Frozen Meat Trade.

Manawatu Herald, 23 August 1894, Page 3

Frozen Meat Trade.

Eeport for Monthly San Francisco Mail, and Fortnightly|Australian Mail.

London, E.G., July 18th, 1894.

The accumulated stocks to which I referred lour weeks ago have grown still larger, and the pressure upon the available storage accommodation is greater than ever. Vessels are unable to discharge their consignments because of want ot space in the stores. All this is of course very much against the maintenance Of values. These have, in the case of Mutton and Lamb, fallen sensibly daring the month, and may be said to be quite £d per lb. lower. '. Whether or not it is wise to force down quotations to this extent, when values are sufficiently low, is open Australian Mutton is deoidadly weak, and lower rates than' l name have been accepted in some quarters. But the reason is probably the competition of the River Plate Mutton. In New Zealand brands there is" the same lowering tendency, anfL"Sonie large holders seem very anxious to realize. Stocks all round are heavy. A little firmness was expected with Canterbury brands, but these have given way in sympathy with other qualities. Of Lambs the supply continues abundant and gradually the values are receding. This is not what was expected in the face of a most favourable season for hay and grand for the corn harvest. j. Beef. — Two days ago the outloojp was very gloomy and prices touched 1/7 for Hind Quarters and 1/1 for Fore Quarters. The Railway Strike at Chicago suddenly changed the aspect of the Market. With short supplies or a possible total cessation of supplies of American Chilled Beef a sudden impetus was given to the demand for Frozen Beef and values have advanced. The large supplies here alone have prevented a much higher rise. We may expect hardening rates to rule until the normal supplies of American Chilled Beef again come to hand. The present quotations are : Mutton— Per 8 lbs. New Zealand, Best North Canterbury .. .. 2/6 2/7 New Zealand medium and good grades .. .. 2/2 2/5 Australian and Queensland Sheep .. .. 1/7 1/9 Lambs— North Canterbury .. 3/- 3/2 , Other Brands . . . . 2/9 2/10 Bk«p— . -Queensland, Hind Quarters ' .. .. 1/11 2/Queensland Fore Quarters 1/3 1/4 A. TOWERS.