MARKET REPORTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CI, Issue 11885, 8 May 1899, Page 3

MARKET REPORTS.

- HORSE SALES. There were about sixty horses entered at Tattcrsall’s on Saturday, amongst them being a large proportion of useful draughts, which are.now much in demand, and all that came forward chanced hands'at satisfactory prices, vis., from £25 to £33 for good sorts, and from £lB to £23 for aged and lighter animals. The few really good light animals met a ready sale at from £lO to £l2, ~ edium sorts from £7 to £9, arid aged and. weedy kinds from £1 10s to £5. PIGS AND POULTRY. Medium yardings of pigs at Saturdays markets were all of the smaller kinds, and met, a very good sale. Potiltry came forward' in largo numbers, and' all; jioed table birds sold 'readilv/ ■ Prices realised vve're : For Pigs : 1 Stoics 18s to 325, wedners- 13s to •17s, and suckers 10s to T3s 6d. Poultry: j Roosters 3s 6d 'to ss, pullets 3s ;to v 4s; 9d, hehs*' 2s- 6cl to 3s, du6ks 3s M to' ss. ' geese 6s. to 7s, turkey cbckS J l2s ;! to 18s, and hens’ 5s to 10s, all at per pair. • - . " 1 PROPERTY SALES. . At Ashburton, on Saturday,- Messrs? Friedhnser Bros, sold a residence, in- Burnett .Street, the property of Mrs E. A; Brooke, to Mr John Orr, for £7OO. Maranui Estate (Westerfield), 3802 acres, was-passed in at £2 2s 6:1 per acre ; 204 acres on the Winchsnore. Road,. the property of Messrs Dighy Bros., were passed in at £2l an acre, but 40. acres, belonging, to the same owners on the Racecourse Road were bought at £27 an acre.by Mr Peter Drummond, Lyndhurst. The, Lion Brewery, building and appliances, was passed in at £BOO. On Saturday Messrs H. Matson and Co. offered for sab Mr P. Clinton’s farm of 500 rrrrs at Darfisld, but it was withdrawn at £3 per acre. Mr'Wv Harding on Saturday sold by auc : lion, on account of Mr M. Hawkins, 8 acres of la.ml at Marshlands, to Mr J. Morrison, for ,£650. : , :

LONDON MARKETS, The National Mortgage and Agency Company of New Zealand, Ltd., has ieceivel the following report from London, dated March 24:- ■ - • WOOL. The second series of- sales, which commenced on March 7, were brought to a close yesterday. The total quantity sold amounted ,to about 164,000 bales, of which 85,000 bales were taken for export, inclusive of about only 1000 bales for America. Competition was AveJl maintained up to the last day, and, as the series.progressed, a better feeling was manifest all round, due to increased activity in the manufacturing centres, especially Yorkshire.. Merino Wc-nls.,-, both scoured and greasy, .- advanced 5 to 10 per cent, as. compared with the closing rates of the January sales, and fine cross-breds, in sympathy, were fully 5 per cent dealer, but medium and coarse grades met a very irregular market, and were only saleable at a reduction of 5 to 10 per cent, and even more in the case of those descrip tions which were taken at high prices lasi time on American account. It is hoped that the advance on the fine-haired sorts will help to steady prices for ‘coarse cross-breds, but, in view'of the large supply coming forward, it is difficult at, the moment to foresee any improvement. . 1 About 11,000 bales were held over for the third series, to commence on May 2, including 3200 bales from New'Zealand. ’ CEREALS.

