COMMERCIAL

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 15, 7 October 1929, Page 2

COMMERCIAL

TARANAKI STOCK MARKET. A review of the Taranaki stork - market during last week is given as follows by Newton King, Ltd:Beef. Prices remain ftnn under this heading. In fact, during the last fortnight those ruling for sows have had a tendency to harden, especially for first quality cattle, this being duo to the fact that supplies of this class are more limited than those offering for ox beef. In a number of cases difficulty is being experienced in fulfilling requirements , for local consumption, necessitating j supplies being obtained from outside sources. Generally speaking the prices ruling per hundred ranges from £2 to £2 5s according to the quality of the ' cattle. Quotations at present obering range as follows: Heavp prime fa|t bullocks £l6 to £l7 ; fat bullocks £l4 to £ls; light and unfinished £l3; extra heavy prime fat Polled Angus cows £l4 to £LS- heavv fat cows £l3; lighter sorts £10"l.0s to £ll 10s; killable sorts £8 10s to £9 10s. Fat Sheep.-—Quotations for fat ewes are) not so plentiful as those offering for wethers, and as stated in our last report requirements for local consumption are, in the majority of cases, being fulfilled from the latter class.' Quotations aro : Good heavy fat ewes, 3ls; fa* ewes, 29s to 30s; | those ruling for wethers range from 37s 6d to 395. Of course, with the lambing season now practically completed and shearing operations commenced, it is expected that quotations for lab ewes will be more plentiful from now on. Stoic Sheep—Ewes with lambs at foot are now being quoted in fair numbers. In the majority of cases the inquiry for this class is for ewes with white-fated lambs at foot, and as there are very few straight whitefaced lines offering, few are changing hands, There is also a fair inquiry for good (white-faced hoggets, and where suitable lines are. offering ready sales are being effected. Sales have been effected during the week at the following prices. Good t and 5-vyear-old ewes with white-faced laimbs at foot £2; others 36s to 38s; top quality white-faced ewe hoggets 30s; others 335; best wether hoggets 28s; others 24s to 26s 6d. Quotations for forward delivery sales are now coming to hand, and in the maority of cases the prices expected by vendors 1 for 4 a,nd 5-year-old ewes are 24s to 255. Few younger sheep are being quoted. Quotations for wethers off the shears range from 23s to '26s, according to the age and condition of the sheep, but as yet few sales on this basis have been effected, undoubtedly due to the uncertainty of the future prospects of the market. However, as the season advances and the prices offering by freezing works are announced, prospective purchasers will have a yuide, to a certain extent, as to the future of the market, audit is to be expected that sales will then increase. Store Cattle.—As in other centres, "there are insufficient quotations offering under this heading to fulfil the strong demand that exists, resulting in prices remaining firm throughout. Contrary to prospective purchasers of sheep, buyers of all classes in this section are very optimistic concern. ,ing the future prospects of the market, and in view of the shortage that is in evidence throughout their optimism is warranted, as it is almost safe to conclude that prices, generally speaking, will, remain steady for some time. The yardings throughout Taranaki are on a small scale and from the above information it can be gathered that the prices are good, and that full clearances are effected at our various fortnightly sales at prices pleasing to vendors. Of tho cattle that are offering the following is the range of prices that are at present ruling: Good coloured young store cows £6 to £7; mixed coloured sorts £4 lOsi to £5 ss; works cows £2 10s to £4 ss; good quality, young sound empty cows (for which there is a good inquiry) £7; others £4 10s to £(i; 2-year-old Jersey empty heifers £0 15s to £7 ss; 2-year Jersey eros sempty heifers £6 to £6 10s- well-brown choice fawn yearling Jersey heifers in good condition £8 to £8 10s; good sorts £7 to £7 10s; Jersey cross £5 .5s to £6 10s- small and mixed coloured sorts £4 to £4 15s, The smaller and more harddone lines are making from £3 5s to £4. As stated in our last report, few made cattle are offering, but during the week sales of three and 4-year-old mixed coloured bullocks in poor condition have been made at from £!) to £9 ss. Dairy Cattle.—Although the season is now well advanced, there is still ai strong inquiry for cattle of good qualify, and in view of the activity of the market during the earlier part of the season there are a few small) numbers of good cattle being submitted at our fortnightly fixtures, and these are keenly competed for and change hands at prices pleasing to vendors. The yardings throughout are good in numbers hut, generally speaking, the cattle offering are lacking in size and quality. However, with the strong demand that is in. evidence full clearances are effected at prices perhaps a little in advance of those that were anticipated a little earlier in the year. Prices at present ruling ranges as* follows: — Best quality young Jersey,cows close to) profit £l6 fo £l7; good iorts £l3

