INTERIM RETURN OF SHEEP IN THE COLONY ON THE 30th APRIL, 1905.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1905 Session I, H-23a

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1905 NEW ZEALAND.

INTERIM RETURN OF SHEEP IN THE COLONY ON THE 30th APRIL, 1905.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Department of Agriculture, SlK >— Wellington, Bth July, 1905. I have the honour to furnish a statement of the approximate number of sheep in the colony on the 30th April, 1905. I have, Ac, John I). Ritchie, The Hon. the Minister for Agriculture. Chief Inspector of Stock.

Approximate Number of Sheep in the Colony on the 30th April, 1905.

The increase may be accounted for as follows :— 1. There were about 150,000 more ewes put to the ram during the season 1904 2. The lambing was above the average. 3. The export, of mutton and lamb decreased by 668,749 carcases According to the agricultural and pastoral statistics for 1904-5, cattle showed a further increase of 143,303. It is confidentally anticipated that the flocks will continue to show a steady increase as farmers are now realising the necessity for holding back a proportion of ewe lambs for breeding purposes. &

Number of Sheep. Diatrict. Increase. Decrease. 1904.* 1905. Auckland 685,799 619,390 66,409 Napier4,482,877 4,601,429 118,552 Wellington-West Coast ... 4,035,287 4,172,849 137,562 Marlborough-Nelson 937,488 947,273 9,785 Canterbury-Kaikoura 4,778,612 5,240,144 461,532 Otago ... ... j 3,360,743 3,540,839 180,096 Total 18,280,806 19,121,924 907,527 66,409 Increase, North Island 189,705 Increase, South Island 651,413 Total increase 84], 118 * Complete returns.

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The following table shows the number of sheep in the colony, and the export of mutton and lamb for the past four years, at 30th April:—

The large increase of sheep shown in Canterbury has been considerably assisted by imports from the North Island and from other parts of the South Island. John D. Ritchie, Secretary for Agriculture.

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By Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9os. Price 3d.]

Year. Number of Sheep in Colony at 30th April. Mutton Carcases exported, Year ended 30th April. i Lamb Carcases ex- i Total Carcases Mutton ported, Year ended ; and Lamb exported, 30th April. Year ended 30th April. 1902 1903 1904 20,342,727 18,954,553 18,280,806 1,712,670 2,497,546 1,736,780 3,449,450 2,006,462 4,501,008 2,388,959 2,104,881 4,493,840 1905 19,121,924* 1,888,065 1,937,026 3,825,091 * Approximate.