WELLINGTON NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 April 1927, Page 4

WELLINGTON NEWS

NEW ZEALAND’S PRODUCE. (Special to “ GuardiaD.”) WELLINGTON. April 4. New Zeai'nnd’x contribution of perishable and other products to the imports of the United Kingdom are exaggerated in speech and writing so that many people have lost all sense of proportion in respect to the matter. New Zealand is often spoken of as the dairy farm of the Empire, giving one the impression that the British people lire entirely dependent upon New Zealand for dairy produce. The British Board of Trade returns for 1920 give a clear indication of the actual figures of the supplies obtained from diflerent countries. The wool imported into the United Kingdom during the year amouted to 815.653 million lbs, and of this quantity New Zealand lurnished I84.238,()()()lbs, equal to 22’. per coni of the total, white Aafjnralia contributed 304.554,00(41 bs and stood first oh the list with New Zealand second. The total weight of mutton and lamb received into the United Kingdom in 1020 was 5,370,130ewt, of which New Zealand contributed 2,080.!)92ewt oi about 50 per cent ol the total ami maintained first position. The imports of beef aggregated 13,00,575 cwt., and New Zealand’s proportion was only 540.828 cwt equal to a little more than I per cent, while the Argentine supplied 10.101.70 lewt. Australia 1.148.07Hcwt and Uruguay 904.329cw1. South America controls the British meat market for Argentine and Uruguav simply over OdO.OOOcwt of beef, which is the food of the masses. The imports- of frozen rabbits into the United Kingdom last year was 191.<91ewt towards which Australia contrituted 178,778 cwt and New Zealand 12.3-1 lewt. The imports id' butter into Britain in 1024 aggregated 5.810.625cwt. of this New Zealand furnished 1.153,°96cvt and Denmark 1.900.490■•wt.. New Zealand’s proportion being 20 per cent and the Danish 28 per cent. Australia contributed 752,Q88ewt and Argentine 513.097 cwt. Supplying only 20 per cent of British imported butter there was little chance of pricefixing succeeding. With respect to cheese New Zealand holds first place I'm- out of a total of 3.013.303 cwt imnorted. Now Zealand enntrihuted 1.19". I7lc"'t and Canada 1,05 >,o92ewt. Vuslralin’s contribution was only -10.rp.5cwt. In respect to tallow New 'O-iihmd also occupied first place, Built of iota! imports of -10,770 tons lew Zealand supplied 17.5 Hi tons or about 38 per cent of the total. In sheepskins with wool we make a pooi .showing, for out of a total of 509,880i cwt our share was only 11 .OSSowt or aiiollt 8 per cent. In respect to pelts, that is sheepskins without wool, out of a total number of 2,578.757. New /belaud furnished 1.075.820, or about 37 per cent. With respect to hemp we stmt)! along way behind .Manila, lor out ol total imports of 77.910 tons, Manila comprised 10,829 tons, and New Zealand 7.481 tons or about 91 per cent. A study of the figures would give us a bettor- sense of proportion and prevent us making foolish stnte- | incuts about our importance in the trade of the United Kingdom. THE PRODUCE MARKETS.

The butter market is reported to ha steady with salted ruling at 152 sto 151 s. The market- appears to have been steadied by ptireha-es made hv the United States and Canada. Danish is quoted at 180, and this makes the margin between New Zealand and Danish butter very wide indeed, hut that has been a feature of the current

season. The Danes r-ri.nt.lv decided on marking the outside ol the rasas with the date of manufacture, and it. would be interesting to know whether ibis had any iimU-riai' effect on the prices. New Zealand cheese is selling at 77s to 78s. which is very low. Tim frozen meat nmrkel continue < dull an ! lamb places are very low. Prime ( auierlniry mutton is quoted at o',d and first grade North Island at (id. Tt is impossible for land) and mutton to make higher prices while South American chilled beef is selling at 2UI lor fores and 4.',d for hinds. These are extremclv low prices for good beef and must he proving very attractive to the masses. The tallow market appears steady hut the demand docs Took

fairlv strong as out oi an offering of 1.187 casks 930 were sold.