COMMERCIAL.

Patea Mail, Volume XXIX, 15 January 1908, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

THE HIGH COMMISSIONER’S REPORT The High Commissioner’s cable from London, dated January 11th,reports as follows : The mutton market looks very weak. There are a number of sellers hut buyers are not inclined to make forward purchases at the present prices. Current quotations; Canterbury 3Jd, North Island SAd, Australian 2|d, River Plate 3d. Australian lamb is in large supply but is of inferior quality. Stocks are accumulating and Australian brands are quoted at s£d to 3-|-d. } The beef market is dull, supplies of | American chilled beef being large and | cheap. New Zealand hind-quarters 3f-d, forequarters 2|-d. I Tho butter market is very firm, the j demand being greater than the supply ■ especially’ for second class quality’, For the shilling trade there is every prospect of high prices continuing for ■some time. Choicest New Zealand 119 s, Australian 116 s, Danish 1255, Siberian 112 s, Argentine 1275, per cwt. Saltless 2s less than the foregoing. The cheese market is very firm, with a much bettor demand, and prospects are favorable. New Zealand is giving satisfaction to buyers. Colored makes C4s, white 62s per cwt There me signs of au improvement in the hemp market, and a fair amount of business is being done. Following are the current quotation!’J Good fair grade on spot £29, fair grade on spot £2B, fair current Manila on spot £29 10, Jan nary-March shipment good

1 fair grade £2B 10s, fair grade £27 • 10s, fair current Manila £3O. Shipments of Kiver Plate up to December 31st are: —Mutton— London 104,192, Liverpool 108,362, Hull ' 17,871, Southampton 1100, Cardiff 12,477, Newcastle 8390, Plymouth ’ 1357, Lamb —London 224, Liverpool ‘ 3356, Hull 584, Southampton nil, Cardiff 300, Newcastle nil, Plymouth nil. The wool market is quiet but firm. ■ Following are the current quotations 1 for Bradford tops; 36’s, low crossL breds, Is Id ; 40’s low crossbreds, Is lid; 45’s, medium crossbreds, 1 s 2^-d; 55’s, half breds, Is 7d£; 56’s, quarter breds, Is I0|d; 60 ! s, merinos, 2s 2d. I DAIRY PRODUCE REPORT. ! E. Griffiths and Co,, dairy produce „ exporters, New Plymouth, are in J receipt of the following market report [ from their London principals, Messrs Mills and Sparrow, dated November 29th, 1907: Butter. —No change in the weather conditions in the southern districts, although in the Midlands snow, is reported to have fallen, Danish; Quotation is unchanged, , Market is firm and everything cleared , up close. Siberian; Quantity arriving about I the same as last week, the decrease not being so much as anticipated. Quality is somewhat irregular, i French; Supplies suddenly de- ! creased, and there has been an increase of 6d per dozen on l'resh4||uasalted rolls), 5s per cwt on unsalted baskets, and 2s on salt. Quality con- [ tinues good, and is pleasing, r Australian; The only butters availE able for this week’s market are those ex s.s. Britannia, but many of the regular and well known brands are missing, these being on the outside steamer s.s. Ayrshire, which is ex- ■ pected to dock to-day. Demand has * been good at last week’s prices, and j the market can confidently be reported as firm, New Zealand; Quality of several brands ex s.s. Oorinthic has been disappointing, the second grades in one or two instances being very bad in flavor. It is difficult to understand why there should bo such a falling off in quality, and it is a great pity that this has occurred when buyers are so critical and looking for fine butters. 1 Cheese.—-New Zealand: Shipment per Oorinthic arrived in good outward condition and quality is satisfactory, although future shipments will show an improvement in texture. Canadian ; Reports from Montreal ‘ are that the late make is unsatisfactory, as regards quality, and that these will not pass as finest. Stocks of September make are in few hands. Market is only steady. JOHNSONYILLE STOCK SALE. A good entry of bullocks of prime quality but light weights. Beef made 20s, best bullocks £7 10s to £7 15s, others £7 to £7 7s 6d, light Jerseys £6 10s. A good yarding of sheep" of good quality sold readily at last rates—Ewes 13s to 13s 6d to 14s lid; wothers IGs id, 15s 9d, 15s lid; store wethers I3s Id, ewes 11s lid, shorn lambs 11s 9d tc 12s, stores 9s lOd, woolly stores 7s lid. AUCKLAND WOOL SALES. There was no animation at aU at the wool sales. Buyers were nonchalant artd lots of wool were not even looked at, Competition was dead, and it frequently happened that only a single bid was offered. Crossbreds sold as low as 4Jd. Merinos were well within the range of 8d and B£d, and one of ( the top prices of the sale was 9£d for eight very fine- bales of long wool. The reason for the big decrease in this season’s prices, and com oared to the last, may be found in the fact that tins year America is not buying. At the 1307 sales an American buyer was present, and there was keen compel iliou for all brig;, t showy wools, which i.nuptoLs peril). To-day woo! of a similar nature which last year was worth a shilling, sold at 7.Vd. A record number of bales was catalogued the total offering being 5055 baAs an increase of 2208 over the amount offered at the January sales last year. Lincolns met with poor enquiry at 6k!, stained and cotty wool sold from 5d to 6d, and bellies and peiaes reached Ski. NAPIER WOOL SALE. The second wool s ale of the season w much more successful than tin* ( 1 Hist. Bidding was spirited aud the prices of the December sale were fu'ly maintained, a shade higher ruling for

special lots. The condition of the wool offered was much heavier than last year, owing to the dry weather. The demand for lambs’ wool was keen, and in some cases bidding, which opened at sd, went to Bd. Locks and pieces sold well. The following average prices were realised : Super halfbreds 9£d to 1 l£d, fine crossbreds B£d to 9£d, coarse crossbred (bright and wellconditioned) 8d to 9d, inferior 6|ai to 7fd, lambs (good bright conditioned) 8d to 9d, inferior to medium to 7£d, locks at 7fd, inferior mediums 4£d to 6d,