OVERSEAS MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 113, 16 May 1927, Page 4

OVERSEAS MARKETS.

DAIRY PRODUCE.

MARKET FIRM. The New Zealand Co-op. Dairy Co. has received the following cable from its London office, dated April 13:—Anchor butter, 160/; Acorn, 158/; unsalted, 170/. Market firm. New Zealand cheese, 82/ per cwt. Market firm. FROZEN MEAT. LONDON, May 14. Sheep.—Xew Zealand, North Island, heavies 4%d; Australian, firsts, 4d. Lambs—North Island, firsts, light B%d; seconds, B%d; Victorian, firsts, B%d and 7%' d seconds, B%d; all states of thirds, B%d; Argentine, firsts, B%d and 7ttd; seconds, 7%d. Argentine chilled beef. —Fores, 2%d; hinds, s^4d. Cotton, Rubber, Kemp, Etc. (Last week's prices in parentheses.) Cotton.—June delivery, 8.38 d (8.47 d). Rubber.—Para, 17d (17d), plantation and smoked, 19% d (19% d) per lb. Jute. —May-June shipments. £28 5/ (£27 5/) per ton. ' Hemp.—May-July shipments, £35 (£35) per ton. Copra.—May-June shipments, £26 (£26 5/) per ton. Linseed 0i1.—£32 15/ (£32 15/) per ton. Turpentine.—43/9 (44/) per cwt. The Lead Market. Lead.—lmports total 22,775 tons and exports 1179 tone. KAURI GUM. U.S.A. LARGEST IMPORTER. PRESENT POSITION IN TRADE. "The United States is the largest importer of kauri gum, and if the price becomes prohibitive it may be profitable to manufacture and use synthetic gums rather than the natural article." This information is supplied officially by the United States Department of Commerce. Reviewing the position of the trade, the chief of the Chemical Division says:— "The official publication of this bureau a^& mm >tE: e a^ d Navigation.' indicates that 4,634,4951b, valued at $813,234 were imported for the year 1925. The year 1926 shows a somewhat marked increase when 5,455,9741b valued at $951,982, were shipped to this" country. n" I Ki ma .L_ b ? said that approximately all of the true kauri gum originates in New Zealand, although other types of fossil gums are imported to a large extent from the Netherlands East Indies and the Malaysian areas which are, as you know of the Damar and Copal varieties It is somewhat speculative on the part of the importers of kauri gum in this country as to the probable benefits which will accrue from the export levy which has for some time been held in abeyance We are assured by the trade papers of your country that the industry u in a deplorable condition, and that the standard of hying of the gum diggers and their families is very low. "If the kauri gum Control Board assesses an export duty to the maximum of 1% per cent of the value of the gum exported it is a matter of conjecture as to whether the enhanced price laid down in America will not foster the production of synthetic resins. It was for this very reason that the Indian Government declined to lay an ex--3? rt - *^^ n eheUac and ** w not *t 111 illogical that such a fate may befall the kauri gum industry in New Zealand