COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8151, 23 April 1887, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Lyttelton Timex Office, Friday Evening. The few days that have elapsed since the publication o t the summary have net elicited any fresh . -features in the import market. A fair demand has been maintained for most linos of goods on the basis of lost quotations. There have teen a few .enquiries for clarets of low to medium grade?',

wUoU has brought out the fact that stocks of this SSptte. are rather light. It is to ho hoped that f eeTX meetu g of consignees by the Northmutorland will result in placing the landing ou goid< delivered from vessols alongside the steamers 1 wharf on the eamo footing as me chawiiao landed at toe other wharves. The point, however how the wharf came to be construe edl without the requisite shed accommodation appears to! have e-cap d the criticism of the meeting. The discussion brings inio prominence the disputed fact whether or not the couvenier o • of importers, and also the more economical working of the Customs Department, would not fee better consulted rfgooc® wore forward! d di.eot to Christchurch and examined there. The node for up country are small compared with those sent t > Christchurch, and it could only cost the same to re-load trucks in Christchurch as in LytKlton However, the a" teutiou of those interested in the matter has been invited, and must result in good o .miugont of tho storm, and it » ould be bel ter for the trade of the Province if amora active interest was occasionally exhibited in iho matter of charges of the railway und the Port. GRAIN AND PRODUCE. the wrok has been fairly active in the grain market. Prince for the various de.cr;p‘ious are almost unchanjed, aid all broight forward find buyers at quotations. The o qniry has been well supported by the demand for shipping parcels in addition to tho purchases to g > into store. The nor'-west weather bus neutralised in a great measure the good effects of the late two days 1 rainfall. A few good showers arc badly required to make ploughing an easier matter. Even the stubble land would bo all the better for a soaking. Wheat. Tr. natations dining the week have been on the level of last week's rates. Hnuter’s at Va4l to 3s 4Jd; pearl and velvet, oh oil', 3s 4sd to 3a Sd; and Tuscan at 3s Sid. Oats.—The market continueb sluggish. Long, Is 6d to Is 7d; stout feed, Is 7id to 1-- Bid ; milling, Is 0d to la 9{d. Business, save in the heavier kinds, has been limited; Baulky.— The brisk feeling still continue 3, and prices are very firm. Several lines of prime milting have been sold lately at 3s 8d to 3s 81d f.o b. bytteltrn. Medium to good samples ai e quoted at 3s3d to 3s7d. Pkas and Beans. —Prussian blue ero taken at Ss to 3s 31. An improved business has transpired in beaus at 2s 9J to 2s lOd. Potatokb —The business in potatoes has been of a more liberal character than the previous week. Q orations stand at 28s to 29s at country stations. The enquiry that has been apparent daring tho week has given a firmer tone to the market. Oiiass bJSED.—There is nothing doing in ryegr ss. Quotations are unaltered. Cocksfoot is almost equally quiet, purchasers for stock being unfrefr.queut. Prices remain at 3Jd to SJd, according quality of seed. Daisy I'aoDUCE. —Butter, 6d to 91; cheese, 3id to 41.

