LIVE STOCK, &c.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 6979, 4 February 1888, Page 6

LIVE STOCK, &c.

The New Zealand Farmers' Cooperative Association op Canterbury, Limited, report for the week ending Friday, February 2nd, 1888 :— Business in grain and produce during the week has been fairly brisk, though values show little alteration. PearlandHunter's wheat in fair demand, both for coastal and local requirements, but Tuscan remains lifeless. Oats—Samples of the new crop are now offering freely, and small sales are reported at quotations. We may remark that estimates of the probable yield of the new crop vary considerably. Barley—For a small parcel of fair malting for immediate delivery 4s has been paid, but buyers decline further operations on same basis. Ryegrass is almost unsaleable. Cocksfoot—bamples of new crop are now on the market, and have found buyers at 3d to 3£d. Dairy produce—Advices from London per Aorangi point to low values for bulk of New Zealand cheese shipments, though butter would probably meet with fair demand.

Exports for the week—B236 sacks wheat, 2459 sacks oats, 127 sacks barley, 40 sacks malt, 2731 sacks and bags flour, 46 sacks seed, 65 cases bacon, 4 cases cheese. The following are our quotations, being prices paid to farmers and not applicable to lines ex warehouse :—

Wheat —Prime milling velvet, or pearl, 3s 3d ; Tuscan, 3s Id to 3s 2d ; Hunter's, 3s Id; second quality, 3d lower. Oats—Milling, Is 9d; bright stout feed Canadian, Is 8d; sparrow-bill, Is 7id to Is Sd; Danish, nominal, Is 6d to Is 7d. Peas—2s 9d to 3s, f.o.b. Beans—2s lOd to 3s, f.o.b. Cheese—3d to 3id, f.o.b. Bacon and Hams—6d to 6Jd, f.o.b.

The National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand, Limited, report on the live stock markets for the week ending Friday, the 3rd, as follows :— At Addington on Wednesday, February Ist, 7964 sheep were yarded. Fat sheep —A large supply coming to hand, a dull dragging sale ensued, as, notwithstanding the withdrawal of several lines and some of the last lots being taken for export, prime sheep receded in value from 6d to 9d per head; medium quality, however, did not suffer to the same extent. We quote mutton at from about Id to 1M per lb, the latter price for the very best quality. Prime crossbred wethers made Bs, 8s 6d, 8s _d, 9s to 9s 4d; medium wethers and mixed sexes, 6s 6d. 6s lOd, 7s 4d to 7s 8d ; fat crossbred ewes, ss, 5s 6d, 5s lOd, 6s, 6s 6d to 7s 3d, and one extra lot at 8s: merino wethers, 4s 3d to 5s and 5s 6d. At the last price we topped the market in this class with a line of very well finished sheep from Mr A. Paterson, Kirwee. Fat Lambs—A great many more came to band than were required, and prices again . receded. A few of the lines were taken for freezing at from 6s to 7s, but butchersbought most of their lambs at from 4s to ss, inferior sorts making 2s Gd and upwards. Store Sheep —A good demand for good young sheep ; 4-tootb crossbreds, forward condition, made 7s, 2-tooth medium 4s (3d, 4s lOd, and ss. Cattle—33l head yarded. Fat Cattle —A full supply came to hand, the quality for the most part being very good. The market was extremely dull, and prices low, the very best quality only reaching 16sperl00lb, inferior about 10s to lis. A small entry of store cattle, with very little business doing, and prices unaltered. Pigs—l2l penned. All sorts-met a ready sale at full values.

