COMMERCIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1918, Page 8

COMMERCIAL.

LONDON MARKETS. N ACUTE MEAT SHORTAGE. Ai)Btralian-N.Z. Cable Association. London, Jan. (i. The Wheat Commission has raised ]irices two shillings. Australian, c.i.f., IDs 6d; ex quay is quoted at 83s Cd to 84s 3d. Copra.—Spot £45. Rubber.—Para 2s OJd, plantation 2s 53d, smoked Is s]d. Hemp.—Fair business at Government rates. A few Australian sheep and lambs at Smithlield realised 11-Jd. The few rabbits released were eagerly competed for at Government rates. At the week-end the meat shortage was acute at Smithfiekl, supplies being tiO per cent, below requirements. The Government restricted the week-end sale of mutton from cold storage in the East End and munition areas and excluded the West, ICnd. The Food Controller expressed the opinion that the farmers are not antagonistic to fixed graded prices of live cattle, but they are slow thinkers, and are waiting to see results. If the farmers continue not to market their cattle he will commandeer stock. A large number of sheep were marketed, as live prices are not fixed, butchers buying sheep at prices considerably above the prices fixed for dead mutton. GREAT COMPETITION. London, Jan. G. There is great competition in London for corned beef, sausages, poultry, and fish. There are queues everywhere, and unprecedentedly high prices. Bones are eagerly purchased. The wholesale price of best English wild rabbits is 3s 6d.

AUCKLAND STOCK MARKET. The Xe\v Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, reports:— At Westlield store stock sale best dairy cows and heifers £ll 10s to £ls, others £8 15s to £ll ss, empty cows £7 10s to £S ss, bulls 7gns to 14gns, calves £;> 10s to £4, yearling steers £4 Ids to ;C(i 15s, yearling heifers £3 Ins to £5 10s, forward wethers £1 lis (id to ;2! Us fid. shorn ewes, with lambs, IKs (id, shorn .hoggets l'2s to His 6d. vVesttield fat stock market: Best oxen sold to £2 12s per 1001b, others £2 G,; to £2 lis, cow and heifer beef sold at from £2 8s to £2 9s per 1001b; steers sold at from £l3 5s to £22 ss, cows and heifers 39 to £ls ss. Calves: Runners made from £G 10s to £8 12s fid, heavy vealers £4 !<)s to £5 ss, medium £2 IBs to £4 (Is. light 33s to £2 14s, fresh dropped ft? to 235) weak and bad calves 3s to 7s. Pigs: Choppers and heavy baconcrs from £4 13s to £(i 2s Cd. large porkers £3 7s (id to £4 12s fid, medium £2 lis Cd to £3 ss, small 35s to £2 15s, slips £1 2s (id to 32s Oil, weaners 14s fid to £1 Is. Sheep: Best, wethers £1 14s fid to £1 17s fid, medium £1 10s to £1 )4s, inferior £1 3s to £1 Ss,- best ewes £1 y s 3d to £1 l-2s 9d, medium £1 3s to £1 Ss fid. inferior 12s 0-1 to £l, hoggets, best quality £1 Is to £1 Ts, _ others from 13s. Lamb-: Rest sold at from £1 to £1 6s, medium 54s to l«s (kl, others 9s to 13s Od, inferior 5s to Ss 9d.