COMMERCIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2062, 13 December 1907, Page 1

COMMERCIAL.

MATAWHERO STOCK SALE. SMALL ENTRIES IN SHEEP. SLIGHT DROP IN PRICES. Tho usual fortnightly sale was held at Mataavhero yesterday. Tlioro was not a largo attendance of buyers, but reccift prices on tho whd’.o were fairly well maintained. Owing to tho recent heavy drop in wool something in the nature of a slump in sheep was anticipated, hut such was not tho case, as the decrease in price was barely noticeable Young cattlo again sold well, lm‘t there was an apparent falling off in tho demand for beef, several nice lots being passed in. A number of honses were again offered, but no- business resulted. SHEEP.

Closo on 4000 sheep were yardod, and consisted chiefly of fat and forward owes and wethers. A consignment of 1267 2-tooth wethers from Mahgatu caught tho oyo of prospcct.ivc buyers, and wus -evcutual/ly disposed of in three lots at 11s Gd (for tlio culls), 13s 5d and BlSs Gd. Another lino of 285 owes just off the shears realised the satisfactory figure of 15s. Several lots of fat lambs were also offered and found readysale at good prices. There were only one or two lots of woolly- sheep offered,, and whore not otherwise stated the prices quoted are for shorn. Tho following is the range of prices: „ , „, ~ Fat wethers: 14s to 14 9d, mediums 11s Gd to 13s Gd. Fat ewes: I3s lOd to 15s, mediums 12s Gd to 13s Gd. Stores: Gs Gd to 8s 9(1. Fat llanibs: 12s to 13s od. The following are the principal sales: Wethers: 247 at 14s Oil, 3SB at 14s 3d, 70 at 14s Id, 400 at 13s Gd, 607 at 13s sd, 260 at 11s Gd, and 32 (woolly) at 14s 3d. Ewes: 285 at 15s, 30 at 14s, 4 at. 13s lOd, 37 at 13s Gd, 24 at 13s, 7 at 12s Gd, 8 at Ss 9d, 18 at & Gd. Lambs: 2 at 13s od, 5 at 13s 3d, 25 at 13s Id, G at 12s 9d, 5 at 12s. .CATTLE. There was a slight increase in the cattle entry, about 800 head being ■y-arded. Some good beef was offered, but as has already been stated the demand was poor, several very nice heavy-weights being passed. Amongst the young stock offered was a line of 31 heifers from Mr. W. Tombleson,, Waimata. At last sale these cattlo were bid for up to £2 8s Gd, and were passed at that figure. Yesterday, on. account of tho owner being short oi water, they- were quitted at £2 2s. and might fairly be termed a good bargain. A fine lot of 130 speyed heifers were forward and Hooked really- yvell, but failed to reach the owner’s reserve of £4, tho best offer being £3 15s. Dairy- stock yvere a very- small item and again were difficult to dispose of. Tho following is tho range oi prices: „„ Fat cattle: Steers £5 to £6 lis Gd, coivs £4 to £5. " Stores: Steers £1 17s Gd to £4, heifers £1 19s to £3. Tlio principal sales were as follows: Steers: G at £6 17s Gd, 6 at £6, 26 at £5 Is, 29 at £5, 7 at £4 18s, Gd, 4 at £4 15s, 4 at £4 7e Gd, 26 at £4, 29 at £4 ss, 4. at £3 10s, 18 at £3, 22 at £2 13s Gd, 42 at_37s. Cows: 1 at £5 ss, 1 at £5, 3 at £4 15s, 27 at £3 14s Gd, 2 at £3, 13 at £2 10s. 1. milker £3 2s Gd. Heifers: 3 at £3, 4 at £2 11s, 26 at £2 10s, 16 at £2 10s, 15 (speyed) at £2 19s, 31 at £2 2s, 5 at £1 19s, 14 at £1 14s. 'Cows and calves: 1 at .£6 13s Gd, 43 at £3 15s. Calves: A l'eyv (lots changed hands at late rates. •. Pigs.—A larger number than usual was offered, and elicited keen bidding. Weaners and slips fetched from 14s to 235, yvliile a few baconers brought £2 apiece. Horses. —A number yvere put- up, but bidding was confined to only a feyv, and no business resulted.

United Press Association—Copyright LONDON, December 11. At the tallow auctions 938 casks were offered, and 252 sold, with an occasional 3d decline. The wool sold for Home consumption totalled 52,000 bales; for the Continent, 56,000 bales; for Africa, 200 bales; held ovei> 15,000 bales. Best greasy combing merinos met a steady demand, 5 to 71 per cent, below October rates; scoured, 10 per cent; short, fauflty, 10 to 15 per cent; poor conditioned parcels, 10 per cent; best lambs, 5 per cent; faulty, 71 to 10 per cent. ‘Offers of 39s 6d have been made for the Victorian new crop of Jan-uary-February wheat.

Press Association. NAPIER, December 12. The Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company, London, cable the following report on the frozen mutton market: To-day’s quotations are: Canterbury mutton 3Jd, Napier, Wellington, and North Island 32d, lamb, first quality, 6±d, second od, beef, hinds 3sd, fores 2|d.