THE AGENT-GENERAL'S REPORT,

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8029, 6 June 1904, Page 3

THE AGENT-GENERAL'S REPORT,

[Pe_ Prkss Association.} WELLINGTON, June 6. i The Department of Industries and Commerce has received the following cable message from the Agent-General, dated London, June 4 :— " The mutton market is dull, but holders are firm. The average prices today for Canterbury brands are — Lightweights 4{jd per lb, heavy-weights 4-Jd per lb. The average price for brands of North Island -mutton is 4d, and for River Plate mutton 3f d. There is a good demand for all lamb, and the prospects for this season ; are considered ' very good. The average ] price to-day for' New Zealand lamb, Canterbury brands is s_d, for brands other than Canterbury sid> and for River-Plate lamb sd. The beef market is weak. Supplies of River Plate beef are increasing, and shipments of American chilled beef are large. The average price to-day for hindquarters of New. Zealand beef is 3£d, and for forequarters _id. The butter, market is dull, and all transactions are on a very limited scale. Heavy supplies of 'butter are coming to hand from the Continent and Ireland. The, average prioe ..of' choicest New Zealand butter to-day "is 85s per cwt, Australian 82s per cwt, Argentine 83s per cwt, Danish 94s per pwt, Irish 87s per cwt, and Siberian 80s per cwt. The cheese market is firm. The average price to-day of finest New Zealand cheese is 44s per cwt. The hemp market is dull. The price of New Zealand hemp, good fa_* Wellington grade, on spot, is £30 per ton. Present stocks; of hemp in London are 601 tons, as against 603 tons on the correspondin, date last year. The cocksfoot seed market is firm. * The 'average -price to-day of i bright, clean New Zealand cocksfoot- seed, weighing 171 b per bushel, on spot, is 52s per cwt. The auahtity oi River Plate mutton imported into the United Kingdom during the last month (May) waa 182,416 capcases, of which 50.114 carcases were landed in London, 101*179 carcases in Liverpool, ( 1457 carcases in Newcastle, 8856 carcases in j Cardiff,. 4003 carcases in Southa-mpton, .1473 carcases in Plymouth, and J334 carcases ot Irish ports. Sixteen thousand' two j hundred and eighteen carcases of River Plate" lamb were landed in the United Kingdom, of which 6739 carcases were landed in Lpn- j don. 8679 carcases in Liverpool, 500 car-ca9es j ' in Cardiff, and 300 carcases at Irish ports. Ten thousand four hundred and thirty six hundredweights of River Plate butter were landed at Liverpool, London, Hull and Southampton."