COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7225, 26 April 1884, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

— 4. — I/ytteUon Times Office, Friday Evening. The few days that have elapsed since the publication of the Summary, on Wednesday last, hare not shown any business that calls for extended notice. Transactions that have passed have been confined to sorting up parcels: hut, with the close of the month, should exhibit an improvement. Sugars to hand are being pushed at rates which favour buyers. The enquiry for coarse salt has been active, and, in shortness of stocks, an improvement in prices has l>een noticeable. The same may be said of fine sales of spot parcels, having been frequent and at rates which display an advance of fully Ss per ton on previous quotations. It may he remarked that the enquiry for country wants in general lines is more active than for town requirement*. GRAIN ANITpBODUCE. The grain market during the week has shown a, very quiet feeling. Deliveries have slightly increased, and much that is coming forward will have to find an outlet in shipment, failing what growers consider value. Wheat.—Sound samples remain about the same, viz., 3s 3d to 3s 4d. Buyers continue most particular in sampling. Sales of damp and cold parcels have been made at 2s 6d up to 3s. Otts.—The demand for good bright samples of stout feed to milling quality is maintained, 2s Id to 2s 2Jd representing the range of prices for lots ,o.b. Baeley.—Low samples are plentiful and difficult to sell. Prices stand at 3s Cd to 4s for medium to good. Flock.—The price still remains at £9 to £9los. Geass Seed.—The enquiry for ryegrass is nil. Cocksfoot, if anything, is slightly easier in feeling. Bnyers having satisfied requirements are not so eager to lay in stocks. Potatoes.—Quotations are not yet fixed, but prices may approximately be taken at 31s to 32s 6d at country stations. Daiey Produce.—Butter maintains its value, JOd to 10id; cheese, 3Jd to 4d. CUSTOMSEEVENUE. The following was the Customs revenue collected yesterday-.—Wine, £3 15s; spirits, £165 13s 6d j ale, £l2 10s; tea; £145 Is 4d j sugar, £95 16s lOd; tobacco, £5718s 6d; goods by weight, £9 12s 7d; ad valorem, £33 17s; other duties, ,£69 lis; tota', £5931559<L * The New Zealand Loan and Mebcantile Agency Company (Limited), report, for the week ending April 24: Totals yarded at Addihgtos Saleyards, yester-day-Sheep, 10,351; cattle, 297; pigs, 214. SheeihA large supply was to hand. In the fat pens, crossbreds of mixed sexes and medium quality formed the majority, and a dragging market was met with, except for prime lots of wethers, which sold readily. Mutton ruled from 2Jd to 2}d per lb, according to description. A dull sale ensued for store sheep; but, despite a certain amount of disinclination on the part of bnyers, a large amount of business was transacted at our quotations. We topped the market for fat merino wethezs, with a consignment of heavy sheep from Ashburton, at lis 3d. In stores we sold aged cross-bred ewes, for various clients, at 8a 6d. 9s 3d, and 9s 9d, and for Mr G. Armstrong 2 and 4-tooth cross-bred wethers at lis 6d, and ewes of various ages, 9s. Transactions were: FatcrossJbred wethers, 15s 6d, 15s 3d, 16s,'IBs and 19s; mixed

