COMMERCIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2260, 4 August 1908, Page 1

COMMERCIAL.

The winter is almost over and the first warmth of early spring is being felt everywhere. Though heavy frosts irro to bo seen in the mornings, tho yellow blossom of tho wattle and tlio pink blossom of tho poach trees in tho orchards show that there is a change of season at hand. Stock lias wintered wall, a high percentage oi lambs is reported from all over tho district, the dairy herds arc coining into use, poultry arc starting to lay, and it will not be many weeks before shearing commences. Late winter prices are ruling in all centres for stock, and ovorywliero (tattle and sheep have dropped in value. Iho full .in price will only he temporary as farmers are usually cautious of buying stock at this time of the year. Beef sold at Ma tawhe.ro last week at from 18s to 20s per 1001 b, as against 21s per 1001 b in Auckland and a similar price at Addington. Tho produce market ronuiins unchanged, tho following boing the wholesale prices quoted at Gisborne by the merchants: — Flour, sacks £ll 10s, bags £l2. Potatoes aro slightly easier, being quoted at from £7 os to £7 10s per ton. . , , Onions aro scarco and aro haul to buy at 14s per owt, while the rotail price is 2d per lb. Chaff best Canterbury £7 os, otlioi £7. , , . Oats 3s 2d per bushel. Fowl wheat os 3d per bushel. Butter Is 3Jd lb., cheese 6Jd lb., honey 4Jd lb., bacon 9d lb., eggs Is 6cl doz. WOOL AND HIDE SALE. The periodical solo of wool, sheepskins, hides, and tallow, under the auspices of tho Gisborne \Vool Brokers’ Association will take place at p.m. to-dav, in the Farmers’ Union Club rooms*. Besides the local buyers, Messrs Kearsley, Warnock, and Donald arrived from Auckland on Sunday to attend the sale. There is not a very largo entry of wool, about 250 bales and 130 pockets having heon catalogued. A largo number of skins and hides, however, will be offered, and it is expected that these lines will ho disposed of. The number of skins to be offered is nearly 12.000, and hides about 1150. The eitaloguo includes 124 packages of tallow. It is not anticipated there will be a very elaborate sale,, although the skins, hides, and oddments of wool will probably find purchasers. Tho catalogues aro as follows: —New Zealand Loan and Agency Co., Ltd.: 23 bales and 13'pockets wool, 4711 sheepskins, 1540 hides, and 13 packages of tallow; Williams and Kettle, Ltd. : 80 bales and 50 pockets wool, 2500 skin 6, 200 hides, and 70 packages of tallow; Dalgety and Co., Ltd.: 60 bales and 29 pockets wool, 1500 skin 6, 53 hides, •ana 41 packages tallow; Bennett and Slierratt: 40 hales wool, 1500 skins, and 350 hides ; Common, Shelton and Co., Ltd.: 50 bales and 40 pockets wool, iand 1600 skins. PRODUCE MARKET.

Messrs 'Miller and Craig, auctioneers, report the following prices realised at their ,auction sales of produce on Saturday: Roosters Is lOd to Gs, hens Is lOd to 2s 4-d, turkeys (hens) 4s to .Is 4d, ducks 2s 2d, eggs Is 6d, 'butter Is to Is Id, kumeras lfd lb, onions 1 >]d lb, .marrows 3s doz, pumpkins 3s doz, lemons 4d doz. potatoes 11s to 12s 6d sack, apples los case, seed potatoes 0s sack, honev 4fd per lb.

WOOL. United Press Association. Copyright LONDON, August 2. On the Bradford wool market business is at a standstill. Forties, 10fd; 46’6, Is; common 60’s, 22d; super, 23d; 04’s, 24d. The following were tho average prices realised for the lieoce portions of tho clips named: Tirauniea 6Jd, Orui Bgd. The wool catalogued to date comprised 201,583 bales; thero were sold to Home buyers 95,000 hales, Continental 75,500 bales, American 13,000 bales; bold over 88,000 bales. The recent weaker demand led to a relapse. The closing price was mostly identical with the Slay closing, the only exception being medium to good merinos, both scoured and. greasy, which are 7$ per cent, dearer than Slay; fine greasy crossbreds, which declined 5 per cent., and scoured crossbreds, .which are Id cheaper. The following wore average prices realised for the fleece portions of the clips named: Mangaohane 7Jd, Telioa 10gd.

