COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume XXI, Issue 2494, 2 August 1873, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Pbess* Office, August 2. A fair trade has been done during the last week, considering the time of the year, and it being the last week in the month. This is no doubt owing in a great measure to tho late wet weather, which almost put a stop to up-country business. Messrs Dalgety, Nichols, and Co. disposed of about 3600 mats of sugar, ex Iris and Adelheid, by auction on- Thursday last. The prices for whites were very low, being about £1 to £1 10s under their value. For yellows, they were more successful, these falling very jlittle short of their value. The prices realised were for—Finest white crystals, £38 10s to £39 10s; fine white crystals, £36 to £38 ; finest white counters, £36 10s ; fine white counters, £35 10s ; finest yellow crystals, £36 to £37 ; good grainy brown, £34 10s. There was a good attendance of the trade, but the competition was not brisk. A parcel of 50 bales best Dundee cornsacks was disposed of at the same time for 13s 7d in one line. This is the only transaction we have heard of in sacks and woolpacks. Brandies owing to the late telegraphic advices are higher. Hennessy's case and bulk may be quoted at 31s and 8s in bond, respectively, and other brands at a similar rise. Oilmen's stores remain unaltered, but if the proposed new tariff passes, it will create quite a revolution in the prices of the majority of these articles. The new duties will be an increase in most instances. There has been a great demand for cement at last quotations, 225. Corrugated iron, G. 0., remains unaltered at £41. Slates are very scarce at £18 10s to J619. The produce maiket remains without movement, stocks »»8 a rule being very light. No wheat is offering for the moment, buyers, however, would pay 4s 6d to 4s 8d for prime sound milling parcels. Outside advices report an easier feeling, but our home stocks are too light to be seriously affected by foreign requirements. Flour remains very firm at £11 10s per ton. in 2001b sacks,-£! 2 per ton iv 1001b bags, and £12 10s per ton in 501b bags. We hear a parcel changed hands recently at £U 6s, but this was an exceptional sale. Oats are held with less firmness at 4s 6d as orders recently have fallen off considerably. Bran continues exceedingly scarce at £4 10s. Butter is moving slowly to Is, the demand being inconsiderable. Cheese is still asked for, and op to 8d is paid for prime lots. Messrs H. Mateon and Co. report on the live stock market, &c, as follows-.—Trans-actions in the live stock market have been chiefly confined to the yards, no sales of importance having been made during the week. At Carlton and Smithfield 142 head of cattle aud 1508 sheep were brought forward for the "week's supply. In cattle oar entries tvere 103 head for Messrs Jones, Ferguson, Adams, and others, biddings, except for fat and fresh - conditioned stock were of the most languid description. Milch and store cows were almost unsaleable, and young cattle did not meet with that briskness of competition which generally characterises the sale of such stock. At tho yards we sold the majority of our entries ; prices realised were about equal to late quotations. Quotations for beef 17s 6d per lOOlbs; '20s per lOOlbs could be obtained for a few extra prime quality, but not f>>r any number. Sheep— In our entries were 670 for Messrs . O'Callaghan Bros., Bruce and Coe, Dalton, j Bishop, and others. We sold cross-breds of : prime quality from 17s 6d to 20s, majority j at 20s per head : merino wethers from 6s Od ; to 8s 6d • merino ewes, old and inferior, I 6s lOd: do dry, t»t 65.; outside we sold i 1000 merino ewes at 7s per bead. Other sales j were some magnificent merino wethers j from Mount Hutt station np to lis 3d per j head. These shoep were prime, and eagerly I competed for by the trade. Another draft C»me forward from an Ashbnrton run, but had evidently been disturbed from their pastures before they were properly fatted, j and the trade signified their disaapproval of the system by not bidding for them at auction. There is one fact that a Canterbury producer can always console himself j with, and that is if he will only produce quality be will always find a ready market, " Quality" will never | be neglected, even should the yards be i

rate stock, tradesmen having learnt that •'quality means profit," in more ways than one. Our quotations remain the same, with snpplv coming forward freely. Skins, Hides", &c.—1200 sheepskins, '63" hides, Ac, were entered for Saturday's sale. The attendance of purchasers was good, and following prices realised :—Cross-bred skins, 3s 9d, 4s Id, 5s tfd, 6s 3d. to 7s 3d each : merino., 3s 7d. 3s lOd. to 4s "id each : country skins, Is 10d.3s 7d, to 3s 9d each ; hides, 4*d to 4>d per lb. Bird and Bennett report for the weekending the Ist instant—The yards have been fairly supplied with fat sheep, and prices re's main the same as last quotations. Fat Cattle —The demand has not improved, and for first quality. 