THE COLONY'S EXPORTS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LI, Issue 9066, 11 April 1906, Page 5

THE COLONY'S EXPORTS.

REVIEW OF THE POSITION.

SOME DECREASES EXPLAINED

CHEESE SUPPLANTING BUTTER.

[press association.]

WELLINGTON, April 9. l Speaking of the reduction in the value of exports, Mr Ritchie, Chief Secretary' 'to the Agricultural Department, in referring to butter, said that the season, later than usual, and 'there was a question whether some of the shipments, vfhich really belonged to this season, just missed the '^nanciaT \year % ,StiU there was aSeonsidenfble increase in' cSheese, and the Value of the two combined showed an advance of over £5000. l 'I ' Mr Singleton, dairy expert, said tliete was no doubt that the increase in cheese had, to Si .considerable 'extent, been^ responsible for the decrease in butter. S^me factories with dual plants had made cltee.se this year, but last year they Had principally turned out butter. New cheese factories had been started in the spj-ing preceding the last one, and, moreover, .there (had been considerable quantities of ohe^-se stoied prior to opening of the l>i?34-5 season, and had been shipped during 'that year. Shipments from the Bluff showed a decided increase in cheese, due partly to the, cutting up of the Ed^ndale estate for closer settlement. A new cheese factory had been started there, and a number) of othera in the Soath had turned their attention to cheese instead of butter. So far as Taranaki was concerned, the exports from Patea would show a large increase in cheeserat tihe expense of butter. Two large factories, the Kaupokonui and Riverdale, had made rfieese this year, but .last season they had turned out butter. in answer to questions, Mr Singleton said that prices had been in favor of cheese, and the balance was still swinging in favor of that article. That was the reason why .factories had been devoting (themselves to the production of cheese. The decrease of £10,538 in the export of beef does not call for comment, but the decline in mutton and lamb is worth ex- , plaining. Mr Ritchie says that the export of mutton has been decreasing for the last year or two. but he thought that bedrock had been reached in. the decline. Two years ago there was an abnormal export, until there was a shortage in sheep, but he considers that thje colony has quite got up to its number again, and exports i should go\on steadily ,„ 'Mr Ritchie iemaiked'that'the slackening of the South African demand has had a good deal ito 'do with the falling away in figures for oats. Australia bad now a better chance tihan New Zealand in exploiting that market. There would be a very 'considerable Shortage in grain' this year, but with the stock on hand there should be a fair quantity available for export if the market was favorable. There had been a large quantity of oats on hand at the commencement of the 1904-5 season.

In hemp, the quantity exported was large. The year shows a slight increase on' 1 the previous year's tally, but the value ha 9 shrunk by over <£39;000. Mr Ritchie says that the decline is due to the much larger proportion of lower grade hemp going out Millers have. been turning out more of "common" <and "fair"' grades, probably because the prices for these classes offered greaitier inducement than the quotations for higher grades. Blight is blamed for the decrease in potatoes