COMMERCIAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 60, 6 March 1912, Page 8

COMMERCIAL.

Young, Hobbs and Go.’s Report. On Tuesday, 27th February, we held ■our usual fortnightly sale at which there was a good yarding and most of the entry sold at the .hammer or immediately afterwards, on par with recent ruling rates. Fat cows made £5 to £5 10s, forward do. .£3 10,s to £4 15s, store do. £2 15s to £3 15s, dairy cows £5 to £7, 15-month steers £2 18s to £3, 15 to 18-month heifers £2 15s to £2 17s, weaners £1 to £1 15s. On Wednesday, 23th February, we held out Stratford •supplementary sheep fair. I All the advertised •sheep came forward and a really good sale resulted, buyers being in attendance from all parts of the district. We quote:—2 and 4-tooth wethers 12s to 12s Gd, cull and 2-teoth wethers IDs to 11s 9d, 4-tooth owes 13s to 13s 3d, 2 and 4-tooth ewes 41s Gd to 13s, cull’ do. 10s to 10s Gd, forward and fat ewes 10s Id to 10s Gd, f.m. ewes 7® Gd to 8s Bd, poor do. 5s to Gs Gd, cull ewes 3s Gd to 4s Gd, woolly lambs 7s, shorn lambs 5s 6d to 6s Gd, cull do. 2s to 4s, 2 and 4-tooth rams £1 S ls to £2 2s, aged rams 6s to 15s. LONDON MARKETS. Tlie following is extracted from the report dated January 25th', received by the local branch of the N.Z.L. and Ai.A. Co., from the London liouse:— Wool.—The first series of London sales opened on 10th instant, the net quantity available being 481,500 bales. There was a large attendance, all sections—including America—being well

represented. Competition was general and spirited, and as compared with preceding sales’ closing rates values generally showed but little change, crossbred, however, being occasionally tho turn dearer. Since, tie demand ■has been well maintained, United States operators purchasing all suitable lots of crossbred at 5 to 71 per oeait advance on December rates. Owing to fog no sales were .Weld on 22nd and 25tib instant, and as at present arranged the sales will terminate on 3rd proximo. The present position of the market as compared with the close of the 6th series of 1911 may lie summed as follows: —Merino greasy and scoured, medium and inferior, par to 5 per cent lower; crossbred greasy par to 5 per cent higher; other descriptions being unaltered. Tallow.—There have been four public auctions since our last advice and at these the demand has been quiet hut prices have remained fairly steady. Inferior descriptions of good Titrc moat tho best inquiry but edible mutton and iljcof are neglected. Thtare are no indications at present which would justify a change one way or the other and wo therefore look for a steady market at all events in the near future. In Australasian, for ariflval n moderate business has been passing, and 48-mutton has been sold at 33s 6d to 34 s, and fair beef at 32s Gd per cwt c.i.f. W» quote-: Fine mutton 36s to 36s 6d, fair to good 34s to 355, edible beef 31s 6d to 355, and fair to good 33s to 33s 9d per ewt ex warehouse. Frozen Meat.—For the moderate quantities of Now Zealand mutton recently to hand a slow demand has ruled at about last quotations. A good business has been passing in- Australian and River Plate, many buyers now using these descriptions in place of New Zealand as they can he bought at kl to Jd per lb loss money, with the result that although recent arrivals have been' heavy prices generally have been maintained. A few new -season’s' New Zealand lambs have been offering at Smithfiold though in the meantime there is hut little em qniry for them. Values range from sfd to 6d per lb, according to quality. Australian lambs have met a good demand and for tho best brands an advance of ■’d per lb has to be recorded. An improved demand has been 1 - experienced for River Plat chilled beef, and with much ■'lighter supplies to hand prices have madc-ed a material increase, hinds and fores showing -an advance of 3d and |d per lb respectively. There has been -more .enquiry for frozen, sorts and in sympathy values have -advanced l ( d per lb all round. We quote:—Scotch and English sheep s ld to 63d per lb, Canterbury do. 3gd to 43d, North Island do. 33d to 4Jd, Australian do. 3d to 33d, River,Plate 33d to '3|d, New Zealand owes, 33d to, 33;d, NoHh Island lambs (new sea,son’®) I 53d tp 6d,- Australian lamb 43d tp 1 Hirer. Plato do. Id to 43d, off the/books at Smithfleld, River Plate chilled beef (binds) 4-gd to 5Jd, do. fores 3§cl to 33d, River frozen beef (hinds) 33d to 4d, do. fores 3d to 3Jd, Australian beef (hinds) 3id to 3yd, do. fores 3|d to 33d) Now/ Zealand beef (hinds) 83d to 4d, do. fores 3d to 33d. The. New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency, Co., Ltd.-, have re■edived the following caiblo from, their--'London house under date Ist .instant: Frozen Meat—The enquiry, for mutton is limited, the market, for lamb is weaker and there is a moderate demand for beef.