NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE NOTES.

Press, Volume LIII, Issue 9364, 13 March 1896, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE NOTES.

(FROM OUE OWN COaRE3POXDEST.) LONDON, January 31. I regret to cay I »ra unable to give a favourable account of New Zealand frozen meat this week. There is no- improvement in the trade. The demand is of toe smallest *nd prices are generally weaker. A few of the best Canterbury sheep offered may bring 3|J per lb, bat a far more common price is 3| I per lb; trmuy are sold at 3£d per lb, and others at par lb. According to the C.C. and l>. Co.:—" Tne poor quality and want of condition of much of the recent shipments account in great measure for the low price*. Dunediu and Southland meat sells at 3i I to 3|d per lb, if tairly bright, buc the bulk are stale and more or less off colour." North Island, Wellington, and Napier mutton fetches 3d to 3£J per lb, ewes 2H to 2|d per lb. A3 showtDg the slack demand, the estimated deliveries of frozen mutton to Smithfield last week were 7000 carcases fewer than the preceding week, the decrease being chiefly in New Zealand mutton, but being shared in less degree by other classes. The only New Zealand lambs in the London market at present are last season's carcases, which have been stored either in the colony or at Home, both, according to the C.C. and D. Co., being " eqnatly stale, bleached and unselling." The mild, springlike weather seems to nave created a limited demand, and there have been enquiries for " new season's;" a few would doubtless command fair prices, the stale lambs not meeting customers' requirements. The best of last season's m*ko 5d to per lb., the culls, bleached and perUheu, about 4d per lb. The year's first series of wool sale* closed last evening. About 205.C00 bales, including 37,000 from New Zealand, were available, of which 190,931 bale 3 (iucluding virtually alt that from New Zealand) were offered, about 22,000 remaining over for future disposal. Some 105,000 bales have been bought for export, of which 21,000 balee are for Auier ca. Notwithstanding recent political couip ications, which ac rirac seemed likely to ajfecc the wool sales prejudicially, there has on the contrary been a continual improvement in wool prices, and the rise in New Zealand and Australian wools since January, 1895, is no leas than 50 per cent. This has been largely due to free American competition and large American purchases have been made in anticipation of future alterations in the United States Customs tariff, which might affect both the iaw material and various manufactures.

The attendance of buyers from all quarters was very numerous at the openiug of the sales, and included an uuusuaily large number of American representatives who operated with great spirit. The determined attitude of this sectiou of consumers inspired the Continental and Home trades with confidence, and under the influence of general aud well-sustained competition the market gradually hardened, until , ; merino wools ruled in average 7& per cent, in excess of December Quotations, aud this improvement was, with a few minor fluctuations, maintained to the close of the series just terminated.

My attention is drawn by Messrs C. Bahne and Co. to the fact that a prominent feature in the late sales has been the exceptionally keen enquiry for merino lambs' wool, which, owing to the drought, is this season in small supply and commands extreme rates. .Fine-haired clothing wools, whether in scoured or greasy condition, have alao realised very satisfactory prices. Some change is noticeable in the character of the demand for crossbred wool, the finer, qualities attracting more attention from the trade than has been the case for somo time past. The coarser descriptions, which were eagerly competed for at cue opening of the auctions, have during their progress slightly lost ground, whilst the finest grades, following the course of the markets for merinos, now stand 5 per cent, above December rate 3. Scoured wools throughout have been somewhat neglected, values of ail the best classes having been irregular and disappointing. ' '--.»• -■'•-. It is further remarked; that the new clip from the Northern Island of New Zealand has come to hand in very good order, being generally longer in staple and much lighter in grease than the previous season's growth. On the other haud, many of the brands from those districts of the South Islaud which suffered from the severe winter are immature. '

Yesterday was held the first public sale of woolled sheepskins for- the current year, the catalogued qualities comprising 4420, which included 1055 from New Zealand. The attendance of buyers was hardly so numerous as usual, the competition lacked animation. Full-woolled merino skins and the tiuer qualities of croesbred skins realised about December prices, but all other descriptions sold irregularly, and on the average 5 per cent, below December rates. As compared with December prices, all classes may be quoted at from par to _£d per lb lower. There is not much that is fresh to record as to the butter market. The C.C. and D. Compauy report as follows on the month's experiences, which practically staud good up to this evening :—" There has been a brisk demand for Australian and New Zealand butters during the month, especially for fine to finest grades ; in fact many parcels of butter have been sold considerably above their value and within the range of 102s, owing to the dearth of this class, and to the preference being given to the. colonial. There has not been much spirit' with operators for choicest goods at the higher rates, the price being the hindrance; but most, firms are holding really choice goods for prices quoted, and with reduced, supplies there should be uo difficulty in maintaining them for a time."

Messrs Coey point out that when colonial butter gets out of the range of la retail the demand diminishes enormously. Three or four times the quantity can be placed weekly when prices are Id per ib less than at present. . .