COMMERCIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 8715, 6 January 1892, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

The amount oi revenue collected at the Oostom-bouse on seeds cleared to-day for o n«nniotlon was L1,42412J. Cable advices give the following as the year s business of the Fquitablo Life Assurance Society of the United States-.-New business 147,900,000. assets nearly L27.0C0.C00, surplus L 4,200,0:0. , T1 a The National Bank of N-iw Zealand, Limited, pay an interim dividend at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum on the 20th Inst.

STOCK AND STATION REPORT.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, report for the week ended January 6 as follows : Fat Cattle.—Two hundred and three head came forward to the Burnside Saleyards for this week’s supply, two-thirds of which were good to prime, the rest only medium quality. For really good quality there was a very fair demand, bat prices rating were slightly lower than those obtaining lately for similar quality, while for inferior to medium prices were still less satisfactory. Best bullocks brought L 7 10s to 18 ss—one or two pens extra heavy“Lß 15i to 19 7s 61; medium to good, Lfito 17 s*; light weights, L 4 to Lsl7s 6d; best cows, L6to L 6 12s 6d ; medium, L 4 to L 5 10a; light, L2 10s to 13 10). We sold, for Mr Hobert Tapper (Olifden S ation) several pens bullocks from L 7 6a to L 9 7s fid—top price to-day. Fat Sheep.—2,s74 were penned, of which abont 160 were merino wethers, medium to good, the rest all oroas-bteds, mostly ewes, only a few pens wether', good to prime quality. For the latter competition was fairly active, although prices for these hardly reached last week’s values. Ewe mutton had less attention, prices rnllng much lower. Best cross-bred wethers brought 12a 9d to 13s 91—one pen 14s 3d; ordinary, lls to 12a 31; best do ewes, Us to 12a 6d; ordinary, 8a to 10a; merino wethers, 7a 3d to 10s. Lambs.—44s were penned, medium to good, all of which were sold, bat at lower prices than those obtaining last week. Best brought 9a 6d to 11a; others, 6a 6d to 8s 6d. Pigs.—Only 60 penned, most of which were suckers and stores, with a few porkers and baooners. The latter had a little more attention, and commanded slightly higher prices. Suckers brought 6s to 10s; slips, lls 61 to 13s; stores, 15a to 17a; porkers, 23s 6d to 26a 61; baooners, 39a to 32 , Store Cattle.—A very good demand continues to bo experienced for these, all sorts being saleable, but without any material advance on prices paid earlier. Store Sheep.—There is no new feature of any consequence to note in the position of the market, A good deal of Inquiry continues to be experienced, which will doubtless result in actual business transactions immediately shearing is finished. Just now, however, very few sales are being effected, the business done being only to a moderate extant; and while feed continues to promise so well, holders of young stock especially will be less inclined to quit, except at prices which may not salt buyers In the meantime. Country sales; On Thursday, the 31st December, we held our monthly sale at Balclutha, when there was a very fair attendance of buyers, A good demand was experienced, and a much larger entry of sheep than the one then to hand oonld readily be disposed of at prices quite on a par with those ruling earlier in the season, we placed about 800 cross-bred sheep, both sexes, of various ages and different quality, at from 10s lid to 15s. Wool.—The weather has not been so favorable for shearing lately, fn consequence the wool is not coming to hand so freely as oonld be wi-thed, and will cause the quantity that should be catab gued at this series to be oonslderab y under the average presented at the same time on previous occasions. Some good clips, however, will be offered, and there 1s every appearance of a full attendance of buyers being present.

Sheepskins.—These are in very good demand at the weekly auctions, which are Invariably well attended by all the fellmongers in the trade. Buyers of dry shins for export also operate, when good competition Is experienced, and although woolly skins do not realise prices np te those obtaining earlier, taking the position of the wool market Into consideration, even now very full values rule. The market at Some for pelts is less firm, and prices lower, still showing a downward tendency. At oar auction sale on country dry cross breds, Inferior to medium, brought Is 8J to 3i 9d ; do do meiino, la 71 to 3j Id; full-woolled cross-brcds, 4i 3d to 6s 31; do do merino, 4a to 5s 9J ; dry pelts, 4d to Is sd; a few green oross-breds in the wool, 4a Gd to 7s 2d ; green cross-bred pelts, 101, lid, 12d, 13d, 14d, 15d; lambskins, best la fid to Is lid, medium Is Id to Is sd. Rabbitskins. - Owing to the want of supplies the market is quiet in the meantime. Odd lots arrive occasionally, mostly late spring and summer takes; but even these are readily disposed, and at auction competed for with great spirit, when very full prices are obtained. Quotations for summer and good spring thins, 10d to Is 2d; medium. 7d to 9d; suckers and inferior, 4d to fid per lb. Hides,—These show no change in value. The supply, except for very heavy sorts, continues more than fully up to requirements, leaving no room for any Improvement in price. All coming forward, however, are readily placed, chiefly for local requirements. Quotations fur heavy hides, in faultless condition, 2Jd to 2Jd; 65b and upwards, 2|d to 3d; country hides, IJ<l to 2d; light, l£a to IJd; light, I|l to lid; Inferior and slippy, id to Id per lb. Tallow.—A steady local demand continues to exist. There is also a little doing In shipping, but not very much. There is no alteration to note in price, and the Indications at present are not favorable with regard to the prospect of an immediate improvement. There are no accumulation of stocks, and consignments are easily placed on arrival at the following quotations—viz., for prime rendered motto”, 18s fid to 19s fid; medium to good, 16s to 18 1 ; inferior to medium, 13s to 15a. Rough fat has good attention, best caul fetching 12s 9J to 13s fid; Inferior to medium and good, 9s to 12s fid per ewt.

