NEWS AND COMMENTS

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19762, 18 December 1935, Page 11

NEWS AND COMMENTS

District Fat Lambs. Inqthries from the different freezing works show that they are handling smaller quantities for this time of the year than has been the case for many years. During the latter part of December Ihe works usually arc practically unable lo cope -with the stock offering but this year owing lo the abundance of feed and the later lambing farmers are holding" their second drafts till January. t Fair- quantities of fat lambs have been sent’ away early and from reports lo hand they have been weighing out well, and the returns to farmers have been excellent. Sheep farmers this year arc benefiting by the prices received for both wool and lambs. At the Frankton sale yesterday farmers profited by the keen competition between export buyers and butchers, the many good lines in the sheep section coming from dairy farms. Holiday Arrangements. Activity at saleyards throughout the Waikato will be practically suspended from the 20th of this month to January 5. No sale will he held -at the Frankton yards either next Tuesday or the' following Tuesday, while no sale will he held at Morrinsville on Friday week. Progress at IWorrlnsvllle. Next. Friday will see the completion of the first year of weekly sales at the Morrinsville saleyards. It was in January of this year that the weekly sales were inaugurated, only fortnightly sales having been held at the centre for many years. This year it was found that the yards were barely large enough' to cope with big yardin gs" on several occasions and it is estimated that as much stock will be handled at the weekly sales next year as were handled at the fortnightly sales last year-

Sheep from East Coast. It has been reported that approximately 300,000 .sheep are being prepared in Gisborne and East Coast districts for dispatch to the Waikato during the coming summer. However, it would seem that this figure' has been a little exaggerated as it does not appear likely at the present that this summer’s total will even equal last summer’s. A safer estimate l’or the now season’s total would bn about i 50,000. A few special lines of sheep from the East Cioast have already been offered at Ihc Morrinsville salcyards, luit if will not be until the beginning of I lie new year that Ihe trade in East Coast sheep' will begin in earnest. Dunedin Wool Sales. Sufficient wool is already In fltor® to fill tho extended catalogue of 30,000 bales fpr the first sale in Dunedin next Friday. Held-over wool will be offered but the greater proportion of the wool In store is of new season’s clip. Shearing difficulties have

been encountered in Otago, not because of the weather as in the Waikato, but from the shortage of shearers. , After completing their shearing in the North Island shearers continue immediately on to the South Island but unseasonable weather has so delayed operations in the north that the men have been obliged to stay in the north to the inconvenience of southern ■growers. Farming In King Country. Owing to the increase of sheep in Iho district, an Otorohanga. correspondent writes, it is expected that Ihe aggregate clip will be a record one l'orr the King Country. Ideal weather is favouring seasonal operations and ensilage and hay crops are reported io be heavy. Ground is being prepared for swede, turnip and catch crops for the late summer and early autumn.