COMMERCIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2308, 26 May 1898, Page 26

COMMERCIAL.

The .Timam Herald of the-'l7th inst. says :— " Potatoes are worth money just now, and we hear, of sales at up to £5 10s per' ton at country. l 3tation§r t .Growers .were offering'best quality at £5 on Satiuday,,but 'met with refusals,- which turned out-a -blessing 'in disguise." for. they were nble' tp place them yesterday at 10s advance."' • *MrJ ; 'John> > Holmes> 'thetflaV-exper-tj lias been /making inquiries into the lots of 'weight in. kauri--gum'complained'of by exporters."' He found "that - the buyer-was given the benefit of- the turn of the' scale, both on-gross weight and the turn of e.teh cas,e, which would average 21b per case. ' A sort of discount of lib to 21b per cent, was allowed in addition. By old custom, samples were thrown "about on the floor and roughly repacked, and no 1 particular care exerciFed in thoroughly emptying case 3 ., He thinks that representations to the Government by shippers would bring about an alteration. ' - '

Messrs -Dalgety and Co. (Limited) report having held a clearing sale of horses aud contractors' plant at Balclutha on Monday, 23rd ifist.,' on account of Messrs Henley and Fraser -and Lindsay and Jeffries, who have given up con- , tracting. As the horses were well known to bs good workers, and as they were advertised for unreserved sale^ the buyers, present, although not "large 'in number, competed strongly, and. every horse 'was sold at good values. Implements, drays, harness, #c.,,a1l found buyers, under good com- ~ petition. -.They also 'offered a 'number of useful young draught mares and geldings on account of Messrs J/B: M'Neele, R. Wyllie, Wallace Bros., v J." D." Wiiloclc, RT Tulloch, and others. Heavy draught, mares and geldings, five to seven years old, broueht £30 to £36 ; medium, five to seven years, £22 to £26 ; heavy draught, aged, £20 to £26 10h ; medium, aged, £15 to £17 10s.

The" Egmont Farmers' Union (Limited) report under date Hawera, May 19 :— At our usual fortnightly sale at Afanaia on the -18th inst. the yards were well filled with cattle, mostly large steers and dairy heifers. Although the attendance was small, bidding was keener than we have experienced for some considerable time, resulting in most of -.the stock changing bands at advanced prices on last sales. We quote : ,:JP«t bulldck?,*£s to<£s los.; forward do, £3 7s 6d to £3 15s ; fat and forward cows; £2 10s to £2 16s ; two to- two' and a-half year steers, £2 2s 6d to £3 ss;'dairy; 'dairy cows 'and heifers, £2 15s to £3 10s; weaners, 6a 6d to 12s. During the .week we have succeeded in; placing several lines of fat stock.