COMMERCIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2341, 6 November 1908, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

MATAWHERO STOCK SALES

Th© attendance at the Matawliero stockyards yesterday appeared to consist mostly of auctioneer®, their assistants, and farmers- who had stock to soil, for the bidding was so dull that th© few buyers present could be easily counted. Sheep, especially ewes, were hardly worth the value of th© wool on their backs, and farmers had to accept loir prices, or drive their stock home again. Nine pens of ewes with lambs were passed in succession, the auctioneers vainly calling for a starting bid. Cattle, especially butchers’ supplies, sold at better prices than winter rates. SHEEP. The yarding of sheep totalled a.bput 6000, mostly ewes, with lambs, and unshorn hoggets. There were very few wethers in the yards, aiid only those in the 1 mixed pens of hoggets were sold. Fat ewes sold at from 10s to 13s 3d', and an extra choice pen at 13s 6d; fat lambs (this season’s) to 10s, and two-tootlis from 12s id to 14s Sd. Pen after pen of store stock was passed without finding a purchaser, and in-many cases without a bid. A small parcel of well-forward ewes, with 100 per cent of well-grown lambs was with difficulty disposed of at 10s, and the highest bid for a pen of 54 ewes with lambs was 6s. Needless to say the line was passed l in. A choice pen of forward ewes with nice-looking lambs topped the market at 15s. The other pens sold were: 29 forward ewes at 10s 3d, 132 4-toothed ewes at 12s, and 23 ewes and lambs at 10s. A few other pens were sold privately. Unshorn hoggets were in fair demand: 43 at 14s Sd, 92 at 12s Id, 55 at- 11s lOd, 284 at 10s 7d, and 240 at 7s 9d> were the chief pens sold. CATTLE. Tho quality of the cattle yarded was above the average. Prime steers. sold as high as £7 12s 6d, or equal to 20s nor 1001 b. Pens of steers sold at £5 ss, £6 7s 7d, £7 10s, and to £7 12s 6tl; fat- cows from £4 to £5 15s; and heifers at £3 10s. Store steers sold at £‘4 10s to £5, cows at £2 to £4 ss. . A small yarding of pigs sold at prices ranging from 19s to 30s. WOOL AND DAIRY PRODUCE. United Press Association, Cq/yiught LONDON, :• ovcmiber 4. Tlio Braefßyd wool ;.V.vet is unchanged-, and HToJiPiie letter. Butter is firm. TTviddi is quoted at 130 s to 131 s, ami / goodWemand exists for choicest colonial at to 1225, especially unmltcd, which *”is about 2s above salt. FROZEN MEAT. NAPIER, \o rei’.ler 5. The Colonial Consignment and Delivery Company, London, cable tlio following report on frozen r <ti : The value of lamb and liind qua iters of beef lias declined gd- To-lay’s quotations are: Mutton, Canterbury 4d, Napier, Wellington, and North Island 3|d; Jamb, first quality sgd, second quality o-Jd; beef, hindquarters sgd, fores 3Jd. 8 HIDES, United Press Association. CorYßicnT (Received November 5, 10.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Nov. 5. For (hides there is keen competition and the market is very firm all round.

Supplies are small.