JOTTINGS OF INTEREST TO FARMERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 81, 5 April 1930, Page 24 (Supplement)

JOTTINGS OF INTEREST TO FARMERS

I T After inspecting the up-to-date ’ milking sheds on one Morrinsville dairy farm, members of the overseas fanners’ party expressed surprise at the obsolete and inconvenient sheds at the Government experimental farm at Raakura. writes the Thames coirespondent of the Weekly News. Waikato farmers, who were escorting them, were rather ashamed to notice this failure of the Department of Agriculture to keep up with the times, and agree that many farmers had newer machines and more conveniently-planned shed . In his welcoming a<idie.« to the Fmpire farmer tourist, Mr J. Brown, chairman of the Taranaki Producers Freezing Company, gave an indication that there would be an increased production in North Taranaki this year amounting to 60.000 boxes of butter. That would mean that a total of 300,000 boxes of I,"Utter and 240,000 crates of cheese would be handled, ns against 212,000 boxes of butter ami 240,000 crates of cheese last year. This shouid enable farmers to face the decreased pay-out. Th*’ A. and P. Show at Grey mouth was the most successful ever held on the Coast, and on the second day it drew one of the largest gatherings of people that has ever assembled on Victoria Park. The standard of exhibits showed general improvement, while entries remained about the same. There were trotting, pony, hack, foot and cycle races, while the greatest outdoors draw was a bareback steer-riding < nipetition in which 50 rode, mostly for a few seconds, but in some instances to a standstill. The innovation provided thrills in plenty, and was distinctly popular. At the monthly meeting of the Mana* watu Herd Testing Associati->n an account from one of the testing officers for a night’s accommodation at a hotel was questioned. The officer explained that he had had tn put the night in at the hotel as the farmer whose cows he was testing could not put him up. The account was passed for payment, but several members of the executive remarked on the principle involved. It was stated tha T if a farmer could not put the tester up tor the night he rhould pay for his accommodation, as rhe charge for testing had been worked out on the basis of the farmer accommodating the tester. It was pointed out by some members that the practice was already in operation in some groups and it was finally decided to leave the matter in the hands of the secretary to finalise. Disposal of Wool. Mr W. D. Stewart, superintendent of Dalgety ami Co. in Australia, who is at present in Dunedin, when asked if he cared to say anything of the wool disposal question, observed that the whole position of wool generally in Australia and New Zealand was necessarily exercising the attention of people in both countries, for both were suffering from the lower values of the staple, both merino ami crossbred. “Bur Australian woolgrowers.’’ he said, “are disposed to meet the market, in fact, are doing so, but it appears to me that the New Zealand grower is doing so less freely. I think, however, we should realise that shipment to London for sale, instead of selling locally, is likely to break down the London market. Holding over an unusualy largo proportion of the present clip will most surely retard recovery in the market. “At the recent Australian sales 94 to 96 per cent, of rhe offerings have been sold under the hammer, but 1 don’t know what proportion of wool has been withdrawn from the New Zealand sales; but I believe it has been verv heavv, and nothing like 94 to 96 per rent, of Ihe New Zealand offerings have been Sold. “Of course, a substantial drop in wool adversely affects the welfare of Australia more than it does that of New Zealand from the fact that over the year wool represents about 60 per rent, of the value of Australian exports, whereas in New Zealand. I think, the percentage is round about 36 per cent.

I “The London market at one time . was probably the largest selling centre for Australian and New Zealand wools, , but the seat of activity was changed, ’ and in recent years from 80 to 90 per rent of the wool grown in the dominions is sold in the dominions.’’ Stabilisation. The question of stabilising the price of wool was discussed, and in the Wool Record of Bradford, when an article appeared on the subject, inspired by the remark of a topmaker to the effect that if wool values were not stabilised at an early date the industry would be faced • with ruin. Stabilisation observed the • Wool Record, is a relative term, and ' it appeals to different people in different ways. For example, it is possible that economic conditions might result in the stabilisation of 64’s tops on a . basis of 2s 6d, or even less, but it . would give small comfort to the woolgrower. The real fact is that economic forces throughout the world move in a mysterious way, and so far as price levels arc concerned it is imposible at any given time to assert that values are sound. Based on experience over a period of years it might well be argued that at current prices wool is remarkably cheap, yet actually it may be dear if the outlets for its products are inadequate. “This state of deadlock would be overcome in due course by lessoned production in the chief of woolgrowing countries, but the process would be slow, and there would be no stability • luring the period of readjustment. When, therefore, people talk about stabilisation, they should bear in mind that wool is an international commodity susceptible to influences which at first glance appear to be entirely divorced from the industry itself. Financial stringency, curtailed credit, tariff manipulations, excessive unemployment <»r under-employment at Home and abroad, are all factors making for restricted trade. In the wool textile industry these factors are crystallised in lark of confidence, and the first essential in trade revival is the restoration of confidence. Sooner or later there will be a revulsion of feeling, and traders who for so long a period have stood shivering on the brink will plunge in and operate freely. There will be the inevitable reaction and—the pity of it! —a more or less spectacular advance in prices. And still the cry will be for i stabilisation! ’’ I “SCRUB BULL MUST GO” HANDICAP TO PRODUCTION. “The scrub bull must go." said the Under-Secretary for Scotland (Air Tom Johnston) in the course of a speech he i made at Stirling recently, when he was ihe guest at a farmers’ luncheon, hold by the National Farmers’ I nion of Scotland. Mr Johnston said that sooner or later the nation would require to face the fact that agriculture, at least, in some of its phases, was undergoing serious handicaps and difficulties, and that it was the duty not only of the industry itself, but of elected representatives of the nation to see that the primary producers had adequate remuneration for their labour and services. Reviewing what the Scottish Office had done and were doing in the interests of agriculture, he said they were pushing the marketing of Home beef; if the Departmental Committee on Agricultural Co-operation could give them I any feasible help in co-operative marketing. the Scottish Office would do everything possible to assist. I He could not promise the date of the introduction of legislation, but he could I say that the old “scrub” bull must go. Other countries had turned him out, and Scotland a.id England also would have to turn him out.