THE LIVE CATTLE TRADE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1201, 8 March 1895, Page 9

THE LIVE CATTLE TRADE.

London, March 3. ' —Mr William Malthouse, meat salesman, and six others of the largest and soundest -V!salesmen in Smithfield, have offered to combine'" with* Australian growers to abolish middlemieh in-the initiation of the live cattle trade, and express their willingness to act as consignees, or to buy direct from the producer. They appear convinced that there is a great permanent future for shch a trade. , •" Mr Keale, of Nelson Brothers, inspected the live cattle on the Maori King, and holds the highest opinion of their condi- £ tion. He considers the Devon breed are more suitable for immediate killing. London, March 4. The French authorities prohibit the Culgoa, with live cattle from Australia, touching at Dunkirk. . The British Customs officers insist that, in cases where the steamers have touched at way ports, the cattle shall be slaughtered aboard the vessels. ?;'■ The Maori King having touched at a astray port, her cattle have been killed on board. The beasts were in fine condition.

An Australian squatter who shipped Home some of the fat cattle by the Echuca, which our cablegrams have reported as fetching such good prices in London, passed through Wellington at the end of last week. According to him the prices realised would give an average of .£8 10s per head for his draft of stock. This he considers highly satisfactory, as the current prices at present for prime fat stock in the metropolitan Sydney markets average only £4 per head. The Australian pastoralists are said to be much gratified at the success which has crowned this shipment to the English market, and the proposed combination mentioned in the cablegram as between certain middlemen in London and the Australian stockbreeders seems likely to be consummated.