FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 243, 12 September 1929, Page 5

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

ADDINGTON MARKET.

VALUES MAINTAINED,

Per Press Association

CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 11. At to-day’s Addington market average entries were forward, and generally values showed little change. Fat cattle were inclined to show a further appreciation. Store Sheep.—The entry was much the same as last week, with quality the poorest for some time. Prices showed little difference. The demand for secondary wethers was brisk. Good sis and eight-toothed halfbred ewes made to 32s 9d, sound and failing mouthed three-quarterbred ewes 21s 3d to 25s 3d, good halfbred wethers, 27s 6d to 295, medium crossbred wethers to 235, ordinary halfbred ewe hoggets to 23s lOd, ordinary halfbred wether hoggets 15s to 17s, ewes and lambs 8s 9d to 17s.

Fat Sheep.—A lighter entry, with the quality below the average. Prices were well up to last week’s rates. Extra heavy prime wethers mado to 52s 4d, prime ■wethers 40s to 465, medium wethers 33s to 395, light withers 28s to 325; extra prime ewes to 45s lOd, prime ewes 33s to 38s, medium ewes 27s to 325, light ewes 22s to 265: prime hoggets to 38s 6d, ordinary hoggets 23s to 30s.

Store Cattle. —A mixed entry and a keen sale for a few good pens. Forward 18 to 21 months steers made to £8 11s, fresh cows to £9 3s 6d, and good young bulls £7 to £B. Dairy Cattle. —The yarding was of mixed quality, and the demand was fair. Rest second and third calvers made £l2 to £l4, good sorts £lO to £ll, medium £8 10s to £9 15s, inferior £4 to £7, best heifers to £l2 10s, medium £9 to £ll 10s, inferior £7 to £8 10s.

Fat Pigs.—A 6mall yarding and a good demand.— Prices were slightly firmer. Choppers made £3 10s to £7 8s 6d, baconers £3 10s 6d to £5 4s 6d (average price per lb. 7d to 7£d); porkers, 44s to 67s 6d (average price per lb. 8d to 9£d.). Store Pigs.—A small entry and a good sale for weaners. Stores made 20s to 375, best weaners 21s to 255, others 11s to 17g.

Fat Cattle.—The entry numbered 430 head, including a big proportion of low-conditioned cows and heifers. Values opened at from par to 10s a head better than last week, and eased towards the close. All round, the market was a degree better than last week. Good prime steer and heifer beef made from 58s to 61s per 1001 b., in cases to 635., medium' 54s to 575, good cow 52s to 555, secondary 46s to 50s, and inferior down to 40s. Extra heavy prime cattle made to £29 12s 6d, heavy-weight prime steers £25 to £27, prime medium-weight steers £2l to £24 10s, medium-quality steers £l7 10s to £2l, light steers £l3 to £l7; extra prime heifers to £22 12s 6d, prime heifers £l6 10s to £lB 10s, medium heifers £l4 to £l6 ss, light heifers £9 10s to £l3 10s; extra prime cows to £22 2s 6d, primo cows £l6 to £lB ss, medium cows £l3 to £ls 15s 6d, light cows £9 to £l2 10s. Vealers.—Twelve to 18 months calves made to £l3 Is, good vealers £6 7s 6cl to £8 ss, medium £4 17s 6d to £6 2s 6d, calves 35s to 50s.

