COMMERCIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXX, Issue 12262, 5 January 1904, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

PLEASANT POINT SALE. There -was a fair yarding of sheep at Pleasant Point stock sales jeiterday, conlisting of fat owes, ewes and lambs, and 2 ana 4-tooths._ The tone of the Kile, j except for fats," w.ts somewhat easier for j buyers, owing to the recent spell of dry weather. Fat ewes brought l3s, 13s 2d, 13s 4d, 13s" 6d, 15s, 15s sd, 15s lid; ewes and lambs, all counted, 8s 6d, 9s lid; 2-tooths, mixed sexes,: halfbreds l<Js lid; ditto threequarter-breds 14s 4d. 14s 9d. There was a fair yarding of cattle which met with a fair demand at prices somewhat lower than have ruled lately. TBI! HOME MARKETS. Messrs Dalgety and Co. have received the following cable message;' dated London, January Ist i —There is a poor demand for frozen meat in general. Since our last telegram prices of fiozsn mutton are higher by Jd per lb, whilst for other descriptions prices are unchanged. ■ . Messrs Gordon, Woodroffe' and Co.'s report,dated London 27th November; emu-; to band yesterday with the compliments of Mr John Mce. From the report we make the following extracts: — " . i FROZEN MEAT.—The condition o' trade at SmithiieM market continues to be very unsatisfactory,: and in the provinces the reports are anything but encouraging. The quai titie3 going into, consumption are much »maller than last season. The trade i:> New Zealand lambs has been very quiet during the last month and the quantities going into consumption so limited, that instead of stocks being cleared off by the end of the year, there seems now to be every prospect of considerable stocks being carried over into the new year. Some firms here state that they have sufficient lambs in store to last them until Easter. Prospects, therefore; for the new season, are not by any means encouraging, especially when the "" _Australian lambs afloat and to be shipped are token into account, and it is generally anticipated that the new season will open on this side ut much lowar prices than last A tew offers' have come forward -from the colony, for lambs for December shipment, and oho. fox-monthly shipments commenc-, ing January, but the prices asked do not ■ ') in 'lio present position of'the; spot market, and the unpromising dntloak for'the earlier months of next year. 1 We quote Smithfield spot prices as follows: —- Prime Canterbury lambs finder 421bs from, 4Jd to 5d per lb; prime Ofago and Southland, lambi' under' 421bs from 4|d to 4Jd per 'lb; New' Zealand,' 2nd quality undei 42ibs to 4id.; There is.no change in the situation as regards Canterbury sheep, and prices are unchanged, the quantity in stock being limited. Soma exceptional'.-? - low -prices, however, 'have recently been taken" by Lnr.don'fiiro* f r be!* Canterburies ex- ship and .ex state. Sales are reported as low as ,2s 6£d per stone, ex r-'hip loir parcels jqstarrivedandarriving. There hss'ibeen no occasion, however, to take such prices, us really good Canterbury sheep are i realising off the hooks at'Smitlifield from 4d to '4j)d, and the prices now being tiken .for -ex snip appear unwarranted'in- view .of the light-afloats. The probable-explanation, however, is that these parcels may' .bo coming to firms who are ■either influenced by ; the weak market for other New - Zealand sheep or are' obliged ■to realise. The market for Otago and Southland aheep is weak, also for' North Islands, and stocks on hand and < afloat are heavy 'for the time of the year., : this anplies ,-more .especially: to North 'lsland •sheep,. and there is, nothing, encouraging in the projects for the immediate'fnture. Borne improvement may be looked for-to-urards tlie-eird of;Jamury,.bot ihi« depends entirely upon the shipments from theic&l(•txv. We quojfe -Smithfield -spot priees as rfnllows :-=-Pigmß; Canterbury sheep -under '64 ibs from.;4d.perlb to 4|d per lb: ditto 641bs to 72Ibs a|d to 4£d. . WOOL.—The sixth and final series „of. colonial wool auctions for this year opened' bete on the 24th,instant, when catalogues. I, comprised .10,312 ' bales. The choice in ntenno wools .was .restricted, the greater; portion of the offerings being of crossbred: qualities. Sliped pircels were freely icata-i logued, and the demand for the small quat;- ; lity of'flno haired wools was fairly active: t t 5 to 7\ .-per, cent, decline on September closing values, the faulty scouted lota .being most affected. All crossbred qualities, both greasy and aliped parce'i, met trith good enquiry, the fine and raediura desenptions'being about s.'to 7£ cent '4Acaper : than was thi' case In Sep- i teniber, coarse qualities were 10 per cent; down, and when' of inferior condition as much as 12j per cenfc