FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 44, 17 March 1909, Page 2

FARM AND DAIRY.

BIUTAIN'.S DAlliY IMPOIiTS. TilKlK VOLUME AND SOURCES. It has been said that Britain is dependent upon imported supplies Uw \u bread and meat, ami it may be added for its butter and cheese also. The imports of butter during IDOS amounted t<! 4,2JIJlKkwt., of tin: declared valuej of JC.24,082,537, which, compared with the corresponding figures for IUU7, show sin increase of U.U2 per cent in respect to quantity and 7.43 per cent, in respect to declared value. Last year's inures therefore was about the same as in when the quantity was less by 2:1)5 per cent than in IDOG.

As to the sources of butter supply, and taking the foreign countries liist, it is found that whilst, in lOOli liussia sent only a,53 jior cent of the whole, she sent in JiilJS 1.3.U1i per cent. The Swedish supplies also have increased ; they were in l'JOli 4.87 per cent,, of the total, but ill JOOB they had risen to 5.U7 per cent. Denmark which is the largest contributor, sent in 100(1 40.28 of the total, and last year 4-1.(HI per eeut, a very considerable increase. The ijuautity sent from (icrmany is not of great importance, being (1.1(1 per cent, of the total for lllUli and (J. 07 per eeut. for 1008. The importation from France has also increased ; in 1 !KH> it amounted to K..">n. and in JHUS to 0.,'i7 per cent. The quantities imported from Holland and the United States were in both cases less in 1008 tiiaa in lOOli, the res|K'etive percentages being 5.0(1 and J. 02 in lOOli, and 5.80 and 0.04

in 1!)08. Jji I!) 08 81.10 per cent, of the butter imported was of foreign "origin, as compared with 70.!) i per cent in l!WJii. Ol Ihe supplies uf butter from the colonics, all except just over 1.13 per cent, came from Australia and New Zealand. In 11)08 there was received from Victoria 4.f>S per cent, Now South Wales 3.2!) per cent"., Queensland 1.00 per cent.. n>nl from New Zealand 5.2;1 per cent, of the aggregate quantity imported, which, together with that of Canada made up an abrogate percentage* ot Ifl.Sfi per ce:it.| of the totnl quantity imported in l!)DS. i Looking huck to lHflli, it is found that these same sources of supply sent in that year 24.18 per cent, of the whole. The remainder of the butter imported comes from countries not separately classified, ami amounted in ISDB to 2.1)(> per cent, of the <] uantity imported. ' The quantity of margarine imported

in 1908 was 813,4470wt. This is 8.05) per cent. less than in 1007. flip contrihutors were in 1 DOS : Norway, 0..10 per cent. ; Holland, M.77 per coirt, ; and France, per cent. The returns in respect to cheese would I appear to indicate that there is a tendency for smaller supplies to be sent. The aggregate quantity imported in 1008 was 2,!io(i,oN(icwt., or 2.8.'! per cent, less tlian a year previonslv. and if this year ho compared with liJCKi it will he found there was a reduction of 10.10 per eenl. The declared value o* the quantity imported in 11108 was OUiS4.2o;f, showing when compared with 1007, a reduction, (»f iUO per cent. The sources from which |

Die cheese supplies are derived an* : Holland, wliose ipiota was 11.11 |k*i* iTiil. : the Iniled States. which soul •(.">7 per cent. : and the colonies. The colonial supplies were per cent. <»f thi' whole. The larger proportion ofthi* (<i'i.S4 per cent.) came from Canada. but j this (piantity. when compared with that received from the same. country in IWWfrom the same country in IDOfi, shows a consider'a'ble redulc'tioai, for in that year it was 72.HS per cent. of Hie whole. Tin' Canadian fallin*r-oir lias, however, been made up hy the increased supplier from New Zealand. That country sent during the past year 11.4!' per cent, of the, whole of the cheese imports, as compared with 4.7* per cent, in 1000. The quantity received from countries not j separately givi-n was in I!WH peri •('ill(, 'uf tiie wlude. as compared with 3.0") I < per cent, in 1000. ] I