COMMERCIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 12 April 1926, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

AAIKRICAN WHEAT CROP. By C*ble—Press Association—Copyrljnt. Australian and N.SL Cnblo Association (Received April 11, 5.5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, April 9. The Department of Agriculture ] l; , s reported that the condition ol' winter wheat on April 1 was SI.I per cent, of normal, compared with 58.7 per cent, on the .same date last .year. There was an increase of the wheat condition from December 1, 1925, to April 1, of 1.4 points compared with, an average decline in the past ten years of 5.7 points between these dates. WHEAT QUOTATIONS. Bv Cable —Press Association —Copyright. Australinn and N.Z. Cable Association (Received April 11, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 10. Cargoes are active and firmed by 6d to 9d, but buyers are awaiting the filial Argentine estimate. Parcels are firmer, hut quiet. Liverpool futures. —Alay lls <ld, July 'lls -Jd, October Ids 7ld. CHICAGO QUOTATIONS. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Ai'.-ernlian and N 51. Coble Association. (Received April 11, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, April 10. Chicago wheat, Alay (new) 160 J cents, old 1594 cents, July 137 cents, September 1324 cents.

LONDON MEAT PRICES. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright, Australian and N.Z. Cablo Association (Received April 11, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 10. Sheep. —Canterbury, medium Old, heavy sj}d; North island, light 64d, nyidium 6d, heavy old. Lambs.—Canterbury, medium 10Jd> heavy 9jd; North Isiand, seconds Ofd. Australian, seconds botli 9-Jd, thirds 7|d. Argentine, seconds 7ijd. Chilled heel.—Argentine, fores 2jd, hinds 5-|d. Other meats unchanged.

SMITHEI ELD lI'HOLESALE PRICES. The Meat Board, in its last report from its London manager, quotes, tho wholesale Smithfield prices for new season’s lamb at Ist April, 1926, as follows : —Prime Canterbury, 36lbs and under URd, 37 to 421bs ‘lU'd, 43 to SOlbs 9Jd; other brands, -121 bs and under 9jd. There does not appear to \ be much variation in the prices of tho different grades, which is quite a contrast to the quotations recently l'oj ccived for the last of the old season’s lambs. .This may be explained by | reason of the small quantity of new season’s heavy weight lamb yet Oil the market. The major portion of the supplies of new season’s lamb at present on .Smithfield has been shipped' from Hawke’s Bay, Poverty Bay, and AVairarapa, and owing to the climatic j conditions prevailing in these districts i this season, the average weight of : lambs has been considerably below the previous year, with the result that atthe present moment .there are not many heavy weight new season's lambs on the London market, evidently not .sufficient to cause any great variation in prices between the light and heavy grades. Small quantitic.s of South Island lambs are now appearing on Smithfield, hut the heavy weight iambs are not in sufficient quantitj" to cause buyers to discriminate between tlic light ami heavy grades. Later oil, when the main shipments from the South island commence to arrive and a greater quantity of heavy weight Jambs appear, the difference in values between the heavy and light weights will be influenced according to tile number of heavy weight lambs yet to be snipped from the South Island. Last year, it may be noted, was an exceptionally good .fattening season, -particularly in tho North Island, as shown hv the average weight of lambs shipped, 'which was above the average .season.

BRITISH AfKAT RETAIL .PRICES. Tho ATeat Board has been advised bv its London manager that the retail prices minted by the superintendent of the Smithfield market for New Zealand lamb on 18th Gobrunry, 1926, were as fellows:—Legs Is to is 4d, shoulders Bid to Is 2d, loins Bid to Is 2d, necks Sd to Js. 111-easts 6d. These- prices rpplv to New Zealand meat retailed in London, and fairly reflect a reasonable margin on the wholesale prices ruling in Loudon at that date. These price lists are issued by the superintendent of tl’.e Sniif.hfie'd market each week, as a guide to the public, and the British public can always check ' Ihe prices charged by retailers by comparing them witli these prices. There are some retail"!'i who have, however, been charged higher prices than the Smithfield retail prices, and this is a matter which has been receiving the attention of tlic Eood Council. There is now quite a large amount of our lamb and mutton being handled, by different Departmental stores in London, and as an indication of the retail prices at which it is sold hv these stores, it may he noted that Selfridge’s Ltd. quote the fol'owin-.r retail prices in tile press dated 20th -lanuary, 1926: —New Zealand lamb, lorequarters 9d per lb, hindquarters Is per lb. ‘ “TATTERSALL’S" REPORT. ’Hie Canterbury Farmers’ Co-op report having held their weekly horse in.frke; on Friday, when an entry of 17 horses came forward. The attendance was fair. There was a good inquiry for young draughts, but ill some ease-s vendors placed their reserves rather high. The firm qii’Tfe some of the sales made: —.Draughts £l3, £l4 10s, £2l, .£23, £25, £26 to £3O; express sorts £35 pair: harness horsc-s, £5, £5 10s, 2 at £8 Ids.