NOTES FROM THE CITY.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 1670, 14 December 1911, Page 4

NOTES FROM THE CITY.

Meat.—Hie weather has beeSi the chief cause in belating the freezing season, lambs and sheep coming forward very slowly compared with this time last year. The condition will, it is understood, be better than in the 1910-11 season, on account of the abundance of feed. Enquiries for new season's mutton are reported to be slack, as compared with 3ijd c.i.f. oft'erd a few weeks back. Buyers aro anxious to buy North Island lambs for December on the basis of 5-„d c.i.f. for Wellington lambs and s : }d to sj*d for Canterbury. Prime beef is at present at too high a figure for export when the Argentine chilled and Australian are taken into account. There is a" fair demand, however, for cow beef, not much of which is available, at 2|d to 2Jd ci.f., principally for the western markets of the United Kingdom.

Dairy Produce.—Butter- is still go- ' ing forward tb Vancouver via San Francisco, and it is hoped that during the northern winter a steady trade will be built up. Mr Arthur Kidman, who filled much space when the Vancouver steamers left Sydney only has been publicly complaining of New Zealand's "pull.-' Apart from the quetsion of steamship arrangements in which New Zealnd now enjoys the fullest facilities, the fact that no tariff agreement has yejtJ been made between Australia and Canada is an important consideration, .as New Zealand butter enters Canada at M per pound lower duty than Australian. Business is accordingly being diverted from the Commonwealth to New Zealand, and unless the business is placed on a now basis the disadvantages to Australia wil be permanent.

Groceries.—Quotations for Japan rice are reported from Sydney to be £4 per ton higher than the opening price for the season now closing. Quotations for Unrmah haricot beans for the new season and April-May shipments are on the high side. Australian jam manufactures have increased prices, giving as their reason increased wages and high .prices for sugar and tin plates. Prices have

advanced by 6d per dozen for 21b tins, and 4d per dozen for lib tins of assorted jams. It is reported that there has been a slight decline in the price of dessicated cocoanut. Dried American prunes remain unchanged, but there are indications of an advance. Peaches, apricots and apples remain unchanged. Preserved ginger is exceedingly firm. Produce.—There have been no material changes in the produce market during tho past week. Fowl wheat is firm at last quotations, and is from 4s 3d to 4s Sd per bushel in "Wellington. Oats are firmer, but there is little or .no business doing. Old potatoes are a drug in the market, and difficult to quit at £2 os to £2 10s per ton, and new sell at from £8 to £9 os f.o.b. in "Wellington. Chaff is offering at £5 5s f.o.b. Blenheim with interior samples slightly cheaper. "Victorian onions are very scarce, and are bringing 14s to 16s per cwt' case m "Wellington.—Post.