NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE IN LONDON.

Evening Star, Issue 10931, 13 May 1899, Page 3 (Supplement)

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE IN LONDON.

CSpECIAL TO THE STAB.] WELLINGTON, May 13,

I am indebted to the courtesy of Mr Ritchie, Secretary for Agriculture,’ for Mr H. C. Cameron’s report of April 6, received by the Premier through the medium of the Agent-General. Mr Cameron states that the market for dairy produce during the previous four weeks had continued steady, and prices ruled firm:

Cheese.—This latter remark applies especially to cheese. Though the stocks of cheese | were small they had been sufficient to supply the demands, and values remained almost unI changed for a considerably longer period than was anticipated. Mr Cameron had expected that an'advance would have taken place some little tinie ago, but until the middle of March none occurred, thoiigli the satisfactory figure of 50s per cwt. was firmly maintained. This price had ruled for three months fioni the middle of December, The rise he anticipated had commenced at the date of his report, prices a fortnight previously reaching 51s, and in the last week 52s per cwt. for finest New Zealand cheese, of which very little could be obtained in the London market Very short supplies had been sent from the colony, and the most of that had gone direct to Scotland, where it is in groat favor. Three steamers were due from New Zealand during the fortnight from the date of his letter with 750 tons of cheese on board, and he was hopeful that prices would be maintained, if not slightly increased, so as to recoup tho shippers for the unremuneratrve prices they obtained for their shiuments last year. Prices were, at the date of this letter, 10s to 12s per cwt. higher than they were last year. Butter.—The butter market, whilst not showing the, strength and firmness characterising the cheese market, must also, under all circumstances, he considered to have been good, in.the face of the enormously increased supplies received from tho British colonies during the butter season —from the Ist September, as given in the Board of Trade returns, 364,237 cwt., as against 295,996 cwt. for % same period of 1898. The prices received for butter must be considered highly satisfactoiy. The average price for choicest New Zealand butter has been practically about 98s throughout. This is per lb, which would leave shippers a price e T ual to 9d per lb f.o.b. in New Zealand. As, however, this price is for choicest butter, and as many, in fact, I believe, the majority of the lots of butter, may have been sold for less money, I have no doubt that, the gopd season here notwithstanding, those who sbld at 9d pet lb f.o.b. in the colony, as I understand many did, will be better off than those who shipped on their own account, taking it all round. Improvement for Butter.—Mr Cameron goes on to say that there has been a very marked improvement all round in the conditions attaching to the butter from New Zealand during the past year or two, which is unhesitatingly acknowledged by all persons handling butter—the quality of the butter, the manner in which it is packed, and getup of the style and finish. Of the boxes, all show decided improvement. The exceptions, which are more rare, are chiefly found iu “ milled lots.” There is also improvement as regards stowing.on board ship, handling, and expeditious discharge over what was existing two seasons ago. The handling and distribution throughout the country is extending satisfactorily this season. There have been numerous inquiries regarding certain individual brands of butter, the quality of which has so highly gratified purchasers that they are desirous of communicating direct with the producers in order to purchase the whole output of particular factories. Mr Cameron has endeavored to satisfy these inquiries, as they tend to increase competition.

Sale of Food and Drugs Bill.—Mr Cameron says that the attention of the daily produce trade has been directed for some time to the Bill lately introduced in the British Parliament by the Hon. Walter Long, president of the Board of Agriculture. The measure is known as the Sale of Pood and Drugs Bill, and its intention is to regulate the sale of margarine and prevent the substitution of mixtures for butter. It has been for a long time known that a regular system of fraud has been carried out by a large number of unscrupulous traders throughout the country, who, while professing to sell pure butter, substitute mixtures containing only from 25 to 40 per cent, of butter. Mr Cameron has taken an interest in the Bill, because ho has found that when butter reaches a high figure sales of it fall off, and mixtures take their place. The present Bill proposes to prevent the manufacture of these mixtures, limiting the manufacture to margarine only, or at least limiting the proportion of the butter fat contained in margarine to 10 per cent. only. The feeling in the trade, however, is that the percentage is too high, iur Cameron accompanied a deputation from the Butter Association to the IHon. Mr Long, and represented the extensive fraud perpetrated, and urged the necessity for the Act being amended, so as to increase penalties and enforce inspection of all premises. They also recommended that all dealers in butter and margarine should be licensed, and that, in the event of a licensed holder being convicted of fraud, such conviction should be recorded on his license, and that upon a third conviction his license should be cancelled. Mr Long promised to give due consideration to the views of the deputation when the Bill got into committee. At the preliminary meeting Mr Cameron assured the gentlemen present of the' entire sympathy of the New Zealand Covernment with them in their endeavor to stamp out fraud in the dairy produce trade, and of their hearty support in any steps that might be taken to improve the trade generally throughout the country. He impressed upon them the good faith of the New Zealand Government in their desire to improve the quality of the dairy produce sent from the colony to London, and he pointed out that the clauses they desired inserted in Mr Long’s Bill were almost identical with those contained in the New Zealand Margarine Act of 1895. He was invited to accompany another deputation to Mv Kearley, M.P. On the subject of tbo coloring of margarine, Sir Cameron encloses a pampKUf, issued by the Butter Association, containing their recommendation to the Hon. Mr Long.