Tee New Zealand Loan asp Mebcaktii.e j Aoevcy Company, Limit' d. lopurton the produce markets {or th» week ending April 22, as fql- < lows:— J W«ot.—The cablegrams received during tbe week 1 from l ondon continue satisfactory. Thera appears < every prospect of tße mark, t retraining steady at ' presen - level of prices; and ahonld the anticipated ' revival in trade become an acocmpliaheo fact. ; higher rates may be looked for later on in the yuf. Locally th.oo is a fair d.m ind. and at the usual ' weekly akin sales small lots couth no to be brought ■ forward, wnich realise satisfactory p ices. Sheepskins.—Supplies brought forsa'd at the 1 several auctions on Thursday were extremely 1 heavy. There was a good atten iance of the trade, ‘ i owever, and a 1 lots brought to tho hammer were ' solo at satisfactory prices. We kubaiitted a large 1 catalogue, which comprised some unusually prime ( lots A superior line of tull-woolled station skins i realised the extieme figure of 6s Id Tho lot com- ] prised uoiriy 500, which were pronounced hy the 1 trade to be tue best l*t of merinos ever offered in < ora lot in Uhristohu ch. Privately and at ' auction our safes for the week amount to 1 3419, for which the following pric js were i.eonrod< Butchers’ and facNjrv cross-breds, 2« 8d toSsCd; I ao do hilf-breds, 3s to 3s 31; do meWnoa, 2a . d to | 3a; do and factory lambs, 2s lud to 3s 3d ; connlry I cro-s-breds, 3s Cd to 4s »d ; do half-brcda, 3s to ss; I do merinos, 3s lid to 6s id. Tallow and Pat.— < Under the influence of very uufavouraolo reports 1 fr.nu Home, tho market is decidedly weaker, w e < cleared our catalogue at Id to 1 id,,according to 1 quality. Hides.—-.our supplies weie chared at < current rates: - fiOlb aud over, 4 i per lb ; 51 to 09. b, I 3id per lb ; 501 b and under, 3d per lb; cut aud 1 damaged, 2sd per ib; celfekins, 4d pet lb, 1 W heat. - Business during tho week has dis- j played less auimittou than for some time past, ' The quantity on olfor has been considerably cur- I tail.ri, owing to farmers deciding to store, in anti- 1 c.pation of higher prices ruling later on. Tbe i wisdom i f this policy, we a<e afraid, will not be \ mauifei-t for some time to come, as reports from I Home are not reas-unng. At our auction sale ou < Wednesday, there was a good demand for chici : and second quality mining at 2s 9d to 3a 3d, ex store. We quote as follows: —Hunter’s, Ss 4d ; ■ pearl, 3s 4Jd to 3s 51; .nscan, fs 5d to 3s sid, all 1 fob. 1 Oats.—fow qualities are offarirg freely at i reduced rates. Prime milling aud ueavy short 1 feed are scares, nud command 1- 9.1 or Ih IOJ, f o.b, _ Hu .» and teed Tartars are held for similar rates, ; which precludes business. _ _ j Baeley has cousili-rable enquiry for ma ting ' parcels, and prices continue firm an 3s 3d, 3s 6a, and 3s 9,1 for fair good, and prime, r- spsotivoly. Wo had not a large supply to oiler at our tale on Weinesdar, but all that was catalogued, realised . ab ,vo rales. le«s and Beaks.-There is no business passing ( in pins Price< are, norauiai'y, 3s to 3i fid for pure ( Pruss an blu=s; other varieties, 2s fid to 3s; according to quality. Beaus—' u’e i have been eft' cted during ihe week at 2s lOd, f.o b , and, at ibis figure, there is a fair demand. i i-tatoes are coming more into notice, nud sales aio reported at 2is to 30s per ton at country stations. Htequass Feed has no enquiry, and no improvement can bs looked tor until ihe spring demand sets in. Cocksfoot Se u.—The quantity coming forward is rapidly falling oil, and the bulk of the teed is in the bands of mo.chants. Ordin iry is ruling at 34d; good, SJd; .nd specially dressed, 4d per Id; while ii a ht au i foul seed is neglected at 21d to 3d, Daisy Phoduck —Wo ate unable to report any improvement in this market. Quotations are flutter, Td to 74d for prime; inferior, 5d to 6d; vhor.se, 4Jd to 5d tor loaf shape; large sizes, 4d. i raasaoiious reported are only for loc.il coniumption. Shipping business is at a standstill. Messrs Bennetts Beob. report on tho live stork market lor the weak ending Thursday, April 21, as fellows : —At t e Addington buleyaws on Wednesday tho entries of all dtsoriptions of stock ware fairly