H.—3B

10

similar in the main to those of the purchase of wool began as from the 31st January, 1917. No skins of sheep slaughtered at a meat-export slaughterhouse were, however, purchased under this scheme. Government brokers acted as agents of the seller of skins in respect to the receipt, preparation for valuation, and storage of such skins, and the remuneration payable by the seller was left at that customary in the trade in the particular locality. The scale of values of sheep-skins was fixed as follows : —

To the 31st March, 1917, 213,109 skins had been purchased, valued at £60,883. Fellmongering. Working arrangements were drawn up for the guidance of fellmongers engaged in the treatment of such sheep-skins purchased by the Government as were required to be so dealt with. As in the case of the wool-scourers, District Committees were appointed at specified centres to receive applications for skins for fellmongering, and to discharge duties similar in general to those connected with the wool-scouring arrangements, except in technical details. The wool and pelts were required to be delivered to the Government, consigned through the Government's agents at the customary shipping-ports, the wool in bales, the pelts in casks, and each branded as directed. The payment made by the Government to fellmongers for their services was at the following rates : Fellmongering, 2d. per pound on the weight of wool, with 6d. per skin minimum; curing pelts, 3s. per dozen, all kinds, casks extra. Hides and Calf-skins. The exportation of hides and calf-skins was prohibited by Order in Council dated 12th March, 1917, and two days later notification was given in the Gazette that they would be acquired by the Government. The hides and calf-skins (as wool and sheep-skins) were required to be delivered to authorized Government brokers, excepting hides stored in a meat-export slaughterhouse or at the public abattoirs at Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill, the stores of which are held to be receiving depots for the purposes of the scheme. Hides are valued by a Government valuer according to the following classification of weight in their respective qualities : — Ox-hides —33 lb. to 44 lb. Cow-hides—33 lb. to 39 lb. 45 lb. to 52 lb. 40 lb. to 48 lb. 53 lb. to 59 lb. 49 lb. and over. 601b. to 691b. 70 lb. and over. Yearlings —17 lb. to 24 lb. Calves — 5 lb. and under 25 lb. to 32 lb. 6 lb. to 10 lb. 11 lb. to 16 lb.

Skins. Merino. Half-bred. Fine Crossbred. Coarse Crossbred. Three-quarter to full-woolled sound ,, fault)' ,, damaged .. Hal f-woolled sound .. . '. ,, faulty ,, damaged Short to quarter-woolled sound ,, faulty „ damaged Shorn sound.. ,, damaged—faulty d. loi-iu 9i-10| 8f- 9-1 8f- 9| 8-9 71- 8i 7J- 81-5-1- 6.1 5|- 6i 5f- 6f 3 4 d. 13 -14 111-121 10 -11 11 12 10 -11 si- n 9] lOf 7 - 8| ei- n 8-9 3 - 6 d. 12 13 10-1-12 91-1 Of 101-1 n 8J- -10" 7 81 9|-10f 7 81 6 - 71 81- 9.1 4 - 7' d. 12 -13 lOf-12 H I Of Io. 1 , l l.l 8-1-10" 7 - 81 9J-10f 7 - 8* 6 ■ 7.', 8.1- 9 l 4 - f d. 111-121 10.1-111 9J-10| 10 -111 8.1-10" 7"- H 81,-1 Of 7 - 8151- 7" 8 "-10 4 - 7' Lamb-skins sound ,, damaged „ seedy 11 -121 81- 11 1 4|-9