to £l4; fair quality cattle and. per- j haps a little mo.e backward £9 to £lO 10s; aged and mixed coloured .sorts £7 10s to £8 10s; top quality fawn Jersey heifers at profit lb' to £l7 good quality sorts £l3 to £l4 10s; handler sorts of good quality £lO l ( »s; to £.1.1 10s; cattle of fair quality, but more backward £9 to £lO 10s; small, backward aaid mixed coloured sorts, £7 to £B. I Figs. —Both store and wcaner pigs are being offered in good numbers at our various centres. Prices remain firm and full clearances are effected at the following range of prices: Large stores in, good condition 30s to 33s ; smaller sorts in lighter condition 26s to 28s; best sjips 24s to 2os fid; choice weaners 18s to to 21s; others 12s to 15s. Bulls. Our first series of fairs were held during the week, and although good benches of buyers were in attendance at each fixture the prices at the opening sale were perhaps not as good as anticipated. However, at the subsequent fairs more spirited competition was in evidence and satisfactory prices were obtained. Operations commenced with the annual sale on behalf of the members of the New Plymouth Jersey Cattle Club, where an entry of 88 bulls was submitted, of which 54 of the offering changed hands, the top price of the day being 90 guineas, which was paid for a 3-year-old bull, while prices for 2-year-olds ranged from 25 guineas to 45 guineas, best yearlings making from GO to 82 gui- ! eas, other, yearlings realised from 20 I guineas to 35 guineas, while small and lightr conditioned sorts made from 10 to 25 guineas. There __are yet a number of bull fairs to be held, including the Kaponga sale on Monday next, where 70 pedigree Jersey bulls will be offered, while at Waiwakaiho on Tuesday a ( record entry of 166 bulls will be submitted. FROZEN MEAT LATEST QUOTATIONS LONDON, Oct. 5. Sales at Smithfield were: — Sheep.—Canterbury, light, 7o; medium, G 5-8 d; heavy 1 1-Sd. North Island, light, 6-Jd, medium 0 3-3(1. Australian, firsts, 4 7-Sd. Patagonian, medium, 4:jd. Lambs.—Canterbury, light 8 7-Bd, medium S 1-Sd, heavy 7:|d; seconds 73-Bd. North Island seconds, 7 7-8(1; Australian firsts, B}d; seconds, 7sd; Argentine firsts, medium, (>:','d; seconds, 7(1. Chilled Argentine fores 4!|d, binds 7-Jd; others unchanged. LONDON WOOL SALES COMPETITION AT LATE KATES LONDON, Oct. 4. The fourth wool sales closed with good competition, at late rates foi greasy combings. The total catalogued was 143,303 bales. Those sold totalled, Home 45,000; Continent 59,500, Amen can 5000. About 61,500 bales Colonial were held over. Prices compared with the July average, were: combing sorts show ten ?.o fifteen per cent decline; seventies e.i • trcmely scarce, and show r a loss less depreciation; scoured Merinos, mostly second hand, show a decline of ten to 15 per cent; faulty, average sorts 15 per cent; crossbfeds, greasy and rather limited selection, fine and medium grades, ten per cent decline; low, five per cent; scoured, generally, ten per cent; slipes were in largo supply, but hold their own wel] and hardened slightly during the last few days; the host h'alfbrcds, five per cent decline; average sorts ten , per cent, lower grades of blanket wools f'.vo per cent decline and lambs ten to fifteen per cent. DAIRY PRODUCE. Messrs Newton King, Ltd., report a s under:—"We have this day received from our principals (Messrs R. and W. Davidson, Limited), the following indication of prices ruling on the 4th instant. The figures in brackets indicate the position on September 28:— BUTTER. The market for butter has steadily advanced for the last two mcb,ths and the position statistically is better. A steady level of values should obtain for some weeks. A present feature is the greater margin between New Zealand and Danish in favour of the latter. The market closes firm at the advance. Advances against consignments are now l/sd. i Salted 180 g 184 s (178 s 184 s). U'Asalted 184 s 186 s (178 s 180 s). Wheys, Ist 170 s (170 s); 2nds 166/(166/-). CHEESE. The market is quiet at 1/- advance on last week; stocks are going steadily into consumption; i white now commands a premium. A pleasing feature is the greater interest taken in new season's produce, buyers now displaying some activity. S 5-8 d f.o.b. for (he seaI son w\{\ B:7a f.o.b. up to December ( make have been paid for a few thousand tons. Advances are now raised to B£d. Coloured 94s 95s (945). White 95s 96 s (945). I