Messrs Miles and Co. (per J. T. Ford) report on the live stock market for' the week ending Friday, February 3rd, as follows:—At the Canterbury Saleyards, Addington, Wednesday, February Ist, the total number of stock yarded comprised 330 cattle, 7064 sheep including lambs, and 121 pigs. The sale commenced as usual with the fat cattle, and as the number yarded was considerably beyond trade requirements, the sale was more than usually dull and languid. A further decline in values took place, and several lines of prime quality cattle were turned out unsold. Our entries were on account of the 1 owcliff Estate and we sold very prime fat heifers at from £415s to £5 each, the average value being about 15s per 1001b. For other clients we sold fat bullocks at £6 2s 6d, heifers at £4, and cows at £2 17s 6d each. Of store cattle there was only a moderate entry, and but little business transacted. Freshconditioned 3 - year-old heifers brought £3 10s each. Young cattle were dull of sale and changed hands at from 15s for 8-months'.old up to 20s and 25s each for yearlings, running up to £2 5s for 18 months up to 2-year-old cattle. Dairy cows were not in demand. We sold heifers up to £3 4s each, and one Springing heifer at £4 ss. Fat Sheep—The number yarded were altogether in excess, of requirements, especially as the demand for export was very limited indeed. We have consequently to report a further decline in values of from 6d to Is per head over all sorts; and even with this reduction a clearance was not effected. It is hopeless to expect that any rise will take place in the value of prime fat wethers and maiden ewes during the present month, but heavy export engagements during the months of March and April will, we think, bring about an advance in values of such sheep, especially as the number of lambs suitable for shipment are likely to be very limited at that . time. Fat lambs Were again in abundant supply, with but few lines of good quality. The sale was very dull and dragging, and prices for all inferior sorts very low indeed. Our sales were as follows :—On account of the Chatmoss estate, 146 very prime fat crossbred wethers, from 8s lOd to9seach; Eastcott estate, 69d0., at7s; E. G. Wright, Esq., 60 maiden ewes, at 7s Id; Messrs J. and J. Innes, 97 crossbred wethers, at 8s; Waipara Downs estate, 32 crossbred wethers at Bs, 32 crossbred ewes at 6s lid ; Lowcliff Estate, 180 very prime crossbred wethers, 8s 3d to 8s 9d each; William Gerard, Esq., Snowden, 314 merino wethers, at from 4s to 5s 2d each. Fat lambs on account of Mr H. Feutz, 50 at 6s; on account of a client, 40 at 6s; on account M. Brady, 14 at 4s. At the Tinwald Sale Yards on January 31st a very moderate attendance, in fact at this season the farmers are busily engaged with harvest operations, and the holding of weekly sales while this is come on is simply a farce. There were abonc 1200 sneep yarded, and a very light entry of cattle. The bulk of both sleep ami cattle were turned out unsold. Private Sales of Stock-Privately during the week we have sold 20C01st cross ewes, one third 4-tooths, 2s 3d, 2-tooths at 6s 6d each, delivery at owners' yards. Skins Fat, &c.-We held our weekly sale on Thursday at oar Colombo street Stores when we offered a fair catalogue. The attendance was smaller than we have seen lately, and competition in conseQ n_ h. ti wa * de i_ ldeu lj Quiet, withprices slightly easier tnan last week. We sold «? *_¥_" P f» lfc 2 a t up tols M » lambskins to 11.1 *L W i_? Ued B & ns to *» «•' Fat-From TfM_-i.y d i_? ep lb ' **g*«»nis to quality. Hides—HeW over. Wool—We would remind our clients and friends that the next series sales has been fixed for Friday, the 10th inst.

The New Zealand Loan and aw' CA_sm_E Agency Co., Limited, »_*?* on the produce markets for the wee*__? ing Friday, 3rd February, as follows • Wool-frhe first seHes of opened In London on Tuesday l*gt. V s ? the various cablegrams received th_»Sr are of a very satisfactory nature. A iS!__attendance is reported, and strontt corr_!_? tion from both home and toreignbnS s *" especially from the German section rrfni trade, and prices show a slight advaM_T__ closing rates of December on merincttoi*? and a distinct advance of a full m?" crossbreds. Indications point to a_w tone prevailing, and as the sales r__n2_! we confidently look forward to an advSi in prices, especially in crossbred w__? •■' since the export of this jrro»K ■ from Australia is smaller than and the quality somewhat inferior Ty* in the manufacturing districts of Vm* shire and France is reported to be soorj and active, while a decided improverS*? is reported from America, with low aStS at all points. These conditions caanS fail to nave a beneficial effect on trad._n round. The next series of local auetin«_ : is fixed for Friday next, 10th inSSE? when all the brokers will offer thehca__» logues on the one day. The quantltv _Sk_. • brought forward will probably be aK»T? 8000 bales, and will be the last; imi>_____: sale of the season. u P°n«n» Sheepskins—Supplies brought forward at Thursday's auctions were not heavy which was probably a fortunate cirrann stance, as the attendance of the trade wa* much smaller than usual, and price, dls! played a good deal of irregularity. Eaalw rates prevailed throughout. Our sales fop the week privately, and at auction amount to 5395 skins, for which the following rates were secured:—Butchers' pelts. sd, 6d, 9d up to Is; butchers'lambs, W w Is 2d, Is 4d, to Is (3d; factory pelts, 9d,i.od! Is to Is4d; factory lambs, Is Id, Is_i_! sd, Is lOd up to 2s; country cross-breda. 2s 9d to 4s 6d ; country merinos, 3s to4s 4a Tallow and Fat—Cablegrams received from London during the week report that* the market remains without alteration. Rough fat brought forward on Thursday met with good competition, all onoflft being cleared at up to ljjd for prime country. Hides—Late prices are still maintained* OOlbs and over, 4d per lb; 51 tos9lbg,au per lb; oOlbs and under, 3d per lb; caff skins, 4d per lb; cut, 2d to 2Jd per lb* damaged, Id to 2d per lb. '". Wheat—The prevalence of north-west: winds throughout the week has brought the crops on rapidly, and harvesting la now very general. Districts near the hills will suffer from shaking, and the hall storm of Tuesday proved disastrous to a small strip of country through which It passed, but happily its baneful effects' were localised, and though there are Individual sufferers the damage has not been serious. Threshing from stook la not being largely adopted this season. In this we think growers are wise, as many millers have resolved not to buy stookthreshed wheat. We hear of some excellent yields of fine quality of grain, and, taking crops all round,; there will no doubt be some very superior samples on offer in the course of another month or hJx weeks,Regarding the market, London cable* grams are not so favourable as a week ago, and unless a firmer tone again prevails at Mark Lane operators for shipment cannot afford to exceed the price of 2s Od, f.o.b. Old wheat has but Blight business at 3s Id to 3s 2d, f.o.b, the latter price having been paid for choice velvet. Pearl may be quoted at 3s 2d, Tuscan and Hunter's 3s Id, f.o.b. Whole chlckwheat commands 2s 96. to 2s lOd, >seconds 2s 7d ta 2s Bd.

