COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LVII, Issue 6534, 4 February 1882, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Timet Office, Friday Evening. Business in the import market daring the past week shows a shade better than the previous. The feeling is still one of quietsees, hut when harvesting operations do not d»orb so much attention, an increased activity may be looked for. The arrivals from foreign sources since our last report have been above the average, and embrace die following The Bio Loge, with gunnies, from Calcutta; the Jasper, vi& Dunedin, with sugar, from the Mauritius; and the Sydenham and Birth of Lome, with general eargo, from London. In jute goods holders are firm, and adhere to the quotations of 9s 3d and 9s fid for large and small site comsacks respectively. The late severe weather has not affected prices to any appreciable extent. Woolpaoks are without enquiry. Tn iron goods there is not much to notice. Galvanised iron has not changed in any particular. Wire nails are a shade easier. Bar iron been in moderate enquiry. ■ Wire staples have been selling at 27s fid to 30s for parcels. gw* have been quiet, sales principally embracing the lower to medium qualities. Sugars are without alteration. The market has been further supplied by an arrival from the Mauritius. Dried fruits are a shade mV Tobaccos command full prices, both for twists and fancy kinds. There is very little chance of a return to old rates for many months, to come. Salt in assorted lines is being offered freely at low prices. Bottled ale and stout are without alteration, though good parcels of the latter are not in over supply. Spirits of all kinds are unchanged, and sales only embrace the ordinary trade requirements. GRAIN AND PRODUCE. The week has presented much the same features as the preceding. Business continues quiet, and little of note will likely transpire until delivery of the new crop begins. Wheat,— We can only repeat values of last week, viz., 4s to 4s 2d, Some lots of this season’s have been in the market, bat business up to the present has been limited. For early delivery of a parcel of fine Tuscan Id more has been offered. Oatb.—Beyond some sales of best quality for export and the filling of a few local enquiries, little has been done. For milling 2s to 2s Id is quoted, and for feed Is lOd to fo lid. Bakiev. —We have no business to record in this grain. Prices will no doubt be hardened by the late weather. Fsotrs.—£lo 10s is still quoted by the millers for best brands. Rte geaßß.—Many of the samples brought forward this season are rather dirty. For best seed 3s fid to 3s 9d is quoted. Dealers are mostly baying for orders. CUSTOMS* BBYENUB. The following was the Customs’revenue collected on Thursday. Fob* 2 {“Wißflßi 10 $ spirits^ £l9B 12a 6d; tea, £Bll2s 4d; sugar. £25 11s 8d ; tobacco,£3l 16a 2d; cigarettes, £lO 8B6d; goods hr weight, £ll7 5s lOd; ad valorem, £23 Ids; other dutiesffil9l6s ; total, £55017a. LAND SALES. At the Bitting* of the Waste Lands Beard on Thursday, the following amomrts were sold, real'sing £328 13a 9d Akaroa, 118 a; Geraldine, 15a 1* 15p . total, 163 alf isp. Belauds were made on account of former purchases to the amount of £9 18a Si.

LOCAL MARKETS. vpjjjj NkW ZeALAKD IfOAK AND BIbKOASXIIiI AttSHCT Cover art (Limited) report on the produce markets for the weak ending Peb. 2 aß .£° ll °7 ,s - ~1 Wool.— There has been less enquiry than tor seme time past, and until the auction sales, to be held about Peb. 22, we do not look for any bnsiness. SOTeral parcels have reached stere for on* next sale, when we shall submit a few choice ™Odlc° latest cable advices from London are to Jan. 31. advising-" Market unchanged; up to date 81,000 bales have arrived, SaxBPSKiRS.—The drop iu values reported last week was fully confirmed by Thursday's sales. There was a good attendance at the auction zooms, and biddings came briskly up toa certain level, beyond which, the trade would not operate, and a range of prices was established at least 10 per cent below the quotations of a month ago. For heavy oroLbreds we realised 6s Id. and for good merinos 5a 2d. Medium quality made 3s 8d to 4s_M; pfiti, badly saved, and late shorns were quitted at 4d to medimn, at Is 2d to Is 84 ; large early shorn and green, realised Is lid to 2s Id; lambskins, from Is —Buyers came forward and cleared the TMBrVofc at Sid for graeOf and 4d for saltod* at these we auitiS aCn hand. damaged reusing BM. “Kw!-®Sere was good competition for all forwarded, and full rates were obtained, viz., 2*d **o notations frem Home ate slishtly better than last week, being-" 46a for best mutton, and 40a for beat beef," at Jan, 31.

