COMMERCIAL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 20 December 1913, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

Business (c.i.f.)' is reported in North-Island lamb at 6|d per lb ifor December shipment, and .6d for January shipment. ■ Sales of beef are also reported at 4£d-per lb, equal fores and hinds, for January ehipitient. North Island ewe mutton for December-January shipment has sold afl 33d, and for wethers for shipment from January to March 4|d. has "been paid. "Consequently dissatisfaction continues (says the Manchester Guardian) to be felt by Australian and New Zealand farmers with the limited area of distribution ot their produce in the United Kingdom. Instead of having- all their shipments sent direct to London, they would welcome opportunities of shipping to West Coast ports, which serve such a thickly-populated area. Manchester offers exceptional facilities for this, and it is to be hoped that the efforts which are being made by the Australian and New . Zealand Governments will be productive of some' g00d.,. Frozen produce can be sorted at the Manchester docks into the marks and separate consignees at the same temperature as is maintained in the hold of the vessel from which the produce has been discharged. It can either be loaded into covered carts for the local markets and" shops, or into the insulated waggons for dispatch by ' rail into the interior towns. Then there is the additional consideration that of a population of roughly 55 millions, London can only claim a close proximity to 15 millions, whereas Manchester is the better distributing centre to the remainder of the population. The cold-air stores provided at Weaste, Miller street, are a further indication of less damage being incurred by foreign carcases at Manchester than at London. This is 'a matter which weighs very heavily with exporters in Australia ' and New Zealand, because the claims for damage in London are a serious item in the account sales re- [ turned to the'fanners."—Wellington Post.