CATTLE FOR AUSTRALIA.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4001, 6 August 1915, Page 3

CATTLE FOR AUSTRALIA.

PMRM IT NOT FORTE ICO.) 11NG. THE LOCAL FAT STUCK MARKET Bv Telegraph—Special Correspondent. AUCKLAND, Aug. -1, There will -bo no shipment of fat stock to Sydney by the Kiverina today. A consignment of between 1/0 and 200 was booked, but negative influences have been brought to bear in the interest of the local market. As previously stated, the president of the Aur-klaiul But': hers’ Association (Mr R. H. Johnson) wired to the Prime Minister pointing out that buying for export had caused an abnormal rise in the wholesale price of stock. The following reply has been received from the Prime Minister: "In reply to your telegram, a proi Tarnation was issued under the hand of His Excellency the. Governor on 291 ii ult. prohibiting the . export- of sheep and cattle, except with the consent of the Minister of Customs under certain conditions. See Gazette extraordinary, No. 9, July 29.’’. A further complication is the. receipt- of cable advice from Australia U> the effect that the cattle must now undergo a tuberculin test before being admitted from New Zealand. Hitliorto a general health test- lias been the only requirement. It is understood that the consignees have failed to onlain the necessary consent of the Minister of Customs. Unless this is forthcoming, .it will not- he worr-Ji while submitting the stock to tho tuberculin test. It is understood that these cattle have been brought up in various parts of the province by a buyer who represents .Australian buyers, and who is acting in conjunction with a local syndicate oi cattle dealers. An Au.klander who deals largely m stock discussed the position with r. reporter this morning. "The syndicate saw their chance to make a r.se by purchasing for the Australian market,” ho said, “and.you cannot blame them. The price offered over t!u r<‘ for prime beef is as high as 75s per lOOl.hs. Hero purchases have been based on the price offered by the Government on behalf of the Imperial authorities which is approximate.^ 12s per lOOlbs. This leaves a handsome margin of profit oven after paying the cost of export.” . The President of the Butchers Association (Mr R. H. Johnson) said he. felt confident that export to Australia must be stopped. The local marketwas not in a fit- state to provide tm export. About twice the usual quantity had been frozen for export- .this season against which no special efloi t had been made to proportionately increase the quantity raised locally. They had quite enough to cope with m buying against the standard set by the British Board of Trade tor purposes of export- In accounting lor the plight ot Australia Mr Johnson attributed it to the recent- drought. Apart from this fact, however, tho Commonwealth had secured a- satisfactory supply of chips and the quantity exported was really good in view ot the drought. All the same it- had left the home mart very short- and it is notsurprising that buyers should come to New Zealand. Unfortunately w© have no surplus stock and to permit the movement to develop, would, mean placing Now .Zealand in a sum I ally awkward position. . The rise of one pennv per pound m the price of beef and pork as commencing from Monday was justified l» Air Johnson. “It was not the retailers who were making the P lo " c '> he. said, “but those who raised t.-m stock. The culminating point bail I,eon reached at the last Mestfidd sales when prime beef commanded oo s rier 1001 te. That' was due to the purchases which have been made throughout the province for export for Australia. In claiming that the use m the retail price was not in proportion to the wholesale rates. Mr Johnson produced an analytical estimate o the amount derived from the. sale ot an ox weighing GoOlhs. | m c- u ! 0 cost of the annual would be Ll-> and selling expenses (on a conservative estimate of 20 per cent) ''“"hi m <*roaso the amount to .-CIS or 3d. W lion sold over the counter the meat contained in the body would realise L HO 5s 2d and the by-products £2 10s mb making a t-otal of CIS Ins Sd. - meant a surplus of 10* bd on each ■beast and the majority of » 111 ' chers did not average more than two or three beasts .per. week. . Iln .V h ?, ed how imrorativo it was that the Go vernmont should prohibit the expmJ to Australia and so prevent a lurthci inlls.tion of values.