THE AGENT-GENERAL'S REPORT. WELLINGTON, January 4.

Otago Witness, Issue 2652, 11 January 1905, Page 22

THE AGENT-GENERAL'S REPORT. WELLINGTON, January 4.

The Department of Industries and Commerce has received the following cable from the Agent-genera!, dated London, December 31: — The" mutton market -is quiet. Stocks on hand are light. Average price Canterbury mutton, 4£d per lb; North Island mutton, 4Jd. The beef market is weak. Average price : Hindquarters, 3§d ; forequarters, 3d. There is a gooTT dtemand for butter, and tne market is firm. New Zealand butter is giving satisfaction to buyers. Choicest "New Zealand is quoted at 100s; Danish, 112s. The cheese rnarkei? is fism, and there is general and active demand. Average- price for finest New Zealand, 51s per cwt. 'i.'he hemp market is" steady. New Zealand hemp, good fair Wellington grade, on spot, £31; April to June shipments, JE3O. The cocksfoot seed market is very dull. Average price -for bright, clean New Zealandl cocksfoot, seed, weighing 17ib per bushel, on spot,* 50s per cwt. New Zealand long-berried wheat, on spot, ex granary, per quarter of 496!b, 33s 6d; short-berried/ wheat, per quarter, 32s 6d; supplies aje decreasing. New Zealand oats: Short sparrowbills, ex granary, on spot, per quarter of 3841b, 21s. There is little demand for New Zealand beans (f.a.q.), and new crop, per 5941b, is quoted at 30s 6d. The market is steady, but the demand) only moderate. New Zealand peas (partridge), per 5011b, 355; .blue, 31s 6d; market firm, with a hardening tendpney. January 9. The Department of Industries and Commerce has received the folio-wing cablegram from the Agent-general, dated London, January 8 : — " The frozen meat market is very dull, and quotations show a weaker tendency. Butter continues in active demand, the market being firm, with a hardening tendency. Average price for choicest New Zealand butter to-day is 100s. The cbeese market is active, and advancing, average price finest New Zealand being 52s per cwt. 3?he hemp market is very quiet at about last price. There has been no alteration in the cocksfoot seed market since last week. Importations of River Plate mutton for the month" of December were: — To London 65,863, Liverpool 129.343, to Hull 6233, to Cardiff 4523. to Newcastle 11,243, to Plymouth 837. Lambs: London 4532, Liverpool €831. Of ~b'utfer,10.037cwfc was distributed over London, Liverpool, Hull, and Southampton. '