SEW ZEALAND PRODUCE IN LONDON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2507, 9 April 1902, Page 10

SEW ZEALAND PRODUCE IN LONDON.

(Fkoji Our Ovrs CoERESroxDEXT.J LONDON, February 21. iVOOL. Fioin Messrs Bahne and Co. I hear tc-day that \ cry little business has beer, transacted pir, ately in the London wool market since the close of Ihe Jant'arj-Febru.iry spies. Advices from the manufacturing districts at Home and abioad, howevei, continue of a satisfactory charactei, and mdicate a large and °teady coiibumption of both merino ai.d crossb.ed wools. The arrivals to date foi the second series, which opens on the 11th March, aie 197,120 bales, including 19, "32 bales from New Zealand. Of the total quantity some 70,000 bales of New Zealand aiid Australian wool have been foiwarcled direct to Yorkshire, the Continent, etc DVIRY PRODUCE. Messrs Weddel write to me to-day saying that the demand for New Zealand and Austialiau butter of the " choicest ' quality continues unchanged, and is likely to do ?o for some time owing to the small supplies now arriving. Although the s.s. Rimutalca,, from New Zealand, decked yesterday, and the Mi' on only three days be/oie, thus bunging a double supply on the market, yet. as the next vessel, ths Tokomiru, is oot due for nearly a month, this exUa amount will be easily absorbed, and will not deprecate values. Prices lor ordinary • choice&t biar.ds remain at 110s to 112s, but " fancy " qualities oi New Zealand butter make 114s. *' Finest grade is also firm at last week's figures. There is more difficulty than ever in obtaining a really sweet butter to retail at Is per ib, and, as n result, Nev Zealand '" milled butter is in demand at 94s to 100s per cwt. Messrs Weddel add that the Danes have decided to leave their official quotation unchanged, although the demaiid is \ery gcod, but recent advances have induced caution. Whenever high prices prevail, like those at present, buyers follow the hand-to-mouth policy by purchasing only enough for their pressing necessities. The absolutely short supply, however, and the difficult) of increasing it look as if high prices must continue through March. The cold stores are nearly cieple t ecl of buiter, ar.d the imports are ovei 250 tons a v.e'-k less than last year. from AFe^is M-i*lue and M'William, of Glasgow, I hear that choicest qualities of colonial butter are getting into smaller compass, and for the.= c full prices are now b.sin<j given. The Australian shipments for the season have practically ceased, and there is therefore a greater ■disposition on the pan of buyer- to carry a little extra stock of really cnoi'je colomal butter. The highest pnres lsst week for this description wer.> 110s to 112s. In the North, Dunlop cheese is veiy scarce, ana, the absence of this make, the demand has °cr.c c- to white New Zealand and Canadian cheese. Mes3rs Mathie and M'William tell me that the New Zealand cheese is arriving m good ordei i.ncl condition, and is of fine qiulitj ai.ci i'xlire K'nest New Zealand cheese in the i ortlicr" ma.kets i& quoted at 52s to 53=. Mf:-r^ WeckJe! note th^t theic is little change to iecord in tne cheese market here, but certain Indications point to an advance shortly. Stocks aie much lower than last year, and arrivals are also deficient , NEW ZEALAND MEAT. In the market-for frozen meat Messrs Weddel say that that for beef has continued the only depaitment in which theie has been any life, and the opportunity has been seized to make a further advance in prices. The arrivals of beef have included 4000 quarters from New Zealand, supplies of this description are still moderate. • Arrivals of New Zealand mutton have been fairly heavy during the la«t fortnight, and have amounted to 87,000 carcases. Messrs Weddel say there is very little change to record in this department. Sales remain slow, the considerable quantities of stale sheep still in London stores depressing the market. Quotations have only with difficulty been maintained at the level of a fortiii^ht ago Really prime Canterbuiy .=heep of 18-561b are scarce, and for the few on offer up to 3^d and 4d per !b has been Raid. The quality of present amvah of Canterbury liuitton is unusually liiogular, und the lesult 13 that o,l'otatibns are weakened, not only for thut class of meat, but also for the other qualities of mutton from New Zealand. The general pries for New Zealand sheep other than Canterbuiy sire about unchanged, though Metsis Weddel say that some holders have accepted slightly be'ow the following quotations Dunedin, Southland, and W.M.E. Company's sheep of small weights make 3Jd per lb, Gib sheep selling at 3jjd per lb, and heavies at jjd Ordinary quality North Island mutton is quoted at 3 J ,d per Ib for choice weights, and 3£d for carcases of 60lb and up. Fiom New Zealand 41,000 carcases of lambs have .ii m eel. 'IKe tiade has r.ot vet lecovc-red from t!ie iffc<t^ of the cold weather during wh.ch t'me \ho cuiisumpt'rjH of lamb fell off \i_iy mattnal! v. tuither quantities of new ."-"■■"^on New Zealand lambs have now been delivered Ihe quotation for Canterbuiy is '.'ld 'o s^d prr lb, aiid for North Island lambs ojd. Stale carcase^ are still difficult to realise, and .salo-. 'lie so small that quotations are nominal at fiom 4Jd to 5d per 'b, according to st^e and qvality A fairly steady trade m meat is reported ficm the province^ at pnees about equivalent lo Snnthfieltl rates Demand for frozen beef is =sid by the C C. and D Compipv to have fallen off considciably this week, .T.d deliveries have btcn a good deal curtailed. Seveial bodies of beef from the Manawatu show have been marketed at Smithheld, and have attiacted much attention pud admiration. The CC. and D. Company characterise this particular meat as " very excellent beef, in capital condition, generally it is most suitable for the London trade , one or two quarters may have been rather fat and wasteful, but very little ad»ti'-e (mun'cnt could be made on aijy, and m<ae beef of tho dr "-cription would" add aiucu. to N\w Zealand's reputation,

