The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 1903. NEW ZEALAND MUTION AND LAMB.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 183, 5 August 1903, Page 2

The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 1903. NEW ZEALAND MUTION AND LAMB.

rcc ived in June, b inging to'ah since Ist Jinu-sty to 1,487,908, an rxcess

In view of the serious decreosa in the i.uiiiber of sheep in New Zealand tho last ii'po.i from the Colonial Oonsigamsnt and Dirtiibuting dated London, 3id July, to hand by the English mail on Tuesday morning, makes interesting reading and to a great extent explains the dt crease. No couu--sry witi'out a much larger number if sheep than New Zealand has cm staad &he demind which eiists for New ZiaUnd meat, without every efliit aud L'are to maintain thoir strength and it s a question whether some restriction should ri( t be placed on tha export of ewe lambs, Toe magnitude of the irade may bsseen from the following ivportra New Zetland mutton:—•'• The anivals since our last mail report are 287,218 carcase-', bringing total receipts in June to 336,544, makiug it the record month, tbe nearest in numbsrs being May, 1901. when 319,788 carcases came to band, in that year the previous two months had been moderate, this yeir arrivals in Apiil 310,366, and May 293,894, have only once been exceeded in any month, the to l tl receipts for the " three " months 940,8! 4 cat cases, are only 2135 few«?r than were imported in the fist " six" months of last year, and aro 58,588 in xoeaa of the imports of the firso " six " months of 1901. Total imports sicca Ist January amount to 1,500,933 carcases, an increase over last ytar ef 557,984, and of 618,699 over receipts of 1901. Such very large additions to stocks might reasonably enough bare been expected to upset trade, and cause a slump in values, especially as coincident with thi sq heavy receipts prices of Pia'e Mutton were considerably lowered, and temporarily attracted a number of buyers, but on the contrary, i-ade in New Zealand mutton h.mbeen fairly steady, and values hardened, ksi week promised considerable and speedy enhancement, till tbe sudden change to great heat on Saturday parajised the retail trade, and has nude business this week flat, and slow in tha extreme, with teLdency to s'ightly lower prices on the maiket to char, There has, so far, been no inclination to push prevailing impression is (hat there are no accumulations in stores, and it is known that afioats are by no means excessive, or more thin can b3 readily disposed of as they oome to hand, even with the reduced output that may be looked for, in another month or so, when London empties. The high prices demanded in the colony c.i.f. have strengthened the belief that shipments in the futuie will be on a reduced scale, and under ordinary circumstancesl lessened supplies wtuld certainly advance rates, but nixt month will probably bring the fi.st shipment from tha recently established River Fh'e work-, and competition .with th» three existing Companies seems certain to result in ! piice?, and to have considerable v flueuce on values of New Zealand mutton, tlu-rsj is not now the dilfererce in quilily, and in values, that ined to obtain, and chfcop R ver Plato mutton m anslowr! priced New Zealand. An alternative modus vivendi may be found, but present indicatiocs se s m t > bo for keen competition and cutting rates. Rec nt shipments show no improvement in 1 quality, really prime carcases are very s'sorr, they are, and have been, Winti d, and would good prices, selected light weight CUctprbur s sell up to 4d per lb, perhaps 20 per cep\ of the b st brands make that 6gur.", the remainder iof the parcel selli. g at 3|l down t> j 3|i per lb, heaviw 55 to 601 bs miko 'about 3|d per lb, 65 tc6B:bs 3| per lb, . 701bs and over from 3| I down t) 3 I ; per lb, very many being fit and wastful to a degree, plain and infeiio-, if whioh a number have been roce'ved as about the same price. North Island mutton, about 521b. a , lbs, last we k, sold at 3f J, 601bj at at 3|d ped lb, he ivies down to 31 per lb, ewes at 2|land per lb, depending on B ? z9,weightaudwaßtefulnoßV Of New Zealand jji*ml>,—Blß,Bß7 ware

over List year of 297,747 and of 708,808 over 1901, receipts this year being nearly double those of two yeaiy ago, Notwithstanding thess very larga acrivals, and the oold uugenial weather :tiiat prevailed t vor gco:l pvt (f June, 6 almost w nt.rly ia temperature, thrue & has barm nc re rogcetsion in value', 1 demand certainly slackened to some f ex:en<, but wi"h the wal summer that ! • set iu last w-ek, there was mjra en- ! quiry, and towards the end output i w. s v. ry 1 rge, this w«k, in common with all others, the lamb trade has j been dragging aud deliveries lessened, j but the week-end will almost certainly ' see a revival, Values keep much as j ibi=y were, the best small Ihnterburys | Bell at 5| 1 per lb., rather heavier at | sjj 1 per H, hewies and Tegs at 4gd , down to 4f! par lb. North Island,; smal 1 , ?-t 5g to per lb., hewi r about 51 pvr lb. i'iie manner in which j !ha colony has rii-n frj tho demand is | mamllous, Tho export in 1899, from j Ist January to 30th Juce, being: •, muttoa 800,000 and lamb 750,000,! 1 1 while dn iug the lix mjutlis of this; j 1 yatr the figures a-e : mutton 1,500,933 iand lamb 1,487,908. Duung the same periods River Plate figures were: !' 1899, mutton 1,140.222 and lamb nil; 1903, mutton 1,450,410, lamb 135,144. i