NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE IN LONDON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11368, 10 May 1900, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE IN LONDON.

i-. [FROM our OWN CORRESPONDENT.] >. London, April 7. -"'.' "' ■' V.'OOL. -■•"•

Since the oloso of tho; Inst i series's of wool sales I bear from M'jssrs.'Balmo that there has been some inquiry for: medium -to-fine greasy crossbreds ■ or. foreign ; account, <■ and that about 500 bales arc reported to have recently changed hands at prices 'showing; some improvement on tho final rates of the late auctions. ; Trade in! merino , wool, however. is quite at a standstill,- confidence in, the future of-this class of produce*baying.been impaired by the- violent fluctuations and generally weakening tendency of ! tho Continental " teriu'e" markets. ' The spot quotations at Antwerp, .after touching >F4.82i on Tuesday, stood yesterday at F4.92i, as against F5.45 on March 24. The gross arrivals to date for the third scries are 150,246 bales, 145,178. of these coming from New Zealand and Australia.-:a Of tho total quantity, somo 35,000 bales of New." Zealand and Australian wool have been forwarded direct to manufacturing districts..'.,.-;'. , :W t> "..•; NEW ZEALAND MEAT. With more regularity in the arrivals, the market for New Zealand mutton has been firm', and although the demand all round has not been;brisk,' prices have hardened, write tho New Zealand 'Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. A shortage of Australian mutton at the present time has caused buyers to direct special attention to nice light New Zealand sheop, nest Canterburys realising from 2s 6:1 to 2s 7d.per stone, and prime Dunedin and Southland sheep 2s 4d to 2s Jkl per stone ex market. The lamb trade is also fairly firm, and if, as may now bo expected, warmer weather sets in shortly, a brisk demand may be looked for, with a plight improvement in prices. New Zealand beef is said to bo rather dull of sale, , and the Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company does not anticipate any alterations in this market for some time to come.

From New Zealand, Messrs. Woddcl note that 39,000 carcases of lamb have arrived. The expansion of the trade has been somewhat checked by the recent cold weather, and although sales have been fairly numerous, there has been no briskness in the demand. Small lambs are scarce, and look like continuing so throughout the season. For those on offer thoro is a good inquiry. Small Canterbury lamlw mako 5d to s|d, and other weights 4jjd to 5d per lb, the slight fall in quotations being the result of the larger quantities now available. Tho secondary grades now on offer consist almost entirely of North Island lambs. The quality of these is somewhat irregular, but, taken as a whole, is good. Prices range from 4jd to 4|d per lb. Referring to frozen beef, Messrs. Weddcl state that the forward market has been somewhat more active, owing to anticipated short arrivals from South America presently, where foot-and-mouth disease lias broken out among tho cattle. Full quantities of New Zealand beef continue to lie marketed at about 3Jd to 3fd per lb for hindquarters, and 3 0 d to 3|d per lb for forequarters. Although there is a better demand this week for New Zealand and Australian rabbits, Mossrs. Weddol are unable to quote improved prices. Tho Maori King cargo " showed a proportion of mouldy goods. One large Australian shipper has injured his reputation by sending large rabbits, so graded to size that they do not average the minimum weight of 2£lb, and his young are more like ' slips' thin young." Prices for largefurred rabbits are one halfpenny down on tho fortnight, and 8d to Bid, ex store, is tho general rate, while young furred bring 7d to 7Jd each. DAIRY PRODUCE. There is a continuance of the improved demand for New Zealand and Australian butter, but no general advance in prices. In somo cases, however, Messrs. Weddel tell me that there has been a shilling or two moro paid for really "choicest" quality of well-known brails, because the quantity of this class of butter gets into smaller compass every day. There will ba no arrival of either New Zealand or Australian butter until tho week after next, and consequently tho market for choicest" description should remain strong and firm. " Of inferior butter there is more than enough, especially at this season of the ****• „. ' choicest " Australian realises £4 Jo °I! 1? "choicest" New Zealand, £4 S'. "i finest" of both kinds makes £4 os to £4 Bs. During the month of March tie Customs authorities in London discovered that some- of tho importers of Australian and New Zealand butter had during the last few weeksl made false entries of the quantities ot butter they wero importing. Messrs. Weddel say that the excess was 26,456 boxes over the actual import. '< It is a pity that these delinquents are not fined for such falsification of public entries. The large amount of excess shows that the entry cannot be accideii-