numerous, and the attendance of the usual hahitvh about an average one. Business commenced at the now w.nter hour of nine r-*clock with the sale of fat cattle. The supply of this class of stock showed a slight improvement in point of quality, the demand a little better for tho primust sorts, and values, if not any higher, were firm at late quotations. We sold, on account of Mr W, Burke, a lino of very choice heiiers at 115 15s per head; for Me A, Merriu, heile s at £4, an. for Mr John Stevens, beders a’. £5 5s per head, ihe value of beef ranging from 16s to 18a per liOlb. In the store yards only a small number of cattle were offering. A few pens of steers cba. ged hands —three-p enrolls at £5, i nd £3 15s for two and a half yea-olds. Wo S'ud tho latter lino for a client, and uov- r il linos of dry cows at from £.ss to £4 2s fid p.r mind. A very heavy eirry of dairy cattle were on offer, and a fai.ly good demand shown. We quitted for unmer-us c'ionrs cows cn ihe point ot c living at iroiu £5 10s to £8 os per head, and oowa in various degrees of prodt at f; om £f 4s f d to £5 15a. bhoop A fairly good number of fat sheep were yarded, the quality on the » hole being a marked improvement ou the previous week s supply. The demand was middliue fiom both l .cal and export buyers, aud values were, perhaps, a shade belter tuan at recent sales. A beautiful line of cross-bred wethers sold at 1 Is p ,r head, the ewes of the same lii e letcbmg 9o fid. Our cutiies ucd tales wore ns follows; -For Mr A. Tanner a lino of cross-bred owts at. 5s and 5s 9d ; ou account Mr *v. Griffiths, ewes at 4s 8d ; for Mr Bat her, owes at from 3b fid to 3s fid ; for Mr Phillips, n line of Sonthaowu ewes at 4s lid : on account Mr W. B Clarkson, a line of very nice cross-bred wethers at. from 7s fid to 8s Sdper head, tho owes of tbe tamo line fatebing up to fis 7d ; on account Mr \V. White, a line o. good half-bred wlliera, taken for freezing, atts 6a per head, and various lines of me num ewes at from 3s 6d to 4s 9d per head. Wo also yaided a largo unmeet of fat limibn, Belling at from fis to 6a [.IT head. A good number of ttoie sluep were yaided, abetter i demand being shown tor likely-looking young sh-mp for grazing. Many lines of boiliug.dowu eheip wore cleared out at tho usual prices. The entry ot pigs was a largo oue. Good, well-grown sorts sold lairly well, but small and backward ’ o mditionod stores were dull of sale. Our entries for the day were on account of Meters William Burke, A. Leo, W. Werrin, T. Earnehaw, T. 1 Hcinzmann, G. Marsh, J. P. Kennedy, T. M. • Golriok, A. Andrews, M. Woodall, C. Brake, J. \ o. Weill, C. Burgess, a. Jury, G, Fine, W. EUmers, 1 O, Barker, A. Byan, W. Loll inn, J. Kent, it. Gibson, A. Wolff, H. Boyd, M. While, S’. . Gerkio, A. Tanner .1. Kinley, T. Griffiths,, B. Berry, G. Barker, G. J. Phillips, W. B. Clarkson, A 1 Cook, E. Clarkson, T. M’oulro, W. Taylor, W. Hampton. W. Andrew, A. Staoo, J. Jackson. J. Kankivell, W. C.ggan. D. Smith, A, Hickey, W. Donohue, A. Moore, H. K. Peryman. J. Parish, F. Boon, A. Freeman, W. Eiok.rby, F. Smith. H. Bono, A, F. Bennetts, and others. Sheepskins, , Hides, Fat, Tallow, &c.— ».t our yards, this day, we o held our usual weekly sale of above, submitting a ■ good entry. The attendance of follmongers was a lull one, and good competition was shown for Ml . lots. Butchers’ cross-brods sold up to Ss 6d each, do meiinos to 2s 3d, lamb skins from 2s Gd to 3s3d; country skina from Is 3d to 4s each, we cleared our entry of fat at fd. Id, and lid per lb. Hides at late rates for delivery Friday morning. Land and Property,—At our Land Rooms on Saturday last we offered at auction the freehold farm of 50 acres, the property of Mr B, H. f- tronge, and situated on the Horewood road. A fair number of • the public attended, but biddings did not reach the a owner's reserve, and the property was passed in. B From subsequent enquiries, we are sanguine of being able ,to effect a sale. Country Soles —On ® Tuesday last we held a clearing sale of live and v dead stock, furniture, Ac., at the residential farm , of Mr John Lee, HaJswtll. There was a good

attendance of buyers, and all lots sold at very satis, factory values.

