THE FAT LAMB TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 549, 2 July 1909, Page 8

THE FAT LAMB TRADE.

CANTERBURY POINT OF VIEW,

■. A'Christchurch, Pross telegram states that at a luncheon tendered, by the Christchurch Meat Company yesterday afternoononr tho occasion of the visit of the members of- the Springstpn branch of the Now Zealand'lEanners': Uiuon,. the manager,' of tho company (Mr. William, iMurray) made some interesting and instructive observations regarding \the past, presont,'and future 'of .the ..Canterbury,,fat Jamb trade. He said: ' At.-ithe.present juncture in the.'histbry, of the frozen , , meat industry it was well to. note the gradual change that had.corao over the requirements, .of,-'the London market. For many years the-farmers of Canterbury had' been growing the type that the tratic demanded—a lamb rather on tho heavy, side.. Ho did not blame them' for that; as they, were- only catering for what was required. The company had contributed, to, that result by the best; prices foi\.. weight, but times wore changing, and , the. lamb that was going to maintain its-hold on,the public at Honie was th'o'light;larab.;of;good- .quality. Proporly finished lanibs!6f.:New •Zealand; and Canterbury, ran up;i t0.381b. , .and'-were hard to place, j They had io .recognise, that both. New Zealand and Canterbury had 'to face greatly I increased, competition in tho lamb trade, and in Canterbury the ■ stress', of, outside competi- ■ tion was especially acute; In. : 1897, during the five months of the January-May porioo, , Canterbury oxported' 600,000 lambs, while the rest of New. Zealand put together exported 200,000; This meant that for the period, named three out of every four New Zealand lambs were- exported from Canterbury. To that fact was largely duo tho splendid name that Canterbury lamb had gamed on the London market—that and tho quality'of the article sent out. Since 1897, however, the preponderance, of Canterbury exports-had been., gradually diminishing,, until this year fbr the January, to [ May .period Canterbury exported, 800,000 lambs' (not '■ a very stantial.rate of. progress: in. twelve years), ■while the'. rest, of ' New' Zealand exported 1,400,000 carcasses, as against 200,000 twelve years , :'ago.'-- The startling increaso in ihese figures was almost wholly due to the North Island. They must recogniso that the. rest ,of ;New: Zealand was. going to giyo Canter- ' bury 'a' hard : yun for. : the lamb'tradei '/":' A\\ Canterbury growers could.do in tho direction of retrieving the position was to.breed : carefully, ;.and; supply thb' article needed.. : The course of the fat lamb industry was not going, to be a smooth ono.. ■ No fewer than 2,200,000 lambs had ,been. shipped; .away- from): New Zealand during the.five months of; thjD year to which he 'had referred, and naturally a lower range of values had;.to. be.accepted. -;,•

;■■.;•:'; !.. ''V. LIVE-STOCK-SALES.; ..-; ; Messrs. Dalgety.'''and/Co'.V Ltd.,?report:—At our.Palmersbon,sstle;j ; es.terday.there was a very fair entry of 'sheep and cattle, , ' all of' which sold under the'-hammer. Wo 'quote:—lfixed larubs, Bs. lid. to '95.; small 2-tooth ; ewes in lamb, to' 125.; fat-.ewes, 12sl- Gd.; 2 and itooth wethers, 12s.lld.;'light fat wethers,-Us. 3d.; young ewes in lamb, 15s. 3d. Cattle: Empty.cows, £2 12s. fid.;'light'fat heifers,; £i to SA 55.; late springing h'eii'ere, 745.; forward bullocks, .£6, £6 'lGsr to £6 175. -"V -// ©The- New ■ Zealand. , Loan;. and, - -Mercantile Agency ' Company; Limited, < : report on 'their sale at Palinerston yesterday as ■ follows:—-. Sheep sold particularly well, and a good entry of cattle met with keen inquiry, buyers-being particulai'lyi keen.after grown bullocks and fat Stock; Quotations:—Sheep , ■.: Wethers-(sm,all), 11s.. 6d. Cattle:' Forward, bullocks; J!s*4s. to .£6 Is.; light'fat- bullocks,' 18s. Gd.; fat heifers, ,£5 to .£5 19s. ;.etore cows, £i 75.; dairy cows, -il 10s.-tQ.-JCS; small heifers in calf, £2 3s. ■ .'■-. 'V--.-..V',- ../' :■''/.'.-':.'■ . "-.' ."' .'-. Messrs. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., reporting on theirPalmersron sale, held yesterday, state that a good entry, of sheep' met with spirited competition. ; Cattle also met with a keeiudemand, and. all lots sold readily at safe factory-fpricesl' 'Quotations:' Tat wethers,. 11s,. ■lOdv ;= t'at.and.forward- wethers, 13s. Bd. to; Us.; Id.; forward wethers, 13s. 2d;;.istore wethers,; 10s. 10d. to.-lis: 7d;'; fdt;ewes,ils.'.6d. to lls , ;' Bd.; fat .'and forward-: ewes, • 10s. Mid,;:,good', ilambs, 9s. lid.;.medium lambs; 7s; ! Id. , to -7s. 3d.; cull lambs,'6s.;. niixed aged ewes in lamlr (low condition),' Bs.-to , 9s. IOd.; 2-tooth to;s',m, ewes in lamb.v'lOs. IOd.:; 3-year .bullocks, <£5,,05. Gd.j.fat arid forward cows, £3 55.; forward cows, .£2 125.-6d,;,springing cbm, .£5.. ...-•/ Reporting on; their , Waikanap stock ~ sale,Messrs. Abraham and, Williams, Ltd., state as follows:—We :had a' smnll'yarding of sheep and a good yarding of cattle. Stock of all descriptions mot-with a keen demand at auction, and wo quitted the whole of our>enlry undpr the hammer at-prices, in almost every .case,' In favour of the- vendors. Quotations: Forward empty, ewes, Us;. 5d.; shorn lambs, 9s. 4d.;. woolly..lambs,-10$.; -yreaners, 18s.. 6d... to 235.. to 345.; forward empty,cows; <£2 15?., , store cows, : .£2'2s. to £2 35.; , dairy cows; .£5 to £5 17s. Gd;; 18-months steers, £2 7s. .to £2 9s. Gd.; 2-year steers, , . lls.; 3-year bullocks, £i 19; Gd.; fat cows, ':£3- 19s. to £i; springing heifers, £i to £i 35. , ; heifers in calf, i! 3; empty heifers, 345. • " ;'■•" - ■■■---. ';■-■•-.•■ '■•■ -- ■ * ' ■