MARKET REPORTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9494, 17 August 1891, Page 3

MARKET REPORTS.

Messrs Miles and Co. (per Mr J. T. Ford) report on the live stock market for the week ending Thursday, August 13, as follows : Canterbury Saleyards, Addington, Wednesday, August 12. The entry for the day’s sale comprised 357 head of cattle, 9101 sheep and 255 pigs. Pat Cattle. — A medium entry, the greater portion of which was made up of inferior beef. Prices were uncertain and competition slack, and values, on the whole, were' hardly up to last week’s. Stoke Cattle.—A small entry, mostly odd lots, with the exception of one or two lines of young cattle, which found purchasers at late rates.

Fat Sheep. —A large market, all the pens set apart for this class of stock being full. The quality, on the whole, was better than last week’s. Several lines of first-class sheep came forward, and the price obtained for these was as good as it has been at any time during the past few months; for inferior sheep the competition was not so good and prices were decidedly easier.

SwpßE Sheep. —A moderate entry, composed chiefly of ewes in lamb, with a few lines, of good hoggets, which sold at rates equal to those ruling the last few weeks. Pigs.— An average entry, the demand for baconers was not good, and a further drop in prices was the consequence. Stores were in demand at late rates. Our sales were as follow: —S3 cross-bred wethers at 18s Id to 19s 9J, 37 cross-bred maiden ewes.ait 18s 2d,,90 merino wethers at 1 14 sßd to 18s 3d, 178 cross-bred wethers at 20s; 3d to 2.0 s 4d, 69 cross-bred-ewes at 19s 7d, 64 cross-bred wethers and owes at 16s Bd, 60 .do at 16.=!.1d to 16a 4d, 128 merino wethers at. 12s 2d to 12-s 7d, 200 cross-bred .wethers and maiden ewes 14s 3d, ’25 bacon pigs at 235, 28s to 335, 12 porkers 14s to 14s 6d, 4 bacon pigs at 255, 3 porkers at 17s, G stores at 6s 6d. Ashburton County Saleyards, Tuesday, August 11.—The eutry of stock for this sale comprised 5257 sheep, 29 cattle, and a few pigs. There was a good attendance of buyers, and nearly all the lots changed hands at prices on a level with those ruling of late. Our share of the market consisted of 2049 sheep and 17 head of cattle, and our sales for the day were as follow:—Cross-bred freezers 18s, cross-bred ewos 12s, 12s 4d to 13s 6d, merino wethers 11s 4d to 12s, cross-bred hoggets 11s, 13 head of cattle JB3, dS3 10s to £4 17a Bd. Skins, Fat, &c. —At our auction sale on Thursday there was a fair attendance of the trade, and we submitted a large catalogue, consisting chiefly of dry skins. Competition was brisk, and prices satisfactory. We sold butchers’ cross-breds to 7s 4d, ditto merinos to 6s 6d, country skins to 6s, factory skins at full market rates. Fat l;Id to lifd per lb. Hides and calfskins at late rates.

Mr F. C. Tababt reports on the life stock market for the week ending August 14 as follows; The total number of stock at the Addington Yards comprised 9101 sheep, 857 cattle and 255 pigs. Fab Cattle.—About 220 head were brought for- , ward for the week’s supply. There were some prime quality cattle on offer, the competition for which, though fairly good, was not quite up to owners’ expectations, and several pens were passed out unsold. Prime bullocks and heavy weights made from £8 15s to .£lO ss, medium and light weights £5 10s upwards, best cows and heifers £5 10s to £6 15s, medium and inferior £3 10s upwards. Store Cattle. —A very small entry, for which there ■ was ;no improved demand. ■ Pat Sheep.—One of the largest entries of the season, a large proportion being very prime quality for freezing purposes. There were also some very prime merinos, and the balance of the entry comprised fab ewes and sheep of medium quality, evidently the result of failing turnips. The top pens of one of the best lines of merino wethers on offer made 21s 9d. fens of prime cross-bred wethers for freezing purposes made from 18s to 21s 9d, medium 18a to 17&6d, and light weights 14s upwards. Prime maiden ewes sold from 17s to 19 i for top pens, lighter , weights 14s 6d • upwards; fat owes, heavy weights, 15s to. 17s; medium, 13s to 14s 6(1; light-weights, 9s 6d upwards; • very prime merino wethers, heavy-weights, 17a to 19s 8d; medium, 13s to 15s; inferior, 8s 6d upwards. A good clearance was effected. Store Sheep.—A good entry, : consisting chiefly of crossbred hoggets and cross-bred ewes in lamb, and a few pens of merino wethers. The keenest demand was for ewes in lamb, and well-grown two and four-tooth cross-breds in' forward condition, sheep of this class making up to 14s Sd; cross-bred ewes in lamb, fair quality, 9s fid to Us lOd; crossbred hoggets trom 10s to 13s, according to quality ; and meriuo wethers from 5a to 7s. Pigs.—A good entry, which were cleared at a reduction on last week’s values on'all classes. Sheepskins, Hough Fat, Hides and Calfskins.—My sales for the week comprise 2887 skins, 45 bags and packages of rough fat, and about 47 hides and calfskins. There was the usual attendance of fellmongera. Competition was nob so brisk as 1 last week’s, and prices fluctuated considerably, especially in merinos. The arrival of the English mails bringing wool catalogues to baud had a depressing effect on the market. Butchers’ best cross-breds made from 6s 9d to 7s Gci, exceptionally large 8s 6d, medium 4s Gd upwards, butchers’ best merinos 5s Gd to 6s 7d, small 4s upwards, butchers’ rough fat Id, l|d, lid to I|d for best parcels; hides and calfskins are without alteration.