The New Zealand Fakmbbs' Co-operative Association of Canterbury ( Limited) report tor week Hiding Friday, April 22, as follows; Tho past w-ek has been f-uly brisk in the gram ir.de; and com iderable quantities of prouuca of al description* have chmged owners Wheat ih steady >n value at lost quotations, andatt m ion is now h ing given by buiO'S to store paroels-the quantities offering from tne country showing a heavy falli .g off. Oais have hardened slightly during tho week for tho bolter qualities, hut long fe d are ou'irely neglected. Haney coutinuesfirm, with light st' cks. Peas and beans are slow i f sale, and consequently are being shipped to Condon on growers' ..co nut Byegrass remains nominally trt last quotatiuns. hut. suitß are difficult to effect. (■Lauries for cocksfoot have evidenced the fact that nlocks are light, and the market closes firm Potatoes have improved in value, and during the week salo-i have been made up to 30s_at country stations Bacon and hams are in fair demand, but cheone and butter are neglected. Principal exports for tho week have been 13 122 sucks wheat, ISO do oats, 1048 do barley.26l do malt, 620 do flour, 961 do seed, 503 do potatoes, ZOO packages butler, 89 cases cheese, 85 no bams and bacon, 'r he following are our quotations, being prices paid 10 farmers, and not appl cable to lines ex warehouse Wheat, 1 usenu and ye vet, 3a 5d to 3s M; Hunter’s, os Id to 3s sd. Oats. -Milling, is lOd ; bright fee l, O.na.riau, Is 8d to Is --d: hil's Is 7d to Is 8.1 ; Danish, Is 4d to IB 6a. Barley —Prime u niting, 3s 8d to 3S p Jd < scar .?j)* medium quality, 6s 3d ’O 6s „ 0 Prussian, 3s 2d to 3s td ; Dun- 2i lOd to 3s. Eye_-cra-s Machine dres-ed. 3s lud to is; farmers parre's, 2s to 3s. beans, 2s odto3s. cocksfoot, :iid to 41. Bu tst-rnme salt, 7d. Hams and b.con. 61 to 6id. Potatooi, 30s at country stations. __ Messrs Miles and Co. report on the live stock markets £ov the w«i«k eudiug Ihursdoy, Apn» 21, as uillowa . ha fine weather following the recent ram has ha I a very mark d effect upon tho pastures; still there is, for the time of year, a greater scarcity of feed th,.n u pleasant to contemplate. when the poor accounts of the turnip or ps are taken into consrde>ation. Still, with the continuance for a few weeks longer of the good growing weather graziers will, it is to he hoped, have theic pastures rn bettor collection before the frosts set in. Althoneh we may have fine days tor some time yet, it must in the forgotten that gross will u.'.t make much headway agaJint the lengthening nii lit i und fronty mornings, end farmers should w-11 consider whether, notwithstanding the low pnocs ruling now, it is not wiser to take wh it. is going for their surplus sheep, and bo make better provision for tho balance, rather than hold on in expectation of higher figures, which may. after all. not be obtained, at lbs expense of the who e flock, it should be borne in mind by every grazier that it is more remunerative to graze 100 sheep well than double tho number indifferently. The fat sheep pons were crowded on Wednesday than of la e» and we noticed a lar.cr proportion of prime mutt n than has bees tho case for a considerable time. The coruparativ* ly short supply, coup.ed With the the presetce of exponers. caused a little more animation, and resulted in a si-ght improvement in vilu- for best quality, medium and inferior showing no quotable alteration. Best cross - bred wetr.ers sold from 8s to 9a 6d; a specially well-gruz )d line, which wo sold on aoo unt Mr M. Weir, up to lit each, and the ewes Lorn the same draft bringing the oxoepti nullv high figure of 9s Cd; medium cross-brcds sold at’fiom 7s to 8s; a considerable number ol these went to graz'ero for fl. ishing off ihc cuttle pons were well filled with beef, which was for tho greater pirt remarkably good quality; consp;cu us am .ngst which was a draft of prime heavy-weigh' steers from tne Chitmoss Estate. Those came f rward in spleuuid order, a..d refloat the greatest credit upon the management, 'that they were undoubtedly good is evidenced by their topping the market at £1 for a portion of the con ignmeut, the balance being passed in at £7 10s, at ■'lnch price we have sold them, in light weigh swo hud the pleasure of relliLg a very , rime lot of heifers from the Mount Thomas a state, which, a.though ou the t-mall side, were unusually good quality, and induced the only spirit in compelition which occurred during the teat tale. " e quote beef frm 16s to 18a per 100. b. btoro Sheep.