FARM AND DAIRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 159, 22 November 1912, Page 8

FARM AND DAIRY.

BUTT El! AW) CIIKKSK. PROSPECTS X,)T VICKY F,VCOL'RACiXf;. "It does not look any too good anywhere," was the comment of a Wellington merchant when discussing the outlook for butter and cheese with the Dominion. and a review of the position as it stands at present \\;ould appear U* confirm this see: iingly pe»si:..ist it sin lenient of the position.

At this da to last year suited butter 1 was worth 13fls, and unsaltcd 132s to 134 a per cwt., and London advices reported that there was a good demand for all classes of colonial butter. Last Saturday's cables tell a very different) story. They give the prien of New Zealand lmtter at litis to 118s, and add that arrivals are not clearing, as retailers are using stored butters, and Home and Continental makes, which are unusually plentiful. The imports of butter into the United Kingdom for the years ending September 28 last for the past four years are interesting at this stage, showing, as the figures do, a remarkable decrease this year, after three years of steady increase. Tin; i figures are:— Year. Cwt. 1900 4,01)0,7-05 1910 4,104,002 1911 4,148,470 1912 3,974.57 ft Commenting on the above position, a Well ngton merchant said that it looked very much (judging from the supplies to the London market) as though the method of doing business this year at' fi.W.H., had been taken advantage of by agents, who had sold forward, and thus there was little chance of getting • the price up. Another factor that may have had its influence was that as a result of tlie high prices which ruled for, butter last year, many people at Home were going in for margarine; and, again, the make of butter at Home was probably heavy this season on account of last year's abnormal prices; A private cablegram received on Monday stated that the butter shipped in September by the Turakina sold at 121s per cwt. Against this, it may recalled that the Ruapehu, which was the corresponding butter steamer to the Turakina last year, soli her butter at 130s. THE CHEESE MARKET. The cheese market would appear to be 111 much the same position as that for butter. The first cheese shipment last season was by the Tainui, which sailed in October, and the price realised was 08s. The shipment by the Turakina, which took the first main consignment this season, has only brought 635. Taking the imports of cheese into the United Kingdom for the twelve months ended September 28. 1912, and the three previous years, as in butter, the figures again show a falling-ofT. They are:— Year. Cwt. 1909 2,312,907 1910 2,435,224 1911 2,425,534 ' 1912 ! 2,294,839