HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLI, Issue 9393, 15 December 1920, Page 6

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.

1 i 'WELLINGTON,. December- 14,. / ; The , Higli Commissioner's cable, ;' dated London, December *11, is as' i'ol- ' lows::— ,'',-''' ; ■ Meat.—The English trade is slow, ': but. has a good tone. Supplies, of beef ; and mutton are heavier. Average prices are :^—Beef Is. 4|-d, muttoni ls i iJdj lamb 2s per lb. Imported, meat is ' uomg. ai. satisfactory trade. ■ Butter.—With the increased. Government ration, the demand for free, but- ; ter is considerably smaller:. The, Irish i market is very unsettled. Best, grade jis quoted at £20 10s per cwt. (3s 9d ■per lb) in London this week, while-in • .Liverpool the best is freely offered at , £18 15s io £20 per cwt (3s 4d to. 3s o;}d per lb), but very little has been sold. Unsalted is quoted at. £22. 10s per cwt (4-s per lb-. English is. cheaper vi a few markets, but the average price of best quality lias, slightly adr : vanced to £24 14s per cwt (4s sd. per ( lb.-.. Danish production keeps up well, die export being chiefly to Great 'Britain.. The cheese market is quiet,, but there is a better tone for English. Finest farmers' is quoted at. £7 5s to: £9 ,6s.per cwt (Is 3j-.d to Is. 8d per lb). Imported is very slow of sale. Candian white is quoted at £7 8s to £7 12s per cwt(. Is 3fd to Is 4'id per lb),, coloured £7 4s to £8 per cwt (Is 4£d to ls 5d ocr lb).. ■■'•■• Hemp.—The "Manila market has had more inquiry, and fair business has been done this week. J grade: OctoberDecember, and November-January sliipl--ments sold at £59 per ton, Decemberi February shipments .-£SB to. £58 10s per ton, .January-March shipments £57 :0k to 58 per ton. The output-to-No. vember 30 was 996 - ,OQQ: bales, against 1,021,000 bales last year. Shipments to Great Britain for eleven months totalled 384,000 bales, against 292,000 bales last year. . The New Zealand market is quiet and steady. Present .onotations are:—Sellers, high' points, spot, £54 per ton; fair-, £52 per- torn;; December-February shipment, high points £52 per ton, and fair £50 10s pea- ton. ,'■,.-, > Wool.—At the wool sales buyers are ' still operating from hand to mouth.. At the free sales yesterday Australian ' creasy merinoes were represented, and 'a good clearance was effected, holders : meeting the market at prices fully 10 'per cent, below the Government -limit.