THE BARRIER.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1509, 3 August 1912, Page 3

THE BARRIER.

ON TRADE WITH CANADA. Writing to Mr. S. Turner, representative in New Zealand for Lonsdale's, English importers of dairy produce, Messrs. James Alexander, Ltd., of Montreal (and representatives in Canada, for Lonsdale's), "Our season is in full swing. Make-up to the present, however, is less than last year, as indicated by the receipts into Montreal. This' is owing to our cold, backward spring. Wo have had unusual weather up to the present—rain incessantly until fields are turned into lakes. Many farmers in this province hnvo done, little, or no seeding, and we think that it is too late now for anything that is planted to mature before our frosts come. Prices aro high. Butter selling tu-day 2t to 25 cents, and cheese, at about 131- for "Wests, and 13.1' cents easterns, but tho market is soft on both. "We don't think the quantity of cheese exported to tho "United States is as great as last year, as prices thero for butter aro not so high. . The demand for our butter up to tho present has been mostly to tho coast, and tho average shipments MOO to -1000 boxes per week. We are' also shipping some- cheeso West, mostly twins and Hals.

"Tho question of importing from New Zealand is always a doubtful one. Had wo not exported any butter to England last year, New Zealand would have been cut out of their exports to Canada, liecause wo had enough for home trade, and of course our price would have been fixed (with our protection of 3 cents per lb. import duty; low enough to have kept out your butter. The same conditions will exist this year. If wo have a surplus of butter at a price wo' cannot export to England. It is bound to be sold here, and tho price, will be low enough to prevent importations. You can therefore seo how difficult, it is to make any contracts ahead. TJio Western peoplo got caught this year making contracts, and havo lost heavily. They .will be more cautious in tho future.'