COMMERCIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2257, 31 July 1908, Page 1

COMMERCIAL.

MATAAVHERO STOCK SALES.

Tho stock salos at Mutawhero yesterday 'presented a true wintry nppoaranee. Tlie/crowd moved about in to,]) courts, gum'boots or 'loggings, ami oilskins: a bleak wind blow from across tho bay, and rain and hail fell at frequent ‘intervals. Tlio yards wore anklo deep in mud and slush, tlie cattle shivered and slipped in their pons and showed that they did not like being exposed to such weather condition'}. Tho yarding was small, tho number of buyers present few, and tlie prices correspondingly low. At auction half of the lots offered were passed in; but all found private buyers before tho auctioneers loft the .yards.' (•UI'MEP. Tlio yarding of sheep was the smallest for, some months past, and the quality offering , was not. up'to tlio average. Ewes in 'lamb and hoggets predominated, though there were a tow pens of. nice wether Tlio total number of sheep on off; r did not roach'!The host prices obtainable lor Wethers ’were: —31 tin prinu! condition -at 14s, 25 young anil forward at 13s Id. 25 mediums at 12s 9d ; three pens found .buyers after the salo. There wore few fat owes on salo and a nice looking pen of 17 brought 12s fid, amt 14 sold at 10s; a pou of 133 'in prime condition was disposed of privately. Fares in lamb were wanted, 83 sold at 12s fid, 111 at 11s Id, 373 «t 10s 9d, and 3G at 9s 2d; a nice Hot of 252 in lamb to Romneys were reserved for private silo 'after- 12s had been offered. Empty owes sold from 3s to 9s. .Hoggets sold at bettor prices, 30 in prime condition at 10s, 70 in forward condition at Os 3d, and 8 at 9s Id, wero the best pens, while poorer sorts sold ns low as 3s Id. CATTLE. Tho yarding of .cattle was also smaller than usual, .prime stock being almost absent, the total yarding consisting of about 200 head. Beef 'averaged from 18s-to 20s per lOQlb. .3 prime steers at £7, and 2 steers in medium condition a.t £G 10s; 2 light steers and one fat cow were passed in. The store pens were poorly stocked, 20 nice looking steers brought £l, 4 steers .£3 12s fid, 14 young forward steers £4 3s 6d, 1 dairy cow £4 10s, 19 cows and one bull £2 11s, 1G calves 22s fid. A Shorthorn bull was offered and passed in for private sale. PIG'S. Pigs brought good prices, a pen of 6 young ipigs £l, 1 prime porker 355, 3 porkers 325, 3 small pigs 15s. A. hack was also offered, but did not elicit a ibid. AUCKLAND CUSTOMS DUTIES. [Press Association.] AUCKLAND, July 30. The Customs duties collected in tlie Dominion during the quarter ended June 30th, last totalled £617,321, as compared with £717,675 for the corresponding quarter of 1907., The value of imports for the .Tune quarter of this year is £3,447,663, compared with £3,922,169 for tho corresponding three months of last year. The exports during the same jeriod were: 1908 £3,723,964, and 1907 £4,841,998.

"WOOL. United Press Association. Copyright LONDON, July 29. At tho wool sales there is better competition- l'o the crossbreds and merinos. Prices are slightly harder. - FROZEN MEAT. [Press Association.] NAPIER, July 30. The Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company cable: Frozen meat quotations—Napier, Wellington •and North Island mutton 3.}d : lamb, first quality 53d, second sg’d; beef, binds 3Jd, fores 2|d. BUTTER. United Press Association. Copyright SYDNEY, Julv 30. The butter market has advanced 12s per cwt in 24 hours. The selling price is now about Is 5d per pound wholesale.- The causes of the advance are shortage owing to tlio drought on tlio south coast, and increasing cold storage in anticipation of the demands for the American fleet.