COMMERCIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 7470, 14 March 1888, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

The amount of revenue collected at the Customhouse on goods cleared to-day for consumption was £6.7 17b Od.

STOCK AND STATION REPORT.

Mr Donald Stronach (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited) reports for the week ended March 14 as follows Fat Cattle.—2lß head were yarded at Burnside to-day for the week’s requirements, chiefly light weights and medium quality. There was a good attendance of the trade and competition moderately active, but pi ices realised were If anything lower than ever. Best bullocks brought L 5 17s 6d to L 7 ss; ordinary and light weights L 5 7s 6d to L 5 10a ; cows from 1,2103 to 1,6 ss. Fat Sheep.—2,l7l were penned, of which about 200 were merino wethers, medium to good useful mutton, the balance cross-bred wethers and owes, the latter preponderating, quality ranging from inferior to good and prime. Although to-day’s entry was considerably smaller, there was no improvement in the demand and prices obtained were no better than those of last week, if quite so good, conaideting quality. Best cross-bred wethers brough' S3 to 0i; ordinary. 6s to 7s 6d ; best cross-bred owes, 7s Orl to 9<; about half-a-(kzen extra prime quality, fli 31; ordinaly. 5s to 7s 3d ; merino wethers, 33 6d to 7s 3d.’ We sold on account of Mr Allan Mao’ean, Waikakah, a magnificent lot of cress-bred ewes, piime quality and heavy-weights, at 8s 91 to 9j ; Messrs Ross Bros , Palmerston, a nice lot of cross-bred ewes, light-weights, at 7s. , , ~ Fat Lambs.—764 were penned. The whole of these were disposed of, but a less number would have met requirements. Competition was fairly active, but or ccs recoded considerably from those of last week. Best brought 6s to 7s 6d; others. dstoF.sOd. Wc sold, on account of Messrs Ross Bros., Palmerston, one pen at Gs to 63 3d. . Pigs —245 were penned, comprising a variety of sorts. Competition was fairly spirited. Light stores had less demand, but all other sorts made full prices. Suckers brought 6s 64 to 8s ; light s’-o-cs. 12s 6d to 16s; porkers, 28s 64 to 345; baooners, 37s 6d to 565; half-dozen heavy weights, B9s to 72s each. Store Cattle.— Owing to the continued depression in the fat stock market the demand for stores is still weak. There are a good many offering, but buyers arc not di«po«cd to purchase at the pric’S asked by holders ; and as the turnip o-tp Is partially a failure there is less inducement to operate. Store Sheep.— Few desirable lota are now offering outside of those advertised for sale by public auction, nearly ail en hand now being full and brokenmouthed ; but even these are moving off in considerable numbers, hofh for grazing and boiling-down purposes During the week we place* 9 200 two and four tooth merino ewes; also full-mouthed nrenno owes and wethers at current prices. Woo!.—We have no advices of any special import from the London market. Next sales commence on thofith April, andasa considerable qmnli'y of New Zealand wools Is to be offered the result will be anxiously awaited. In this market no business beyond the placing of odd lots has been done during the week, the wool season being virtually closed. Sheepskins —We have bnyers (or almost an nn-' limited number of these. On Monday—our regular weekly sale day—we offered a moderate catalogue, comprising all sorts. There was, as usual, a full attendance e( the trade, and spirited competition (nr every lot submitted. Best green crosf-breds had the most attention, topping last week’s best pnoe. Oounfcry dty crosß-bredp, low to medium. Drought Is 4d to 3s 4d ; do do merino. Is 2d to 2s 91: medium to full-woolled cross-breds, 8s Bd to ss3d; do do merir o, 3s to 4s 54 ; drv pelts. 244 to Is 84: butchers’ green cross-breds, medium, Is 64, Is Bd, Is 9d. 2s I best, 2s 3d, 2s sd, 2s 6d, 28 7d ; g'een raerlnncs, Is 6d to Is 84; ionibsk’ns. Is lOd. 2s, 2s 2d, 2s 3d. 2s 4d. RabM’-skins.— I The market in the meantime is almost at a standstill. The odd lots occasionally arriving are tcadly disposed of at from 4d_ to BJd for medium to good summer skins. The business done, however, is very small, and will not be of much importance before the beginning of June, when summer and autumn collections will be arriving; but very few full-furred skins will be on the market before the middle of July. . Hides.—All descriptions are in rather improved demand, heavy hides in particular, for shipment, but the inducement offered leaves but little, if any, margin to the shippers, and the business done in this direction is comparatively small. Buyers for local manufacture are the principal operators, at the following quotations—viz., for inferior and bulls’, l)d to 2d • light, 2Jd to 2-fd; medium, Sd to 3Jd ; heavy weights, SJd to 4Jd per lb. . Tallow. The quantity offering is somewhat limited, and for all coming to hand sales are cosily effected: but as local manufacturers hold considerable stocks the improvement in value is still slight. Outside rendorers, rather than sell at local prices, prefer shipping on their own account. The following teleeram received from ourljcndon office, dated 9tn inst., is not so satisfactory“ The tallow market is quiet. Good mutton i* worth 26s 6d and flood beef -4s per cwf.” Evidently a drop on previous rates. Present quotations her© are : For prim© mutton, 18s to 19s t medium to flood, 15s 6d to 17s ; inferior and mixed, 12a to 15s : rough fa*, Inferior, 78 to 8s ; medium fn good, 8s 6d to 10a; best mutton caul fat, lls to 13s PC Grain.—Wheat: Thus far the deliveries of new grain, from the South especially, have been slight, whilo from the North samples aro being daily presented, and deliveries to a limited extent are being made • hut there being no demand for export, and millers continuing to be averse to largo operations, only purchasing tor immediate requirements, which they have no difficulty in doing from the numerous samples of flne-crnditionoi grain offering from the North. In the early part of the week 3s 3d to 3s 4d was obtained (or best velvet and Tuscan, but during the past day or two 3s to 3s 2d would bo the utmost procurable for even limited quantities. The tone of the market is very unsatisfactory, prices receding almost daily. We quote beat milling. 3s to 8s 2d ; good to beat, 2s 9d to 3s; inferior to medium, Is 6d to 2s 6d (ex store).—Oats: These have been in somewhat better request during the week by both shippers and millers, but prices offered aro rather lower than those obtaining lately. Stocks, however, are still light owing to farmers being busy with harvest and consequently unable to get supplies forward, which has so far tended to keep prices at their present level. At the same time the tendency is towards lower values, and It is quite apparent that if the market is unnecessarily forced that present quotations cannot be rutintalned. We quote bright stout milling Is 8d to Is 84d i extra prime a shade more; beet bright short feed, li 7id to Is 8d; medium to good, Is 6d to Is 7d

(ex store).—Barley: The now crop has not liecn dealt in to any extent, butlhero is a good demand .xistinir, both on the part maltsters and.buyers, for shipment. It isgonerally believed that the quantity to come forward U likely to be short of requirements, therefore really prime bright samples ought to command full price?. Wc quote first uniting is to is 3d ; medium to good, Si 6d to 3s Od; feed and milling, 2s 3.1 to 3s 3d (ex store) , . Rye-grass Seed.—Deliveries into store are assuming largo dimensions, and although small sales arc made occasionally the immeduto prospect for a clearance seems to be somewhat remote, at anything approaching satisfactory prices. „ . .., , , . Cocksfoot seed only moves off in retail lot?, at from 3Jd to Ijd per lb, aco ,'tding to sample.