THE BUTTER MARKET.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 296, 9 December 1908, Page 3

THE BUTTER MARKET.

MYSTERIOUS POSITION

1 _ It is generally a matter of some diflienlty to thoroughly nml'.-rsland the vagaries which sometimes occur in tbe butter market, but the present weakening of the position is more nivsterions than usual. The statistical ' position (says the New Zealand 'film's) was never stronger. Tnie, lair weather condition* have .been reported, but this can only be of a temporary character. Take the position of our principal rivals. Denmark, though providing a continuous supply; must now be riecreasin« hesupplies. Supplies of Russian butter have naturally diminished, Canada lias hardly sufficient for her own requirements, and first-grade qualities were worth 13d in the United States in October, though there were considerable* quantities of secondaries in store in the Slates at that time. And coming to our great opponent for the Home "winter market, Australia, it is considered that the Commonwealth shipments this year will show a shortage on those of two years ago by 5000 ions.

The most feasible explanation or the lower values is that there is a "bear" movement at work. We had it on good authority early in the season that certain strong speculative buyers on the London market were selling foi lorwurd deliveries New Zealand outputs at JlOs: and probably these men are fo'-c----iug down values'to make themselves good. One of these buyers made a fortune out of New Zealand butter last year, and he was ready to take some risk in the beginning of this season, but if the market is to be rigged to suit his game he is the man for the position.

A WEODI-X IT.LVHT. It is interesting to i,U'ii.e some facts and figures from a report or W'eddel anil Co., dated London. October 23. They say:—The long .spell of warm and genial weather lias departed, and wintry conditions are strongly developing in the I'niteil Kingdom. On the Continent of Europe—in Austria. Germany, Holland, and France—severe frosts and snowfalls are reported. The den.a id for Australian and New Zealand butlers is increasing oivinir to the •alliii,' -ill' in supplies ,of foreign and British ;nd Irish make.

In a table aeeompa-nti.-ij t : -e report it is shown that the decivoe 'n nutter imports from New Zealvnl, ..\"st;a]ia and Canada for the months of ,I'idv. August and September, as compare.] with the corresponding months of las' year, were as follows:—July. JOliilewt.; August, !>B6»cwt; September. 433Gc\vt. For the first three weeks of October the total imports of butter into Great Britain from all sources showc-d an increase, but not on the scale of the general iwrease recorded throughout the year. The increases were: Week ending October 3, 2854c\vt; October 11), 5410cwt; October 17, 8327cwt. But these increases were in butters of the northern hemisphere.