Grain.—Wheat: The market has undergone no change of any consequence during the past week, indeed no transactions in the grain buslnets of any sort have come nnder onr notice, the past week being almost closed to business, but in any case local trade requirements are not presets g. Theonly demand formilllng, and which is not by any means active, is confined at the moment to best milling velvet. No other class, even of prime quality, is wanted; neither have medium sorts any attention. Inferior and good whole fowl wheat has a moderately fair demand, with prices continuing firm. Quotations : For best milling velvet, 5s to 6s 3d; best Tuscan, 4s lid to ss; medium to good, 4s fid to 4i lOd ; inferior to medium, 3s lOd to 4s sd; broken, 2s to 3s fid (ex store, sacks weighed in, terms).—Oats: The oat market is In a somewhat similar position to the wheat market, owing to the holidays, no business of any Importance being done; but now that these are over we expect to meet with fresh Inquiry, and hope to be able to record sales at prices quite equal to those lately current, which were:—Fee bast milling, Is to la BJd j best short bright feed, Is 8d to Is Bid; medium to good. Is 7d to Is 7|d j inferior. Is 4d to la 6M (ex store, sacks extra, net cash; |d per bushel more f.o.b. Dunedin).— Barley: There has been no business of any consequence passing in this grain for some time, and hardly likely now till the new grain is in the market. No doubt odd lots will find buyers, chiefly for feed, on occasions; but no sales of any msgnitude will be effected. Quotations nomical— say, for best malting, 2s lOd to 3s; medium, 2s 7d to 2s 9d: feed and milling, 2s 4d to 2s fid (ex store, sacks extra, terms). Grass Seed.—There is no change to note in the position of the market, very little of either ryegrass seed or cocksfoot now changing hands. The market may therefore be considered quiet. The small business doing, however, is still being done on the basis of late quotations. The outlook for the saving of the new seed is not by any means encouraging, and if the weather continues—which is sinoerely to be hoped It will not—bo unsettled a considerable quantity of this season’s growth will be unfit for markets We give late quotations, which are as follows, vis.For beet local-grown perennial machine-dressed ryegrass seed, 5s fid to 5s 9d; Poverty Bay, nominal, 6s 3d to fis 9d } Pacey j, imported, 5a to 6s Sd (ex store). Cocksfoot seed.

nominal—best sjd to 6|d, medium 2sd to 4Jd per lb. . „ ... Potatoes.—The market u gradually getting weaker, owing to the supply coming forward being continually in excess of requirements. Quotations this week are from L 8 10j to L 4 per ton for fresh-dug kidney?. Chaff. -The weather la quite bare of good oaten sheaf chuff, and any now for sale would readily realise prices showing an advance on late quotations ; while Inferior, a few tracks of which are on the market, has very little attention, Quotations for beat, 65s to 67s 6d per ton—at the moment a shade more might be ceonted; medium, 55j to 60s; inferior, 35s to 50s per ton. Dairy Produce.—There Is no improvement to note in the demand for either butter or cheese. Buyers are not disposed to operate to any extent, the bulk of the production being shipped Borne on makers’ account. Quotations for best dairy-made butter, 6J to 7d j factorymade, lOd to lid per lb; factory-made cheese medium size,’4d to 4Jd; loaf shape, 4Ji to 5d per lb. Flax.—There Is no new feature of any interest to note in re pool to this product A moderately fair demand exists moro especially for superior, soft, bright got up parcels. While lower quality is also saleable, prices for such are relatively much lower, We quote supeuor, LlB 10s to L2O 5 medium to good, Lls lOi to LlB $ inferior, LIS 10i to Ll4los per ton.

[Bt Telegraph.]

Sydney, January 6.— Wheat: Chick, 4r 3d; local, 4s 9J to 4s lOd. Floor: Stone-make, Lll to Ll2; toller brands, Ll2los to t.lB. Oats, 2s 4d to 2s 6d, Maize. 2s 3d to 2s 4d. Barley: Cape, 2s Bd. Bran, lOd to IOJI. Pollard, 9Jd. Potatoes: Loca', L 3. Onions, Lsto L 5 10s. Butter: Dairy-made, 8d; factory, 9d. Cheese, 31 to sa. Bsoon, 6d to 7Jd. Hams: New Zealand, HJd. At wool sales the qua'lty is below tbe average; greasy o. ois-bred, 7Jd toffd; scoured, Is lid to Is 4fd. Melbourne, January 6.—Wheat, 4s 4d to 4s sd. Oats: Neglected; Algerian, ls8d; stout, 2s Id to 2s sd. Malz», 2s 6d. Peas, 2s 4d. Br n, lOd to lid. At the wool sales competition is brisk and prices fully maintained; greasy, BJI to 9d ; scoured brought up to la 3H Adelaide, January 6. The wheat market has a downward tendency, quotations being 4* 6d. Flour: Stone-make, LlO to LlO ss; roller, Lll to Lll ss. Barley, 3s 6d to 4s 6d. Bran, Is. Pollard, Is Id.