The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 1900. OUR HOME TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 90, 14 April 1900, Page 2

The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 1900. OUR HOME TRADE.

The tone of the Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company's latest report to hand dated March 9th is, on the whole, satisfactory, both as to frozen meat and dairy produce. It appears that the Board of Trade returns for February show a considerable expansion of imports of nearly every description of live and dead meat over last year, the principal increase being attributable to Argentina, from whence i an additional 23,476 head of sheep were forwarded —the increase in cattle being from 12,481 in 1898 to 19,866 this year. The dressed beef trade seems to have grown enormausly as may be gathered from the fact that the excess of imports from the United States was 41,330cwt5, from Canada 11,2683wt5, and from Denmark 10,201 cwts. Holland alone shows a decrease, amounting in beef to 6726cwts and in mutton to 5791cwt8. The shortage in tbe Dutch mutton and beet is, however, more than made up by their pork trade, which exhibits the remarkable increase of 20,877cwt5, this being 44,981 over their imports in 1898. The trade which seems to have received sn abnormal impulse is that in Australasian rabbits, the imports of which in 1898 amounted only to 1894cwts, but according to the returns for the current year, so far as it has gone, no less tham 40,526 have already been placed on the London market, With regard to the frozen meat trade, the loDg spell of dullness and receding values seems to have terminated and the anxiously awaited improvement set in, a better tone prevailing. Prices advanced appreciably and the outlook is said to be hopeful, although the drawback to a big advance was the off-colour, stale condition of much that was offered. The imports since January Ist amounted to 359,675 carcases, nearly 19,000 more than at same date last year. Although the frozen mutton showed a fair increase in volume, the number of lambs exhibited a shortage of 911,886, very few of this season's stock being on offer at that time in spite of many enquiries and the fact that a good number would have found buyers. OF courpe there was a good quantity of last year's lambs in store, but these were not ready of sale even at reduced prices, as every year seems to make stale, long-stored and offcolour meat more hard to sell at any price. There is no doubt that early lambs in good condition will always command satisfactory prices and find ready sale. This is proved by the large sales of Australian laqibs, even though the majority were only in middling condition. A cable just to hand shows that fair prices are being maintained. In butter the importß from Australia and New Zealand show a remarkable increase, amounting to Dearly 47,000cw j over those for February, 1899, and though in March the prices were a little easier the latest cable shows satisfactory figures. The market for cheese has beon very firm throughout, tho rise in value being maintained. There is little doubt but for the exceptionally dry season the quantity of New Zealand butter placed on the English market would havo been enormously in excess of any previous year. That the quality is right is proved not only by the quotations, but by the numerous enquiries for the best brands, which have now become thoroughly well-known and are held in high favour. Altogether there is every reason to be satisfied with the trade this colony is doing with the Mother Country.