PRODUCE NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1107, 19 May 1893, Page 7

PRODUCE NOTES.

(from our own correspondent.) London, March 24. Little can be written with any point concerning the butter market at present, for matters are just as lifeless as ever, and prices are somewhat weaker. Stocks are heavy, arrivals the same. The Easter holidays are close at handwell, no revival can be looked for this season. During the past week the Nairnshire, Tekoa and Arawa have docked and their united cargoes of butter total over 11,000 packages. As yet very little of this quantity is in the hands of consignees, and the latter are not in a hurry for it by any means. Most of it will probably find a temporary home in the dock's freezing and cool sheds, where a not inconsiderable portion of Doric and Rome butter is at present imprisoned. The whole of the above arrivals appear to be in very good condition, and the same may be said of the cheese cargoes of the Nairnshire and the Tekoa, which, between them,-brought about 3500 cases. Cheese is quiet, and about Is per cwt down in value, the best quotations now being 54s London, 52s Glasgow (which equals 50s London). New ' skims ' have been sold as high as 48s, but the demand for this class of produce is very slack, and the price quoted must not be taken as a guide In spite of the fairly good rates that have been obtained for skims during the present year, one cannot advise shipment of this sort of cheese any more than of farmers' butter, for the presence of a large quantity of the stuff 'on the market would tend to a speedy and large decline in price, besides depressing the value of higher qualities. As a set off against the remunerativs rate quoted I may mention that some large quantity of skims which had been unfavourably affected by the voyage home, were last week quickly disposed of at 8s to 10s per cwt. What becomes of such stuff I cannot conceive, but if it goes into consumption as best New Zealand cheese the Colony is to be pitied—and the people who eat it also. If some of our kind wellmeaning, but much too fussy, friends in the House of Commons had their way every pound of cheese imported would have to be sold under its proper designation, '. New Zealand,' 'Canadian,' 'American,' or whatever country's produce it might be. The bad and mediocre would have to be ticketed as ■Well as the good. Certain, New Zealanders also afflicted with ,'brandomania,' might ponder over this little fact (which appears to have escaped their attention) before pressing further the question of branding for retail sales. Such; as are worrying themselves to this end will do well to turn their energy into a different channel. Let them set their minds on improving,the makes of cheese, and so getting the Colony's name up with the wholesale buyers. The retail trade can' be left to take care of itself. TOO' MUCH WOOD.

Whilst down at the docks on Weduesday inspecting the recent arrivals of butter and cheese I noticed the thickness of wood used by different factories for butter boxes and cheese cases. Some of the wood used was about 1\ inches thick, and, taking the entire

bulk of arrivals per Arawn, Tekoa and Nairnshire, I should say that ahou l ; 20 per cent more timber had been used than was necessary. For cheese cases it is not necessary to use more than inch stuff for tops and bottoms and middles, and half inch (or even |in) for the side strips. These latter should not be placed closo together, but kept an jncb or so apart so as to allow free access for air and means of inspecting and testing without breaking the case. It would be better, too, if only a couple of cheeses were placed in each case, as three makes a very heavy and awkward package to handle, besides requiring more timber and nails to secure stability. As a style for butter-boxes, I must plead guilty to a partiality for that adopted hy the ' Moa ' brand proprietors, which is at once neat and easy to handle. The neatness of this particular box would be greatly enhanced if a little less stencil ink was used on the packages ; but that is a small matter. A well-made box of fin wood will stand all the rough handling likely to be encountered on this side nowadays. The 'dockers' have been taught to handle dairy produce with a certain amount of respect,, and breakages are much less frequent than formerly. The use 6f ; will diminish casuali*

ties among cheese cases to the vanishing point. STOP IF POSSIBLE.

I should like to draw attention to the fact that certain folk in New Zealand continue the malpractice of exporting farmers' butter with the brand ' Finest Creamery ' or ' Finest Separator.' If possible this should be stopped at once. In a recently received New Zealand journal I note a passage referring to Mr Anderson's (' Government Instructor in Butter') speech at a meeting of farmers and others interested in the dairy industry. MiAnderson is reported to have said that the ' lowest price he had known good factory butter sold for was 120 s and the highest price 142 s per cwt.' That a man in Mr Anderson's position should make use of such figures is, to say the least of it, surprising. Colonial butter has never realised 142 s per cwt, or even 130 s in any quantity in England, and never will unless Continental and American supplies fall off to an extraordinary extent. The Government would do well to warn its employees to confine themselves to teaching manufacture and to leave questions of values alone.