Meaaiß Wtt.wi, A VLiS, SlMßl*!* M- ___(. f or the fortnight ended Tuesday, Jen. 81: sle rewnt fine weatler has kept the farmers to* mnd baa also had a marked effect upon the stock mMket; the numbers ton hut thfl Drives obtained £&to boon folly op to lato (.notations We hare negotiated a good few trass* Tarda, on Monday last, we Jtu-dod ISO head at and otore cattle, and 2500 sheep* and withjbho oeption of about 80 head catUs, the wmwTW found posoteseta at rates M pec description.

Pat Cattle— Although tho market la well supplied, ptimo boasts aie not so easily obtained, and in eonsequence tho values (or prime and suitable weights (ox this season has increased a shade since oar last report. 20s to 82a 6d being easily got (or first-rate quality. Our transactions have been—7 at £8 2s 6d, 8 at £6 2a fld, 8 at £5 2s 6d. 2 at £6. 10 at £7 15s, and <0 at £7. Store OattloThero la a good demand tor all kinds ot store cattle, our last quotations being (ully maintained. Wo have also enquiries toe well-grown steers (or fattening. Wo quote from sales effected at the Washdyieandprivately,steers and heifers,atoa years, £3lsa to £8 .do do, 18 months to 8 yoare. £2 10s to £3 17a 6a; yearlings, £8 to £8 l f s i ary cows, £8 Ms to £i 10s i milch cows near calving or In mUk, £slo* to £lolos, according to breed, and description. During the fortnight wo have sold 825 head store cattle ot various classes, Bheep-Thers ia a very active sheep, especially cross-brods, end every indication that present prices will not decline. FM shoep are plentiful, being worth from IWtolMpor H), according to quality. We sold at the Waehdyke and privately, 2SI fat 2-tooth cross-bredwethers.at 10s ; 61 do do at 9s 3d j 830 do do at 9s i 178 fat merino ow< s at 6s; 1000 store merino wethers. 00° merino owes with 100 per cent half-bred Grabs; tOj do do ; 8000 merino owes and wethers, and 480 cross-bred owes, at prices satisfactory to vendors. Horses —Average numbers have been entered at our yards on the past two Saturdays, but we cannot report any improvement either in demand or price i really good sorts, fit for plough or road, find buyers at quotations, but inferior animals are absolutely unsaleable; ontot 23 entries on Saturday last, wo quitted) 13. We quote heavy staunch draughts from £BS to £3B; medium do do £l7 te £B7; light do do, £l3 to £l6; hacks and light hurneaft horses, £7 to £BS as per description. Wool and Skins—We hare to report one of the largest sales of wool on Jan. 86, ever held In Tim&rn; the attendance waa not large *n consequence of similar fifties being held in both Dunedin and Chrlstohnroh upon the same day; however, there were both local and foreign buyers present, and the following saleswore effectedi V. mrno, 4at 6*l. JUS, x-bd. 19 at 9d. JM over M, mmo, 8 at B|d. JM over H, h-bd hgts, lat B*d. H, mrno. 7 at 9*d ; h-bd, 3 at 9*4. M over M, mrno. 4at B*4; 8 to 18, mrno, 5 at 9*4; IS to 19, h-bd bats, 7at 9*4. H over HR, h-bd, 5 at 9d. H over XB, h-bd, 6 at 9*4. HB over W, x-bd wethers, 2at 9d. H over M, mrno, 3at 9d. 6 over H, mid, lat B*d. 06, mrno, 18 at B*d; x-bd. Xat B*4. H, h hd, 17 at B|d. MH, mrno, 7at B*d. S over M, mrno wethers, 8 at 9Jd. X B over H, x-bd hgts, 6 at B*d. HB over B, x-bd hgts, 11 at id; h-bd ewes, 11 at 9d. TP over NZ, mmo, 860 withdrawn. AM, mxd, B*4. AM over HB eon joined, h-bd ewes, lat B*4. S over M. mmo, 6at B*4. M over P. pos, 4at 4*d, WP over 3. mmo, 1 at 9d. Q, mtno.l atß*d; h-bd, 2 at B*4. AJ conjoined, mmo. 3at 9d. C over HB conjoined, h-bd, 1 ftt B*d. GO over M. x-bd, 1 at Hi. GK over M, mmO, lat BJd. M. mrno, lat B*d j x-bd, 2 at 7*4. Sin square, mmo, 2 at B*d., CN,x-b4,9 at 9*d. Altogether 333 bales, 112 bags wool, and 151 bales, bags, and packages of looks and pieces were disnosed of. We also sold about 400 skins at—for oross-breds, 3s 9d, 4s, 4a 2d, 4s 74,4 s 10d« to 5s 6d; merinos, Ss Sd, Ss 94, 4s, 4s Sd, 4s 7d. to 5s 7d; pelts, lid to Is 3d; lambs. Is, la 2d, and la Sd; tough fat, 2d per lb; bides, 4d per lb. COEN EXCHANGE.