STOCK MARKET. Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd., and Abraham and Williams, Ltd. report on the Johnsonville sale held yesterday as follows: —There was a verv large attendance of the public to whom we submitted a full yarding of all classes of stock. Competition throughout the sale was keen and a total clearance was effected. Heavy weight cattle was slightly firmer than at last week’s sale. Medium and lighter weight bullocks were on a par with la6t week’s rates. A few pens of prime cows met with a keen demand, but plain sorts were not sought after. The sheep yarding comprised mostly prime wethers with a few pens of good ewes. Prices were on a par with last week’s rates. A small number of spring lambs were offered and met with fair competition. Vealers were in keen demand. We quote:—Extra heavy bullocks, £lB 153, £l9 10s, £2O; heavy bullocks, £lB, £l7 12s 6d, £l7 10s, £l7, £l6 12s 6d; bullocks, £ls ss, £ls 10s, £l6; heavy cows, £l2 17s 6d £l3, £l4 10s, £l4 15s; cows, £lO 17s 6d, £ll ss, £ll 15s, to £l2; vealers, £2 ss, £3, £4 ss, £4 15s, £5, £5 2s 6d, £5 ss; heavy wethers, 39s 6d 40s 41s; wethers, 37s 3d, 37s 9d, 38s 3d, 38s 6d; heavy ewes, 35s and 36s 6d; ewes, 32s 6d and 335, spring lambs, 31s, 31s 6d and 335. Levin and Co. Ltd., report on their pig -9 fair held at Bulls on Monday: There was a fair entry and most lines changed hands under the hammer at satisfactory prices. The pigs, as a whole, were not in the same condition as they were this time last year, no doubt on account of the rough, cold winter. Porkers, £2 11s; good stores, 34s 6d, 355, 38s, £2, 43s 6d; small stores, 245, 265, 275, 30s; slips, 20s to 245. There was no demand for sows.

WHEATGROWERS’ ASSOCIATION.

Per Press Assosciation. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 11. The results of the ballot for five members of the southern district to the electoral committee for tho purpose of electing four directors of the Wheatgrowers’ Co-operative Association, Ltd., were announced to-day. For three districts the nominations did not exceed the number required, but for the southern district south from "Waitaki a ballot was necessary. The elected members were Messrs J. G. A. Ruddenklau (Oamaru), John Newlands (Inaholme), David Roger (Kauroo Hill), W. R. Wedge (Palmerston), and Arthur Craig (Balclutha). There were seven candidates.

AMERICAN WHEAT. Australian Press Association.) WASHINGTON, Sept. 10. On tho basis of condition reports of wheat as at September 1, the Department of Agriculture estimates the United States wheat production for 1929 at 785,726,000 bushels, as compared with 902,000,000 bushels in 1928.

DROUGHT IN ARGENTINA. (Australian Press Association.) BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 11. The prolonged drought is so serious that a crisis is near, and there is a possibility that the grain crops will not be saved even if rain falls shortly. The Santa Fe province reports that 50 per cent, of the wheat already lias been lost. It is problematical whether the balance can be saved. _ Farmers on many sections are ploughing up wheat and flax to replant maize, in the hopes of partially recovering their losses.

SYDNEY WOOL SALES. SYDNEY, Sept. 11. At the wool sales to-day 11,847 bales wore sold. Competition was well maintained for good descriptions. Lambs’ wool showed an improved demand, with the best prices for the week, and German buyers operated strongly. Greasy Merino brought up to 18£d per lb.

TUI DAIRY COMPANY

The annual meeting of shareholders of the Tui Co-operative Dairy Company was held yesterday at Glen Oroua, Mr J. Boyce presiding. The report and balance-sheet (published previously) were adopted on the motion of Mr Boyce, seconded by Mr Scott. The election of directors resulted in the return of Messrs H. McMillan and F. N. Bell. Mr R. David was appointed auditor. At a subsequent meeting of directors, Mr Boyce was reelected chairman.

SHANNON DAIRY COY,

For butterfat supplied during the month, the Shannon Dairy Company is advancing Is 7d per lb,, the total pay-out being £6420 8s 4d. The make for tho month was 48 tons.

