A GREAT TRADE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8097, 28 September 1904, Page 2

A GREAT TRADE.

In an issue of the London Times, received by this week's mail, there is a review of the British trade in colonial dairy produce, some features of which, we think, will be of interest to producers in this district. In' the first place it gives a reminder of the enormous dimensions of the British import trade in butter. For years past the supply has gone on increasing, and yet the power of absorption by the British consumer seems to grow apace. The total imports for the year ended 30th June surpassed all previous experiences, and amounted to close on 219,000 tons. When it is mentioned that the total received from New Zealand last year was under 16,000 tons, another proof is given that large as the industry is in New Zealand, it is comparatively a very small affair, and that there is room for a vast expansion before it is likely to have any permanent effect on the British market. What the Times calls a noteworthy feature of the returns is the fact that the colonial supply increased by 90 per cent, last year; while the foreign declined by just over 1.5 per cent. So the increased supply was drawn from the colonies. The Australian figures are very remarkable, fn $03., 1053 tons were received from Australia; in 1904, 19,655 tons were received. This is a wonderful recovery, and on the figures there need no longer be any surprise that tlie buyers of colonial butter were thrown out of their calculations in respect of probable supplies from that quarter. The New Zealanders did much in the way of increased supplies, increasing their total from 9575 tons in 1903 to 15,836 tons in 1904, but the Australians altogether eclipsed them. The Times quoteß Weddel and Co. as saying that "if in twelve months after a drought Australia can at one bound surpass all previous'efforts, the potentialities of the country, must be almost beyond calculation, and they go far to justify the faith of those who believe that in the distant future the development of the Australian butter trade with the United Kingdom may rival that of Denmark." It is not very safe to generalise from abnormal figures, and looking a,t the chequered history of the Australian supply probably much reliance cannot be placed on Mic increase being continuously progressive. •But while Australia did well as to quantity last year, the increase, we are told, was accompanied by a serious decline in quality, whereas on the other hand New Zealand is distinguished from every other colony by its "regular and steady progressive export annually," and the quality of the Npw Zealand was much superior' to that from Australia, Ah to the prices it is shown that the average of 108s per cwt made in 1903 fell to 100s in 1904, due to the effect on the market of stored butter, and the increase in Australian supplies. The Canadian supply fell off considerably, owing largely to the high price Canadian cheese was making, and it is thought that cheese will continue to be the main dairy product of that country, As to the cheese imports, it is remarked that ther£ is a steady decline from foreign countries. Of the total of 288,662 tons consumed in Great Britain 11.5 percent, comes from foreign . countries, 35.5 per cent from the colonies, and 53.0 per cent, is home-made. But it was a 'disastrous year for . cheese importers. Canadian makes certainly held up well, her choicest sorts making to 60s for the whole twolve months, though the average for the whole output was much ,lower. , New Zealand oi^y made' 49^'jper cwt., against the extraordinary' average of 67s '8d in the previous .year. Canada evidently holds the "whip, hand" in respect of this produce, and while ahe is falling back m respect of butter she is steadily increasing her supplies iv" cheese. The review con.

proposal to put an import duty of 5 per cent upon foreign dairy produce entering tho United Kingdom, and the effect it is likely to "have on the colonial trade. In a future issue we shall bring under the notice of our readers what the reviewer's opinion is in respect to this matter.