The following is the Comßiohaage report for (he week ending Friday evening, Feb. 3;— Business daring the past week kas been muon upon a par with the preoeding. Farmers are still busily occupied harvesting, and until this is in a more forward condition, not much business will he transacted.' The heavy nor'-west gales of last week have done an immense amount of damage, and will undoubtedly greatly reduce the average yield. Many of the samples ot the new crop do not show the quality of last year. Wheat.— I The few samples of the new crop that are now offering are seeking buyers at 4s 3d. Buyers, however, appear disinclined to operate at this figure. Sales could be effected at 4s, but this discrepancy, of course, stops business. Old wheat is not obtainable under 4s 3d (or best milling; second quality. 3s 5d to Ss 8d per bushel; ohiok wheat, 2s 64 to 3a per bushel. Oats.—A firmer tone pervades the market, the recant nor’-westers having doubtless accelerated this. Good short milling may be quoted at 2e Id to 8s 2d; long oate, Is lid to 2a. The new crop has not yet made its appearance, and no transactions are reported. m Barlbt.—The new crop is not yet to hand. The reputed short supply has been stUI further largely reduced by the recent gales. No prices are yet fixed. Grabs Suss.—Bye grass, well cleaned farmers* parcels, are saleable at from Ss 6d to 4s per mehel; badly cleaned, according to sample. Cocksfoot, 3*d to B*d per lb, according to quality. Chrrsk and Butire.— The former is in good demand, at from 4d to 4*d per lb; the latter is readily saleable at 6*d per lb. SHARE MAEKBT. Mr W, Hooper reports Selling Price. Babas—New Zealand £23 0 0 National 1 ... 4 0 0 Colonial .... 2 8 0 Ibbdraucu—New Zealand 3 19 0 National 1 14 6 South British... ... 2 18 6 Standard 014 6 Union 13 9 Colonial 013 6 Paciobirs—Mosglel Woollen ... 4 0 0 Kaiapoi ~ 13 10 0 MißOßtXAHßOtis—Canterbury Tram 6 16 0 New Zealand Drug Company's 1 Shares 13 9 New Zealand Shipping S 11 0 oommebol^Ttblegbams. Wiluhotou, Peb. 3. Flour, Adelaide, limited sale, £i4los to £ls per ton; Canterbury City Mills, £lO 15a to £ll; Timaru and Oamaru, £lO 10a to £lolss ; sharps, £8 to £8 ss; bran. £3 16s to £3 los; oats, ordinary feed, 2s Id to 2s 64 per bushel ; milling, for crush* ing, 3s 84 to 2s XOd; potatoes, 80s to 90s; barley, for feed only, 2a 8d to 3s; hams and baooa, 84 to 9d per lb; cheese, 4d to 4*d; butter, fresh, in kegs, 64 to 74 ; rye grass, 4s 3d to 4a 6d per bushel; cocksfoot, 3d to 3*d per lb. Duredik, Peb. 3.

Banks—New Zealand, £23 ; National, 795; Colo, nial, 48s. Insurance —New Zealand, 81a; National, S4s ; South British, 60s ; Colonial, ISs 94 ; Union, 23s 6d. ' Miscellaneous- National Mortgage and Agency, 80s; New Zealand Shipping, £5 17s 6d; New Zealand Drug, 245; New Zealand Hardware, 20s.