COMMERCIAL NEWS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1726, 29 March 1905, Page 31

COMMERCIAL NEWS

Dalgety and Co., Ltd., have received the following cablegrams from their London office's, dated 2<nd Maich. Wool —Sales closed firm. Prices are firth as at any period of this series. Good and best qualities merino wools, prices are on a par with last series closing rates. Greasy inferior, faulty, and earthy wools and scored faulty wools, prices are on the average 5 per cent, lower than closing rates of last series. Fine crossbred wools ditto, medium and coarse crossbred wools 10s per cent lower than closing rates of last series, except good quality of good to super condition.

Greasy wools suitable for America, prices are on the average at par to 5 per cent lower than closing rates of last series. Total colonial wool available (including old stocks'' 180,000 bales. Out of the net quantity available for sale some 84,000 bales have been sold for Home consumption, 70,000 bales for the Continent, 6000 bales for America, leaving 20,000 bales to be carried forward to the next series. Frozen mutton— Since date of last telegram prices are higher by |-d per lb. Frozen beef and lamb —Prices are unchanged. The market is quiet, a moderate business doing. Danish butter—Prices unchanged. The new' Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, lias received the following cablegram from London, under Friday’s date:—Wool —Market closed strong for all sorts and has been lower since w r e last telegraphed, hut has recovered. As compared with last sales’ closing rates, prices are lower —about par to 5 per cent, for merino medium and inferior faulty wool; about 10 per cent, lower for medium greasy crossbred, coarse greasy orossbred, coarse crossbred slip©, medium crossbred slipe; about 5 per cent, to 74 per cent, lower for lambs, fine greasy crossbred, coarse scoured crossbred, fine orossbred slipe. Average current London value of the undernoted descriptions of New Zealand greasy wool are :—Good merino 13d, medium merino ll£d;, inferior merino, 9d, fine crossbred 12d, medium crossbred lOd: coarse crossbred (40\s) 9fd, coarse crossbred (36’s) Bfd. Murray, Roberts and Co. have received the following w'ool market cablegram from their London house, Sanderson, Murray and Co., dated the 23rd inst. :—Compared with opening rates, the sales have closed firm; 20,000 bales are held over. Dalgety and Co., Limited, have received the following cablegram from their London office, dated 22nd inst.:— “Tallow—Since our last telegram prime mutton tallow is lower by 6d to Is per cwt. Other descriptions unchanged.” FRIDAY’S! WOOL, SKIN, AND HIDE SALES. Murray, Roberts and Co. report as follows :—We offered sixty-five bales and a number of bags of wool, 2000 skins, 120 hides and calfskins, and five casks tallow to-day, when a large number of buyers attended. Bidding for wool lots, which, with otne or two exceptions, were of inferior quality, was slow, and prices were easier. Sheepskins and hides, however, were firm at an occasional advance on last sale’s rates. Tallow offering was not attractive, and was dull of sale. We quote prices as under: Wool Crossbred medium (stragglers’ lots), 6jd to 7d per lb; lambs, 6d to 7jd per lb; locks, pieces, and crutchings, 2d to 5?,d. Skins —Halfbred and merino, good, 7d to per lb; medium to fine crossbreds, 6£d to 7id per lb ; coarse crossbreds, 6)d to 7d per lb; crossbreds, quarter to half-woolled, ssd to 6fd per lb; dead and hoggets, 4s<l to 6fd per lb; lambs, 6d to 7§d per lb ; pelts, 9d to Is 9d each Hides—Light ox 12s to 15s, medium ox 17s to 225, heavy to 28s; light cow 11s to l-ls, medium cow 15s to 18s, heavy to 22s ; calfskins Is to 5s each. Tallow —Medium dull colour, 17s to 18s 6d per cwt. Levin aud Co., Ltd., report:—We offered twenty-five bales of wool and 1500 skins and 300 hides, and a quantity of tallow. Prices for wool were easier, hut it is only rough-conditioned wool that is coming to hand now. Crossbred brought GJd to 7d, lambs to pieces 4d to 4£d, locks 2£d to 3d. Skins sold at late rates. We quote?—Merinos, 6fd to 7£d per lb; half-breds, 7d to 7id per lb ; fine crossbreds, 7d to 7id per lb; coarse crossbreds, G*d to 7d per lb; dead, 5d to 5Jd per lb ; short wools, o-Jd to 6jd per. lb : lamb skins, 6.Jd to 7jd per lb ; lamb skins, green, 2s (xl to 3s ecicli j pelts, 3s to 3s lOd each. Tallow—ln casks 18s 6d. tins 16s, rough fat 14s. HidesThere was an easier tendency, and prices were hardly up to last sale’s mark. We quote: —Cow, light 12s to 16s, medium 16s to 18s, heavy to 20s; ox, light 16s to 225, medium 22s to 26a, no heavies offering. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, report as follows:—At our sale we offered over 2000 skins, 35 bales wool, and 150 hides. Sheepskins sold at about level of last sales. We quote—Merino full-woolled 61 d to 7§d, merino pelts 4}d to od, halfbred 61 d to 7d, crossbred full-woolled 61 d to 7:ld, crossbred short-wools 5d to 6id, lambs 5d to Gijd. an exceptionally good lino at 7;}d per lb, pelts green Is 6d to is each, pelts dry and inferior 2d to Gd each. Wool—Coarse crossbred Old to 7d. crutchings 4ld to 51-d, nieces 4d to did. Hides—Ox, heavy 22s 6d to 27s Gd, light 18s to 21s; cow, heavy 18s to 20s, 1 ght 12s to 17s ; calfskins Is to 3s Od; horsehair, to Is 7d per lb.

