COMMERCIAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4, 3 September 1915, Page 7

COMMERCIAL.

NEWTON KING’S HAYMAFIKLT . REPORT. At my Haymarket sale on Saturday, 1 the 28th ultimo, pigs were again yarded iu large numbers and all lines sold readily before a good attendance of tanners, the prices on the whole being auout par with those of my previous sale, i quote: Slips 10s to 13s, weaiiers 15s 6d to 17s, weaners (medium) 17s to 20s, good 20s Od to 225, stores (small) 23s 6d to 255, stores (medium) 27s (id to 325, good 32s to 3os, light porkers 38s to 40s (id, calves 2s to Bs.

T. I. LAMASON’S REPORT. Last Saturday the usual weekly sale was held, and 1 had a very good entry ol poultry, produce, furniture, etc. i quote as follows: Hens Is Gd to 2s-Gd, roosters Is Gd to 3s, ducks 2s to 2s Gd, geese 3s to 3s Gd, potatoes 8s to Os cut., bacon 8d to Od per lb.

AUSTRALIAN DAIRY PRODUCE.

REVIEW OF SEASON 1914-1915

'Jhe London office of the New Zea-j land Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., JAd., in a report dated July IG, which is just to hand, writes:—

Owing to the European war the conditions prevailing during the past, season have been ot so abnormal a character, particularly as regards supply and demand, that a review upon the usual-lines ot the course ot the market for butter or cheese would serve no

pseful purpose. A few details, however, respecting the quantities marketed here together with some comments on prices, quality, etc., may, we

think, prove of interest and advantage to those engaged iu the industry in Australasia.

Butter. —It is hardly surprising that I factories were perplexed last autumn as to what policy to pursue in the disposal of their produce. Many sold their first few months’ output at moderate prices, the immediate future* both as regards finance at id market j prospects abroad being obscure and full of awkward possibilities. Those 1 who consigned as much as possible of' their produce have to bo congratulated upon the wisdom of their decision. J The average prices on the London market, taking the top official quota- j tions for choicest quality over the year from Ist July, 1914, to 30th June, 1915, were approximately 192s 1 6d for Australian and 138 s for New | Zealand. The high prices, as in the case of those for all other descriptions of butter were, in the main, warranted by the decreased total supplies, marketed, the quantity imported from all sources being 10.4 per cent, less than in the previous year, and the smallest for the’last ten years, but at various 1 times inflations of price occurred owing to artificial shortages of supplies caused by the difficulty in getting delivery, a great dearth pf labour, craft and other facilities having more' or less throughout the season caused serious congestion at the wharves and docks. Quality'.—As regards Australian butter, the quality, generally speaking, was not satisfactory, the principal defects being due to excessive heat. As, however, the difficulties of transport at all stages were doubtless chiefly responsible, it is not necessary to make further comment upon this point, especially as butter being so dear and often scarce, buyers were seldom critical as regards quality. New Zealand butter was a much more uniform article, and proved generally satisfacfcory in quality. Cheese.—The two most noteworthy features of the season were the exceptional demand fof this article for Government contracts', which had the effect of raising values of all descriptions to an unprecedentedly high level, and the greatest increase in the imports of cheese from the United vStates —302,121cwt5., as against 23,395cwt5. for 1913-1914—attracted by the remunerative prices ruling here. The total imports of cheese into the United Kingdom from all sources showed an expansion of 10.4 per cent., as compared with the previous season. Forward sales of New Zealand outputs last autumn were very extensively made at figures, which commenced at about 5Ss, an drose to about 64s f.0.b., prices which throw into relief the gratifying results which have accrued to those factories who consigned. The average price for New Zealand cheese, taking the top official quotations for choicest quality over the year from Ist July,

1914, to 30th June, 1915, was appro mutely 85s per cwt. About the same quantity of Australian cheese as in the previous season was received, anu puituipated in the very remunerative market.-, experienced. Quality.-—New Zealand cheese was about up to the standard of the previous season, and some attention to the flavour and pressing is still called for. The qual- | itv on arrival here was not always in accord with the Dominion grading, and we suggest that this is because much of the cheese was shipped in too new | a condition. The cheese imported I from Australia was again of very vary- I ing siac and quality, but a great im- I provement in flavour and texture was ■ apparent in the case of many parcels of first grade. The colored cheese was often not rod enough, while the shipment of more equal quantities of white and colored would better have met market requirements, in order | successfully to establish the article in this market, the quality exported must be the best, and the cheese

should be Jrom <U to 80lbs. each, packed two in a cralo.after the style ol the Now Zealand article. Prospects for next season. —The war makes any confident anticipations ol the course ol markets for butter and choose during the coming season out of the question, but the immediate prospect is that the market for butter will continue firm at the present high level, the demand being satisfactory and supplies about sufficient for requirements. As regards cheese, the.position is at present weak, and the prospects arc, in view of the large quantities being shipped here by America and Canada, that prices will 'gradually decline for some little time. There has been a cessation of Government purchases of cheese for the past low weeks.