COMMERCIAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2392, 6 January 1909, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLE. [Press Association."] WELLINGTON, Jan. 5. The following is tlie High Commissioner's cable, dated London, January 4th: The mutton market is very dull and there is scarcely any demand. Prices are maintained solely because the stocks of mutton on hand arc light, and firmly held in a few hands. Currant quotations are : Canterbury mutton, 3|d : North Island, 3|d : Australian, 3d ; .River. Plate, 3’ d. There i.s scarcely any demand for lamb. Canterbury brands are quoted at 5Jd. and other than Canterbury at 4|d, Australian stock is accumulating and is quoted at 4§d. The beef market is quiet. Hindquarters are quoted at 3RI. fore-quar-ters 3g d.

The butter market i.s firmer. There is more demand and the marker lias been favorably affected. OAving to the severity of the weather and especially .for New Zealand brands, on account of the fire on the Paparoa. Choicest Noav Zealand butter is quoted at 112 s per CAvt. nominal, and stock is almost exhausted. Other quotations are: Danish 114 s, Siberian 102 s. Australian IOSs, Argentine 106 s per cwt. The cheese market is firm, and there is a better demand. White make is quoted at 58s, and colored at 59s per oavl.

The hemp market is weak and inactiAX, a-ncl prices are nominally as follows: Good fair grade, on spot. £24 Jos : fair grade, on spot, £22 15s; fair current Manila, on spot. £2l 15s. January to March shipments-: Good fair grade, £24 10s: fair grade £22 10s. .Last week’s output from Manila' amounted to 25.000 bales.

The Cocksfoot seed market is quiet, and buyers are not- keen to do business. Bright .clean, 171 b seed is quoted at 78s per cwt nominal. The kauri gum market is firmer and there is more demand. The curU'ent quotations are: Oirdijtnry to fair, three-qua rter scraped. 1655: -fair half-scraped, 102 s Gd; brown, fair, half to three-quarter scraped,- 85s: brown pickings, common to good, 60s ; bush, fair to good, pale and amber scraped, 140 s. The hop market is steady and prices avoll maintained. The woo! market shows signs 'of strength. Bradford tops are quoted a*, follows: 36’s loav crossbreds, lid; 40’s loav crossbreds, llgcl; 44’s medium crossbreds, Is OJcl; 50’s half-brcds, Is 4RI ; 56'a quarter-breds, Is 63d; 60's merinos, Is lid. Tlio folloAving shipments arrived from the River Plate during the inontli of December: In London, mutton .1.39,279, Jamb 18,633; Uverpool. 160,320, 17,585; Newcastle 12.729, J .981 ; Southampton, 4.991, 3,000; Card ill. 10,710, 2,000; Plymouth, 952, 1-ID; Glasgow, 2500, <00: Ireland, 3,577, 109: Bristol, 3,000, 300; butter, London and Southampton, llS6sc.AV.ts.

' NAPIER WOOL SALES. ■ NAPIER., Jan. o. The second wool sale of the. scalou was held to-day, when a record catalogue of 13,698 bales was offered. A very large proportion of this was coarse crossbred, so that for wool of this description there was not the same animated bidding as at one previous sale, but. prices al. round were about the same for equal quality. For the rougher sort' prices were a shade higher than at last sale. For line lialfbred woo s there was a keen demand, ami pwces were rather higher than at the December sale. The following is the range of nrices • Fine halfbreds up to I2d ; fine crossbreds 9d to llScl; medium cressbred from 7id to sail; cJoau bright lots am to Lid; coarse crossbreds old to 7 del • lambs’ ranged from Old tor inferior up to: • S 4 d for (be bcttci •grades. - ■. \ • . . ’