The New Zealand Loan and Morcantiilo Agency Co., Ltd., yesterday received the following cablegram from their London office, under Sunday’s date, re wool:—“As compared with Jast sale’s closing rates, E rices are about par to 5 per cent. igher for coarse crossbred,- scoured medium merino,' and medium crossbred ; about the same for crossbrod slipe and scoured merino super; about par to 5 per cent, lower for fine crossbred ;about 5 per cent, lower for merino scoured and faulty wool; and about 5 per cont. to 7J per cent, higher -for greasy medium merino. Hold over, 88,000 bales. Sales closed firmly. Average current values for New Zealand wool: 'Good merino lljd, medium 9Jd, inferior fine crossbred lid, medium crossbred BJd, coerce crossbred (40’s) 6Jd, coarse crossbred (36’s) 6J.” DAIRY 'PRODUCE. Unitep Press Association. Copyright LONDON, August 1. Butter is rather easier owing to •large Siberian arrivals. There is no Australian offering. New Zealand sells at 116 e. Cheese is firm. White 62s to 635, colored 60s. SYDNEY, August 3. Butter on the local markot will he quoted at 180 s to-day. FLOUR AND POTATOES. [Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, August 3. The amount of flour coming in from Australia, does not show any sign of diminishing. Advice has been received from Auckland that two Craig boats aro bringing oyer for that port 3300 tons, of which 2600 tons aro from Melbourne and 700 tons from Adelaide ; while the Malieno, on her last trip from Melbourne, carried 117 tons. The Auckland cargoes may be in fulfilment of contracts. Tlie potato market has declined again on account 0 f 9000 sacks’ 1 -ring been landed at Auckland from the Bluff, Oamaru, and Timtru, ami 100 sacks are going forward from Lyttelton. THE LONDON MARKETS. [Press Association.] WELLINGTON. August 3. Tho following is.the High Com-

missionor’s cable, dated London, Aug- " The'mutton market is dull. Tho trado is very disappointing, there being only a hand-to-mouth demand, and the supply exceeds the demand. Canterbury is at 4d, North /Island <kl. and River Plato 3jd. Tho lamb market is a shado weaker, but there is a good demand for prime quality. Tile stocks on hand are heavy, and are being widely distributed among agents, who are pushing sales. Canterbury brands are quoted at ojil for heavy woiglits ami sfd for light weights, other than Canterbury oi. The bool' ninrkot is quiet, and the stocks of New Zealand brands on hand are light. The weather lately juia been unfavorable for tho sale of beef. Hindquarters 'ire at Id, forequarters 2Jd. The butter market ‘is quiet, but firm. 'Supplies aro increasing, but there is a good demand, and no stock is accumulating. The prospects for next season are encouraging. The choicest Now Zealand is at 116 s, Danish 1225, Siberian IOSs. n; ! Canadian 116 s per owt. Tho cheese market is quiet, but steady. Colored makes are. at 595, and white 62s per cwt. The hemp -market is dull, Very little business doing, and there ijs no cliango in prices to report. The cocksfoot seed market is unsettled and speculative. .American crops a jo being offered, and it is anticipated the crop will fall short of estimation. Nominal quotations arm American 80s and New Zealand 85s for bright, clean 171 b seed. The bop market is dull, owing to tlio English crop promising -well. The wool sales closed on August Ist. Americans are buying -and shipping suitable parcels freely, .and tlio demand is likely t 0 continue at present quotations. The following are estimated values: .Superior merinos TORI to Is, medium merinos 8d to lOd. inferior morinos Gd to 7jd, fine crossbreds (all grades) lOd to Is. medium crossbreds '('ill grades) 8d to lOd, coarse crossbreds (all grades) 5Jd to Sid. Tlio following shipments of meat arrived from River Plato during the month of July: For London, mutton 187,911 carcases, lamb 27,815 carcases; Liverpool, 125,869 and 4478 ;Huil, 12,344 and 1250; Newcastle, 14.001 and 1455; Cardiff, 21,667 and 391; Plymouth, 820 and no Jamb.