AUSTRALIAN DAIRYING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21458, 4 April 1933, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN DAIRYING

DECLINE IN PRODUCTION ALL STATES AFFECTED " MAY SOLVE QUOTA PROBLEM " ♦ _ • Natural conditions may solve for Australia the problems arising from thy proposed restriction of exports of butter, slates the Melbourne Argus. Throughout the Commonwealth dairying districts arc experiencing abnormally dry conditions, and in every State the production of dairy produce is declining. In Victoria the seasonal decrease has been accelerated by dry weather. Arrivals of butter from country factories throughout tlio State for the week ended March 25 amounted to 25,087 boxes, or 1429 boxes fewer than tho previous week. About this time last year, owing to early autumn rains, production was increasing slightly, and for tlio corresponding week the arrivals were 30,620 boxes. 1' or tho same week in 1931 27,016 boxes of butter were consigned to Melbourne. Hot winds have withered tho pastures, and thero being a partial failure of green feed crops, such as maize, millet and oats, dairy farmers are unable to supple- ■ ment tho feeding of meadow hay and ensilage with the necessary green feed. Other artificial forms of hand-feeding are too expensive owing to the low prico of butter-fat, and farmers are content to allow their herds to go out of production. Production is falling in all districts in Victoria. Production is also falling in other States. ]n Queensland pastures are drying. Cold weather throughout New South Wales will probably hasten tho decline in production there. Tho weather has been cold also in South Australia, where production is decline ing. An exportable surplus of the lower grades is still available, but large quantities of choicest quality are being imported from Victoria. The output of butter factories in Western Australia has been stationary at a low level. Light rains, havo accompanied cool conditions. Weather conditions have been unfavourable to dairying in Tasrtfania, where the decline in production continues. WHEAT IN AMERICA WINTER CROP PROSPECTS (Received April 3, 5.5 p.m.) CHICAGO. April 2 Winter wheat conditions over an unusually large area are characterised as "mixed." Scattered rains over parts of Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma, combined with higher temperatures, have resulted in moderate growth. However, a large percentage of the crop west of the Missouri lliver is in the lowest condition of recent seasons. This suggests one of the smallest yields for years. Conditions havo slightly jmproved in Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, but less than normal returns are indicated. FOREIGN EXCHANGES STERLING FIRMER AGAIN British Wireless RUGBY, April 1 The following rates on foreign exchanges are current, comparecT with the cabled quotations on March 31 and par:—• Apl. 1 Mar. 31 Pur Montreal, dol. .. 4.12} 4.12 4.866 New York, dol. . 3.42 i 3.41} 4.866 Paris, fr. .. 87J 87 1-32 124.21 Brussels, belga . 24.545 24.50 35.00 Geneva, fr. .. 17.735 17.715 25.22 v Amsterdam, fl, .. 8.48 . 8.48 12.10 Milan, lire .. 66 25-32 66.75 ' 92.46 Berlin, r.ra. .. 14 13-32 14.355 20.43 Stockholm, kr. .. 18.90 18.90 18.159 Copenhagen, kr. . 22 7-16 22 7-16 18.159 Oslo, kr. .. 19.50 19.50 ; 18.159 Vienna, sch. .. 31.50t 31.50t 34.585 Prague, kr. .. 115} 115 164.25 Helsingfors, mark 226.50 226.50 129.23 Madrid, pes. .. 40.50 40 15-32 25.221 Lisbon, cscu. .. 110 110 110 Athens, dr. .. 602.50 602.50 375.00 Bucharest, lei. .. 575 577.50 813.6 Rio de Janeiro, mil. sft sjt 5.899 d Buenos Aires, dol, 41 i 41 47.6193 Montevideo, dol. 33t 331 51d Bombay, rupee . 18 5-64 dlB l-16d lSd Shanghai, tael .. 20 13-32 d 20.50 d Hongkong, dol. . 15.75 d 15Jd Yokohama, yen .• 15 l-32d 15 l-16d 24.58 d Batavia, 11. .. 8.50 Belgrade, din. .. INominal. The selling rate for telegraphic transfers, London on Capetown, is £99 17s 6d for £IOO sterling, and the buying rate £IOO 17s 6d, same as yesterday. CUSTOMS EXCHANGE RATES Pates of exchange ruling at the announced date of departure of the vessels namod are shown in the following table. They are subject to confirmation by the Customs Department when the exact time of departure is learned on arrival of the vessels in New Zealand, finally declared rates being marked*: — Canadian Leader, Canada, dollars .. 4.11 Sydney Maru, Japan, yen .. . • 14.50 d Waihemo, America, dollars -. < .. *3.45 Waihemo, Canada, dollar;! «• «• 4.13 Wirral.i America, dollars .. .. , Niagara, Canada, dollars •« • • 4.114 NEW ZEALAND MONEY ABROAD Tho cost in New Zealand currency of the pound sterling and of the principal foreign units, on the latest quptations,. is as follows: —■ . Present Price Par London, pound . . .- 24 11.58 20 0.00 Australia, pound . .- 20 0.00 20 0.00 New York, dollar .. 7 6.50 4 1.31 Montreal, dollar . .. 6 -.54 4 1.31 Paris, franc .. .. 0 3.44 0 1.98 Berlin, mark . - .. 1 8.80 0 11.74 Copenhagen, krone .. 1 1.36 l i.^ Yokohama, yen .. ..1 b.77 2 0.58 These valuations represent the current rates at which banks sell dratts payable on demand. SHEEPSKIN SALE LOWER RATES REALISED 1 Dalgety and Company, Limited, has re--1 ceived the following cablegram frbm its ' London house:—There was a good attendance of buyers and good competition at the sheepskin sale."Of 4264 bales; offered 3444 were sold. There was an average selection. As compared with the closing rates of the last series prices were:—-Medium crossbred and low crossbred, 5 per cent to 71 pe.r cent lower; lambs, 5 per cent lower. Following is the range of prices:—Merino, three-quarter to full-woolled, 4}d to 63d: qflarter to half-woolled, 2Jd to 41d; short l and shorn, Jid to 2d: crossbred, threequarter to full-woolled, fiiie, 4Jd to 7d; medium and coarse, 3}d to 4Jd; quarter to 1 half-woolled, fine, 3ld to 4Jd; medium and coarse, 2}d to 3Jd; short and shorn, l}d to 3d; lambs, 4Jd to 6Jd. DAIRY PRODUCE PRICES Joseph Nathan, Limited, has received the following cablegram from Trengrouse and Nathan, Limited, dated April I:—Butter, 68s. Cheese: White, 395; coloured, 48s. Both markets are quiet. PUKEKOHE PRODUCE [from our own coir respondent"] PUKEKOHE, Monday Tho demand for locally-grown potatoes shows some improvement this week, but the price remains unaltered at 2s 6d per cwt., f.o.r. Pukekohe. New season's onions are still quoted at 4s 0d per cwt. Red Warren, and Crown pumpkins are quoted at 5s per cwt.; carrots, 3s a sugar bag; parsnips, 3s 3d a sugar bag; cabbages, 5s (>d a sack; cauliflowers, 7s 6d a sack; lettuce, 4s 3d a case; rhubarb, 2s a dozen. Large supplies of cauliflowers and cabbages should be available in about three I weeks..