DOMINION’S SHEEP.

Wairarapa Age, 16 March 1933, Page 3

DOMINION’S SHEEP.

DECREASE IN NUMBERS RECORDED. OWNERS ALSO DECLINE. A decrease both in the number of sheep-owners and the number of sheep in the Dominion is shown in the <%nnual sheep returns for the year ended April 30 last, presented to Parliament last session. This follows on the decrease registered the previous year, and further illustrates the tendency for sheep-farmers to kill off their flocks for realisation'as mutton when the price of wool is low. An April 30, 1932, there were 30,449 sheepowners in New Zealand, as against 30,789 at the same date in 1931, a decrease of 340. A decrease was shown in each of the five sheep districts, the detailed figures being as follows those for 1931 being given in parentheses:— Auckland, 5408 (5473); Poverty Bay-Hawke’s Bay, 3778 (3869); Wellington-West Coast, 5174 (5248); Marlborough-Nelson-Westland, 2542 (2561); Canterbury-Kaikoura, 6134 (6178); Otago, 7413 (7460); totals Dominion, 30,449 (30,789). The number of sheep in each district was as follows:—Auckland, 2,992,354 (3.311,406); Poverty Bay-Hawke’s Bay, 6,280,928 (6,424,856); Wellington-West Coast. 5,673.705 (6,150,614) ; ’ Marl bo r-ough-Nblson-Wostland, 1,448,908 (1.496-

927); Canterbury-Kaikoura, 5,638,714 (5,707,731); Otago, 6,657,184 (6,700,982); totals, Dominion, 28,691,788 (29;-; 792,516). The return shows that there were 24 owners with flocks of 20,001 sheep or over. Four of these belonged to the .Poverty Bay District, one to Hawke’s Bay, two to the Bangitikei, one to Featherston, five to Marlborough, 10 to Canterbury or Kaikoura, and ax to Otago. There were 143 owners with between 10,001 and 20,000 sheep; 141 with between 7501 and 10,000; 442 with between 5001 and 7500; 1669 with between 2501 and 5000; 5837 with between 1001 and 2500; 6652 with between 501 and 1000; 6937 with between 201 and 500; and 8324 with between one and 200.

Although there has been a fall of over 2,000,000 in the size of the New Zealand flock, the number of breeding ewes up to April 30 last has been fairly well maintained, although the drop is the first recorded since 1920. The number in 1932 was 17,063,060, as compared with 17,608,729 in 1931. In view of the fact that there was an excellent' lambing season this year and that a quota has been placed on the exportation of mutton, it is not likely that there will be any phenomenal decrease in the New Zealand flock for the year ending April 30 next.