kotps 12s 9d, 13s, Its 6d and 16s 6d; owos, llspd, vu Si 15s and 10s; 2-tooth downs, 15s; monno wothors.Ss'Jd, 12s and 12s 3d; fat lambs, 10s. 1» stores a!iujd4-toothcross-broil wethers, lis W"™} Us- ewes, mixed ages, 9s aud 0s Pd; hiralw, oh .s<J mul' 7s; sound-mouthed morino ewes, 7s bu »»« > si 2d- do, with fair mouths, 4a 3d and lis; st ? l ° merino wethers, 4s Cd. Pigs.-A moderate numbei ■ and sold freely. Cattlo.-No improvomont to note iu the store pons, whoro buHiiioss "J l ° transacted with difficulty ivt current rates. 1 supply of beef was offered, nnd' l , 6lu >nsij (lrnier tone observable. Valut s ruled atlt>fl '"> *• 8 per 1001 b. Fat bhllocks realised £0 15s, w i"?' £H 10s and £0 Sa a-pieco ■, oows and heifers, w, £i 7s Gd, £5, £5 10s, £6 5s aud £7 15a. . District Markets.—Ashbnrtou Yards on April 22 woro Mlod with Bhoep, few cattle, and fewei Pius. The attendance was largo, but tho solo una throughout. In eattio thoro is no alteration in pricosto record. In sheep fat mixed cross-biods brought 15s Id; owes, Us Gd; merino w . o ™ o ™-™ 6.1; fat merino ewes, 5s Gd; sound-mouthed crossbred ewes 13s Id ; aged do, 8« ; lambs, s=; Gd, 8s G , and i)s 4d: store merino wethers, is 10d., do in forward condition for turnips, 5s Od, OS .id, and »s Gd • aged merino ewes, is lid aud ss: do souuumouth, Gs 7d aud 7s; do 2 and 4-tootli, 10s 4d. Ruiul Sales.—On April 18 wo held an unreserved elearanco of live stock tor Mr Thomas Brooks, ot Hilltop, A karon, and disposed of the lots as loi-lows:—Cross-bred lambs, Us Gd ; aged ewes, 10s Gd, lis Gd, and 12s; bullocks in forward condition, £o 15s ; cows with calves, £3 10s ; fat cows, £3 15s to ,C 5 '7s Gd. Private Sales.— Amongst other transactions of minor importance we havo placed during the week a line of 4500 meriuo breeding ewes of different ages at current rates. Wool.—By the Brindisi mail delivered yesterday we are iu possession of reports aud priced catalogs up to nearly tho last day of tho sales. From these we gather that owing to a scarcity in the supply of half-bred and flue crossbred wools, full rates were being obtained. Finest merinos, light iu crease, wore also realising satisfactory rates; but all other descriptions displayed a marked decline. For next sales, opening on April 29, we observe 370,000 bales havo already arrived, and 'from the teuor of pronto advices there is some hope that bottom has at length been touched, and that a rise may bo expected. Sheepskins-Thursday's sales were well attended, and, owing probably to improved prospects of the Home market for wools, biddings were decidedly more animated, and advanced values were obtained. We submitted 994 skins, which realised tho following satisfactoiy rates : Factory cross-breds; up to 3s; butchers crossbreds, 2s to 2s lid; butchers' merinos, 2s Id to 2s 8d; lambs, Is to 2s 2d; pelts, 2d to M, lOd to Is 5d ; country merinos, 2s to 3s 4d, 3s Wto 4s lOd; country cross-breds, 2s to 3s, 3s 4dto4s Gd. For 1700 skins sold privately at the factory we secured equivalent prices. Tallow and Fat.—The fat now coming to hand is generally in good condition, and meets with a ready sale at even values. We had a good supply forward at Thursday s sale, the whole of which was placed at 2Jd to 2&d. Hides. —Only a limited number came to hand this week, and these were held over for future disposal. Grain.—The favourable weather experienced during the past week has enabled farmers to complete deliveries, and grain is now arriving freely at Port for shipment. Four vessels have cleared dunug the preceding week. A like number may also be expected to eet away within tho next ten days. The continued depressed tone of the English market causes extreme caution to prevail locally, aud farmers have some difficulty in realising our quotations, though their grain may be in good condition. For all damp and inferior qualities there is literally no market at adequate values. This was fully exemplified at our auction sale to-day, when 772 bags were placed by us at from lsj3d to 2s 9d. The sound wheats, realising 2s 6d to 2s 9d, were all first-class quality, and will undoubtedly be in ..shipping condition after a little holding over. Sound milling wheats, i.e., prime Tuscan, Pearl, and Hunter's White, were totally neglected, not one of about 3000 bags being placed. We continue to quote 3s 3d for Hunter's White and Essex, 3s 4d for Pearl and Velvet, and 3s 5d for Tuscan, f.0.b.; seconds and damp wheats at Is 3d to 2s 6d ex store, Christchurch or Lyttelton. Oats.—Tho demand continues active, and for all bright feed there is a ready sale at Is 9d to Is lid; for fair feed, £s to 2s 2d; good stout feed, 2s Id to 2s 2d; prime milling, 2s 2d to 2s 3d, f.o.b. At our auction sale to-day G 27 sacks were offered, and all found buyers at these quotations. Barley.—This cereal has been somewhat neglected during the past week, and except for prime qualities of malting, sales are difficult to effect. Quotations are nominal at 2s 4d to 2s 9d for feed, 3s to 3s 3d for inferior malting, 3s 6d to 3s 3d. for good malting, up to 4s for very prime. Dairy Produce.—The Tongariro not being provided with cool chambers, will not take any of this product to the Home market, but the British King, sailing about May 15, will be able to take a large consignment. Butter.—Advices from Sydney show that the recent rains have already affected the market there, which will, no doubt, shortly re-act on prices here. We cannot, consequently, quote over Is for prime make in iustralian tubs, and for ordinary, in kegs, 9dtolod. From London correspondence we learn that owing to a temporary shortness in supply, they had been able to secure as high as 90s, 925, and 100 s for parcels sent Home by us, on account of sundry constituents.

