HEMP FIBRE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 529, 9 June 1909, Page 10

HEMP FIBRE.

NEW ZEALAND'S OUTPUT.

EAGER BUYERS FOR GOOD QUALITIES fIEVV Ci ' ief Fih ™ Expert * J J • shows that the hcmn extl, ™ g f ™ ntil wa ®' Bß bale s fewer than the number 111 April, but 1114 bales >ri? re <! H number in May of last year fho J™ however, for the enfco year ; ' , ; 1908. .1909. lor' 6 month* ............ 67,659 47,179 For 12,monttis 114,944 ' S®" ora %j his,been well maintamed. .Wellington and l'oxton continuo to .show an improvement in quality. 6-5 per cent, of their combined output having fen of fine and good inn grades, as dgainst 50 per f ?r . tho u mo , na ° f April. It is pW I shortly th ß prjcio of placo 4 h . erto held,by Marlborough ,and: Canterbury for quality," will be gained by the Welling.ton district. This improvement is attributed to, tile- installation of recently-invented flax washng machines at, several Manawatu milk which not .onlv enables an excellent quality to bo attained, but also lessens the cost of production by saving the labour of two men in each case. .

-Millers are. encouraged to strive for a higher quality by the fact that Australian consumers arc eager buyers of fine crade S f l aving recentlv been mads on a basis ot £23 10s, f.0.b., when the market value of &ill Wa? only £ 19 , 10s " Durin S the past fortnight prices _ offered by New Zealand buyers for good fair deliveries to the end of: the year, have advanced 30s. pur ton, viz., from £19 10s."to £21. Although" the iiigh Commissioner's cable message, under date May 29, indicated a rise of only S S ; per von, and no further rise on Juno 5, for forward'and spot sales, on the London market thercv are actual inquiries from that quarter Bt 10s.~ advance: also, simultaneously from America, at £1 higher. nnS°, q V antit ? tu ™ed out by Wellington is 30-5 hales, of which 1830 were good fair grade.. This.was.the" highest output for the IJominion, the next highest being 1155 bales, from Fox ton. The tow graded amounted to 1702 bales, of which Wellington . contributed 621 bales, comprising 45 No. 1 grade, 400 No. 2 grade, and 175 No. 3 grade. PLOUGHING COMPETITIONS. _The subcommittee set up in connection with the proposal to hold a ploughing match at the next Taranaki Show, has reported that, owing to lack of competitors, it would not bo advisable to initiate the competitions this year. BUTTER SPECULATION. ' The London "Grooer" in a recent issue hsd another article on the subject of butter specujation. The trade at Home was stated to be in a very dismal condition, entirely owing to the reckless speculation and consequent panic of last year. The systom whereby agents.in tho colonies elected to. pay exorbitant, prices in order to securo consignments for tbo'Home markets might prove a source of gratification to tho producer, but to English sellers the result was ruinous. The financial losses through this cause had been sovere and widespread, but .whether theso reverses would toach the necessary lesson—tho avoidance of this .reckless form of trading—was n question wluch remained to bo proved. A system'

which benefits tho producer only, and brings nothing-but, worry and loss to the buyer and retailor, must stand condemned on its own working During tho past season tho Grocer states that tho avcrago loss oil 1 Australian and Now Zealand butters ranged from 6s. to 10s.'per cwt.; while the sarao experience resulted from Siberian butter, tho losses on which descriptions woro oven heavier, equalling from 20s. to 305.,. or an avcrago of 255. per cask. Everything wont, , against tlio butter last soasonj as tlio market could never bo fairly gauged as to tho extent of stocks. The inferior quality of colonial buttors also told against business.