LONDON MARKETS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8404, 19 April 1907, Page 3

LONDON MARKETS.

J (From Our London Correspondent.) LONDON, March 8. The Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company, Limited, under date March Ist, report as follows Trade continues very quiet, and although colder weather has put a little more life into the enquiry for beef, the demand for mutton is slow and dragging and prices are maintained with difficulty. An average quantity of meat was passed through Smithfield last week, showing some improvement on the pitchings for the previous week, but dealers are still disposed to grumble at the amount of business done. Homebred beef has improved in value to s*d to s§d per lb for English and s|d to 6d per lb for Scotch sides. North American chilled beef shows less alteration. The best hindquarters are stationary at s|d per lb, but the value of inferior has advanced to sd, and forequarters show a material improvement to 3§d to 3?d per lb. South American chilled hinds have advanced about Jd per lb to 4Jd <o 4£d per lb, but very few fores are available. English and Scotch mutton shows practically no charge in quotations, and prices are only maintained by virtue of the moderate offerings and in the absence of Continental supplies. Pork has not been quite so plentiful and is the turn dearer. New Zealand Mutton.—The Kaipara with 19,776 carcases and the Pakeha with 4,489 carcases, have arrived during the week, the latter vessel having been to West Coast ports. Prices generally are a little weaker and the demand is very slow. Canterburys are now available in quantities fully adequate to the limited requirements of the trade, and supplies being distributed, quotations do not now exceed j 4id per lb for the best light carcases, while heavy weights can be I bought at 4d per lb. North Islands range from 3jjd to 4§d per lb according to weight, very few making the latter figure. The repeated cablegrams announcing strikes of the slaughtermen at the various works in the colony have had no effect on this market, more particularly since the announcement that one works had given in to the men's demands. South American Mutton.- -Stocks have been increased by 13,085 carcases per Arniral Bauciin, and 26,930 carcases per Star of Ireland. London quotations have weakened to 3Jd to 3sd per lb and some of the Provincial markets show even more pronounced signs of weakness. Australian Mutton. —The Hawke's ; Bay ha 3 arrived with 27,598 carcases and the Dorset with approximately 10,000 carcases. These sheep move fairly readily at about 3sd to 3gd per lb according to weight, good light carcases being in request. New Zealand Lambs. —The two t vessels named brought 22,107 carcases. Stocks on hand and the sup- I " plies afloat are far heavier than j the market can absorb at this .early i stage of the season, and in conce- j quence sales are being pressed in j all directions with weak and declining prices. The extreme value | of prime Canterburys is barely -5Jd per lb and prices range from that figure down to 5d per lb for plain Nrirth Islands. , Australian Lambs. —Stocks have been increased by about 113,000 carcases, and the supply of these is still abundant. Heavy weights are enquired for owing to the scarcity •-of good light mutton, but the small plain carcases are very difficult to sell. The value of the best brands is now no better than 43id per lb, and the inferior marks can be bought down to 3fd per lb. Frozen Beef. —Some 4,200 quarters from New Zealand and 14,000 quarters from South America have come to hand. New Zealand beef sells fairly well. Hinds are quoted at 3id to 3§d per lb and fores remain at per lb. South American beef does not move readily and is being offered in the provinces at less than the London quotations given below. Mar. 1 Mar 1. 1907. 1906 Per lb. Per lb. English mutton (wethers 6& 7 6| 7 Scotch mutton (wethers 7| 6f 7 New Zealand (Canterbury 4 4£ 4J New Zealand (North Island) 3£ 4g 4 4| Australian 3£ 3gd 3 31 South American 3J 3| 3 3£ New Zealand lamb 5 4 ojfc Australian (N.S.W. and Vic.) 32 4| 3& 4& Australian (Adelaide) 3| 4& 3| 4J English beef (sides) 5J 5§ 5 51 Scotch beef (sides) 5£ 6 51 5£ North American beef (hinds) 5 5| 4 5.1 North American beef (fores) 3f 35 3 31 New Zealand beef (hinds) 3£ 3§ 3J New Zealand beef (fores) 2f 2f 2| Australian beef (hinds) none 2g 3 Australian beef (fores) -ione 2g 2£ South American beef (hinds) 3I 3| 2§ 21 South American beef • (fores) 2\ 2g 21 2£