Markets.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 672, 4 May 1859, Page 4

Markets.

Notwithstanding that one or two sou-westers have lately visited us to clothe the Southern Alps with snow, and to leave a chilliness in the general temperature of the air, the autumn weather has so far been particularly fine. In consequence business of all sorts, and particularly agricultural pursuits, have been but little interfered with as compared with last year or the average of previous seasons. In spite of these opportunities, the grain market appears not to be sufficiently tempting to induce farmers to make any great struggle for the sake of placing their crops in a condition of security, and .the downright setting in of • winter, which the next fortnight is generally expected' to bring with it, will still find a mass of grain unthatohed or otherwise exposed to the rainy influences.

A few auction sales worth noticing occurred during the week. Messrs. F. Noble Campbell and Co. had a sale on Monday of Sugar, Wines, Spirits, &c, and of a quantity of Nelson apples. The attendance was very fair, and the prices realized showed pretty well what goods forced into the market will produce. The lots put up were such as only the trade could compete for. Good bright Mauritius sugar fetched .£4O per ton ; Hennessy's brandy realized 10s. 6d. per gallon ; and other spirits proportionate prices. The apples, ex Lord Ashley from Nelson, went at 3jd. to 6d. per Ib.

On Thursday and Friday last, at the sale of the furniture, cattle and horses of Mr. W. B. Bray, at Avonliead, by Mr. H. E. Alport, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, a large company assembled and the competition was spirited. The' furniture, domestic utensils, &c. sold at full rates. .A fine brood mare fetched £67 ; a three-year-old well-bred filly realised £55; and two-year-old unbroken draught colts fetched £32 10s. to £40.

Houses and Stock Market.—Mr. Fawdinston and Mr. Guinness report as follows:—On Saturday there wore several horses offered for sale by auction, but the market was dull; a few were sold at from £36 to £70, but many were withdrawn. We hear that the entire horse Somerset was sold for .£9O. On Monday the celebrated entire Tow ton was ottered at the upset price of £1400, but he found no buyers. Afterwards shares to the amount of- £280 each, five in all, for the horse were offered: no one however was tempted to purchase. Afterwards a draught stallion was put up and bought in at £110. A few mares were also offered, but we believe they did not find buyers. Altogether the demand for horses seems to be very small at the prices looked for. SYDJJKY. In the 'Herald' of the 15th, we find.the following report of the previous day's markets :— Messrs. Mort and Company hell to-day their weekly produce sale. The quantity of wool catalogued was 430 bales, but only 232 bales were sold. The wool market, as we anticipated last week, was flair or, and prices ruled fully Id. per lb. lower. Thc-iv is still an unwillingness to purchase low and n id;liii;g wools, and the high reserves put on them by i'idr owners prevent sales from being effected, iiiul the miirkcl fairly tested. The few lots of first i-la.'s wools offered to-day wore withdrawn for higher ' rates. :ind in the expectation that the arrival of the Kn;:lisli mail would cause anvimprovement in the won! market. The following were the prices obtained for the several locs sold : fleece, 19d. to22|d.; scoured, 22r1. ; grease, lad. ; handwitshed, 2ld. ; New Zealand, 14j|d. ; mixed, 7d. to 19d. ; locks, 9id. ; all faults, 10J. to 20d. .., Sheepskins.—The quantity, offered was .small,;

only about 2001), and these were icadily sold at from 4-Jd. to 9-id; per lb. Pelts 2|d. per lb. Tallow. —The market is very firm, and the supply continues to be very limited. The town trade, as usual, were the only purchasers, and the prices given are almost too high to dontinue—in fact, if any quantity was pushed into the market a great decline would take place. 39 casks of tallow were sold to-day, at from £45 to £49 15s. per ton. The latter figure was given for one cask of. mutton tallow..

Hides.—The demand for good sound hides is better, and prices have consequently advanced a little. About 300 hides were sold, at from 6s. 6d. to lGs. 9d. each; calfskins, Is. 6d. to 3s. each. Horns brought 28s. 3d. to 315.; shankbones, £3 15s. per ton; and hair, s|d. to 6|d. per lb.. SOBTH AUSTRALIA. The following telegrams from Adelaide, given in the •S. M. Plerald' from time to .time show the position of the cereal markets qf that colony. April 12. Trade dull. Flour £18 10s. to £12. Wheat 7s. 9d. to 7s. lid.: A large meeting of workmen was held on the Park lands, to receive the Governor's reply to a memorial praying the dismissal of Ministers, in which his Excellency declines. The weather is very stormy and cold. April 13. Very little doing in wheat and flour; notwithstanding, for wheat Bs. is the price quoted at the mills, and from Bs. to Bs. 2d. at the Port. Flour, £18 to £19 per ton. , Business dull, arid weather gloomy. April 15. Trade duller than ever in every department. Wheat has been firm all the week at Bs. at the mills, and Bs. 2d. at the Port. Small quantities are coming in from the country, but scarcely enough to supply the mills. Flour, £18 to £19 5 bran, Is. 9d. No auction sales worth noticing.