Messrs Pyne and Co. report for the week ending Thursday, August 14;—The total number of stock yarded comprised 9101 sheep, 357 cattle and 255 pigs. There was a thoroughly representative attendance of the trade, and of graziers from all parts of the country at Addington on 'Wednesday, and great interest was manifested by the non-regular attendants in the prices obtained for both fat and ktore sheep. In the latter market the entry consisted of some very useful lines of hoggets and ewes in lamb. The values for hoggets v;ere, wo think, barely up to sales we have lately made, but ewes ia lamb were keenly competed for. Ewes in lamb brought from 10a Gd to 15s, hoggets all prices from 9s Gd to 14s, two-tooths lie to 1 Is 3d. The fat sheep market was again a heavy one, and although the quality was decidedly better than on the previous Wednesday, there was still a full supply of sheep, which gave evident signs that feed had come to an end. Beat freezing lines brought from 18s to 21n Gd, a few espepecially heavy weights _ reaching 255; medium quality 14s to 36s Gd, ewos all prices from 10s to 17s, merino we-mers irom 7a GJ to AH 3d for some especially prime quality. Thi fat cattle market, after giving some email hope of recovery on the previous Wednesday, again drooped, and the sale wau anything but satisfactory to those who have been holding for an-expected advance

in values. There was some good quality, which brought up to 19s per 1001 b, whilst second-class beet sold at 17s 6d. The store market held no lines worthy of quotation, and a line of dairy cattle found but little attention, and were mostly passed in. The pig market held a fair entry, but owing to want of competition . values .-receded on those quoted in our last report. Privately during the week we have placed a line of ewes in lamb, and also two lines of, freezers at market rates. Our skin sales for the week comprise 3351 country, butchers’ and factory skins. Prices for all classes remain about ou a par with late quotations. Hides and fat at former prices.

Messrs Todhunteb and Jennings report as follows on the live stock market for the week ending Friday, August 15 : —On Wednesday, at the Addington yards, 9101 sheep, 357 head of cattle, and 255 pigs were yarded, of which our entry consisted of 1861 sheep, 102 head of cattle and 97 pigs, for upwards of fiftyeight clients. The weather was very fine, and the attendance, augmented by visitors from north and south, was very much above the average. So very good a description of the market, with full particulars of the sales made having already appeared in your columns so long ago as Thursday last, we think it quite unnecessary to go over the ground again. Let it suffice to say that wa sold a vary large proportion of the store sheep at prices about equal to late quotations; and for the fat sheep we obtained as high as 23s per head, the large entry meeting with a capital inquiry, local and export, late rates being fully maintained; fat cattle and store cattle bring dull of sale, a good number of the former being withdrawn. Sheepskins, Hides, Fat and Tallow.—At the New Zealand Wool Stores this day we hold our usual weekly sale of above; submitting a very heavy entry of both green and dry skins. The attendance of fellmongers was as usual, and biddings were keen and spirited from the beginning to the end of the sale. Our highest prices were 6s lOd, Gv lid, 7s 3d, 7s Gd, 7s 9d and as high as 8s 9d for very prime cross-bred and half-bred skins, prime do 5s Sd to 6a 6d, medium 4s 3d upwards. Merino skins sold well at fiom 4s to 4s 8d for medium, and at from 5s 3d to Gs Id for prime lines, dry skins, according to weight, quality and condition, ranging from 2s to 4s Gd. Fat and Tallow.r—Fair competition at to-day’a sales; we sold butchers’ beat rough fat IJd and 1 gd, medium 3id and lid, rendered in casks .£l6 per ton.

Messrs H. Matson and Co. (associated with the National M. and A. Co., of N.Z., Limited) report for the week ending Monday, August 17, 1891, as follows: Wheat—The Home market displays a firmer tone, but locally there is no improvement, and but little business passing. Holders remain firm, and, as stocks are getting low, there is an impression that there is very little more for export. Tuscan 4s 3d, Pearl 4s 2d, Hunter’s 4s Id. Oats.— There is a moderate demand for local consumption at up to Is Bd, but for export the inquiry is weak. In Sydney, however, the market is firmer, especially for best quality. F.0.b., values here are Is 9d to la lOd for milling, and Is 7d to Is Od for feed. Barley.—A good deal has been taken up by maltsters during the past week or two, but prices very rarely exceed 2e Gd per bushel. Feed is wanted ab Is 9d to 2;. Potatoes.—We have no improvement to report, although there are signs of a slight recovery in the Australian markets; nominal value 15s per ton at country stations, and about the same for kidneys. Grass Seeds. —The dry weather is interfering with trade. Should a downfall of rain visit the country we may look for good business. Ryegrass 5s 3d to 5s 6d for machine-dressed, and 4ld to 5 j-d for cocksfoot. Beans and Peas.—Nothing doing ia either lines. Quotations are f.o.b. (potatoes excepted). 'Auction' Sale.—Our next sales taka place on Saturday, August 22.