STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

Otago Witness, Volume 14, Issue 2648, 14 December 1904, Page 8

STOCK AND GRAZING NOTES.

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Weekly Stock Salts : Burnside, Wednesdays .Ashburton, Tuesdays Addington, Wednesdays Fortnightly : Balclutha, Fridays Gore, Tuesdays Oaruaru, Tuesdays

Fortiv'ghtfy .• Invercirgi 1, Tuesdays Monthly : Clinton, Palmerßton, Wintop, and Waikouaiti. Periodically Heriot, Kelso, and Kye burn.

Nearly 200 head' of cattle were yarded at Burnside last week, and prices were easier by about 15s per head. Primest bullocks, however, may be quoted at about previous week's rates — viz., about £10 to £11; medium, £8 10s to £9 10s; light, £7 to £8; co\?s and heifers from £5 to £7. Until mutton is reduced in price I see no reason to think that fat cattle will go much lower, unless large yardings come- in. If svich is the case, a further drop may be expected, and as there are plenty of cattle in the country, a drop in prices will gradually, i think, take place, until we reach export value, and are enabled to make fair clearances. But we have still a long way to go before export value is reached. I am glad 'to notice that the London boef market shows signs of improvement, and this will probably be more pronounced when it is realised in London that our mutton and lamb exports will be decidedly less than for many years past. Australia is steadily increasing her export, but not for a year or co will her exports make up for * the shortness of New Zealand shipments. But after that, with good seasons, they will mount up, and w-e -hall probably feel the competition. The great rise in value of wool, however, is a new factor, and one that we have not experienced since the frozen meat trade assumed large This will involve quite a different state of matters in sheep-farmingT Sheep-farming will assume its- proper place, for in the past sheep-dealing .has been more the business of the bulk of the farmers, especially the smaller ones. The wool market, however, more, perhaps, than any other is one that seems to puzzle the most watchful and intelligent of those whose interests and business it is to watch it closely. All indications, however, point to prices being at least maintained for some time to come. The late rise means a million of money to New Zealand runholders and sheep owners. The whole country is very much understocked, and if the frozen meat trade is very much less this year than last it will be all the better for New Zealand. Ewe lambs, I presume, will be held back. I hope so.

About 2000 shorn sheep were yarded at Burnside last week, and good prices were maintained, although at first butchers seemed to be disinclined to bid previous week's prices. The lot were cleared at from 17s 6d to 245. Exporters were not in it, of course. Nearly 400 lambs were yarded, and butchers were the only buyers at from 10s 6d to 15s 6d, which rates I expect to rule for some time. Exporters will pay more this year by about 2s per head than last, having that extra value in skins, eto.

At Addington last week supplies of cattle were heavy, and prices dropped fully £1 per head, and best were no more than equal to Burnside rates, say about 24s per 100. Inferior to meHium were rather lower than at Burnside. The Press reports as follows r the store cattle market:— The supply was large, and included a gcod ■ proportion of grown cattle, most of which were contained in a lino, of about 200 from Kaikoura, not conspicuous for breeding. The first pen of the Kaikoura line, three-year-old steers, was sold at £6 9s, but the second pen was passed at £6 7s, and the rest of the consignment was withdrawn. On the whole, however, business was rather better than ii has been lately, a fair proportion of the yarding being sold at the following prices:— Calves 20s, 15 to 18 months' catile £2 13s 6d to £3 ss, two-year-old steers £4 2s to £4 10s, two-year-old heifers £4, three-year-old steers £6 to £6 17s 6d, three-year-old heifers £5 to £5 10s, dry cows 30s to £4 ss.

At Addingtcn sheep sold at about Burnside rates. Butchers were merely watched and kept up to the mark by exporters, who waited "for a chance to get in, but did not do so. The yardings at Addington are smaller than usual at present. Prim© lambs sold at from 14s to 17s 6d; exporters took a few, and kept prices up against the butchers. Ac fear store sheep from Nelson of rather poor quality sold at very high prices.

A few buyers of butter for December shipment have been in evidence, and all their wants have ben supplied by holders at 9£d, some holders being glad to meet them at lower rates for extended shipments. Buyers, however, prefer to wait, andi possibly they are right. The London market is fairlyhigh just now, but, unfortunately, New Zealand hardly participates, only a small shipment by the Papanui having been marketed, and another small shipment should be on the market before Christmas. Prices show signs of weakening even now, and we may expect, I think, a steady fall in price from January onwards. I don't think there is much in the reported shortage on the Continent : nothing more at most than will be equalised by the large Australian increase. The fortnightly steamer

from New Zealand (the Corinthic) last week took close on 500,000 boxes, and Australia is sending fully more every week. , The following extract from a Melbourne exchange of 30th November deals with Victorian shipments only. New South Wales and Quensland shipments together are fully as heavy each week.

