1908.] 



Market Prices. 



307 



quarters, the price at London of New Zealand beef was 31s. 6d. per cwt. for 

 first quality, while Argentine made 30s. 4^., and Australian 33^. lod. 



The trade for fresh mutton was quiet in London, the best Scotch only 

 realizing 8^d. per lb., and English 7\d. Both were fetching more in some 

 other markets, Scotch making up to 84s. per cwt. in Manchester against 

 London's 77s., while at Liverpool it was 8u. 8d. The price of English 

 mutton was 70.?. in London, Birmingham and Leeds, 79s. 4d. at Manchester, 

 and 74s. 8d. per cwt. at Liverpool. 



London was by far the cheapest market for Argentine frozen mutton, the 

 price there being only 31 s. 6d. against 35^. in six of the leading country markets. 

 New Zealand mutton always sells at considerably more money than Argentine, 

 and made 42s. in London and Glasgow. Best British lamb was much more 

 even in value, fetching 98^. in London, Birmingham and Leeds, and I02J-. Sd. 

 in Glasgow and Dundee. In Liverpool and Manchester lamb was excep- 

 tionally cheap, the quotations being gis. and 88s. 8d. respectively. 



The quotations for veal are frequently very irregular, the supplies at most 

 markets being extremely uneven. It sometimes happens that, in London, 

 first quality of British cannot be quoted at all, that on offer being only second 

 rate. During the week in question there was no English veal making more 

 than 60s. 8d., while in Liverpool best English sold at 77s. 



Second week.— Whitsuntide, being a very popular holiday in London, 

 is generally a very poor week for the Metropolitan Cattle Market, but that 

 held on Whit-Monday formed a significant exception so far as beef was 

 concerned. The supply of 640 head on that day made a fair show for such 

 an occasion, and the quality was well maintained. Usually on any Bank- 

 holiday, many would have had to be held over, but buyers for the Central 

 Market were present, and every beast was quickly bought up. An advance 

 of \d. per lb. was freely given, and many more might have been sold. The 

 brisk trade of London was scarcely followed in the provincial markets, but 

 in very few places was there any reduction. At Hereford, Newport, Hull, 

 Liverpool, Norwich, Aberdeen, Castle Douglas and Perth there was a slight 

 downward tendency for beef, but at Bristol, Dorchester, Ipswich, Leeds, and 

 most of the Scotch markets there was some improvement in prices, while 

 other markets were more or less firm at previous rates. Sheep at Islington 

 numbered 4,600, but the demand contrasted strongly with that on the cattle 

 side of the enclosure. Trade ruled very slow, but prices were unchanged. 

 Prices were a little better at Crewe, Hull, Leicester, Peterborough, Wolver- 

 hampton, York, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Perth, more or less 

 lower at Ashford, Darlington, Denbigh, Derby, Exeter, Hereford, Ipswich, 

 Norwich, Elgin and Inverness, and at all other places were unchanged. Best 

 Down tegs were returned at 8\d. per lb. in London against 8\d. at Salford 

 and Crewe, 8\d. at Dorchester, Shrewsbury, Derby and Newcastle, and 7\d. 

 at Hereford, Norwich and York. Lambs were in moderate demand at 

 singularly even prices, \\d. being the top figure in the English markets 

 except at Hull and Newcastle, where the best made \\\d. 



The feature of the week in the London dead-meat trade was a distinct 

 advance in fresh killed British beef and a very slight one in American 

 chilled quarters. Port killed was stationary or even a little easier. So also 

 was Argentine chilled, but frozen remained unchanged. Scotch short sides 

 touched 7%d. per lb., long sides 6f d., and English 6§d., the last being exactly 

 the same as Deptford killed. Frozen beef sold at former prices. It is now 

 fully recognized that the short American supply is the sole cause of the 



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