78

[g. n. huNt.

I.—lo.

therelshould be a guarantee from the farmers and that the Government or the State should put up reezingworks, or get the freezing-works in their hands so that the whole of the freezing business should be carried on for the benefit of the farmers ?-Yes, to erect freezing-works and let the farmers have a big say in the management of the works. . 327 That is to say that the farmers should supply all the stock and guarantee a percentage on the cost of construction of the works. You believe that would be an improvement ?-Yes,l do^ 328 Mr Haselden.] You say there is a discrepancy in the price paid for sheep at Christchurch and the price paid for your sheep :is there not a difference in the breed of your sheep? Are yours not Eomney and theirs Down sheep ?-Our sheep are chiefly Eomneys but the foundation of most of our flocks is Merino. The Nelson country is similar country to that ot Canterbury—it is dry land 329. If you introduce the Down sheep would you not get a better class ?-Yes. They are bette 33o Ua Mr y^ 'Field.] I suppose there are different qualities of sheep in Nelson ?—Yes. 331 What about the price given by the freezing companies for the different qualities ?— Ihey th 332 P Th^ls P not\:ur g a cm y ent to breed a real good article?-No. I quite believe that if we had the very best quality we should not get more than the ordinary price. 333 Mr. Haselden*] But have you ever had 18s. 9d. ?-Yes. Some of my sheep brought 18S ' 334 The Chairman.] Is it practicable to drive sheep from Nelson Province to the Picton works-No; it would reduce the quality too much. They used to drive them tothe Wairau works some years ago, but it reduced the weight to pieces of dry wood almost. There is one thing I thinkT would be wise for the Government to do : that is, to reduce the rates for fat sheep on the railways. In doing so it would improve the quality of the mutton. As I said just now, driving sheep on roads reducfs the quality. From Culverden to Addington there are thousands of sheep driven on the roads that ought to be taken on the railway, and they are wearing the roads out.

Friday, 26th September, 1902.

Christopher John Parker, Farmer, Teari, Gisborne, Representative of the Gisborne Farmers' Union, examined. (No. 18.)

1 The Chairman.] You are aware that this Committee has been set up to make inquiries with reference to the frozen-meat trade and the prices realised for stock in both Islands : would you care to make a statement with regard to your opinion of the trade, or would you rather that questions were aßked of you to elicit replies as to the position?-No intimation was given to me m he communication I received as to what information was likely to be required ; therefore I should prefer . tob6 2 a Mr d »° a « S ] What price do your freezing-sheep fetch in Gisborne?-There was a big of time between those prices : 9s. directly after shearing and 16S ' I"! Wha W t o d°id ? 7hI c s B heep average in weight?-Something about 631b. or 641b. freezing-works W6lg s t ' You have got better prices this year than of late years, I suppose ?-I am not sure that we have The average price, taking the season through, would amount to about Us. or lis. 6d. for the last year difference between lagt year and {ormer years in the price ?-There was the year before last. You might quote the price at 125., certainly not more than 6d. higher. 7 What-aged sheep would you shear mostly ?-Most four and six tooth. 8 Will you give the Committee an average quotation for your freezing-lambs ?-Ot course the freezing companies have their own men to pick them. They only give one price. It was lis. require ? _ ¥eg . they pags through the pickets kand.^ e hag differed from that of previous years? _Yes, it was better last ye«. suggestion to make that you think would improve the interests of the farmers ffi the disposal of their mutton ?-No, I cannot say that I have. It is a matter about S there is such a wide difference of opinion that if I gave my.op.n.on it might not be worth much because there is such a large margin left for a difference of opinion. 12 Can you sh,p Home on your own account through your freezing-works ?-Yes. 13 And will they give you advances ?-You can get an advance from the bank or other institutions, but Ido not know that the freezing-works will do that. There are two up there, and T know that one of them does not advance. 1 know that <°™° m charge of gt k the London market ?-3?hat I cannot say. I have never shipped on my own account. I have always sold in New ZealancL knowledge 0 f the quality of South Island sheep ?-A little 16 Do you think there is much difference in the quality of North Island sheep as compared -~,'Ju UUnA sheep as freezers ?—I was under the impression that there was hardly any Terence butthen lls down'in Canterbury two or three years ago I took a particular interest ' [n the matter, and I must say now that there is a difference m the sheep down there and the sheep