- 'i tu* • u tries for store rhe p were not numerous, but, go d .in p s were iho exception, Don aider, hie enquiry ex sts for good cross-bred wethers for finishing off on turnip* and compar.-.d with fat price- the fl<ur.a offer! g are decidedly good. Except for sheep of this oluss tho demand is almost nil. The boilers, having their own way, prices r-ngiug from 2-; to 2.6 d fur cro.-.s-breds, and from Into Is -d for merino 3, >toro cat,' le. - Store c .trie were again very dull of sale, buyers being few and fir between. An up-country buyer eased the pens of a few well gry-u two and three-year--011 but re,, but besides tluse buein-ss was very limited and dragging. We sold three-year-old steers up to £4 I. s 6i. Dairy Mock.— lhe demand lately exiting for miicb cow retu ted in a very heavy entry, and a considernhls proportion, however, instead of be ng in the dairy stock peas, should have gone to the dogs’ meat shambles, being o'd, iuf.rior, and unprofitable. Hood sorts invariably met with a good r.c°p f ion, and wore quickly run up into top figures, SB much as £.O beii g paid for a first o.ars animal The average pr ce, however, se. mnd to ho f om £6 to If., at which li ■ urw a really good beast was procurable. Fat Lambs.— SinaU entry, and still lower rates, 6 a being tq> figure, et which price we sold a small lot. came to hand in very Ixrgu iiunibeto, und mot R much, reduced, demand j in fact the trade were almost tho only buyers. Good b cou piga sold up to kOs, porkers from 15s to 25s atoivß 5s to 12s. Our ©utrion wore on account of the CiiatmoHS, New Zealand, Alford, and o«ißhmcro estates, Mfhsre M, eir J. Oelamain, H, I after, J P. Hudgt>, J, P. Budd, A, G Clark, J. O. Amye?, \V. Pa IooDS, J Kmleji C, J, Couacel. P. UcsUtow. J Holmes, and ovhors. HhrrefsMna, Ac —We held our uauU weekly pale of the above at • ur stores on Tlmnday, and e'earod our catalogue at the following rates : Jiu*cber«* lumbfckiiiH from 4d, 2b 7d, 3b, 3d to 3*sd ; do cro s-br«.ds 1» lid, i'B 2d, 2a sd, 2b Pd, 3s, Hr Id, 3s 3d, 38 Gd to 3s ?0d ; motiuOß, 2s, 2a Id, 2a 61 to 2a Bd. Fat and hides at Jate rates. COE.N EXCHANGE. The following ’he Corn Kxchange report for the wee«. ending Friday. April 22: A fair omouut of l>u«iiiess has been transacted the week, and the market generally moy be saitl to have closed firm, shippingia b.ingcamel on brl-kly both, to London and intercolonial markets. The nori-arriYal of tho fair Kobert sale h 8 greatly inro iveoiencod tbe potato lifting. Wheat. —All parcels in good couuitiun on oirer nre quickly taken up at last week's quotations. Tuscan, 3* s&d io Ha 6<l; Pearl aud Hunter 8 arc a-so wanted at 3»» t,d to 5-Jd, Second quality and chickwheat is ia good demand a r A last w'cok's rates , , , .. Oath BueiniißS in this cereal ha a boon rather dull for the pas* week, on account of tho orders goimr to the Hlutf, where, at tbe present, bnyers are more leoinniiy dealt with. Prices, however, iov unaltered, at Ih 9d for abort feed, and Is 7d to lb 81 for tho Jong and inferior gtadea. Kail*t—lho firm t-*no previously noted contirneß, und iiuylhiitg fi*: for malting ifl taken up. Choice lots are in demand at 3s Gd to 3 Bd, and good, b und mfltrutr Ureß command 3a 2d to 3s 43, aud medium fti 2a lod to 3s. Peed is worth 2a 4d. , , . rt , Hians U ato been largely purenas d at 2s 10a to 3-, aid peas have h/id hotter attention for choice Pras?)iaa blues true to n«m\o at 3s 3d to 3s 4d. Feed Boris ai« dull at 2-% 9d to 2a 10d. , Grass Shed h is b*en dull, the srason being coneidored over Farmers* parcels are nominal at 2a 31 to 3s, and machine dresee I i 3 quiet at 8b Gd to od. Cocksfoot has been in better reque»t at 3id A good many sales have been made at 27s Cd to 283 at country stations, und tho market may be cont-idrred firm. . .Dairy Produce. No cha gos can be noted m values of this produce, aud last week’s quotations are nnaPered . , Tho »bovo quotntione ore those paid to xarmorßi and delivered f.o.b. i ytt/ Iton, sacks extra.