As for cheese, Messrs. Weddel report that the demand for Canadian continues dull and prices are a shade easier, holders being « lli„< to accep is less rather than allow order to go by thorn The Queensland cheese re contly arnved has made a few shilling more an wasexpeoted, some of it selling'for £2 -S 5 . f ? heSC Wcrc doub "». hut much Wit was loaf cheese, and these sold at lower

MISCELLANEOUS. There is no good-conditioned New Zealand •heat on the market, and Messrs. WeffiS good condition would fetch 6d to Is pTquar r C money. New Zealand oatJarS L betM* thougl, as tho demand is better values are about M dearer. Good Canterbury Cai achans are quoted at 2&6 d to 2js 6d; ordinary Bluff, ha to 23s- and sparrowbiHs, 21 s to 21s 6d per 384 ft. For f,™ Zealand beans Messrs. Weddel say there are no inquiry, and value* are nomS brought 76 sacks of beans, and A * is the only ran reported .as having arrived from the colony with grain during the past fortnight. For cocksfoot the market continues very lull, and in order to effect sales on the spot, lower prices have to be accepted, and even then it » extremely difficult to place any considerable qpanhtv. After the above someWhat bluo remarks, the Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company's report goes on to say, that, to arrive, some considerable sales have been made at 38s per ewt ci.f. for good 1511) seed, and these transactions have practically feed too price of new crop of this quality in this market-being several shillings lower than the opening rates of last season. Ueahng with tallow, Messrs. Weddel state that the market has been practically stagnant during the past fortnight, and tho position wis such that it was doomed useless to hold the usual public sales last week. Some small sales of mutton tallow were niado during the interim at previous rates. At tho public sales, wmch were held last Wednesday, only 336 casks found buyers out of 1628 casks. catalogued, prices realised being fully 6d per owt lower Sollers and buyers have been equally indifferent, but the cabled shipments from tho colonics for March—the large quantity of 7245 tons-have somewhat modified the position of the former, and at some further slight decline in prices a renewed demand before long may fairly bo anticipated. Very I'.ttlo business on a c.i.f. basis has boon done recently, but sollers are prepared to accept less money. Latest quotations for prompt shipment are:-Good to fine mutton, 28s to £«; beof and mixed norts, 26s 9d to 27s 6d per owt ci.f. Stocks in London at tho end vJn mmith S,IOWO<I nn increaso of about 3000 casks, as compared with tho end of February. Hero are Messrs. Weddol's spot quotations:— good to finest, We ill to 31s per owt; dull to fair, 29s 6d to 30s per owt; inferior, 28s 6d to 29* 3d per cwt. _ Beef, good to finest, 29s to 29s 9d; dull to fair, 28s 6d to 28s 9d; inferior, 27s 9d to 28s.

Both tho Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company and tho National Mortgage and Agency Company write to mo saying that the market for New Zealand flax has been somewhat irregular; distant shipment and near arrival have somewhat hardened, but spot and parrels in tho dock arc lower. This tendency is said to have been influenced by tho conrso of the Manila market, which, owing to reported trouble in Loyte and consequent check to traffic, has boon very firm for futures, while new positions harvo been offered more freely. Tho sales of Now Zealand flax probably amount to 400 tons. Its quotations are: Superior soft and bright, £37 10s to £40 per ton; good medium, well dressed, £36 10s to tar per ton; fair medium to medium, £36 to £36 581 fair medium to medium, rather strawy £35 to £35 10s; tow, £12 to £14. At tho public sales of hides, held on the 22nd uh., out of 15,322 put up for safe, 3185 were sold. The demand was chiefly from Homo buyers. Queensland desoripiions -met with a fair inquiry at rathor easier rates -for tho lighter averages, but heavy sold at full prices.

