LATEST COMMERCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 743, 28 May 1886, Page 16

LATEST COMMERCIAL NEWS.

\ ■ New Zealand Mail Office, ] Thursday evening. There have been no arrivals of English or foreign merchant vessels since last week, when our four-weekly commercial summary was published. An ordinary amount of business has been done during the week, broken.by the holiday for the Queen's Birthday falling last Monday. There are no changes to quote in prices, articles of commerce remaining without alteration in value. The Colonial Treasurer brought down his Budget on Tuesday evening, having only given warning of his intention to do so late in the afternoon. He avowedly took this course to prevent speculative Customs clearances by persons who might anticipate fiscal changes. Previously, however, a considerable quantity of goods had been cleared. In the event it turned put that the G-overnment did not propose either to raise or lower any of the duties. The constant dread of yearly alterations in the tariff is productive of great mischief, and it is well that at all events for two consecutive years matters should remain unchanged. STOCK SALES. Christchurch, May 26.. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited), report (per Mr E. G. Stavely) as follows At Addington market to-day there were 8000 sheep and large entries oj cattle aud pigs. There was a fair demand for fat sheep ; especially best whetliers, which fetched 2d per lb, or from 10s to 12s a head, mixed sexes 6s to 9s. There was little inquiry for store sheep. Cros3-bred wethers brought 5s to 7s, forward merino wethers brought .2s 6d ; aged cross-bred ewes 2s 3d. Pig 3 were without alteration. There was a fair demand for fat pigs. Baconers brought 84s to 45s each. There was an over supply of fat cattle. Trade was weaker, though prime bullocks brought up to 20s per hundred, Cows brought Tj4 10s to L 6 15s : bullocks L 6 to Xiß. Store cattle were dull and prices nominal. Dunedin, May 26.. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited) report (per Mr D. Stronach) as follows 126 cattle were yarded. Best bullocks brought L 7 10s to L 9 10s ; ordinary Lsto L 7. Beef 20s to 22s 6d. Sheep--3114 were penned. Best cross-bred wethers brought 9s to 11s 3d ; others 7s to 8s 9d ;. best cross-bred ewes S 3 6d to 9s 9d ; ordinary 5s 6d to 7s 9d; merino wethers 2s 6d to 5s 6d. Mutton l|d per lb. 274 lambs brought 3s to 7s Bd. Pigs—suckers brought 2s 6d to 4s ; porker 16s to 225; baconers 27s to 40s.