ONION MARKET IN CANADA.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20909, 17 July 1933, Page 11

ONION MARKET IN CANADA.

MR A. L. MACFARLANE'S TRIP. UNCERTAINTY OF TARIFF POSITION. Although the tariff position is extremely uncertain Mr A. L. Macfarlane, who returned yesterday from an experimental trip to Eastern Canada with a cargo of 6000 bags of Canterbury onions, will probably repeat the experiment next season, provided that in the meantime the present produce tariff agreements between New Zealand and Canada are not altered. He said yesterday that the trip had been a valuable •-- cause of the kr-owWV br- -,i ; gained of Canadian methods. Mr Macfarlane left New Zealand on March lb' on board the freight steamer which carried the cargo of onions. The ship sailed to Montreal by way of Panama, the vovage taking two months and six days. In spite of the length of the voyage, however, the perishable cargo reached Montreal in fairlv good condition, although it had to be rescreened on arrival, which caused a good deal of expense. The whole cargo had been disposed of in Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto. "We were pioneers, of course," Mr Macfarlane remarked. "If I had known as much of the conditions and circumstances in Canada as I do now we could probably have sold the cargo even more satisfactorily than we did."

Market Possibilities. Mr Macfarlane stressed the point that owing to the uncertainty of the present tariff agreements it was impossible to say much about the possibility of opening up a market for New Zealand onions and produce in eastern Canada. There were so many countries much closer at hand than the Dominion which were able to supply the demand in Eastern Canada that New Zealand, although at the moment she had the benefit of a favourable tariff, would certainly have to improve the pack and the general "get-up" of her product if she wished to compete successfully with them. When in Ottawa Mr Macfarlane had an interview with the Canadian Minister for Trade and Commerce, the Hon. H. 11. Stevens, through the good offices of Mr X W. Collins, the New Zealand Trade Commissioner, who was doing excellent work for New Zealand in Canada. Also through the curtesy of the Canadian Government he was enabled to visit many of the large produce packing houses throughout the country. "Such buildings and equipment *on the large scale seem absolutely necessary," he remarked, "for the handling of such quantities of p-"duce as they have to deal with in Canada.

Valuable Experience. "The expert knowledge gained on the trip," said Mr Macfarlane, "will be of great use. and I intend to carry on, if possible, with the effort to open up a market for New Zealand onions there. If the tariff position remains favourable an organisation wiiJ have to be set up at this end to enable us to compete with the other foreign suppliers.'' The genera] business situation in Canada seemed to be improving, Mr Macfarlane remarked. The fact that wheat had recently risen to the dollar mark had been of enormous benefit to the country, and judging by the reports he had read in the local newspapers conditions seemed to have improved considerably.

Mr Macfarlane made a brief visit to the United States, spending a few days in New York and Chicago and visiting the Century of Progress Exhibition at Chicago. He returned by the Monowai to Auckland last Monday and reached Christchurch yesterday morning.

LONDON WOOL SALES. PRICES FOR FINER SORTS STEADY. SLIGHT DROP IN CROSSBREDS. frSITID TRESB ASSOCIATION—BY ELECTRIC TELEOaAPK—COrTIUGHT.) LONDON, July 14. At the wool sales, 9707 bales were offered, including 4814 from New Zealand, about 4796 being sold. Competition was well sustained for all finer qualities, and prices were fully steady. Withdrawals of lower grades were more numerous, and greasy crossbreds and crossbred shpes were fully 5 per cent, below the opening rates. Sales—New Zealand scoured merinos, Fcrintosh, top price, 24d, average 23id, halfbred lamb slipes 16d top, 13id average. PRICE OF GOLD. (mtlTtD PRESS ISIJOCIATIOS-- IT BLUCTBIC TBLBQKAPH—COPTBIOKT.) LONDON, July 15Gold (a fine ounce) is qouted as follows: £ s. d. July 15 .. ..634 July 13 .. ..641 July 12 .. ..649 July 11 .. .. 6 4 10 July 10 .. ..646 July 8 .. ..645 July 6 .. ..641 PRICE OF SILVER. (BRITISH OmCIAX WIRELESS.) ... RUGBY, July 14. silver (pence an ounce) is quoted: July 13. July 14. Spot .. ~ls| 1811-16 Toward .. 183 181346