NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE IN LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2258, 10 June 1897, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND PRODUCE IN LONDON.

(From Our Own Correspondent.! London, April l WOOL. Naturally the Easter holidays have during the past week materially interfered with business, and no transactions of any moment have been recorded in the London wo 1 market. lam informed that there is uo improvement in the tenpr of the advices from the English and foreign centres of consumption, which continue somewhat unsatisfactory. " Manufacture) s us well as dealers at present," writes a correspondent in the trade, "pay but slight attention to the favourable statistical position of raw wool, and in forming their estimates of the future course of values appear to be altogether influenced by tho depressing effect which the new American Tariff Bill is expected to have upon the European woollen trade should it ba passed by the United States Senate in its present form." The arrivals to date for the forthcoming auctions, which open on the 4th May, comprise 251.40S bales, including 60.457 bales from New Zealand. Of this total some 75,000 balea have been forwarded direct to the various manufacturing districts. Public wool sales will take place in Antwerp on Thursday and Friday next. DAIRY PRODUCE. Messrs Dempster, Peterson, and Cos. report on the Glasgow market to-day is as follows :— " Our market for butter is without material change. Choicest grades of both Danish and Colonial butter are inquired for. Best brands of colonial are offered at 92a to 94s per cwt., and anything of a secondary nature meets only a dragging sale." NEW ZEALAND MEAT. Writing to me this afternoon the CO. and D. Company say :— " Trade has been slow during the week, and prices for second class sheep_ a shade weaker. Canterburys have improved slightly in value, and are now selling at 3Jd to 3gd per lb r the higher price rather more common than of . late. Very few siz«able fresh sheep of nice weights are *can on the market. Late arrivals seem to be coarse and not of nrime quality. Any Dunedins and Southlands offered have been more or less stale and off colour, prices realised 3d to 3Jd. North Island mutton has 6old at 3d per lb, or at about Id par lb less than top prices a week fiKo." The C.C. and D Company say that the holidays have interfered to some extent with the discharge of vessels, particularly from the Waimate and lluapehu, but they allege that the way the vessels have been loaded and stowed have retarded discharge infinitely more. Other vessels recently arrived have suffered , but hardly to the same extent. They also state that the Waimato has upwards of 500 maiks, very many to bo delivered to diffeient consignees, nnd therefore sorting is imperative. As this is being done lietvveeu decks no injury to the moat accrues, but the delay is serious, especially a3 regards lambs. The heavy sales of New Z a'and lamb during the last week have so considerably reduced sto/ks t at the slow discharge of that vessels now 'n dock is of much consequence to consignees, and paicsls from the two above-men-tioned steamers are anxiously looked for, as they

are required' for present consumption. The demand this week has been hardly so goo'l as was anticipated, or as it probably would be with warmer weather ; but values have been « ell maintained, best Canterbury lambs making 5d to 5Jd per lb, some exceptionally choice "Hornby" lambs gelling at 5J4 ; heavy lambs (421b and upwards) have sold at 4Jd to 4sd ; North Island, from 4-Jd to sd.