COMMERCIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 7, 9 January 1903, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

FIB PRESS "ASSOCIATION Wellington, January 5. The following cable has been received from the Agent-General, dated London, 3rd insfc." Trade in all classes of mutton has been very slow, prices beinjj barely maintained * There is a tendency to decline. The average price to-day of Canterbury mutton is 5/, i, North Island do 4|3, with % plentiful supply at 4d. There is scarcely any demand for lamb. The stock on hind is light, and the average price to day for Canterbury is aid. Beef is very dull, the supplies of American chilled being large. New Zealand hinds, 5d ; fores, 4d. The butter market is dull, buyers holding tack expecting prices to go lower. The price is 1083 to Ills per cwt. The cheese market is vory lirm, the price to-day being 60s per cwt. The supply on hand is small. Hemp is steady. Good fair Wellington grade on spot is to-day L 32 10s; January and March shipments L2B 10s. Cocksfoot is quiet with no pressure to . sell. New Zea'aud. 17s per lb; Standard, 63s per cwt."

London - , January 4. Copper.—Spot, L 53 7s til ; three months, L 3 15s ; supplies, 22,052 tons ; deliveries during the past month, 22,210 tons ; stocks. 1(J,540 tons ; advised afloat from Australia, 1925 tons. Silver, LI 10 i 5-l<iths. Kauri.—Stock, 735 tons. Hemp is steady. Fair Wellington October December shipmeut, L3l. Sheep.—Canterbury, all classes, s[d ; North Islaud, sd. Lambs.—Dunedin and Southland, skl. River Plate sheep, heavy and 4 7-l<>th3. All other quotations a>e unchanged. Beef.—New Zeaand is aomin tl. River Plate fores, 31 11-l(khs ; hinds, 41 316ths. The Frozen Meat Trade Association's Smithfibld Market quotations for the undermentioned classes of frozen meats are bised on actual sales ' f not less thau 100 carcases of mutton or lamb or 25 carcases of beef of fair average quality. These quotations are not for selected lines, but for parcels fairly representative . of the balk of the shipments now o i the market: —New Zealand Sheep —Crossbred wethers and maiden ewes Canterbury light, 48 to 50! bs ; Canterbury medium, 56 to 641bs ; Canterbury heavy 64 to 721bs ; Dunedin and Southland, 50 to 641bs ; North Island, 55 to (>slbs ; New Zealand lambs Canterbury light, 28 to 361bs ; Canterbury heavy, 3ti to 421bs ; Dunedin and Southland, 23 to 421bs ; North Island, 2S to 421bs ; New Zealand beef on fores, 180 to 2201bs ; ox hinds, 180 to 2201b5. * Sydney, January (i.

At the opening wool sale this year the bidding was animated, and the market was decided in strength, with an advance from par to 5 per cent, for medium to good descriptions. Greasy sold up to lljd ; scoured, 20id. The gold yield for New South Wales last year was 254 4350z, valued at LI,080,00<), compared with 21fj,880oz, valued at L921.C00,- the previous year.