 25 years ago and those prices were paid with depreciating currency, Mr A. H. Chapman, jr., of Kurow, said in an interesting address on back country conditions given to the Oamaru Rotary Club. On top of the foregoing facts, he said, the expenses of the high country man had in most cases, doubled and trebled and the country was deteriorating. Altogether, the position was not enviable. The profit on sheep, if any, was much less than it used to be, Mi Chapman stated. On the best hign country a man must have at least 4000 sheep and up to 8000 on the poorer runs if he was to meet overhead expenses, for, apart from the extra cost of mustering, shearing, dipping and rent, it cost little more to look after a flock of 6000 than it did for one of 3000 on that class of country. Bad supervision was one of the main problems of back country runs, Mr Chapman said. In sub-dividing back country it was essential to have a certain amount of warm country attached to it, country where the flock could be wintered with a fair amount of safety from snows. But often a big block of high country was cut off by Itself with just a small area of warm country attached. The result was that such pieces of warm country were heavily stocked in the winter months and eaten out. and after several years of that treatment a lot of the natural grasses were weakened or died out. When a heavy rain came it cut gutters in the thin light soil down to the shingle, and then erosion and deterioration set in and the carrying capacity was reduced. Then again, some of the warm sweet country was in small blocks, which were usually too small and dear and the settler, in a vain attempt to make ends meet, over-stocked or overcropped and then abandoned or sold a depreciated place. On Otekaike there was an instance of that as a number of settlers had already sold their ftofks and plant and were ready to .walk off.

. Problem of High Rents High rents were another problem, Mr Chapman went on, which was assuming major proportions. Many properties were cut up in prosperous times and the rents which were fixed, or bid to, were perhaps all right during periods of good prices, but the prices of produce to-day. especially the surplus stock from the back country, were not as good as 25 years ago. and costs during that period had doubled and in some cases trebled, until some properties which were considered an asset a few years ago were now a liability. Bad subdivision, high rents, and deterioration were first cousins to one another. There were other factors at work as well, such as rabbits, burning at the wrong time, noxious weeds and grub. On some classes of country it seemed almost Impossible to exterminate the rabbit. He was hit with everything on the farm except the mortgage, but in spite ’of weasels, stoats, ferrets, dogs, guns, rifles, traps, poison and the fumigator, he still bobbed up and increased. Burning at the wrong time of the year, or at a very dry period in the spring, was a big factor towards

1 deterioration, for if the butt of Lie ; tussock was dry, the fire would burn right into the root and kill the plant, resulting in deterioration, said Mr Chapman. Noxious weeds too, played a part. In a number of places sweet briar had such a strong hold that to try to eradicate it would cost more than Jhe land was worth. There was also the labour problem to contend with. Although admitting that wages of farm workers were not high compared with the wages of men in other walks of life, he would say they were high when compared with the price obtained for produce. Efficient labour was hard to get. But before the war there were many more attractive openings on public works and unemployment, where men received a 40-nour week, an easy time and good pay. Unemployed wages at the present time were 2/4 an hour, plus 5 per cent. He did not blame the men for going for something easy with good money, but it created a problem for the producer and tended to reduce production. Instances of High Costs A few years ago the cost of shearing was 20/- to 25/- a 100 and now was 33/- and found. Shed hands used to cost £2 to £2/5/- and now cost £4/10/-, stated Mr Chapman. He erected three miles of fencing 15 years ago at a cost of £4O a mile. A friend, a few days ago had paid £ll7 a mile, or three times the price. Woolpacks had gone up nearly 100 per cent. AU other costs had risen similarly and the profit per sheep, if any, was much less than it used to be. therefore the settler must have a larger holding, or reduced rent, or both. Comparing prices for produce Mr Chapman said that wool in 1913-14 realised £l2/17/4 sterling per bale and in 1938-39. £l3/2/2 in depreciated New Zealand currency. For the 10-year period 1930-39, the average was £l2/7/2 In 1915-18. during the last war, the return was £2l/2/11 sterling per bale and in 1940-41, £lB in New Zealand currency. Prices for fat stock in 1913-14 compared with those of 1938-39 were: Wethers 4.6 d (5.04 d ewes 3.82 d (3.76 d lambs fi.Old (7.62 d But the biggest hit of all came when the cost of fattening increased and the fattener could not get any more for his finished article, so he gave less for the store stock. At the Benmore clearing sale in 1916, 1C5.000 sheep averaged 13/6 a head, with two-tooth ewes at 25/- and 4 and 5-year wethers 11/-. In 1941, the prices were: Lambs 3/- to 7/-; ewes 1/- to 6/-; best two-tooth ewes 19/-, ordinary 12/9. As to wool, it had a serious competitor in artificial fibre, and as to meat, Britain had bought 268,000 tons for next year, leaving about 100,000 tons on hand. “If she cannot ship, we are all in the cart,” he said. Restrictions on killing would fall on the ewes and wethers, the surplus stock from the back country. In conclusion, Mr Chapman said the problems he had mentioned were not local, but national. The lot of the back country runholder was not an enviable one. DRUNK IN CHARGE HOOK FARMER FINED £2O Alan John Simmons, farmer of Hook, pleaded guilty in the Waimate Court yesterday to a charge of being intoxicated in charge of a motor vehicle in Queen Street on Wednesday night, and was fined £2O and had his licence cancelled until next June. Simmons was represented by Mr N. L. Knell. Messrs C. Coventry and F. Pollock, Justices of the Peace, were on the bench. Sergeant D. B. Murray said that at 10.15 on Wednesday night, Simmons was -seen driving along Queen Street in an erratic manner. The vehicle, a truck, was very noisy. When defendant stopped and got out, he was arrested and taken to the Police Station, where he was certified by a doctor as unfit to drive. Mr Knell said Simmons and two others had participated in three bottles of beer. When Constable R. Miller accosted defendant, he was about a chain away from the truck, and was going back to see that it was all right. The doctor had stated that Simmons had been talking loudly, but that was his natural demeanour. No damage had been done to any person or property, and it was obviously a mild case. Simmons, was a hardworking young farmer who tan a 700-aere property, and it was his first offence. Stating that a serious view much be taken of the offence, the Bench imposed a fine of £2O, with the cancellation of defendant’s licence until the expiry of the present licensii g period. He was also ordered to pay £l/1/doctor’s fee. RUGBY TEAMS Southern seniors v. Geraldine, at Manchester Park, 2.45 p.m.: H. Lyall, A. Guy, C. Baxter, W. Murphy, J Frost, R. Lundy, R. Lundon, K. Laurenson, J. Newall. R. Williams. G. Law, J. Wright, H. Bryce, J. Bryce, U. Chamberlain, C. Whatman, E. Mcßae, A. Patrick, Z. Milicich. Makikihi v. Celtic, at Timaru: G Vucetich, J. Slattery, T. Clearwater F. Coales, D. Ponsonby, I. Simmons, R. Coles, F. Carter, J. Breen, J. Shea, F. Sole, L. Sole, S. Sole, R. J. Coles, R. Patterson, B. Scannell, B. Farrell. Cars leave Makikihi at 1.30 p.m. Southern juniors v. Huimai, at 2 P- m - : W’ Me y« r ' W. Hutt, J. Dunstan, P. Eathorne, R. Kaan, D. Burness, E. Cameron, E. Wright, J. Matheson, P. Murphy, R. Breslin, F. Butters, R. Ward , D - Bryce, C. Brown, M. Allen. G. Wright, N. White, I. Kennett, H. Dyer, S. White.