PIG RECORDING

SCIENCE HELPS THE FARMER. Although herd testing has shown a remarkable growth in New Zealand during the last six years, we are apt to laugli when anyone suggests that it would be • prolitable to test our pigs, but actually this work is now being carried out at a number of different centres in both islands, states a writer in the Napier Telegraph. Pig testing is, of course, much more complicated than herd testing, where simple tests and quantities have to be dealt with. The factors involved in pig breeding aro many and varied, ranging from the suitability of various foods, to the prolificacy of tho sow. For years many farmers have maintained that there is nothing in keeping pigs, owing to the low prices periodically received. On the other hand, it is a known fact that some farmers add very considerably to their income from pigs. The economic survey showed what great differences there were between farms in the samo district, but it did not show w’liat particular factors were involved, there being no data secured on this point. Actually we are no further behind in this respect than England for, although her competitors have for years tested their pigs and developed the most profitable strains, English farmers have been content to go along on the old, and less profitable lines. Work in Sweden and Denmark, the countries where testing has been carried out to the greatest extent, has shown definitely that the relationship between food and profits is very fixed. Good feeding can make or mar the profits in pig-keeping, and it must be admitted that in this respect we are backward in the Dominion. There are still a veiy great many farmers who do not believe that it pays to top off their pigs with grain, merely because prices may be low. They forget that to raise pigs economically they must feed and bring them to maturity in the shortest, possible time. That has been proved the secret of successful pig farming—especially when combined with large litters. Feeding a diet of skin milk without supplements of any sort is wasteful, for better use can be made of this excellent food if supplements aro given. The position is worse with regard to whey because this food is highly acid, and when large quantities are fed, pigs cannot be expected to make economical gains. In England the farmer’s problems are rather different from ours, for there the whole milk market absorbs the greater part of the output, leaving little or no skim milk for pig-feeding. This means that pigs must bo fed grain mixtures and green food exclusively, and as grain mixtures vary greatly in their feeding value and in their cost it is essential for the farmer to have some knowledge of the content of different grains from the viewpoint of carbohydrates and proteins. Here, with our skim milk and our open-air system of feeding, we have comparatively few worries of this nature. BREEDING IMPORTANT. The greatest profits are made when heavy litters are rapidly brought to maturity. Pig recording has shown that big litters successfully reared pay better, even if feeding is not so good, than small litters well fed. Strangely enough, few farmers 'have ever kept records of tho prolificacy of their sows, and there is not one farmer in a dozen who can point out one particular sow as being the one which has given tho greatest litter brought to maturity. Records show that some sows produce weak offspring and that although they may have eight or nine pigs, only three or four of these may be reared to maturity, the rest dying from various causes. This is where pig recording is invaluable. It takes the uncertainty out of the business just as herd testing takes it out of the dairy cow business. There is an immense amount of work to be done in New Zealand before our position with regard -to pigs can be called satisfactory, and the evidence can be accumulated only over a period of years. The testing work is in very capable hands, and only practical farmers of long experience are being called upon to co-operate. Slowly but surely data as to the cheapest and most satisfactory foods available to us will be made available, and in addition a type of sow will be evolved which will give much better results,than our present average. Testing will prove its value, but must be given time to do so.

LONDON WOOL SALES. Dalgety and Coy.. Ltd., report under date London, 10th September, 1929: The following vessels arrived in time for tho sales, the list of arrivals for which closed on the 9th instant:—Taranaki, Karamea, Tamaroa, Port Victor, Matakana, Corintliic, Maimoa, Kent, Surrey. The quantities available are: — Australian, 36,500 bales; New Zealand, 36,000; Cape, 1000; South America, 21,500; Falkland Islands, 2000; carry forward, 58,000. Our selling dates will be 20th instant, 30th instant and 3rd October.

With the exception of those in the back country, Poverty Bay farmers have the satisfaction of knowing that the bulk of the lambing is now over, and the majority are preparing now for docking operations, while a few have already commenced the work, states a Gisborne exchange. The results of the lambing have been satisfactory, and a considerable improvement on the conditions existing last year, when, as well as the percentages being very small, considerable mortality was reported among the ewes. Bearing trouble was prevalent last year, while so far there appears to have been little of it this season. The weather generally has been satisfactory for the lambs, the worst of the conditions during the period being at tho beginning of this week, when the cold, wet days were responsible for some concern on the back-country stations, where lambs are still appearing in large numbers. In other parts, however, with the lambing practically completed, there was little apprehension, for once the youngsters get a good start in life they are usually hardy enough to withstand fairly severe conditions. A number of twin lambs have been noticed, and with little mortality reported so far, the percentages in most cases should be satisfactory.

WELLINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE.

YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS AND PRICES. The following sales were reported on the Wellington Stock Exchange yesterday:— £ s. d. 4£ p.c. Government Stock (1939 _ and 1938) 100 2 6 Union Bank ; 15 2 6 Movements based on yesterday’s buying prices, compared with previous bids, were as under:— RISE. s. d. Christchurch Ga 3 0 3 National Timber 0 3 N.Z. Breweries (shares) 0 7 Colonial Sugar 2 6 FALL. Union Bank 15 2 0 National Mortgage 0 6 N.Z. Guarantee Corporation (ord.) ... 0 1 Wellington Gas (ord.) 0 1 P. and D. deferred stock 0 6 The market developed some soft spots yesterday. Bank shares were rather quiet, buyers being scarce. The shares that were offered were quoted at extreme market prices. National Mortgage, after being neglected for some days, were in demand, but at a shade lower price than previously. Insurance shares were dull, but then there were no sellers. National Timber, which have been in demand for some time at 7s without any response on the part of holders, aro now wanted at 3d .more. Thero was a fair amount of business offering at the morning call, but there were many lapses of bids, and few buyers were about in tho afternoon. Yesterday’s buying and selling quotations were as under: —

SALES IN OTHER CENTRES,

Per Press Association.

AUCKLAND, Sept. 11. Sales.—lnscribed Stock, 1938, 4£ per cent., £IOO ss; Commercial Bank of Australia, 30s; Bank of New South Wales (late sale yesterday), £52 2s 6d; Bank of Now Zealand, 63s 3d; New Zealand Loan and Mercantile, £125 10s; Grey Valley Coal (late sale yesterday), 28s 6d; Auckland Gas, 24s 6d (three); Lcyland-O’Brien, 31s 6d; Sanford, Ltd., 18s 2d; Whifctome Stevenson, 48s; Wilson’s Cement, 44s 3d; Broken Hilj, 31s; Mount Lyell, 45s 7d. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 11. Sales.—New Zealand Breweries (bonds), 295; National Bank of Australasia (£lO paid), £l9 13s 6d; National Insurance, 16s 9d; Goldsbrough Mort, 46s sd, 46s 2d; Now Zealand Refrigerating (10s paid), 6s 9d; Grey Valley Coal, 30s; New Zealand Breweries, 87s 3d, 87s sd, 87s 6d (two), 87s sd; Beath and Co. (Is paid), 9s lOd; Electro. Zinc(ord .), 37s 6d; New Zealand Farmers’ Co-op. “A” pref. cum. div., 70s 6d; Wilson’s Cement, 445; Winding Creek (Is paid), Is lOd (three), Is 9£d. Sales Reported.—Auckland Gas (late sale 10th), 24s 6d; Mt. Lyell, 45s 2d, 455; Commercial Bank of Australasia, 30s 2d, 30s Id (threo); Goldsbrough Mort, 46s lOd.

EXCHANGE RATES. (British Official Wireless). RUGBY, Sept. 10. Foreign rates of exchange on September 10, as compared with par rates, aro as follow:

For failing to clear a 400 acre property of noxious weeds, Joseph Mathers, a landholder on the Ohaupo Road, was fined £5 and costs, 12s 6d, in the Te Awamutu Magistrate’s Court. The case had been adjourned from last sitting to enable defendant to adopt remedial measures. The inspector said that of about 30 acres of blackberry less than one-tenth had been cleared. Defendant had allowed ragwort to seed last season, and this was a menace to adjoining landowners.

