COMMERCIAL

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXI, Issue 12476, 13 September 1904, Page 2

COMMERCIAL

BESWICK STREET MART.

Notwithstanding the inclement weather of the past week, there was a large entry of poultry, produce, etc., at the Beswick street auction rooms on. Saturday. The attendance of buyers was very numerous, the premises being crowded during the gale. Mr J. B. Rutland reports that satisfactory prices were .realised, witli exception of those offered for pigs, for which the market" was weak. Prices were as follows - Poultry: Roosters, 3s 3d, 3s 6d, 3s 9d to 4s; hens, 2s 6d, 2s 9d, 3s, 3s 3d to 3s : 6dducks, 4s to 4s 6d pair; brown Leghorn roosters, 4s each ; silver Wyandotte ditto, 3s to 5s 6d each. Hares brought Is each. Calves (bulls), 3s to 4s; heifers, 9s each. 3 Pigs, three at 4s, one at ss, two at 6s, one at 6s 6d, three at 7s 6d, three at Bs, and one at 13s. Eggs, 7jd dozen; butter, 8d per lb; bacon, per lb ; wheat, 10s ; oats, 6s 6d potatoes, 3s to 3s 6d; kidney ditto, ss, sacks in. Included in the sundries a line of 50 pairs of boots were sold at a* satisfactory rate, and a quantity of harness, etc., was also disposed of. PLEASANT POINT STOCK SALE. There was a moderate yarding of sheep at Pleasant Point yesterday, and a very • full yarding of cattle. A very good sale took" place throughout, no doubt contributed' to by the change in the weather, and most of the entries sold at good values. Some.very good stock came forward. The sheep consisted mostly of fat ewes aDd wethers, and Sold as follows.: —Extra prime heavy-weight three-quarterbred wethers, 295; very prime three-quarterbred ewes., 23s to 245; lighter ewes, 18s to 20s; forward wethers 18s, 19s, 19s 6d to 20s; 4-tooth ewes in lamb 255; 6 and 8-tootb ewes in lamb, 24s 6d. Pigs : W«ahers, 9s, 10s, 12s, 12s 3d, to 12s 6d; porkers, 18s to 20s; baconers, 275. In the cattle some very good lines of fat bullocks came forward, and were given good competition by the butchers present. Prime bullocks fetched £8 ss, £8 10s, £9 5s to £9 10s; lighter weights, £7 to £8 ss; fat heifers, £7 to £8; fat cows, £6 10s to £8; forward bullocks, £5 10s to £6; store 2-year-old steers, £4 10s to £5; 18 months old steers and heifers, £3 to £3 10s; 15 months old steers, £2 15s; yearlings, £2 5s to £2 10s; calves, 25s to 355; good cows near calving, £7 to £8 10s; heifers near calving, £5 to £6 10s; aged' cows in calf, £3 to £5. THE HOME MARKETS. The Department of Industries and Commerce has received the following cable message from the Agent-General, dated London, September 10th: —" The mutton market is quiet, and prices are slightly weaker. C The demand for lamb Is falling off, but stocks are moderate. The beef market is quiet; hindquarters, 3Jd per lb; forequarters, 25-9 d. The butter market is steady; choicest New Zealand, 98s per cwt; Danish, 116s. Cheese is in good demand; finest New Zealand, 435; Canadian, 445. The hemp market is firm with a better demand; good fair Wellington grade, £29 10s; October-December shipments, £29 per ton. The cocksfoot "seed market is quiet, but holders are firm ; bright clean. New Zealand, weighing 171bs per bushel, 53s cwt." • Messrs John Mee and Son have forwarded Messrs Gordon, Woodroffe and Co.'s mar- . ket report, dated London, August sth, sofollows: FROZEN MEAT—As a result of the ' American meat strike there has been a very marked improvement in prices of beef, and any colonial frozen beef available has met ■witih a good demand. The demand also for lambs continues very satisfactory, but we have little change to report in the position of mutton which meets with a s'ott sale. New Zealand lambs : An excellent trade continues in London and throughout the provinces, and stocks actually in cold store being within small compass in spite of the heavy arrivals during the past few weeks, prices have advanced from id to id . since our last report. We quote Smithfield spot prices as follows : —Canterbury lainbs, under 361b, s|d per lb; ditto; 361t)s

to 421bs, s|d; Crescent lambs, under 421bs, s}d; W.M.E. Co. lambs, under 421bs, 5 11-16 d; fair average North Island, under 421bs, 6§d. New Zealand sheep : The trade in mutton lias continued of a verydisappointing nature! During the past week there has been a little more life in the demand, but, at the same time, we are unable to record any real improvement in values. We quote Smithfield spot prices as follows Canterbury sheep, under 641bs, 4§d to 4§d per lb; .ditto 641bs to 721bs, 4d to 4^d; • Crescent sheep, under 641b, 4id to 44d; ditto, 641bs to 721bs, 3Jd to 4d ; W.M.E. Co. sheep, under 551bs, 4d to ditto, 551bs to 651bs, 3|d to 4^d; ditto 561bs to 601bs, 3|d to 4d; fair average North Island, under 701bs, 3fd to 4d. Frozen beef: Owing to the American strike there was a rapid advance about three weeks ago in the price of all classes of beef, frozen beef participating ful'ty in the improvement. In the interval New Zealand hindquarters have been sold I as 'high as 5Jd per lb, and forequarters at 3id pep- lb, but owing to the fact that a larger supply of town and Birkenheadkilled beef has" lately been available prices have somewhat receded: We quote Smithfield spot prices as follows New Zealand hindquarters, s|d per lb; ditto forequarters, 3i per lb. WOOL —Values in merinos and crossbreds continue firm, and as stocks are light, with the certainty of supplies being in a very limited compass for the next few months, ,we think the present situation should be maintained, that is provided, of course, there are no forced sales in the interest of "bear" speculators. " GRAIN MARKET—Although business is practically at a standstill, the market forevery thing is very firm indeed, and prices are generally inclined to be dearer. Wheat is not plentifully offered from New Zealand but there are plenty of Australian wheat cargoes offering. Oats: The supply here is fairly abundant owing to "the recent am--vals, btit sales could not be made at present quotations, except in very small quantities. The English crop is reported good, and is expected to open at moderate prices. We quote as follows for spot lots: —New Zealand wheat, Longberry, f.a.q., 32s per ~4961b5; ditto, Sliortberry, f.a.q., 32s per 4961b5; Australian wheat, f.a.q., 31s 6a per 4961bx-;. Garton oats, 21s to 22s per 3841b5; SptTrrowbill oats, ,22s to 23s per 3841b5; Canadian oats, 22s to 23s per 3841b5; Danish oats, 17s to 18s per 3201b5.