and almost ceitamly would find a remunerative sale." This ieport gives the quotation for New Zealand hindquarters at ijjd, and.for forequarters at 3Jd to 3Jd per lb. MISCELLANEOUS. It is stated in Messrs Weddel's latest report on the gram market that a cargo of New Zealand meat, from Lyttelton, consisting of 640S quarters, brought by the Montrosa, which °ailecT! from the colony in November, is being offeree! at 29s 9d (c.i.f.), but so far no bids are reported. A parcel of 2000 quarters longberry wheat, pen steamer shipment, was sold last week at 283 (c.i.f.), but there are no other parcels offered', and it looks as if New Zealand could not ship any great quantity this season. On the spot stocks are now in small compass, and, as the demand is fairly good, fully late prices are obtainable, Tuscan being quoted at 29s to 30s, and Hunter's and pearl at 28s to 29s per 4961b. It is expected that the Indian crop will be very, deficient this year, and in view of the fact that tin Australian ciop is estimated to be one-third. less than that of last year, while very little is likely to come from New Zealand, it is evident that Europe has on'y America and Canada to look to for supplies for some little time to conic America has, of course, very large supplies, and the market here will be controlled by America's disposition to bhip. Me=srs Weddel say that supplies of New Zealand oats are very limited, and consist chiefly, of ths commoner qualities, which are in fair request at 6cl per quarter more money. Good Canterbury Canadians are quoted at 27s 6d to 23s 6d, ominary Bluff and sparrowbills at 25s to 26s per 3841b, and duns at 20s to 21s per 336i1>, while the price given for Danish is 19s to 20s per 3201b. Stocks of New Zealand beans are exhausted, and quotations are nominal. Trade in tallow has been extremely quiet for the last fortnight, and at the sales of the Tsth inst. a further decline of fully 6d per cwt was accepted. This drop, however, Messrs Weddel lcmark, appears to have interested buyers, a 9 theie wps decidedly moie life at the auctions on the 19th mst., and some COO casks were sold at and after the sales at prices established the rievious vcek. Good to finest mutton tallow is quoted at 36s to 38s, fair, 32s to 335; and fair to good beef, 31s to 32s Gd ; fine edible, at 33? to 33b 6d per cwt. On c.i.f. terms it is thought a good busiress could be brought about, but the colonies are veiy stiS, and the business is reported on a small scale.