At the sale of basils, 20,177 skins were offered, and 7720 bought. Thero was a fair inquiry from the Homo trado, but a lower range of values. ' v ' During tho past four weeks a moderate business has passed in salted Now Zealand polls, the tendonoy of prices still favouring buyers. Prices to-day are somewhat irregular with an uncertain demand. Values of the now season's polls have not yet been established, though one or two consignments are now on the market. Thero is said to bo nothing of intorest to report in the market for rabbit skins. Today about 800 bales of New Zealand and Aus-1

tralian skins are to bo ™t „„ ISSl^'' .tion.i. These aro IfißW land rabbit;^n»:4w& l^ s&£m skins, thin and medium,' l ß M L? B >S' lb; do., do., stout pelted L {i] 0 . 1 " *»Z----lb; fair orinWy to «Slffl common ? nd lowEca»on, ! 81d t^ idpet lb% small and suckers, W d . AlgtolJ bilvcr grey (turners'),:^2dtl|S| DE v ■ ' GUM REPORT KAl "Kt The tlird gum sales of ."they« r .~/ •'"« The thud gum sales of tCv2?£S*«?: on the 22nd March. rThbtSMMI was 430- packages, of iri&SS&JS 2781 phages. The total of at and after sales was 1787 ml, ®W*Jl tone w exceedingly dull, thV&i TW gethcr lacking animation. S% I reached a record price, and a largffi> I manufacturer!.have stopped working o ' 1 mon g«ms. In many instances \ ~S there wasnot the slightest bid &£g«S grades, whilst there was less'comr* i« 3$ the better ones than wo haveiffi* f ** time pest. Re-scraped, howeversSs** its price where sold, but N os iSS*Si : dinary were not disposed of 'as »**j 2«- I on late rates was wanted, but in. "* ; ccptcd. Good browns were 'firm l? 01 * tained hte rates, as also did fine |S|S browns ind low bushes were dull of i ' woro only wanted when -. cone*. n „,?' N : granted. The following is about T* * et! of prices realised:—Fine dial '£14 t° m '!« : palo re-scraped, £8 10s to fiia 7. S ! SI and amber: Scraped, £7 to £7 in,. .' *«l £7 15s to £8. Fair,sma)ltogoK°> tor-scraped (bold), £5 15s to £&? ™ ft** scraped. 72s 6d to 77s 6d; chipV ; VS'W| pale, 7Ss to 87s 6d; chips 70s; ordinary to fair, rather ™~' 7* to: dusty, 29s to 455; pickings fai \l \1 ** : nal), 45s to 50s; dust, pale 28 foijM nary, 15s to 22s 6d. Brown: FL?S. ! °* 85s to 110s; three-quarter scraped, NoW: 6d to 755; ordinary, three-quarter t«V?< scraped. 42s 6d; klf-serapcd m ■> «* 40s; chips, bright, 36s 6d to 40s; c h'iiv! V*! ordinary. 19-, 6d to 22 3 6d; dust 2;"?'** .to 10, Bush: Good pale,' fair to good pale-scraped, £5 7s 6d to At v' 1 fair. 70s » 90s; No. 2 middling «&* No. 3 low, 18s to 255; chips, $&£*! to 90s chips, little coated, WsjJ3s statistics to March 31, woo '■■:■ '. '1900. 1899. IMS. 1897. ISSO 100- - Imports.. 514 IiSI 512 10-21 .'wSi Deliveries. 687 978 778- 9*4 'Ss'ffi??Stock .. Ifoo 921 409 1152 1075 £° .. Imports during March .. 17,' 'SJDeliveries '„* „.. .. " »,ta( Next auctions, May 17,1900 ''" : '.:" : \