NEW ZEALAND MEAT

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 17

NEW ZEALAND MEAT

From Messrs Weddel and Co I hear that ai rivals of New Zealand mutton have been moderate for th-2 past fortnight, amounting only to some 43,000' carcases. The demand is still quiet, though there is a better tendency m the market, partif u'«iily at the close. No improvement :n values can he noted, howver, though quotations of Australian p.nd River Plate sheep are now at such a level that they look like forcing up prices of North Island mutton Best brands of Canterbury shnep of 181b to oGlb command a substantial premium, and top the market at UJJd per lb. Present marketing-? of ordinary Canterbury mo «« i are \er\ mixed in quality, which scmewhat '.voakens values. The 48lb to 56115 grade mi'y be quoted at 3^d per lb, 60lb rarcases at ZXd per lb , and larger wcghts at TJcl to 3j}d per lb. Other classes of New Zealand mutton have only just nuuitamed quotation^ of a fortnight ago. The favourite weight of the Dunedm, Southland, and Wellington Meat Export Companies' slieep mske up to 3Jd per lb, but GOlb carcases ?ell at 32d, and hpa\ies at 3Jd per lb. Small Nort'i Island mutton reali=es up to 3id per lb, bu< medium to Urge sheep are offered at about 3d About 30,000 carcases of Xew Zealand lamb have been leceived during the last fortnight, and Messrs "Weddel tell me that a. lair quuntiU o; the new feeason's lnmbs are now available. Foi best Canterbury to-day's quotation is s£d to 6Jd pei lb, North Island lamb-> making 5d t:> 5Jd per lb Stored New Zealand lambs are not inquired for, and cannot be quc/tcd at more than. 4^d to 5d per lb, according to quality arc! s.ze. B\ far the roost noteworthy feature of the lamb market, Messrs Weddel add, is the heavy arrj\al from the River Plate, more carcases having been received from that source of supply during tho past fortnight than during the whole of the three yearh, 1899 to 1901. The quality of present imports, howe\er, shows a distinct falling off from that of previous arnvals, though a few selected carcases make up to 4hi per lb With regard to New Zealand beef, Messrs TTeddfil cay thai oixlv small lota

are bpmg maiketed , but these come more nearly r'to competition with chilled beef, and quotations are slightly easiei at 3d to 3Jd per lb for foiequarters and 4ld to 4^d per lb for bmdquarters. In the provinces 1 learn that the demand for mutton shows some improvement ; the consumption of lambs has also increased, the bulk of the sales consisting, however, of small Australian lambs, while the inquiry foi beef has materially fallen off during the fortnight. In the frozen rabbit trade the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company say that very little business is passing; the spot demand has fallen off consideiably, and had arrivals been at al! heavy values would undoubtedly have given way. Prime large NewZealand rabbits nre to-day worth from 9d to lOd, young "id to SJei, and small 6d to 7d each, while the top price given foi Australian labbits Usage) is SJd to 9Jd.