Oats—A large area has already been cpt, and we learn that the quality in many instances is excellent. The Nor 1 -westers having prematurely ripened some crops, there is, however, a good deal of thin' grain to be marketed. Old.oats have been! placed at Is 8d to Is 9d for good heavy feed, while Is 6d to Is 7d f.o.b. has been accepted for new crops. Barley — Some early threshed parcels have already been placed upon the mar ket, for which 4s to 4s 3d has been realised. The hail of Tuesday will affect tbe color of much that was lying On the ground, but if bold and of good malting quality, its value will not be materially prejudiced. We learn that much of the Victorian crop has been injured by the heavy rain experienced there, and that as usual New Zealand will be looked to for supplies of prime quality malting, and though later on in the season prices may recede, 4s to 4s -3d' is likely to rule for some time yet. Beans and Peas—Good accounts an tnven of these crops, and heavy yields are anticipated. Beans are expected to open at the equivalent of 2s 8d to 2s 9d to.b,, and peas at about a Id to 2d higher. - Rye Grass-seed is now offering more freely, and though generally of good quality, the heavy percentage or pernicious weeds militates against its value.' For well-dressed heavy seed 2s 3d to 2s Od ha»' been paid, but for foul parcels Is GdtolsOd is full value. Cocksfoot Seed—A large area Is already cut, and reported to be of superiorquallty. The samples we have seen, however, indicate a want of maturity, and are very foul with goose grass. Deliveries on a large scale may be expected in the course of a ■ week or ten days, by which time It is to be hoped that orders will be plentiful; In' the meantime prices are not established, and buyers are reticent. Present indlca* tions are that the market will open at Sid to 3Jd for good heavy clean seed. Dairy Produce—The quantity of both butter and cheese on offer is large, bat the former if of prime quality meets with good demand at about 5d per lb, cheese is not much enquired after, and quotations rule at 3d to 4d. By the mail just to hand we have advices of sales of butter at 101s to 112s per cwt. These were of exceptions! quality however, the bulk of shlpments fiaving realises 96s to 08s. Che«sebtsrealised 32s to 425, according to quality, one prime lot having made 48s.

Mr F. Jameson, Leeston, reports for the fortnight ending .yesterday:—.. < Leeston Sale—The usual fortnightly Bide was held last Friday, but owing to the harvest operations having commenced la . the district there was only a very moderate entry and a very small attendance. Sheep—Only a very few yarded, and eonv petition dull. Merino ewes sold at 3s 3d. and fat four-tooth crossbred* Bs. Pigs—Small entry, and competition very brisk, at a slight »_■ vance on previous rates for good storeCattle—Moderate entry. Springers were in slightly better demand, and young well-, conditioned stores sold.at ruling raxes; but dry cows of uncertain age were unsaleable. My entries were on account of Messrs W. Donaldson, F. Smith, J. Shierlaw, E. Winter, C. HamptomC. Taylor, W. Moorhead, A. Alexander, W. Crosseo, M. O'Neill, P. McCarten, T. Humphries, J. Carton, T. Dowling, M. O'Brien, and others. - On Monday, January 23rd, I conducted a very successful sale at the Selwyn Hotel on account of various clients. There ws* . a large entry of cattle, sheep and horses. The attendance of the public was very good, and nearly every lot changed hands at satisfactoryprices. ~ Dunsandel usual monthly sale at these yards was held on MopftJ...' January 30th. Owing to the harvest being in full swing there was only a very atom entry and attendance, consequently veiy. little business was done.*