Our Rural Industries.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXIV, Issue 4279, 16 November 1901, Page 4

Our Rural Industries.

The Departmental Report. Export of Meat. The shipments are as follows : Mutton. carcases, 53,204 cwt legs and pieces, value L 1,160,073 ; 1900-1, 1,791,444 carcases, 56,165 cwt legs and pieces, value L 1,076,573. Lamb.—lß99-1900, 1,272,348 carcases, valued at L 603,722 ; 1901 - 1901, 1,353,272 carcases, valued at at L 654.696. The cause of the decrease in mutton, says the report, is somewhat difficult to account for. It is most probably due to the great demand for ewes for breeding: The increase of lamb is likely to be maintained. The quality of the mutton and lamb shipped was quite up to the average. Beef.—The quantity exported was : —1899-1900, 235,234 cwt, valued at £269,459 ; 1900-1901, 295,792 cwt valued at £236,232. The export of so much beef has raised the price of fats, and for some time past the average price for good bullocks has been from £1 to £1 5s per 1001 b. The supply of well grown stores is very limited, and the prices ruling for such leave little margin for fattening. Meat Inspection. With regard to the inspection of meat and slaughtering places, the report states that the reports furnished by the Inspectors on many of the slaughtering places are not at all satisfactory, clearly showing that many of the local bodies have been most lax in their endeavours to carry out the provisions of the old Act. As soon as possible Inspectors will be placed in all the export slaughtering places and public abattoirs to inspect the meat slaughtered; also to see that it is properly labelled with the official label. The Secretary for Agriculture urges the importance of something being done in the matter of meat-marking, and he points out that if our meat were branded the selling in the English market of inferior mutton and lamb as New Zealand produce would be stopped at once. The total increase of sheep for the year was 831,589, and the number in the colony on 30th April was 20,186,784. Only once before (in 1894) has the number of sheep in the colony reached over 20,000,000. The number of cattle returned at 31st October, 1900, was 1,256,680, the net increase for the year being 34,549. The increase of horses was 4335, and of swine 1224. Wool. The clip was generally light, and fairly clean. The prices, however, are extremely low, and unless a very decided rise takes place before another season comes round the outlook for sheepfarmers will be far from pleasant. Some of the returns to hand leave little or nothing after paying expenses. Keeping Swine. The necessity for the passing of a measure dealing with the housing, etc., of pigs is becoming more pressing every day. The treatment of many of them is scandalous. They are left without shelter, summer and winter; therefore suffer both from heat and cold. Persons keeping pigs in enclosed yards especially should be compelled to provide a dry, comfortable house for shelter. Rabbits. With regard to the measures being taken for the destruction of rabbits, the Secretary for Agriculture reports, inter alia, as follows : —Wairarapa District.—The reports show a steady decline in the number of rabbits, and it can hardly be said that on any one property they appreciably reduced the carrying capacity. This desirable state of affairs has been solely brought about by the systematic use of poisoned grain, pollard, etc. Trapping is practically non-existent. Wellington District.—lt is to be regretted that the landowners in this district do not show more energy in fighting the pest. Several had to be proceeded against, and were severely fined. Special efforts are being made to cope with the evil during the winter months.