Commercial.

Press, Volume VI, Issue 673, 26 December 1864, Page 2

Commercial.

Pkess Office, Saturday, Dec 26. Since our last we can scarcely report an improvement in general trade, at the same time the nearness to harvest is making all more hopefuL With the exception of the blight in wheat, south of Christchurch the crops are spoken of as very promising. Grass is everywhere abundant, store cattle are. consequently, much sought after, and milch cows and small mobs of quiet steers and heifers meet -.nth ready purchasers, as the following auction reports will show. The grain trade may be considered nilL A few cargoes of oats have been shipped, but no advance can be quoted; merchants are now offering 2s lOd and 3s as a speculative price, but little or nothing is doing. Flour continues dull, the impression being that we have more than will be wanted before the coming crop will be available. The millers price may be quoted at £24 to £26, according to brand; and inferior, from £20 upwards. This price. This price has tended to check speculation in new wheat, and, so far as we can learn, no business has yet been done in the growing crops. Messrs Aikman and Wilson report the following sales at the Vewmarket Yards, on the 14th :—23 cows, averaging at per head, £4 lus ; 14 steers, from £li to £13 10s ; inferior cows, from £8 to £10 10s ; 23 head yearlings, £4 10s. At their Yards, in Christchurch, on Saturday, 17th :— 10 cows, at per head, from £9 68 to £14 10s; 1 bull, £8 108 ; 2 steers, £6 10s. At their Yards, in Christchurch, on Saturday, 24th .—ll cows, from £810s to £14 10s. Messrs OUivier and Son report a well-attended sale at Papanui. on Thursday last, when all the stock offered were cleared at improved prices, as follows :—l4 cows and heifers, averaging at per head, £12 5s ; 5 steers, at £13 5s ; 5 horses, at £2010s ; 250 ewes, at 275. Mr Mitchell, of the Newmarket Yards, reports a good demand for store cattle, especially quiet mobs suitable for paddock grazing. At the last market day, "Wednesday last, no auction sale took place, but a good show of stock was offered privately and disposed of as follows :—Store cattle, mixed, at per head, £9: milch cows, £13 to £16 10s; springing heifers, £12 ; calves, £2 5s to £2 10s. Messrs Burneu, Bennett and Sprot report a very successful sale of 21 pure Leicester rams, imported by Mr Derbam from Mr Gregg's flock, at Auckland. The sale took place in Mr iadbrook's Yard, on Saturday, 24th, and drew a numerous attendance of purchasers, who all agreed that better rams had never been imported to Canterbury. The competition for the best sheep was brisk, many fetching over £20. The highest price was £26 10s, and the lowest, £12; average, £18. A few pure ewes were also sold at prices varying from £8 to £16 each.