Conflicting influences have kept the wheat trade in a state of uncertainty, but the tendency Has been downwards; Darpage. by frosts to the winter crop in the States, and by rainstorms in the Argentine, have been more than counterbalanced, by the return of stocks in farmers’ hands in the States, which are 77,000,000 bushels more than last year. On the most moderate estimates, supplies from the States, Argentina, India, and- Australasia will be fully equal to the requirements of Europe during the next four months; and, unless something unforeseen happens, there seems little prospect Pf improvement in prices. A continuance of dry weather lias enabled fanners in some parts of this country to get in all their spring corn, and a better seed-bed could not have been obtained. The wheats are backward owing to the recent cold weather, 'but they are all the safer on this account.- There are fair stocks, of English wheat in farmers’ hands, and sales are pressed on many of the country markets. The average price last week was 25s 10d per 4801 b, as against 35s 6d in the corresponding week of last year. •To arrive, Walla Walla, for prompt shipment is offered, at 26s 6d. River Plate steamers, March shipment, to United Kingdom, 25s per 4801 b, while Russian and Indian wheats are offered at less money without attracting much attention. Australian cargoes have been sold at 26s 6d to 27s ■t*v 4301 b, c.i.f;, U.E., f.p, March-April shipment. On. the spot finest new crop Australian, meets a slow sale at 31s per 4961 b ex store. To encourage the growth of wheat and the milling industry, the Natal Government offer a bounty of 4s 6d per lOffib for the produce of South Africa. At present a considerable quantity is imported from Australia and other sources. Oats meet a slow trade at'less money. New Zealands are nominally quoted 22s 6d, to 26s per 3841 b ex store, but at present there are very few offering, and it is doubtful if these rates could be maintained in the event of free supplies coming to hand. • Beans dull; New Zealands nominally 32s to 33s per So4lb ex store. Cocksfoot is inactive; 17-18Ib seed is quoted 45s to 46s per 1121 bex store. Supplies are ample for the season, and dealers complain that the consumptive demand is disappointing. FROZEN MEAT.

The sharp snap of winter during the past week has stimulated the demand generally. American chilled beef has been realising high prices, hinds selling up.to and fores 4|d per lb. .. Home-fed beeff.and. mutton are also dearer this, .week. The snowstorms and-, severe frosts experienced all over the counny have, considerably interfered with the lambing season, and some districts have; suffered severely, otherwise a good crop of ' lambs was expected. The turnips are not keeping well, and stockowners are anxiously looking for mild spring Weather to start the grass oil the pastures. ; During, the past fortnight arrivals have been as under:

There has been a steady trade for New Zealand sheep, with rather a firmer ten-

deucy for North Islands. We quote Canterbury 3|d to 4d, supplies still, short, and only a small quantity selling, otfier- sorts 3|d to inferior and ewes 2-Jtl to 3d per lb on Smithfield. Australians realise 3d to 3-id, light weights being scarce, and sought after. River Plates are making the same prices as Australian. A The cold weather restricts the demand for lambs, but holders have not pressed sales, and prices have rather a firmer tendency. Prime Canterbury are firm at secondary New Zealands 4d to 4*d per lb, Australians 3|d to per lb. . ; Beef ' has advanced' ■ considerably, and Queensland is now worth for hinds, and 3d for fores. DAIRY PRODUCE. There is a steady trade for butter, and finest Australasian is quoted 96s to 100 s, secondary 84s to 925, and inferior down to 72s per cwt. Cheese is also in good request, and-finest Canadian is making 's2s. to 54s per cwt. There is no New Zealand oh the market" at present, but this would probably be worth 49s to 52s per cwt, according to quality.. , A - ' TALLOW. •

' Th 6: .demand is. not quite, so good, this week, but sellers are- firm in their, ideas. We quote fair to fine mutton 24s 6d to 26s per cwt. A; ... " " PELTS; ■ ' " ’ '• •

We are glad to say it has been decided that raw pelts are not subject to the duty of 20 per cent in the States, and although the Government have the right of appeal against this decision within a period of thirty days, it is not expected that they will avail themselves of it.

The market here is Is to 2s per doz dearer with a good demand, and it is expected that a large trade will be done with the States during the next few months. R-ABITSKINS.

At the auctions held here on March 17 294 bales were offered and sold. Tins small quantity met with a good demand at firm rates, prices for good New Zealand winter skins ranging from 2s to 2s 2id per lb. 17

Sheen. Lambs. Beef. Nev; Zealand 16,665 10,558 1,246 Australia . 22,840 ' 11,788 39,505 ’22,346 1.246