LONDON PRODUCE REPORT.

Tli© Industries and Commerce Department has received the following cablegram from the Agent-General, dated London, the 25th inst.: — The mutton market is steady, there

Being a better tone prevailing this week. The average price to-day for Canterbury mutton is 4fd per lb light weights, and per lb heavy weights. The average price to-day for other North Island mutton is 4sd per lb light weights, and 3fd per lb heavy weights; for River Plate mutton, Bfd per lb ligiib weights, and 3£d per lb heavy weights. The lamb market is quiet, but there is a good demand for prime quality lamb. The average price to-day for New Zealand lamb (Canterbury brand) is 6d, per lb; for New Zealand, brands other than Canterbury, 5Jd to o|d per lb: for River Plate, 4£d per lb. me beef market is depressed. Supplies of River Plate beef are increasing. The average price to-day for hindquarters of New Zealand beef is 3d per lb, and for fores per lb, nominal.

River Plate dulled hinds are at 3£d per lb* fores, 2fd per lb. The butter market is very firm, the demand for spot supplies is good, and also for shipments to arrive. The market is active at the advance. The average price to-day for choicest New Zealand butter is 103-s per cwt; Argentine, 106 s; Danish, Ills. Tne cheese market is very firm, active. and advancing. The market is affected by expectation of light arrivals. The price for New Zealand white is 57s per cwt, ana 56s per cwt coloured. '±he hemp market is dull. There are heavy stocks of hemp on hand. The price of Now Zealand “Good fair Wellington” grade, on spot to-day, per ton, is £29 10s; April to June shipments being similarly quoted. The price of Manila hemp, ‘‘fair current grade,” on spot to-day, per ton, is £4O. The cocksfoot seed market is firm, and buyers have been offering more freely. The average price for bright clean ilSew Zealand cocksfoot seed, weighing 171 b per bushel, on spot, is 51s per ?wt.

The wool sales have concluded with a firm market. Prices had declined during. progress of the sales, but recovered towards the close. Competition was good. The woollen manufacturing trade is good. The estimated value of fine crossbreds, all grades, is lid to Is 1-d. per lb; medium crossbred, all grades, 9£d to lid per lb ; coai\se crossbreds, all grades, 6d to lOd per lb; superior merino, to Is lid per lb; medium merino, lOd to 11 id per lb; inferior merino, 7d to 9£d per lb.' STOuK SALES. PALMERSTON, March 23. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report: —At Palmerston North on Thursday we had a good yarding of sheep. There was a good attendance, and a steady demand for good sheep of all classes, and

for any lines of sound-mouth breeding ewes competition was very keen and prices firm. Lambs advanced in prices, and all lots met a ready sale. Cattle came forward in small numbers, and not much business was done in-this department, bidding being anything hut brisk. Quotations Sheep—2, 4, and 6-tooth ewes 18s to 18s 6d, 6-tootli and f.f.in. ewes 16s 6d to 17s, f.f.m. ewes 15s Id to 16s, sound forward ewes, low condition, 13s to 13s Bd, 2-tooth halfbred ewes 14s 6d, aged ewes 9s to 12s lOd, wethers 16s to 16s 4d, fat lambs 11s lOd to 12s Bd, store lambs 9s lid to 11s, cull lambs 6s 8d to 8s lid, fat wethers 17s 8d to 18s 6d, fat ewes 16s to 16s Bd, fat and forward ewes 15s. Cattle—2-year steers £2 12s, fat cows £3 15s to £4, weaners 18s to 21s, weanors and yearlings 25s to 27s 6d. At Woodville on Monday more stock came forward than was advertised- Sheep met ready sale, and all were quitted at auction at prices in favour of vendors. Cattle were difficult to quit, weaners being qui«.e unsaleable. At Pahiatua on

Tuesday we again had a full yarding of both sheep and cattle, numerous lines, as usual, being unadvertised. The sale dragged at the commencement, buyers having an inclination to hold off somewhat, hut matters improved as the sale progressed. The hulk of the sheep changed hands at auction, and clearance was subsequently effected. Cattle were not so keenly sought after as at last sale, but owners meeting the market resulted in most of the yarding changing hands. No inquiry existed for grown cattle.