COMMERCIAL.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 52, 14 February 1912, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

LONDON WOOL MARKET. CROSSBREDS VERY Fl RAI. Writing under date January sth, the Bradford correspondent to the “ Sydney Morning Herald” says: — There is really lilt'e cbang.' l to repm-t in crossbreds, and evoryib.iug is on the firm side. .Arrivals from New Zealand ■are not coming in for the forthcoming London sales as •••ntisfactorily as uiam. expected, Knd tiieie is eve:'; npp.r*.* a nee of there fifing a'lnuHi less quantity for sale than is usual Jor a January series. There are indications of a squeeze in combing crossbreds, ano with the strike in Buonos .tires spreading, it seems as if those who have stocks are going to be masters ol the sitmlion. It is well known that more wool than ever lias been bought during the past sis: weeks in Buenos Aires on A >rkshire account, and this wool is bound to come in at a handy time. It is rather noteworthy that this season Bueftos Aires is providing .1 long way the cheapest crossbred wool; in fact, it is going to be the salvation of the Bradford topmaker. From what we hear, I' reach and German operations have been much less than usual, their place being taken by those buying on Bradford account. Locally there is no great weight of business passing. It is still possible to buy an ordinary 40’s prepared top at 13<1, although the majority are quoting Jd to id more. A little more is doing in M’s and 4G’s carded tops, and, taking things on the whole, crossbreds are certainly manifesting more signs of strength than recently. Whether the liopes of many will be realised in regard to a higher range of values remains to be seen, but Bradford users are not disposed at present to force the pace, it being too early to start that game in view of all the New Zealand clip which has still to be lifted. The alpha and omega of the trade to-day are cheaper supplies, and in view of the unsatisfactory conditions ot the German crossbred yarn trade, it is felt that higher prices are not justified. It is commonly reported that a fair contingent of buyers are on the way from the United States for the forthcoming London sales, in which case it is almost certain that crossbreds will sell very strongly indeed.

GRAIN MARKET

Christchurch, Feb. 13

The wet weather last week interrupted threshing operations, and consequently affected the quantity of grain coming forward. There have, however, been a number of lots of wheat placed on the market. The.v have been sold at 3 3 to 3 4 at country stations, including a line of 10.000 bushels at the latter figure. There is a good demand for oats, principally lor shipment to Australia next month. The quantity oiFcring is not equal to requirements, and all lots coming forward find ready sale at I 10 to 2 -at country stations. It is reported that 2 i ha - »< -.1 paid at a near station for prompt delivery. Prime malting barley is firmer, as most of the new crop is more or less discoloured. Advices from Australia show that the r-rop is short there and that high prices are ruling. One firm of brewers is stated to have made arrangements for a shipment of 2000 tons of barley from Blenheim. Oat sheaf chaff is dull of sale, the market tor new season's chali not. having really opened ; yet a sale is reported to have been made at oO - at a country station. A fair amount of business is doing in ryegrass, and there is a considerable range in the price o.iii'g to tin* tailed quality, heavy seed being very scare-.'. Th? average price is E 6 to 1 9. and 1 10 to 2- lias been paid tor heavy seed, while very light has been bought as low as 1 3. Alone than the usual amount of cocksfoot has l;e->n saved this year on the plains, one farmer having 1000 sacks for sale. No Peninsula seed is yet on the market, and small lots from the plains have changed hands at 4d to 4 Id.

