Commercial.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3022, 3 March 1881, Page 2

Commercial.

HAWKE'S BAY STOCK & STATION REPOBT, FEBRUARY, 1881. The large amount of business transacted during December and January in store slieep left comparatively little surplus in breeders' liands to put in the market during the past month, and though there is still considerable demand for young stock, both merino and cross-bred, with few exceptions the lots remaining open for sale are chiefly full mouths and lots of mixed sexes and ages. Fat sheep are plentiful at moderate rates. In cattle, as usual at this season, very little business has been done, and few sales willba attempted till we have had the autumn rain, and after flush of feed. Grass seed is getting firmer; sales of rye grass are readily effected at 3s 6d, but growers are holding for 3s 9d to 4s per bushel; cocksfoot, 3|d to 4d per lb. The following are quotations ruling for stock :—

Cattle.—Fat, 20s per 1001b ; store steers, 1, 2, and 3-year-old, £3 ss, £4 10s, £5 15s for respective ages; female stock, from ordinary herds, range for same ages from £2 15s to £5 ; dairy cows, £8 to £11 each. t-heep. —Fat merino wedders, full-mouth, 5s to 5s 6d ; store do, 2, 4, and 6-tooth, 6s to Is Gd, none offering ; 8-tooth, ss, nged nominal; merino owes, 2 and 4-tooth, 8s to 9s ; 6 tooth, 6s 6d to 7d ; fresh 8-tooth, 6s ; full-mouth, 4s to 5s ; cross-bred wedders, fat, 9s to 10s 9d ; stores, 2 and 4-tooth, 8s; 6 and fresh 8-tooth. 8s : cross-bred ewes, 2 and 4-tooth, 10s •, 6 mid fresh 8-tooth, 7s to 8s; full-month, 5s to 6s each. In conjunction with M. R. Miller and Potts, Waipawa, I have polrl and delivered during the past month 13,064 merinos from the flocks of D. M'Fean, Roberts and Co., R. Johnson, H. Campbell, Stokes Bros' estate, A. St. Hill, the Olrig estate, and Eoyse, Stead and <"o. ; and 3656 cross-breds from the flocks of H. Campbell, D. Gollan, S. Johnston, and Roberts and Co. We have also sold for delivery during March 7370 merinos and 1000 cross-breds from the flocks of Messrs S. Johnson, F. Tiffen, Olrig estate, Korokipo estate, and Boyse, Stead and Co., being a total of stock Bold and to deliver of 28,086 sheep during the month. Bams.—l have sold 88 Lincolns from Mr J. B. Sutton aud 20 Lincolns from Mr Frederick Sutton at £3 3s net f.o.b. at luvereargill. In merino rams: Mr S. Johnston's 25 six-tooth and 50 two-tooth, £2 2s ; Hon. H. R. Russell's 25 four-tooth, and of Eoyse and Anderson's 70 four-tooth,' at £2 10s each, and several transactions pending in these classes. Horse Stock.—Till the end of March there will be little business done in draught stock. Quotations ; Heavy draught, £45 to £55 ; medium do, „J3O-to £35 ; light do, £15 to £20 ; good to £25 ; useful do, £10 to £15 ; light eJ6ra£s»tp £7 10. Wool.—By Home telegrafisjs the present series of wool sales rule in favwr of buyers to the extent of l_d to 2d per lfa compared with closing rates of last November-Decem-ber. The decline is general at preaetrit, but there is a good prospect of a revival of trade. Messrs GoMsbrough's Annu/il Wool Review is to hand, and gives a valuable resume of the trade there, shoving a very satisfactory comparison with/ the London market rates. Out of a total of 165,506 bales catalogued 122 272 "bales were sold. These, with 50,000 bales sold by Sydney brokers, and about 25,000 sold in Adelaide —together about 200,000 bales, valued about £4,000,000 sterling, have been sold in the colonies during this past season, Melbourne continuing to maintain its well-won supremacy as the great colonial central depot for the wool sales.

Sheepskins, Hides, and Tallow.—Our local market quiet. Quotations as in January. Station Properties.—There is increasing enquiry for both freehold and leasehold station property, and several are now in negotation at prices favorable to buyers. last report I have sold Mr Thomas Tanner's Mount Erin property, containing aboul 6750 acres freehold, with all plant and improvements, 25,000 sheep and 200 head cattle, to the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, a? agents for the Hon. G. M. Waterhouse, at prices withheld. M. R. Villee, Stock and Station Agent, Auctioneer, &c. Napier, N.Z., 28th February, 1881.