NEW ZEALAND DAIRY PRODUCE IN ENGLAND.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 148, 19 December 1902, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND DAIRY PRODUCE IN ENGLAND.

THE FIRST SHIPMENT OF THE SEASON. Mr. H. C. Cameron, Inspector of New Zealand Dairy Produce in London, writing to the Agent-General on 14th November, says : — "The new season for New Zealand butter was opened by the arrival of the s.s. Whakatane on Thursday, 6th instant, with a small shipment of buUer consisting of 238 boxes and 98 kegs from the Auckland district. This small lot was landed in excellent order, and when opened was found to bo in splendid condition. Th» butter had been stowed in the 'twecn-decks of No. 2 hold, and hay* ing been, I Avas informed by the eugineer, put on iaaard at the last moment, was easy of access, and so was delivered without delay on arrival here. The temperatures, as recorded in the engineer's log, maintained throughout the voyage in >tlie chamber in which the butter was carried were very uniform. The market for some weeks past has been in rather a dull and unsettled state. Large quantities that had been placed in cold stores are being steadily drawn upon, and this has in great measure helped to depress the demand. Prices as compared with last year are about 6s per cwt lower. I have endeavoured to ascertain at what price the Whakatane "butters have been sold, but as they had been, I am informed, previously placed for arrival they afford no actual indication of the market value for independent parcels. Mes&rs. Lovell and Chris. tmas, to whom the bulk of this shipment was consigned, say that the market is opening dull, and that, the quantity received being small, they are merely holding it for the supply of their regular customers -until larger shipments are to hand. Nominally 1120 may be regaided as the value on the market at present. "Cable messages received in the city from New Zealand indicate that owing to a backward spring supplies are expected in the colony to be somewhat curtailed, and this, together with the shortage of Australian butter, has caused, during the last few days an impression that prices may firm. Buyers, however, in the face of the large quaatities stored, ..are somewhat inclined to hold off the market to see how , things may settle before purchasing. , Consequently business is not active. "The cheese market, on. the other hand, is very strong. Prices of Canadian are firm at 56s to 575, and these, values are likely to be maintained, as, from all reports to hand, stocks of cheese are very short. 'There is very little difference in the value of white and' coloured at present — Avhite. if anything, being the higher. 1 I trust factories in the colony making cheese will be guided by the advice previously given them to make each day half white and half colouned. This is certainly safer than making all their output of one colour."