COMMERCIAL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume 1, Issue 3, 9 February 1914, Page 8

COMMERCIAL.

LONDON MAKKETS. By Odble.—Press Association. — Copyright. (Received February 9, 8.10 a.m.) LONDON, February 8. At the. hide sales, prices were firm with supplies small. Queensland brought 9|d to 9 7-16 d; New South Wales, 9 3-16 d to 9£<L Leather is in good demand. Quotations:—Australian (heavy), 14d to 16] d. Basils are steady, first Sydneys bringing 14J"d to 15Jd, and New Zealand 16id to 2L}d. Rabbits are easier, owing to the warm weather. New South Wales blues 16s to 16s 6d per crate. FROZEN MEAT. Store sheep: North Island, 4 9-16 d, with best brands at 4|d. New Zealand ewes, 4jd. Lambs: North Island, 6|d; selected brands, 6Jd; Australian lambs, 5 9-16 d; South American lambs (heavy), 5 5-16 d. South American chilled beef: Fores 4&d, hinds 4£d. Other meats are unchanged.

BREADSTUFFS. Wheat-is firm and steady. Several Australian cargoes have been sold from 35/4£ to 35/71; also 6600 tons at 35/4£, and 13,000 tons at 35/6, both February shipments. The wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 2,935,000 quarters; for the Continent, 1,745,000; Atlantic shipments, 318,000; Pacific, 2000. Totals: Europe, 1,315,000; Australasian, 246,000. HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. The Department of Agriculture, Industries, and Commerce has received the following cablegram from the High Commissioner for New Zealand, dated February 7:— [Note*: Quotations, unless otherwise specified, are average market prices on spot.] v. Meat: Generally, prices for mutton and lamb have declined on account of dull trade and owing to large shipments from Australia and New Zealand. These shipments, last month, were 70 per cent, above those of January of last year. Mutton: North Island 4|d per lb, ewes 4|d. Lamb: Other than Canterbury, 6fd. Beef: Stocks of New Zealand beef on hand are light, with a moderate demand. New Zealand hinds 4£d, fores 4d, chilled hinds 4£d, chiUed fores 3£d. Biver Plate shipments received, during the month of January, 1914, of mutton and lamb in London 63,925 and 36,115 carcases, Liverpool 73,914 and 32,094, Hull 5059 and 2415, Southampton 14,205 and 5492,' Plymouth 1820 and 221. Totals, January, 1914, 158,933 and 76,335; totals, January, 1913, 272,839 and. 75,766. Butter: The market is unchanged. The demand is improving, but prices are unchanged for New.Zealand. Danish: The market is quiet, but steady; per'cwt, 123/- to 126/-. New Zealand: The market is quiet, but steady at 113/to 116/-; unsalted 118/- to 120/-. Australian is in fair demand at 109/- to 112/-; and the Argentine market is steady at 110/- to 112/-. Siberian is in good demand at 110/- to 112/-. Cheese: The market is weaker, and prices are slightly lower. Complaint is made by the trade that the New Zealand factories do not act in accordance with the instructions of merchants in making the proportion of white and coloured. Canadian white, per cwt, 68/to 69/-, coloured 71/- to 72/-. New Zealand: The market is slow; white 63/- to 64/-, coloured 65/- to 66/-, deep red 68/- to 70/-. The estimated stocks of Canadian cheese at London, Liverpool, and Bristol on February 2 was 123,000 boxes, as against 210,000 at the same time last year. The New Zealand and Australian stocks at London and Bristol are 12,700 crates, as against 14,000 at the same time last year. Hemp: The market for New Zealand hemp is dull on account of heavy arrivals. Sales this week include good fair, in dock, at £25 10/-, per ton, fair £23; January to March —good fair £26, fair £23 15/-. Manila: The market is quiet and prices are slightly weaker, consumers holding off. Fair current on spot per ton is £2B 5/-, with January to March shipments £2B 10/-. The output from Manila for the week was 23,000 bales. Tow: Tow in near positions sold.at £l2 5/- per ton for first grade, second grade £ll 5/-, third grade £lO 10/- to £lO 15/-. Forward shipment sellers are holding off. Cocksfoot: The market is quiet, but steady, and there is a better demand for New Zealand, owing to the absence of Danish offers. Hops: The market is dull, with very little business doing; 1913 crops, English, per cwt, 140/- to 180/-, Continent 120/- to 220/-, American 95/- to 126/-. Wool: Business in tops is apparently improving, and;the market is steadier. Current Bradford quotations are: 46 "s low crossbreds medium crossbreds 19M, 56's quarterbreds 21-Jd, GO's merinos 27£ d. COUNTRY MARKETS. At the Cust market there was a small yarding; 480 fats, principally lambs. • There was a good sale. Tegs brought 20/11, .freezing, lambs 17/- to 19/4, fat crossbred ewes, 14/11 to 17/-, soundmouth crossbred ewes 17/1.