HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17741, 18 April 1923, Page 10

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.

The Department of Agriculture hn« received the following cablegram, dutrd 14th instant, from the High Commissioner fox New Zealand: — HEAT. Market very depressed on account of continued heavy arjivals of chilU.d oeei. New Zealand mutton very slow; no sale for ewes. Large supply of Australian and River Plate wethers available. New Zealand frozen beef not quoted. N.Z. Mutton. April 14th. April 7th. 'Mar. 23th. 49-561b. Sjd to 9d 9d to 9i<i &l-721b. 6jd to 7d -d 7id to 7Jd 73-60lb. aid aid to 6d 61d to 7d Australian and River Plate wethers 4Jd> to 5Jd per lb. N.Z. Lamb. Best quality: Light-weight, lljd Is Is Canterbury: Second-class, lid Best North Island. lid Ordinary North Island. lOd Hd Hid New Zealand Beef. Ox Fores. Not quoted. 3|d SJd Ox Hinds. Not quoted. Sd sd> Chilled Beef. Fores. 2d to 2Jd 2Jd to 2Jd 2*l to 3Jd Hinds. 4Jd to 5d 4*d to sid 7d BUTTER. Market weak with declining tendency. Present quotations are: .New Zealand. (Salted.) Finest. April 14th—170s to 174s up to 176s per cwt (Is tid to Is Cid up to la April 7th—l7os to 176s per cwt (Is 6Jd to Is lid per lb). March 29th—188s to 192s per -cwt (Is 81d to Is Bld per lb). Unsalted: April 14th—180s to 182s per cwt (Is 7Jd to Is 7Jd per lb); exceptional 184s per cwt (Is per lb). April 7th—lß4s to 186s per cwt (Is TJd to Is £d per lb). March 29th—194b to 196s per cwt (la BJd to Is 9d per lb). Other Qualities. April 14th—166s to iCBs per cwt (Is 6j>A to Is 6d per lb). Australian. (Salted.) Finest. April 14th—164s to 166s up to l&Ss per cwt (Is fijd to Is up to Is 6d per lb). April 7th—l66s to 172s per cwt (la 6£d to Is 6Jd per lb). March 29th—184s to 188s per cwt (Is 7£a to Is B}d per lb). Unsalted. April Mth—l66s to 170s per cwt (la 62d to Is 6£d per lb). April 7th—l7os to 176s up to 180 a per cwt (Is 6Jd to Is 6Jd to Is 7Jd per lb). March 23th—188s to 192s per cwt (Is Bio to lo BJd per lb). Other Qualities. April 14th—Salted: 150s to 162s per cwt (laid to la. 5Jd per lb). Un altrd: 154s to 170s per cwt (is 4Jd to Is 61d per lb). Argentine. April J4tn— 160s to 164s per cwt (lfl i& to Is 6Jd per lb). April 7th--166s to 170s per cwt (Is 4Jd to la 6id per lb.) March 23th— 170s to 190s per owt (la 6id to le Bid per lb). Danish' April 14th—188s per cwt {la Bid per lb). April 7th—lß2a to 186 a per cwt (1b 7Jd to 1b 8d per lb). March 29th—200s to 202s per cwt (lfl 91d to la 9Jdi per lb). CHEESE. Market weaker. New Zealand: April 14th— Coloured! 128s to 132s per cwt. (Is ljd to la 2d per lb). "Whits 124s to 128s per cwt (1b lid to Is ljd per lb). April 7th—Coloured 138s to 144s per owt (la 2jd to Is 3£d per lb). "White, 136b to 138 a per cwt (Is 2id to la 2id per lb). March 29th—Coloured 148s to 150s per cwt (Is 3Jd to Is 4d per lb). "White 144 a to 146b per cwt (la Sid per lb). Australian: April 14th—Coloured 120b to 124s per owt. (1b OJd to la lid per lb). White 120b to 122 a per cwt. (1b OJd to la Id per lb). April 7th—Coloured 132s to 140s per cwt (Is 2id to Is 3d per lb). White, 132s to 134s per owt (Is 2}d per lb). March, 29th—Coloured 142s to 144s per cwt (Is 3id to Is 3Jd per lb). "White 138s to 142s per owt (Is 2Jd to Is 3Jd per lb). A shipment of New Zealand produce arrived this week per a.s. Port Elliott. Shipments of Australian produce from March 27th to March 30th comprise 4083 boxes butter and 769 crates cheeae. HEMP. Manilla market quiet ana prices have declined further. "J" grade February-April shipments sold at £34. "G-" grade AprilJune shipments now quoted at £35 16fl. "J" grade £33 SB value. New Zealand market continues dull. Bidß of £3l made for Highpoints April-May shipments but no transactions reported. WOOL. Bradford market influenced by active demand for raw material." Current prices for tops are:—64'b (Merinoß), 6a 3d; 56's (super halfbred), 3a ljd; 40"e prepared (coarae crossbred), Is 4d. FRUIT. Fruit ex "Remuera" all landedl during this week. The condition was very poor, apples being over-heated, and some pit now developing in Cox's Orange. The quality, packing and, get-up generally were excellent, andi had shipment arrived in good condition top prices would have been realised, although there are large quantities of Australian and Taamanian and also a few American apples in the market. Australian generally immature and good 1 proportion pitted. Average prices are 6a to 12s per oase. New Zealand apples realised:— Cox'g Orange 8s to 12s per case; best condition, 19s to 24a; Dunn's favourite, 9a to 12s;. Jonathan, somewhat immature, 5s to 12s; best, ifa to, Mb; Worcester Pearmain and Rxbston Pippin, 6s to 8s; Ribston Pippin (best), 12a to 14s, King David, 9s to 10a.

TRADE WITH GERMANY.

A DUNEDIN REPORT,

(PBESS ASSOCIATIOH TBLEGBAM.) DUNEDIN, April 17. The Chamber of Commerce Import Committee has reported on the Customs Department's circular regarding the control of trade with Germany and Austria as follows: As the Committee disapproves of the principle of depreciated currency, its duty is complicated and uncertain. No alteration of the tariff, under Regulation, • should be made without three months' notice in the Gazette. The Committee strongly approves of the principle that traders should know, before importation, the duties likely to be charged on goods. Provision should. be made that merchants who have bona fide ordered" goods, prior to notice of an increase, should be entitled to enter them at the old rate.

The Committee recommends that all duties should be levied on the price in sterling paid for the goods, and if the preferential tariff at present in existence is found to be insufficient to protect British industries, such preference should be increased.

There is reason to believe that some British manufacturers take advantage of the existing protection to charge more for goods exported to the Dominion than for goods sold for British consumption.

It seems commercially reasonable to assume that Germany's fixed export prices will not be less than the world's market value. If the duty should be assessed upon this export value, there should be no necessity for any further duty on account of the depreciated currencv from which Germany is not likely to permit foreign buyers to benefit. The report was adopted.