17s 6d per 100 lbs is the top price. Horses—There is a good demand for all serviceable descriptions, particularly draughtafor which there are numerous buyers, the supply to hand lately has been very limited, and the number of horses required for fanning operations far exceeds any previous years. Any lots now coming to market will fetch full rates. We quote firstclass draught, £45 to £55 ; useful do. £35 to f £40. Good buggy and light harness horses, £18 to £25. Serviceable hacks, £15 to £20 ; light and inferior, nominal. At Mr R. Wilkin's weekly wool and skin auction on Thursday, Mr Aikman reports a fair average attendance of buyers, and prices about the same as last week. He quotes prices as uuder :—Wool in the grease, 6Jd to S{d per lb ; do locks, ssd do ; station sheepskins, Is 9d to 3s 2d each ; butchers' do, 3s 7d to 4s 5s each ; cross-bred do, 4s 8d to 6s 8d each ; hides, from 4|d to 4£d per lb for green ; do, 4jd per lb for salted ; calfskins, 48 each ; tallow, from 23s to 3 Is. Messrs E. Mitchell and Co. report as follows on the live stock market for the month of July:—As,at this season of the year transactions are mostly confined to fat stock, there is little to note beyond the fluctuations which take place at the weekly market; and as during the month prices (have been pretty steady, each week's transactions have been merely a repetition of the former. Fat cattle are still plentiful, and S prices have not improved, 17s 6d per lOOlbs being about the ruling figure for numbers. A large number from medium to good have found their way to the factory during the month. The sheep market also shows very little improvement unless for cross-breds. On Wednesday we sold a draft of 440 good merino wethers from Monnt Hutt station, averaging about SOlbs each at lis, whilst cross-breds sold at from 15s to 20s, but the value of the skin had considerably to do with the price of the latter. We quote mutton merino at 2-Jd to 2Jd ; cross-bred, 3d to 3Jd per lb. Comparing the above figures with those ruling in the corresponding month, 1872, we observe that beef is 5s per lOOlbs and mutton £d per lb lower, and we think the remarks made by us earlier in the season are likely to be verified, viz., that the large number of cross-bred sheep in the paddocks will prevent prices ruling high ; however, a good deal now depends upon the weather, and the rise in wool will make the farmer less anxious to sell his sheep till after shearing. Dunedin—The "Daily Times " of the 28th ult. reports :—We presume it was seasonable, but certainly the weather which we had during the whole of last week brought business to all but a dead stand. It did so by shutting off up-country traffic, which is seriously hindered for a time, and by rendering wind-bound both steam and sailing vessels, coasters and others. There is little, therefore, to report, and we may almost say, as we did last week, that things remain, if not quite yet all but in statu quo. The enquiry for English bottled ale and stout has in no degree diminished ; the market more favorably placed for meeting this only to the extent of a few small parcels of Bass's, which have been added to our scanty stocks. Brandy to no extent responds to the sensational reports that have been received. Prices are maintained for Hennessy's in case, which is in ordinary fair enquiry. Whisky is rather dull, the old and favorite brands only in small trade parcels going into consumption. Geneva remains as it has been for some weeks—firm. In oilmen's stores, a fair business is being done, and at well sustained prices, only depressed to the extent that temporarily orders from the country are withheld or kept back from being executed. Enquiry continues brisk for well cured colonial hams and bacon, which, in the absence of English, command ready sale. Butter is still firm at from Is to Is Id ; cheese at 9d to 9|d. Sugar is very firm, and stocks are gradually being reduced. A few parcels of whites have been sold during the week at the augmented, high rates. For good medium qualities of tea in boxes the demand continues. In tobacco we hear of no change. Candles are lethargic, although prices are still maintained. Kerosene moves off at late quotations from 2s to 2s Id, according to quantity. The consumpt at this season is very large, and stocks are not extreme. There | has been no alteration in malt since our I last, and it may be quoted as then, at from j 12s 6d to 13s 6d,according to sample. It will in ail probability be now firmly held at i these prices, since the period of its consumpi tion is so near—the time when the brewers make and lay by for the coming summer. Cornsacks are dull, the season rendering them so, and stocks small. Stocks of wool packs are exceedingly light and prices low; holders 1 expect a slight advance. In fencing wire a considerable business has been done, which there is every likelihood will continue for a time. Stocks have been reduced until it is scarce, and extreme rates rule firm. In galvanised iron there is less animation, but prices are well maintained for the best English brands. The timber market has been replenished with kauri, stocks of which are now sufficient for immediate wants. Flour continues to be quoted at £12 10s for sacks, and £13 for small bags. Supply for the North is brisk, and returns from Auckland more satisfactory. Wheat may be quoted at from 5s 4d to 5s sd, the demand good. Millers, however, complain of the quality, stating that the crop of this year has been altogether inferior to that of former years, and that the lots offeriug are rather of second than of prime milling quality. Oats are kept back by the state of the roads, but are worth from 4s 3d to 4s 6d, the latter price being commanded by very first quality oats. Bran going into consumption as it is manufactured, remains at 70s. Oatmeal is worth from 24s to 255. The Tea Market—A recent " Argus" states that telegrams which have been received from China state that new teas will be shipped to a very considerable extent to to the colonies at the commencement of the season, the engagements entered into being very large ; the opening price is also likely to be higher than at first anticipated, Another private telegram from Foo-ehow.-foo reports that the steamer Craigforth, with a cargo of new teas for Melbourne and Sydney, left on j the 9th July. Another telegram from Foo-chow-foo states that the J. E. Jcssen had sailed for Adelaide on 7th inst.