COMMERCIAL

Otago Witness, Issue 2239, 28 January 1897, Page 30

COMMERCIAL

During the past week or 10 days we (North Otago Times) nave noticed the express lather heavily laden with trucks of fat lambs for Christchurch. These trucks have been filled from the growers' stocks within this district, and the trade has become so extensive that on Monday a special train left Oamaru shortly after B o'clock p.m. with over 30 trucks of rat lambs consigned to Christchurch by Mr Alex. Thornton, of Kakanui. We understand there will be more to follow The batches of fat lambs dent north by express hava all been from the Oamaru district, and needless to say of the very priruest quality We learn from inquiries that upwards of 12.0J0 fat lambs have already been despatched. All these will be frozen and shipped as from Canterbury, and for the honour of this district we wonder whether they will reach the Smithfield market labelled Wellingtons, Dunedins, Southland*, Oamarus, or prime Camterburys? As a recent visitor to Smithfield, perhaps Mr Thomson himself can say. It is at all events very gratifying to the stock producers of this diitrict that they are able to grow such an abundance of fat lambs for export Meisrs Park, Reynolds, and Co offered for sale by auction yesterday, at the Rattray street wharf, 500 bags of slightly damaged Mauritius sugar out of Ihe ship Embla. The sale was largely attended, and the wholo of the sugar disposed oj to R. Hudson and Co. for £14 5s a ton (in boud).

The annual report of the Wellington Gas Com- ; pany lecommends the payment of a further dividend of 5 per cent., making 10 for the year.

I The sum of £2000 was written off for deprecia- ' I tion. [ Messrs Nelson Bros.' London cablegram, dated the 21sl iust., says that the froz-.n moat market is j very depressed, and that sales were difficult to ' effect last week even at i educed prices. The quantity of muttou afloat from Australia iB very heavy. Quotations : Beat Canterbury mutton, ; 3}d per lb ; Dunediu, 3d ; Napier and North Island, 2.} d.