THE STAPLE PRODUCTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 163, 30 March 1918, Page 10

THE STAPLE PRODUCTS

WAR-TIME EXPORTING

■A COMMERCIAL REVIEW

The following' are extracts from the annual report of the AVellington Chamber of Commerce.:^-,.,..:.

Wool.—The' liew.'season's- clip began . to arrive in; October, and' at time of ■writing.'.has nearly all; been delivered in stbres.-throughouf New Zealand. Tho clip generally'is well grown and in good'.'condition, except hoggets' wool, which bns shown distinct signs of the wet winter of 1917. The Imperial Government'for the second.time requisitioned the'whole of the New Zealand clip at the sairib prices as for the' pre- ! vious season.' Qn the: whole, the 6chemc has worked smoothly. It was not until January, 1918, that the last of the 1916-17' clip was got away,; and it is anticipated that-very little of. the 1917-' 18 clip will be.' shipped , before 'April of this, year. Th'e Imperial purchase has been of tho'greatest, benefit, to tho. I grower—the responsibility .of providing ..the necessary shipping facilities' ■ has been -upon the Imperial authorities as ■ purchasers, while the promnt payment ' immediately after valuation;by the Imperial Supplies Department has been •of immense servics -to all concerned. Had other conditions obtained regard-' ing the disposal of New Zealand's largest article of export, the Dominion may not have been in quite such a satisfactory position to-day. ■ Sheepskins and Hides.—The Imperial > Government commandeered all. skins at fixed prices early in 1917, and the scheme has worked well, though complaints from sections of producers have been made that some ooirits of the ar-

rangements are inequitable. ■ • Hemp.—Tlie market during 1917 has v remained throughout on a high level, .averaging about £54 10s. for. good-fair-average quality f.o.b. Wellington. Freight space to London" has been dif-ficult-'to obtain. The Imperial authori- . ties, in April, 1917, placed hemp second on the order of priority for shipment of-general cargo,'and directed the New t Zealand Overseas Shipping Committee ;.to endeavour to provide space for 5000 'bales of hemp each month. The actual in December were consider- -. ably:. short of. this , quantity, owing 'to want of space. Prices in London wore on an extremely high level, ■■ and in August-September : had : .'reached £90 fir ;good-fair- - average quality c.i.f.e. . Then* <Jie. Imperial; authorities selling prices in London at £84 for good-fair-average quality, £82 for high-fair and '£81 for low-fair, c.i.f.e. London, , war risk included. This had the effect

of reducing prices locally about £13 per <tpn. Earlyin 1918 the London '/maximum prices were advanced £15, but this has had little effect upon tliis market, as the amount. of tonnage available for London is likely to be bo small during the first six months of : the year ' that' the London market Ecarcely influences business. The main outlet .has been to America, to which market: the old-fashioned sailer has ■ provided a. ■ welcome means of trans'port, though, at extraordinary rates of freight. The approximate monthly prices received by millers have been as \ under.. The quotations are for good--1 fair-average quality f.o.b. Wellington:' January, £41; February, £44; March, £50;. April, £51; May, £54; June,. £60; July, £62; August, £68; Septem- , ber, £65; October, £55;, November, £51;-December, £52. The production for the year ending December was 30,809- tons ...againstv 30,168 . tons for 1916, and 4509 tons tow against 5043 .tons for 1916... ...... Frozen condition of the industry has' altered little Ifrom last year. Frozen meat is still under Government control, and there have been no alterations in the terms or conditions.- In most districts the season has .■been a good one; but in parts of the ; east coasts of. both- islands there has been too much rain, and lambs have not done woll. A lack of supplies in Australia "and a strike in Argentine made available more yeesels for New ■' Zealand than.had , been'anticipatcd, and practically the whole of last ye.ar's North' Island stock and the bulk of

that;pf the South Island , have now been' , shipped. During 1917 large additions wore made to storage capacity at many of the works, and so far as this season js concerned, there probably will be no difficulty in accommodating most of the

output of fat stock. Both in this connection and as tending to conserve shipping space, the cutting and econing of carcasses of mutton have toeen most helpful. Last season a Parliamentary' Committee was set lip to inquire into the alleged operations of American meat companies in New Zealand, and as a result some useful recommendations were made. The evidence, which was elicited was such as to cause ; producers arid others interested to look to the future. Inthe meantime,' while exports are passing through Government channels no great harm appears possible.