COMMERCIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2230, 30 June 1908, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

STOCK. *! I" There is a general 'impaoi meat right throughout the Dominion in the price of sheep and cattle. At EM atnwhero last week -both fat aiul| store stock took an upward move! and there is a general opinion tlia.t. the markot will steadily lmprovel and roach a- normal condition townrci<s tho beginning of the spring. Wethers sold above 14s on Thursday last/ and if that price is maintained, farmors will have littlo causo to complain. It was recontly reported that owing to tho shortage of supplies, the price of meat in Groat Britain had been advanced. Of tho shortage there is apparently no question, for according to tho Cbloni.il Consignment and .Distributing Company’s circular, daied May 15th, the imports into the baited Kingdom for tho period from Jan nary 1 to May 9, compared with Hie corresponding noriod of last year, show that 20,282 fewer live ri.eep and 27,330 fewor livo cattle were nrported, and tho decrease m chilled beef totalled 230,953 cwt. The ini ports of frozen mutton ami lamb v ere less bv 045,323 carcases, but of frozen beef tiioro was an increase of 76,021 quarters. In addition to this enormous shrinkage in supplies in Great Britain it was asserted that a considerable quantity of canned meat was being re-imported into Now York because of shortage there. The American.shortage may be dismissed, for what really happened was that old canned meat was resold by the War Office, and this was bought up by Americans for their own market. If tlipre has been'any improvement it has not been felt to any extent by tlie figures cabled to New Zealand by tho High Commissioner the quotations at dates seven weeks -apart compare a« under , May 2. Juno 20. Mutton-

The figures are disippoiuting for taking the average prices; there is a decline in mutton, no change in beef, and but a slight increase in lamb. In their circular above referred to the Colonial Consignment, after reviewing the statistical position, and the trend of prices, sav;—“This is a disappointing position in view of the fact that the output has not been largely increased, and it evidently points to some privation amongst the classes with whom imported meat is a staple article. There does not ap-. pear to be the free purchasing power which gives life and animation to anj’ trade, and which would he heartily welcomed by both tho importer and retailer.” It seems, therefore, that although imports arc in arrears as compared with last, year, they are, nevertheless, more than sufficient to meet the present restricted demands, and while the purchasing power of the people of the United Kingdom is curtailed there can be no improvement in values. BEE FARMING.

Quito a number of small farmers in the Poverty Bay district are experimenting with bee-keeping and the following statement made by the Minister for- Agriculture, tho -Hon. A. McNab, during his recent visit to Tunarue will be of interest to the various apiarists in the district. There is, Sir McNab stated, a saying in the Department that bee-fanning is the only industry in which a man can tell when he will be able to buy his motor car. It is specially suitable for two classes —women who, of course, are unequal to an occupation demanding hard physical exertion (in proof of this the -State -apiaries at ltuakura and Levin are worked by a couple of women); and men who have not enough capital to take up land for ordinary farming. In -a suitable district —the most suitable are dairying lands near bush—a bee-far-mer can arrange for a- lease of a- few. hundred.feet of ground at convenient spots over a. fair extent of country. Ho establishes his apiaries at these spots, and can visit his hiy.es or “colonies” in his car, drive his “extractor” with the engine for his motor, and take Iris honey away with him in his car. Mr McNab nuoted the cases of a number of apiarists who produce large quantities of honey. Mr Lenz, of Masterton, last season got 32 tons from 750 hives; Mr Parrott, of Tai Tapu, got 14 tons, and there were three others whoso combined output was 30 tons. Housewives who buy honey will be able to figure out what this means in money, and the average person will appreciate the value of bees from Mr McNab’s statement tliat one man near Mataura found that he was getting a larger return from his bees that from his dairy farm of 200 acres. This man was one oT the first to adopt up-to-date methods, putting 'his honey up in attractive pats like butter. When he first went to a storekeeper :iu 'Mataura to sell his honey, ho was told -honey was a drug on the market, and the storekeeper showed him kerosene tins full of a sticky mess with flies all round the top. Tho bee-farmer said 'he would send in some of his honey, and the storekeeper could give him part of what lie got for it. The clean, neat article at once commanded a sale, and the beekeeper was unable to meet even the local demand at Mataura, although he charged the storekeeper more than the latter had been in the. habit of selling tho old-fashioned honey for. GENERAL. Floor is now quoted at £l2 per ton in -Gisborne, wheat at 5s 2d per-bus-hel. Chaff £7 per ton. Oats 3s Id per bushel. Potatoes £ss 12:> Gd per toil. (Butter Factory Is Id lb., dairy 10.1 lb -. Fresh oggs Is 8d to Is lOd per dozen.

[Press Association.] WELLINGTON, June 29,

The Department of Industries and Commerce has received the following cablegram from the High Commissioner: The, mutton market is-quiet, but stei.dy. Prices are -unchanged from last week. There is a good demand for all lamb, and the market is very firm. Canterbury brands are at s|d, other than Canterbury si!d. There is a better deni mil for beef. Supplies of American chilled beef are small. New Zealand hindquarters -lid, fores 3Jd. The butter market is very firm. The Tongariro’s shipment arrived in good condition. Choicest New Zealand is at 114 s, Danish Ills, Siberiaa. ioßs. The cheese market is very "firm. "White makes are at 04s, colored 595. The hemp markot is quiet, but firm. Good fair on spot is quoted at £27 10s. The cocksfoot seed market is quiet, and buyers are not keen to do business. The American- crop is expected to be light. There is a much better demand for wool. Current quotations for Bradford tops are: 36’s (lowcrossbreds) 9]d. 40’s (low crossbreds) 10-d, 44’s (medium crossbreds) lid, 50’s (halfbreds) Is 3]d, 56’s (quarterbred-.-;) Is Gd, GO’s (merinos) Is 9jd. Tho. hop market ig quiet, and there is nothing doing. The best quality of English hops are qpoted at 60s.

Canterbury ... ■fid. <Ud. North Island ... 31(1. 3 id. Lamb — Canterbury 53d. Sid. Others old. 53 d. Beef— Hinds 3 ijd. ■Id. Fores 31d. 3d.