Export U London. — By the China, -which left yesterday, 600 tons -were taken from Melbourne. This did not, nowever, nearly clear the Government Cool Stores, all receivals after the 23rd iiist. being left behind. The Orontes, next week, is expected to take between 700 and 800 tons.

The same paper also gives the state of the market in Melbourne. In Australia buyers have a better time than in New Zealand. They don't buy outputs to end of March, but as they require from week to week, and take no risks: —

Butter. — Supplies are heavy, and the quality generally particularly good. The market, reflecting the tone of London, is firm, at late rates, and buyers operating freely. We quote: — Choice Westerns, 9|cl; other choice, 9d and 9|d. Buyers for secondary grades are not so inucila in evidence, and prices are irregular, and rule from B|d to B|d. Cheese. — Large quantities of new season's make are coming forward, and the market has eased slightly. We quote prime mild newloaf from 4Jd to 4J& per lb, ana large Jd per lb lower. There is fairly good business being done.

Eggs. — Good supplies are to hand, but with a firm demand the market lias risen, and now rules for ordinary lines at 7id and 7£d per dozen. Specials bring £d "per dozen higher.

Bacon. — There is no alteration to report. Prime light sides sell at 6!d and 7d per lb, and heavy lots of inferior quality hd to Id per lb lower. Business is not particularly brisk.

The Corinthic took 4363 crates of cheese from New Zealand last week, 1520 of which were from Otago and Southland, and 4582 boxes butter from Otago ond Southland. The Turakina follows, and 2250 crates cheese go from Otago and Southland — probably about 5500 from all New Zealand, and about 6000 boxes butter. The cheese buying in New Zealand has proved more satisfactory to factories than some people anticipated. I held the opinion all along that the market would improve, and that this has been the case is evidenced by the fact that buyers have paid from 4id to 4£d on trucks for outputs to end of March, and no doubt have not done so from philanthropic motives, but because they see a fair profit in the transaction. Nearly all factories have now made their arrangements for the season.

The following is from Adelaide under date Ist December, and shows that they are having good times there. We used to do a fair export trade to Adelaide in cheese and butter, bacon and hams, but we may bid good-bye to this now. And it will also be noted that South Australia is going to oe a factor in the London frozen mutton and lamb trade, as well as the rest of Australia. New Zealand farmers must keep these things in view, I -*hink : —

Butter.— Factory and preamery, fresh in 83d to 9|d (per !b; best separators and choice dairies, 7|d to 81d: store and collectors' lines, 5Jd to 6£d. Cheese.— Prim*, new make, 5d to 53d : lower grades, 4£d to sd. Bacon.— Factory-cured sides, 53d to 6id; farm flitches, 5d to 5$A per lb. Hanis.— S.A. factory, 8d to 9d per lb. With the exception of a few hot days, when the thermometer ran up to 99deg in the shade, the weather during November has been most pleasant — in fact-, ideal conditions prevailed for ripening of the crops, so that harvesting m the north is now in full swing. The quality of the wheat is admitted to be the finest raised I for several years, whilst the yielu is quite up to the average. Pasfcoralists are also experi- J encing a good time, the grazing country just now being in exceptionally good heart. Wool values have also realised a substantial advance, whilst there has been an excellent market for lambs, some 200,000 already havingbeen sold for export. The genial weather of November left very little to be desired foi the better marketing of dairy produce, quantities of butters showing a substantial increase, and comparing well tvi'tb. former month; but as a. good demand has - existed for fresh in priuts, prices have well sustained, especially as packers for export operated freely for all surplus lots, thus keeping rooms well cleared. Buyers of bulk for Britain have also been purchasing heavily, the exports already exceeding last year's shipments. Eggs.— Prices fluctuated in sympathy with the lowering in the eastern Stales, but during the last few days a healthier tone set in and a recovery ensued; this owing to West Australian buying largely for Christmas wants. Cheese. — New make has now entire control, and good trade has been put througli, but factories -are rather inclined to push deliveries: result, rates are weaker. Bacon.-— Business in this line has not opened any too < satisfactory, owing to the gradual running j down in quotations for factory sides, whilst j curers' stocks -were secured when the tone of ] the market was decidedly better. Holders, how- j ever, are hopeful that with the near approach | of the holidays an improvement will be realised. Hams have met with very fair sale, parcels being secured in view of the increased j demand expected. Honey. — The new season's I take, which is reckoned to be very heavy, is just coming in, but values have opened cmt unusually low. Almonds have been in fair request at about former quotations. I