TRADE AND FINANCE

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12265, 11 October 1902, Page 3

TRADE AND FINANCE

LIVE STOCK MAEKET. Sydney, Friday. At the Homebnsh stock sales a small consignment of New Zealand sheep ranged from 30s to 36s 61, and cattle from £l2 Ha 4d to £2O 6s. MEAT MAEKET. Mr John Gtindley, of Dnnedin, writing to the Oiajo Daily Times, gives his views on the London meat market, acquired in the coarse of a recent visit. He says: “ What I should like to see in New Zealand is a trust ter each island, consigning their meat to be sold on the pnblio market by their own representatives, who, like their American consins, would be able to regulate prices to suit themselves, to as to secure a good remunerative price to the grower. At present this is, to my mind, how the farmer in New Zealand pays the piper: First, he breeds and feeds, say, a line of both fat lambs and wether*. These are sold, probably, to a dealer, who sends them to the nearest freszing works, where they are generally said to the company. The latter in turn sella by cable at cif. price, London, to some large speculator (‘ Kid Glove Brigade’) from whom they are sold ont of the large stores at the docks, in parse s, to the market jobbers, and there is still a step (nether to go before the meat reaches the butcher's hands to be placed before the public. It is therefore to be presumed the above four speculators all make a profit, notwithstanding the irregularity in values. Of course I am aware there ate farmers who ship the whole ef their fat stock to London and get the full benefit cf dealing with London; but the bulk of the small growers are considerable losers by not shipping direct to an undoubted firm, and will continue to be until they sea their way to put thsir shoulder to the wheel and combine to protect their own interest. I have often heard it said before I left New Zealand: ‘Ob, prices are down again. It’s because of the large quantity in stores, London, and afloat.’ I consider that is all nonsense, as the quantity sent from lovely little New Zealand is like a drop in a backet, eo to speak, compared with Britain’s demands.”

DEPIFOSD MAEKEI. As though anticipating the removal of the restrictions on the importation cf cattle from the Argentine Kipublic, tha London City Corporation have completed aome important change* at Deptford market which will greatly facilitate the handling of the cattle. A light railway linking np tha market with the great railways of the country has been laid down, new laitagei of enormouseapicity, with abattoirs, cooling chambers and chill rooms have been built, and to facilitate the discharge of cattle from the large ocean-going steamers three jetties, connected at the head by one, and forming a deep water wharf, have been constructed. The efficiency of this wharf for the purpose for which it was designed was demonstrated recently when a large transport steamer on her way from the sea to Millwall Dock called at the jetty and discharged in 35 minutes 600 head of cattle and 1700 eheep.