COMMERCIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2085, 10 January 1908, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

LONDON MEAT MARKET. Press Association. NAPIER, January 9. The Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company cablo the following report:—The frozen meat market continues weak; there is a further fall in the value of mutton. To-day’s quotations are: Canterbury mutton 83d, Napier, Wellington, and North Island 3;fil; beef, hindquarters forequarters 23d. WELLINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE. (Special to Times). WELLINGTON, Jan. 9. Business on the Stock Exchange today was brisker than for some time past. Tlio new Union Company shares (20s paid) were sold at Fls premium. There was a demand for Talisman scrip, and shares sold at £2 12s. Ngatiiwas sold at 2s Id, and Karangahakes at 2s. MATAWFIF.RO (STOCK SALE. A FURTHER DROP IN PRICES. Tile usual fortnightly sale was held .at Matawhero yesterday. A large number of buyers were present. but the demand for stock of all classes was poor, and a slow and spiritless sale resulted. This is evidently to be accounted for by Hie scarcity of feed consequent on the continued dry weather, and also by a general disinclination to touch sheep during the present unsettled state of the London market. Beef cattle sold fairly well, but other sorts were not in * demand, and prices were slightly easier. Some horses were submitted to auction, but vendors seem to be beginning to realise tlio futility of bringing them to this sale, and the number on offer was. not so great as usual. SHEEP. Nearly 4000 were yarded, fat and forward ewes predominating. A fair number of wethers, mostly twotooths, were offered. They included a nice line of 420 Romney cross, which were nicely finished, and looked as well as any line which has been seen in the yards for some time. They were bid for up to 12s 7d, but this was not the owner’s idea of their value, and they wore passed in. A few pens of fat lambs were also forward, and a nice lot- of 62, that will probably kill at something over 30115, wont for freezing purposes at 12s Id. A number of sheep which had been passed at auction were disposed of privately afterwards. The following is tho range of prices: Fat wethers, 14s to 16s; medium, 12s 6d. Fat- ewes, 12s to 14s Gel; medium, 11s 6d ; stores, Bs. Fat lambs, 10s 8d to 12s Id. The following are the principal sales:— “Wethers, 2 at 16s, 12 at 1 -Is, 165 at 12s 6rl. Ewes, 6 at 14s Gd, 44 at 12s, 20 at 12s, 20 .at 11s 9d, 24 at 11s 6d, 61 at 11s 4d, 14 at 10s, 44 at Bs. Lambs, S 8 at 10s Bd, 62 at 12s Id. CATTLE. The cattle entry (495) was somewhat smaller than usual, and the quality represented was hardly up to late standards. Young stock were hard to quit under tho hammer, -and lot after lot was passed in, and tho prices obtained for those which changed hands could hardly bo termed satisfactory. A few dairy sorts were on offer, but the quality was generally poor, and there was no request for them. Beef sold well, and was the one redeeming feature of an otherwise slow sale. A large proportion of the passed-in lots changed hands privately after the sale. The following is the range of prices: Eat Citt-le.—Steers £4 ss, light to £B, cows £3 5s to £5 2s Gd. Stores.—Steers £2 10s to £3 2s. heifers £1 to £2 10s. The principal sales were as follows: Steers, 2 at £B. 5 at £6 IBs, 7 at £6, fiat £5 2s Od, 5 at £5, 6 at £4 15s, 7 at £4 ss; light, 10 at- £3 7s (id, 6 at £3 2s, 7 at £2 10s, 9 at £1 18s 6d. Cows, 3 at £5 ss, 2 at £5 2s Gd, 4- at £!, 2 at £3 15s. Heifers, 13 at £2 10s. 44 at £2 2s Gd. 33 at £2, 7 at £l. Pigs.—A small entry, weaners fetching from 10s to 13s, while a few porkers realised 23s 6d. During the sale Mr. J. W. Bright announced that in response to a request from the Master Butchers’ Association the firms had decided that in future the sales of fat cattle, sheep, and pigs wall take place at 11 a.in., before the other stock is offered, in order to allow tho butchers to get through with their part of the sale, and get away at a reasonable time.