STOCK-MARKET REVIEW

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 298, 8 March 1928, Page 14

STOCK-MARKET REVIEW

EXPORT SEASON CLOSING KEEN BUTCHERS’ DEMAND As far as the Auckland Province is concerned trade in fat stock lor export is practically over for the season. Most of the available surplus from now on should be absorbed by a heavy butchers’ demand. To a lesser extent a similar trend is registered in other parts of the Dominion. T7ERY few lambs are available at the V moment, most graziers quitting consignments earlier in the season as soon as they were fit to pass the grader. Any rape lambs which will be available duiing the autumn should be eagerly snapped up by the butchers. At Westfield yesterday values were maintained at late rates, and at times the market showed a tendency to ease more toward the export parity. At Addington, a yarding of 2,300 lambs met with keen competition for all classes, light-weights exceeding the export schedule rates. Extra prime lambs made to 36s Id. DEMAND FOR FAT SHEEP The position in regard to big sheep is little different to that affecting lambs. Good prime sheep at the moment are scarce, and though t is only to be expected that better quality stock will be available as a result of the recent rains, it is highly improbable that any large surplus will be available this season. The fact that at the present time there is practically nothing in the way of big sheep available for the works, and buyers for the butchering firms are falling over one another in their efforts to cover present and near future requirements should be sufficient irdication of this. Another significant sign is noticeable at Westfield, where buyers from the big firms have followed the market up to recent high levels and taken substantial quotas. If the sheep were in the country, or if it was thought that supplies would increase in the near future, it is hardly likely that the big men would do this as most of them are covered for a few weeks ahead, and one firm especially has been active on forward delivery contracts. At present Westfield price levels with the market well above the export parity it does not pay the grazier to send into the works. In the South yesterday, a yarding of about 20 per cent, less fat sheep than that forward at average Addington sales saw the market advance up to 2s 6d a head. Extra prime wethers made up to 41s 4d, while prime wethers sold at 32s 6d to 36s* Extra prime ewes made 29s to 35s lOd. Beef is still coming forward to freezing works, but the greater part of the offerings are canners and drawn from dairymen getting rid of their culls. This is particularly true in regard to Auckland, where most of even the prime beef offered butchers comprises only betterfinished dairy sorts. Big lines of extra prime heavy beef cattle are scarce. Values are mostly maintained well above export parity. TRADE IN BREEDING EWES Though trade in breeding ewes has eased off in the Auckland Pi-ovince over the past two or three weeks, worthwhile offerings can still find a firm market. At Feilding on Friday a large attendance of buyers contributed to a stiong demand for a heavy yarding of breeding ewes, values reaching 31s for store 2-tooths; 4 and 6-tOoth ewes made to 275. Ewe fairs are all the vogue in the South, and even at Addington yesterday there was a yarding of about 27,000 breeding ewes drawn from the North Island, Marlborough, Nelson and the Chatham Islands. A healthy demand saw North Island (mostly Poverty Bay) twotooths make 39s 6d, with a number of other sales at 375. Good 4 and 6-tooth crossbred ewes made 345; cull a,ud inferior Romney ewes made 25s 6d to 27s 6d; sound and failing-mouthed ewes made 17s to 21s 6d. Forward lambs met with a good sale up to 245. Store wethers saw the best lines also go to 245. Following the recent rains, which have been general throughout the Dominion a stronger inquiry should set in for store stock of all descriptions, and there is little likelihood of prices in this direction easing during the next three months. The tendency of the market for wethers and lambs should be upward. Viewed generally the near future outlook for fat stock is sound, with little indication of any substantial movement of the overseas market for some time to come. Only slight fluctuations are reported from London, and though increased supplies have tended to slacken the demand, prices still appear to be holding at late levels. Mutton, of which only light stocks are held in London, is meeting with a stronger demand. The beef market at the moment, though quiet, also appears in good tone. While little movement is registered in the London pork market, the New Zealand market continues to register a healthier tone, and at Westfield yesterday a smaller yarding met with brisk eompeition. Heavy well-finished baconers and porkers sold at slightly advanced prices, while lighter sorts changed hands at late quotations. PRICES AT WESTFIELD Prices at Westfield yesterday ranged under the hammer as follow: Cattle.—Heavy prime steers ranged in price from £l3 2s 6d to £l4; lighter prime steers, £ll 12s 6d to £l3; light prime steers, £9 15s to £ll 10s; small and unfinished steers, £7 5s to £9 I2s 6d; extra heavy prime young cows and heifers, £8 10s to £9 15s; heavy prime cows and heifers. £7 5s to £8 7s Od; lighter prime cows and heifers, £6 to £7 2s 6d; other killable cows, £4 to £5 17s 6d. Sheep.—Extra heavy prime wethers made £1 11s to £1 13s 9d; heavy prime wethers. £1 8s to £1 10s 3d; medium to heavy prime wethers, £1 6s to £3 7s 9d; light to medium prime wethers, £1 4s 6d to £i 5s 9d; unfinished wethers. £1 is to £1 4s; extra heavy prime young ewes, £1 8s; heavy prime ewes. £1 3s to £1 5s 9d; lighter prime ewes, £1 Is to £1 2s 9d; other killable ewes. 17s 6d to £1 Os 6d; Lambs. —Heavy prime lambs r«ade £1 bs to £1 7s 9d; lighter prime lambs, £1 f 3 f 1 5s 9d; light prime lambs, £1 is 19s 6(1 9d ’ Small and plain lambs, 14s to J ..? a ' , l ves *r- Runners from £3 7s to £o 11s; heavy vealers, £3 10s to £4 16s; medium, £- 17s to £3 9s; light, £1 12s to , roug:h and Plain, 10s to 19s; small and fresh dropped, 3s to £1 7s. Pigs.—A further advance. ’ Choppers made from £2 15s to £3 12s; extra heavy prime baconers. up to £4 13s; heavy bac-i-3 18s to £4 ss; medium, £3 9s to £3 Ids; light. £2 18s to £3 ss; heavy n £2 . 125 . to 215 s: medium. £2 3s f® *■? o l 08 '’ £1 16s to £2; small and it n 5 n / S^* ed ’ 6s 12s - St °res reali aed week s Prices. Good framed and conditioned, up to £1 lls; smaller, 16s to jtl »>s; slips, 10s to 13s; weaners, 5s to CHICAGO WHEAT By Cable—Press Association. — Copyright. Reed. 9.55 a.m. CHICAGO, Wednesday. Wheat.—March, 1 dollar 39J cents a bushel; May, 1 dollar 38 3-8 cents; July, 1 dollar 37 cents. —A. and N.Z. WHITTOME STEVENSON LTD. An interim dividend of 7A per cent, has been declared by the directors of Whittome Stevenson, Ltd., for the halfyear ended December 31, 1927. AUCTION NOTES William A. Horne, Ltd., will offer by public auction at their rooms, Horne's Buildings, High Street, to-morrow, at 1 p.m., a modern bungalow of four rooms situated in Bentley Avenue, off! New Windsor Road, Avondale. Also on behalf of the mortgagees, a bungalow of five rooms and kitchenette, on section 61ft. x 133 ft. 9in., situated at Rahiri Road, Mount Eden.