Seeds.—Eye grass. There is literally nothing to report in this market, and until the demand for autumn sowing sets in, we can lookfor no improvement. Prices are nominally2s 6d to 3s for farmers' lots,3s 3d to 3s 6d for fairly dressed, and 3s 9d to 4s for prime machine dressed. Cocksfoot.—For good, bright, heavy samples, such as were grown last year, and are very scarce, 4d is readily paid, but for only medium quality to 3jd are full rates. We heard of several parcels of discoloured and partly sprouted seed being offered at much oelow these rates. For the Tongariro sailing next week some large parcels are in preparation. Potatoes. —Enquiries are now more frequent for this tiiber, and several transactions are reported at 30s to 32s 6d at country stations, "bags extra.

The National Mobtgage and Agency Company or New Zealand, Limited, report on the live stock market for the week ending Friday, April 25, as follows:—At the Addington Yards en Wednesday, April 23, 10,351 sheep were penned. Very few lines of really first quality fat sheep were on offer; for those there was good competition, and prices were well maintained. For the balance of the entry, consisting principally of fat cross-bred ewes, thern was a dull, dragging sale, with little competition. Best cross-bred wethers made from 18a to 20s, the latter price being obtained for a small line, undeniable quality halfbreds; lighter weights, 13s to 15s 6d; fat crossbred ewes, 12s 6d to 16s 6d; mixed sexes, 13a to 16s 6d. We quote mutton, 2-Jd to 2|d per lb. There was a large entry of store sheep, and a good deal of business was transacted, most lines changing hands. Two and four-tooth cross-bred wethers made 13s 3d up to 14s; young cross-bred ewes, 12s to 14s; old ewes, 9s to lis; merino wethers, 2tooth, made 7s; cull -wethers, 4s to 4s 6d; good sound merino ewes, 6s, 7s Bd, and 8s 2d; old ewes, 4s 3d to 4s 8d ; cross-bred lambs, from 5s 6d to 8s 2d. Cattle—297 head yarded. For fat cattle the demand was slightly brisker than it has been of late, but we quote no alteration in prices. The entry of store cattle was a light one, but quite sufficient for requirements, the sale being dull and dragging throughout, with little or no competition. Pigs—2l4 yard id. Pigs still continue to sell freely and at gjod prices. At Leeston to-day there was a large entry of sheep, principally composed of old merino ewes and wethers. We do not think we ever recollect witnessing a more dull or depressed market, line after line having to be pissed without almost an offer being made; and in the few cases where sales were effected, low prices hod to be put up with. A very large proportion, however, of the sheep yarded were of a most inferior description, apparently the Bweepingsup of the district. There was a fair entry of cattle, with a quiet market, prices being about equal to Christchurch rates. Good entry of pigs, all of them selling freely at full rates.

One of the most successful sales that has been held in the Southbridge district for some time was held on Thursday, April 24, by Mr W. J. G. Bluett, in disposing of the property and stock of Mr J. J. Elwin, who is leaving the district. The stock, which was of a fair description, realised very good prices. The land (112 acres and improvements thereon) fell to the Hon H. K. Taiaroa, M.H.R., the price being £2862. COEN e"xchange. ! The following is the Corn Exchange report for the week ending Friday, April 25 : The increased activity for the week anticipated in last week's report has been fairly maintained, large lines of all kinds of grain coming freely for- 1 ward. Holders evidently fear a further reduction in the English market, and are therefore eager to press on deliveries of wheat, although a few of the more sanguine are holding back in hope of a turn for the better. Barley of first-rate quality is still in fair demand for malting, feed sorts not being at all enquired for. The steady demand for good feeding oats considerably exceeds the supply, growers continuing to hold for an advance; prime samples readily command sales at former rates. Potatoes are now beginning to attract attention, and the season may be said to have fairly opened, several large lines having been placed during the week. Dairy is unaltered in price, although butter is in good request for shipment to the Sydney market. Quotations as follows . Wheat.—Tuscan, 3s sd; pearl, 3s id; Hunter's, 3s 3d, f.0.b., for first quality and dry. Oatb.—Milling, 2s 3d; bright short feed, 2s Id to 2s 2d; long oats, Is lOd to 2s. f .o.b. Barley.—Malting, 3s 9d to 4s, Christchurch; feed, 2s to 2s 6d, f.r-.b. Grass Seed.—Eye, farmers' parcels, 3s 3d to 3s Od; machine-dressed, 4s ; cocksfoot, 3Jd to 4d per lb, f.0.b., Lyttelton. Potatoes.—3os to 32s 6d per ton, at country stations within 12 miles. Buttee, 9d to lOd; chtese, 3Jd to 4Jd.