Buyer*. Sellers. N.Z. GOVT LOANS— £ «. d. £ s. d. 4j p.o. Ins. Stk., 1939 and 1938 99 17 6 — 4£ p.e. Bonds, 1939 ...100 0 0 — 5£ p.c. ditto, 1936 101 15 0 — DEBENTURES— Wellington Gas Co. ..100 5 0 — N.Z. Breweries (bonds) 1 8 7 — BANKS— Australian Bank of Commerce 1 15 6 1 16 3 English, Scottish and Australian — 8 10 6 National of N.Z. ... — 6 19 3 New South Wales ... — 52 7 6 New Zealand — 3 3 9 Union of Australia ... 15 1 6 15 3 0 Ditto (Melbourne register) 15 1 6 — FINANCIAL— Goldsbrough Mort ... — 2 6 9 National Mortgage ... 4 5 6 — N.Z. Guarantee Corp. (ord.) 0 9 6 — N.Z. Invest. Mtge and Deposit 0 10 0 — N.Z. Loan and Mercantile (ord.) — 127 10 0 Ditto (prof.) 82 0 0 — Well. Invest., T. & A. 0 11 0 — Well. Trust and Loan 7 3 6 — Well. Deposit and Mortgage 0 10 9 — GAS— Christchurch 1 6 3 1 6 9 Gisborne 0 13 4 — Wellington (ord.) .... 1 13 6 — Ditto (pref.) 0 17 3 — INSURANCE— National — 0 16 10 MEAT PRESERVING— Canterbury Fnozen Meat (ord.) 8 5 0 — N.Z. Rofrigcrat. (£1) — 0 14 9 Ditto (10s) — 0 6 11 TRANSPORT— Huddart-Parker (ord.) — +2 6 0 Ditto (pref.) tl 2 0 — Union Steam (pref.) . 1 1 0 — P. and O. def. stock .. 2 16 6 — WOOLLEN— Kaiapoi (ord.) — * 14 0 Ditto (contrib.) — *0 5 0 Wellington (ord.) — 6 17 6 Ditto (pref.) i — 7 0 0 COALWestport 1 14 6 1 15 0 Waipa 0 13 3 0 14 0 TIMBER— National 0 7 3 — Lovland-O’Brien — 1 12 6 BREWERIES— Crown 0 7 0 — New Zealand 4 6 10 Staples and Co — 2 12 6 Ward and Co 1 10 0 — Sunshine — 0 15 0 MISCELLANEOUSBurns, Philp and Co. 2 8 0 — British Tobacco (Aust.) (ord.) — +2 10 6 Ditto (pref.) 1 3 0 1 4 0 Colonial Sugar 57 12 b — Dental and Medical ... — 0 11 0 Electro. Zinc (ord.) ... — *1 18 6 Ditto (pref.) — *1 18 3 Farmers’ Co-op. Auctioneering (B pref.) 0 17 0 — Howard Smith (ord.) — +1 5 0 Hume Pipe (Aust.) ... fO 19 0 N.Z. Farmers’ Fertiliser — 1 2 9 Wairarapa Farmers’ (ord.) — 0 6 8 Ditto (pref.) 0 15 6 — Wellington Cordago ... ■ — 0 16 0 Wilson’s Cement — 2 4 6 MINING— Mount — 2 5 8 Ohinemuri — 0 10 11 *Ex dividend. +Cum. dividend.

Sept. 10. Par. Pans, francs to £1 123.875 124.21 New York, dollars to £1 ‘ .84 23.32 4.86 2-3 Montreal, dollars to £1 4.874 4.86 2-3 Brussels, belgas to £1 ... 34.875 35 Geneva, francs to £1 25.16 25.224 Amsterdam, florins to £1 Milan, liro to £1 12.095 12.107 92.695 92.46 Berlin, reichsmark to £1 20.365 20.43 Stockholm, knr to £1 18.10 18.159 Oslo, knr. to £1 18.205 18.159 Copenhagen, knr. to £1 ... 18.215 18.159 Vienna, schillings to £1 ... 34.44 34.584 Prague, knr. to £1 163J 24.02 Helsingfors, marks to £1 192j 193.23 Madrid, pesetas to £1 32.865 25.224 Lisbon, escudos to £1 108.20 4.50 Athens, drachmas to £1 375 25.224 Bucharest, lei to £1 818 25.224 Rio de Janeiro, pence to milreis 5i 16 Buenos Aires, ponoe to peso 47 7-32 47.62 Bombay, pence to rupee ... 17 27-32 18 Shanghai, sterling to tael 27J — I-Iong-Kong, sterling to doh 234 — Yokohama, pence to yen 23 3-16 24.58