BRITISH TRADE.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1922, Page 4

BRITISH TRADE.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. WELLINGTON, April 5. The Department of Agriculture lu.s received the following cablegram, dated April Ist from the High Commissioner for New Zealand London. MEAT. I r The best quality mutton is in good demand at higher prices. The la,mb market is slightly easier partly owing to heavier arrivals and partly to earlier purchasers at lower prices being weak holders. The latter feature is expected to be only temporary. Now Zealand beef is unchanged and quotations are nominal. Present quotations are: —- N.Z. Mutton.—North Island— Light weight 8d to B.ld medium 7i|d. hcavvJ weight SRI to 7d; Canterbury—Lightweight. B ld to B 'ld, medium weight Bid heavyweight Gd to 71 d; light-weight ewes, 6]d per N.Z. Lamb.-North Island —Best Hd, ordinary Hid; Canterbury Lightweight lid, medium llfd, heavyweight lid per lb. N.Z. Beef.—Frozen—Hinds 4|d fores 23d per lb.

Argentine chilled beef is in smaller supply; hinds Bd, fores per lb. Retail prices are as follows:—Milton—English, legs Is 9d, loins 2s. shoulders Is 8d; imported legs Is Id, loins lid, shoulders Is. Lamb English, legs 2s, loins 2s 2d, shoulders Is 3d to Is 4d, shoulders Is 4d. Beef— English, ribs and sirloin Is lOd, steak 2s 8d; imported, chilled, ribs and sirloin Is 2d, soak Is lOd; frozen, ribs and sirloin lid, steak Is lOd; frozen, ribs and sirloin lid, steak Is 9d. BUTTER. The market has continued very active throughout the week, and with a. general shortage of 'spot supplies prices have further advanced. To-day sellers arc asking up to 196 s per cwt. for New Zealand, but no actual business is yet reported at this figure. Official quotations are: Now Zealand—lßßs to 1955; Austra-lian,-.Salted 174 s to 180 s; unsalted 17-ls to 180 s; Danish—2o2s to 215 s per cwt.

CHEESE. I The market continues firm with a | good demand. Present quotations , are:— j English -Finest farmers, 135 s to 140 s; Canadian -Coloured 94s to 104 s, white 90s to 102 s; Australian —Colour- . od 32s to 91s. white 91s to 925; New ■ Zealand—Coloured 98s to 109 s. white j 95s to 96s per cwt. ! HEMP. | Tiie market is quiet and easier. I “C.’ grade March-May shipment sold j at €35 5s per ton. “H” is quoted j at £34 I.os per ton. New Zealand is | neglected. The value nominally is: - j Spot high points, £32 per ton: fair £3l | per ton. Sellers quote March-May j shipment, high points, £32 10s per 1 ton; fair, £3l 10s per ton. J FRUIT. j The first cargo of A .astralinn apples ■ urned out in fairly gred condition and ' met a good demand a.t moderate I prices. Bulk sales have been made at 12s to 16s per box, an exception being in host Ribs bones, which fetch up 18s per box; Cox’s 20s to 24s per box. Large stocks of American are still available. Two shipments, totalling 54,000 boxes, of Tasmanian and Australian are due next week, together with a shipment per Westmoreland from New Zealand. WOOL.

Sales dosed iirm at about recent values. There was a full attendance throughout, and competition broadened' after the first few days. Of the total offerings of over 215,(XX) bales, .only COCO were being taken for the Home trade, 91.-j 090 for the Continent and 1000 for ( America. Finest merinos were in limited supply, closing slightly above J the January rates, medium and inferior a little below. Fine cross-bred rules tbout equal to January rates. Medium and coarse have been irregu- • lar and show an average decline of 5 i per cent. Lower grads have met with j an improved demand from the Con- j

tinent. Average closing values were:— 60-64’s (merino), 14d to 20d. i 50’s (lmlf-bred), 9d to llld. 48’» (fine oross-breds) 8d to 9 !, d. 44-46’s (medium eross-brds), 64, d to 7id. 36-40’s (medium c-ross-breds), oijd to 6J. The next series commences on May , 2nd, | EGGS. The demand has improved and the arrivals are well cleared. Present quotations are:—Danish, English, Italian, Irish and Dutch, 15s to 18s; Styrian, 14s per long hundred. ——■—-