STOCK SALES. The associated stock brokers hold their regular sale at Waipukurau yesterday ,and report as (allows respectively : — Williams and Kettle, Ltd. —13S 5-vear-okl cues 8/4, 62 shorn lambs 7/-, 75 cull ewes 3/11, 21 forward 2-tooth wethers 13/2, 83 half bred ewes 11/5, [Ol 4-tooth wethers 12/11, 12 2-year heifers -23/7'6, 13 yearling steers £2 12/6, 12 18-month heifers .£2'l6 -, 6 18month steers £3'4,-, 8 forward heifers £6/7/-, 16 yearling heifers £2/8/-, _!•’» 20-month steers £4/6'-, 6 yearling steers £2 H*'-, 4 18-month heifers £3 7/-, 4 weaners 27'6, 8 2V-year steers £5/8/-. Hauke’s Bay Farmers’ Association, £, tc [.—s fat builoeks £7/10 '-, 8 fat bullocks £7/2/-, 5 store bullocks £6T/-, 137 2 and 4-tooth ewes 12 10. 109 2 and j-tooth owes 12,11, 15 lambs 9 -, 100 lambs 8.10, 18-1 5-year ewes 11/6. 70 wethers 12/4. 83 ewes 7'B. 19 ewes 7/-, 218 ewes 6/-I, 300 ewes 4 1. 450 ewes 3/11, 65 ewes 3/1, 265 ewes 2. c 5 ewes 5 / -. De Pelichet, McLeod and Co., Ltd.Il fat ewes 13/6, 266 4-tooth ewes 14/-!, -137 4-tooth ewes 14. 1. 67 2-tooth uves 12'8. 63 4-tootb. ewes 12,3. 296 6 and S-tooth ewes 11 6, 62 1 and 6tooth ewes 10'-. 113 5-year ewes 8 '6. 88 s.m. ewes 8/1, 27 forward ewes 8/-. Murray, Roberts and Co., Ltd. —130 s.m. w?s 7,4, 237 halfhred s.m. ewes 9 6. Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co.. Ltd. —One fat bullock £B, 9 fat cows £s'lo/-, 73 Shorthorn cows in calf and with calves at foot £5/15/-, 61 21 to -3year-o!d Polled Angus steers £5.15/6, 8 2-year-old steers £5, 8 2year old steers £4 8. -, 12 I.V-year-o.'d steers £3/12'-, 2 yearling steers £2 13/6, one yearling steer £3 14.-, ojje 2-year-old bull £3/13/6, 54 6-tooth ewes 14 8, 359 woolly sheep (mixed sexes) Lundon. Stewart and Co.. Ltd., report having held their usual stock sale at Waipukurau yesterday, when they offered a small yarding of both sheep and cattle to a large attendance of buyers. They report the following sales: 5 2\-year steers £5, one 21-year steer £5 7.’-, 2 2-year steers £4 5 5 heifers £3 16 '-, 2* heifers £216 '-. 46 ewes 11 6, 186 2-tooth ewes 9 1, 67 2-tooths (mixed) 9 5.

FROZEN MEAT TRADE. REDUCTION IN ARGENTINE SHIPMENTS. London. Jan. 5. The year 1911 finished quietly in the meat markets. Christmas is not a brisk season for the frozen trade, as the public are intent on buying the more expensive class of provisions. But when the lull records of the year are worked out. it will appear. I think, that 1911 was quite a good period. One of the features was the very heavy import of Australian lambs, over one and a halt million carcasses. It was anticipated that these lambs would decline considerably at the end of December in price, owing to the large arrivals, but market rates have kept up very fairly at !ld to 4/d per lb. according to quality. Exc.-pt for tin' Plate lambs, which are now arriving steadily month by month throughout the year, the Commonwealth lambs haie the field to themselves —these said South American lambs are accepted nowadays as a competitor with the Commonwealth, though they are sold principally in the

north of England. The import in 1911 was over one million, just double the previous highest shipments. A fewearly New Zealand lambs have arrived, and the pick of thein have made 6d per lb for, of course, a small pa we’. The most important matter at the moment concerning the trade is the reduction in the shipmer.t from Argen-ii-’.i of chilled hrj which I hr*, e referred bm'my. It is pretty geueraiiy und-'rstood that the quantity to l>e despati-h-’d in the immediate future is ; imOO!') q-mmm-s cm* cech. TlO-. tliv ii‘_>-uws ;>i tie* ins: R-w m-jiiths ami ::,c -■ in.* ■ 1 a v.ii -.xmi-mo a im> on r.i bh * effe**t upon the i'e.&.-u beef trade. AJo:..ey forward mm>i:ess in Australian ■' i. i < OHIO liii-'.'Ut . am tUOUgil i.;i* m .•::ng->:ii»i>t 'iiid.’r which til l redu< ml ..eh*ae>*H( 10 *am lio- A . goulnte is still*'! in h" c. a ■ temp.*e aiy mince, r. m not likely that we shall return t<; tii nxtnivagant methods that have marked tiie chilled beef business yet nwliim The New Zealand Loan and Alm .•untile Agency Co., Ltd., have reeei ,cd the following advice from their London office under date .laniwry stli: —.A slow demand has ruled for all descript lons of frozen mutton. New Zealand is wry scarce, and for this reason values have advanced Jd per lb, but for Australian and River Plate prices remain unchanged. For Australian lambs there is a fair inquiry, and last quotations have been maintained. A few new season’s New " Gear " lambs pieced on the market this week have matte 5d to 6d per lb. according to quality. An improved demand for frozen beef has been experienced this week, and prices rule slightly firmer. V.’e quote:—Sheep : Canterbury 4d to 4Jd, North Island 3’d to 4jd. Australian 3*Jd to 33d. Lamb: North Island (new season’s) 5d to Gd, Australian 4Jd to 4-£d. Beef: New Zealand 2Jd to 3/d. All off the hooks at Smithfield .

APPLE TRADE. PROSPECTS FOR EXPORTERS. London, Jan. 5. Concerning the apple trade of Great Britain in 1912, according to the ideas of the brokers, the imports will be very heavy indeed, assuming favourable harvest conditions in the producing countries from all quarters. Canadian appies are to arrive here in record quantities: Nova Scotia is boldly advertising that she will be able to supply the old country with 1,500,000 barrels of apples. Australian exporters may expect very keen competition in the apple business of 1912.