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New Zealand Mail, Issue 1715, 11 January 1905, Page 27

Siberian butter has had rather a bad time lately. According to one account the Russian Government at first made every effort to assist the movement of produce, and the war did not have much effect on Siberian production. But under the exigencies of the campaign the butter-trains were withdrawn, and, the trade being now at a standstill, the dairies have had to discontinue their work. The country people close to the railway succeeded in selling their milk to tlie transport trains at a good price, but those at a distance were unable to do so, and had to shut down altogether, selling large herds of milch cows to the Army Providing Department. At first there was a complete panic, and even the best cow's were sold at ruinous prices, but by degrees the excitement subsided. The sale of cream-separators ceased entirely. Many firms stopped payment; others dismissed the whole of their staffs. Altogether the war wrought havoc amongst the dairies and merchants. Tlie Siberian butter season does not properly open until March or April, and consequently the stoppage of iipplies will scarcely ho iolt on the London market, before that date. Shearing has been greatly hindered in Otago by snow, hail, and bitterly cold rain. Shearers are reported to be .SPii.rcrt,