COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume XXI, Issue 2399, 14 April 1873, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Messrs H. Matson and Co report on the iive stock market as follows:—At the Carlton on Wednesday last the following stock was brought forward for the week's supply, viz, 327 head of cattle, and 2296 sheep. The attendance was numerous. Sales were made in sheep-without much trouble, but in cattle, in consequence of so large a supply being to band, sales were effected with difficulty at a reduction of fully 5s per bead on all grown cattle. Our entries comprised 246 head for Messrs Bevell, Hurse, Steed, and others ; we made sales of the majority at prices fully equal to a reduction of from 5s to 7s 6d per head on former quotations. In sheep pur sales Were, 400 merino wethers, three-quarters fat, at 6s per head, for Mr Higham ; 170 extra quality do, at 9s 3d to 9s 9d per head, for Mr P. Grant; 140 extra quality, cross-ired wethers, at lis 9d, 12s, to 16s, for Mr Kowe; 160 .cross-bred lambs, inferior, at 6s 6d per head7for Mr Shaw ; and several lots of culls, from 2s 9d to 3s 6d per bead ; ram lambs, from £2 10s to £8 per head. Country sales—At Lincoln, last fair day, we sold 136 head of cattle at fully 10s per head "above last Wednesday's rates, and 2000 sheep, at from 3s 6d to 5s for merino ewes, and 8s 5d forfat sheep ; rams from lis to 95s per head."" At Mr R. Wilkin's weekly wool and skin Bale on Thursday Mr Aikman reports afair attendance of buyers, and prices rather better than the previous week. He quotes prices as under :—Station skins, good, 7jd to 7Jd per lb; do, inferior, 4d per lb ; sheep skins, la 6d to 2s 5d each ; lamb skins, good, 2s 8d each; inferior, ls 6d each ; wool, 9d to 9fd per lb, in bales ; do, locks and pieces, S|d to ssd per lb j hides, 4fd to 4|d per lb. Messrs E. Mitchell and Co. report for the •Week ending April 11 as follows :—We have had another very full market this week, and owners of store stock have to submit to lower prices. There was also a fine supply of fat cattle, and prices barely maintained late quotations. Fat sheep, however, fully, came up to last week's prices, and anything prime met with ready sale. We yarded a large number of store ewes and also a good aumber of store cattle, but as prices did not _ome up to owner's valuation the greater part were turned out unsold. QuotationsBreeding ewes (merino), 4s to 4s 6d ; halfbred lambs, 6s to 8s 6d ; do 2-tooth ewes, lis to 13s 6d. Cattle—Calves, 15s to .20s ; weaners, 258 to 30s; yearlings, 35s to 45s ; cows and heifers, from two years old and upwards, 55s to 75s ; steers and bullocks, 70s to 95s ; fat cattle, 16s 6d to 18s 6d per LOOlbs ; fat sheep, 2d to 2M per lb. Land— "On Thursday we sold the sections in the township of Dnnsandal, varying in size from 100 links by 150, to 100 links by 200 ; 10 sections at £15 each ; 1 do, £36 ; "l do, £30: 1 do, £12 ; 1 do. £19 ; 1 do, £22 ; 2 do at £14 ; 1 do, £17 ; 1 do, £11; 2 do at £14 ; 1 do. £13. The first 10 sections were taken by the General Government. -. Mr H. E. Alport reports a continuance of large supplies of cattle and sheep at the Carlton yards. Ou Wednesday last the bulk yarded of both descriptions of stock were stores; and owing to the fall in wool and the approach of winter a very noticeable reduction in prices has been established. Fat stock come to market in moderate quan* psi, RBOatsbtm Uan to go Urts m

country to obtain sufficient supplies—Store aud inferior merino ewes and wethers sold at 28 3d to 2s 6d ; half fat merino wethers, 5s 6d ; really prime fat merino wethers, 9s ; half-bred lambs, 6s to 8s 6d ; half-bred ewes and wethers, 12s to 16s; fat bullocks, from £5 15s to £6 5s ; two to three-year-old steers and heifers, £3 5s to £4 10s; yearling to eighteen months, 35s to 46s ; prime beef, steady at 17s 6d per lOOlbs ; mutton, lfd to 2£dperlb. At the Rangiora saleyards on Thursday there was an excellent sale of Mr Buchanan's property. The interest in the lease of land, near Saltwater Creek, was purchased by Mr John Macfarlane, for £1150. The cattle and stock sold well. Mr F. M. Rickman reports for tbe past fortnight that he held a sale at Mr A. Ivory s, Feraside,'at which"" aU'the'farm implements sold at satisfactory prices. For stock, fair prices weie obtained—one draught gelding, £30 .-four-light draught mares and geldings, three-year-old, just broken, £17 to *-i ; and a few bead of good cattle brought, for cows, from £5 to £6 ; eighty-five ewes brought 6s Id ; and 400 from 3s 6d to *s 4d ; a pen of small lambs sold for 5s lOd. At the Rangiora yards on Tuesday Bth inst, about 1000 sheep were penned, of which ewes sold at from 3s 6d to 5s ; lambs, from 5s to 7s ; and a pen of very superior seveneteHths bred Romney Marsh wethers at 15s. About twentyffine head of cattle were also ■yarded. Yearling steers fetched from £2 to • £2 12s 6d; two-year-old steers, £4 to £4 10s; ahd-a pen of superior three-year-old steers' £6 ss. He also, disposed privately of a 170 i acre farm in the Rangiora swamp at £5 an acre for cash, as well as a 100 acre farm in tbe Fernside district, fenced and with improvements for £9 15s an acre cash. MeIBOUBKE.—The " Argus " of the 3rd reports ;—?ln the import marketonly a moderate business has been transacted to-day, the stiff ness and firmness of holders having in a measure interfered with operations in the principal staples. Breadstuffs fully maintain late quotations; under the hammer country flour was disposed of at £13 2s 6d. There is a good de mand for town flour for l ! trade purposes at £13 5s to £1310s. Wheat is still much wanted, and ready sales can be effected by auction; about 400 bags were cleared off at 5s Bdand 5s 9d. Sales privately have come under our notice atssßd\ Oats have considerably improved in value; about 1100 bags were run off publicly this forenoon at 3a 9d to 3s lid. foT seed. Feeding qualities realised 3s 7d to 3s 9d. About 5000 bushels stout milling sorts were placed at the extreme figure of 4s. Maize is steady at 2s lid to 3s, according to quantity. Feeding barley was disposed of at 4s 5d to 4s 6d, and Victorian malting realised 6s 6d to 7s 3d. The entire cargo of Mauritius sugar per Bpston Vale, comprising 6760 bags and pockets, was submitted to competition, but the prices obtained not being up to importers' views, only 1457 bags were allowed to go at 34s 6d for medium to 36s fdr" "yellow grainy counters, 38s 9d for fine soft, and 40s 3d for medium white crystals. The balance of the cargo was withdrawn. At the same time, 1510 bags ex Alice were quitted* at from 28s 9d to 32s 6d for low and irregular sorts, t<\ 35s 9d for medium connters. 3569 mats and bags Mauritius and Java were also quitted at £35 to £36 15s for counters, and £38 15s for grainy. Good yellow Java crystals, all faults, sold at £36 5s to £37, and low yellows at £34 to £34 ss. Teas are moving off in the ordinary routine of trade, but sales are only moderate. Ordiaary congous have been got rid of at ls id, and medium at ls4d. The Resolution's cargo will be offered to-morrow, and we understand that the importers mean sellin". A shipment of malt has been quitted at lis 10|d. We hear of about 1000 cases Devoe's oil having changed hands at Is 9d. Sales of cornsacks arte reported at 13s 4Jd. A parcel of sheet zinc has been taken up at £37 108. Soda crystals have been sold at £12. The following weekly review of tbe Australian corn market appears in the " Australasian " of the sth:—The market for breadstuffs has exhibited great firmness throughout the week, but the scarcity of parcels has prevented the transaction of business. Flour has been sold for 'trade purposes at £13 to £13 10s, according to brand, but the sales have been on a limited scale. In wheat, a better trade has been doing; parcels of 1000 and 500 bushels in i one line have changed hands, and sales to the extent of 3000 bushels have been | recorded at 5s 8d for prime samples. Oats .have shown a steady advance, but the market being barely supplied there is no room to i. operate extensiyely. A parcel of 2000 bushels Tasmanian realised as much as 3s 10£ d for seed, and to-day 5000 bushels fine milling were placed 1 at 4s. Ordinary to good feeding are saleable at 3s 6d to 3s 8d ; milling qualities are in demand, but no parcels are offering. Sales of feeding barley have been made at 4s 4d to 4s 6d ; at the former price about 1000 bags Cape were quitted on . Saturday. Sales of Victorian malting have been made to-day at 6s 6d to 7s 3d. Malt i's selling at 12s 3d to. 12s 6d for brewers' parcels ; a line of about 1200 bushels medium quality, was cleared off on Friday at lis 9d. For maize a slow inquiry has been experienced ; we quote 2s lid for parcels, at which figure a quiet trade has been doing; on Monday a line of 3000 bushels was sold afloat on private terms. We understand that owing to the rise in the value of oats, the oatmeal millers have been obliged to raise their price £1 per ton, £21 being now demanded.

Press Office, Saturday. The'Customs' revenue collected on Thurslay was as follows :— £ s. d. £ b. d. Ipirits 69 0 0 Sugar 69 13 8 :ea 37 1 0 Sundries J24 10 11 Total ... ... £300 5 7