LATEST COMMERCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 960, 25 July 1890, Page 16

LATEST COMMERCIAL NEWS.

New Zealand Mail Office, Thursday Afternoon. Trade in all quarters is reported to he in a very quiet condition. There is no life or speculative spirit shown, and buyers are only inclined to purchase for a hand to mouth trade. In grocery lines there is only ordinary business doing, and prices are nominal. In teas, buyers are holding off pending new arrivals. Recent advices show that the d(}W prop is rougher and bolder in leaf bat stronger

in liquor than last year’s, and there are very few chops which can be quoted as really first-class. The first shipment of the new crop may be expected shortly. The dried fruit market continues firm. Currants are worth upto 5Jd; elemes to 6£d ; and sultanas to Bd. New season’s salmon is offered up to 11s. In iron goods trade is quiet, and galvanised is difficult of sale beyond ordinary trade requirements. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company in their London circular of June 14th, speaking of New Zealand hemp, says :—The market has been inactive during the past month, and in view of the lower prices rnling for Manila and sisal, it has generally been necessary to accept a de. cline of fully 20s per ton on previous rates in order to effect sales. Recent arrivals moreover have been heavy, and the stock in warehonse is now fully 1200- tons in excess of that reported on 30th April. Some 3000 bales have been brought forward at public auctions, of which about 2000 have been disposed of at and after the sales at from £ls to £l6 per ton for very ordinary half dressed, from £l7 10s to £IS 10s per ton for oommon mixed colour and strawy, and from £l9 to £2O per ton for fair medium descriptions. Medium to good medium, well dressed sorts, have realised from £2l to £23 per ton, and hackled tow from £ls to £l6 per ton. Manila closes quiet but is fairly steady at £34 per ton on the spot, and £33 10s to £34 per ton to arrive c.i.f., while sisal is quoted at £25 10s per ton, ex quay Liverpool. A quiet tone has prevailed in the butter market since the date of our last circular, and values for all descriptions have ruled lower. In the absence of fresh available arrivals from Australasia bat little business has been passing in these sorts, and several consignments received in April and May still remain in warehouse, for which very low prices will have now to be accepted in order to effect a olearance. The cheese market has been quiet during the past month and American descriptions have receded about 3s per owt. The consignments per Doric (s), now in course of discharge, are not yet available. We quote :—Finest American (new season's), 48s to 48s per cwt.; New Zealand, none. Importations from New Zealand during the past four weeks amounted to 1100 packages. Nelson Brothers report on June 14th on the frozen meat trade j We have again to record a quiet month, the trade throughout for all classes of mea; has been small, and judging by the ample supplies of both beef and mutton, very much lesp than was anticipated. Prices generally are easier, but the principal decline has been in American chilled beef, which is now quoted at exceptionally low values. In the provinces the demand continues fairly steady and prices generally in excess of London values. New Zealand Mutton,—Notwithstanding the fact that the demand has been moderate, a fair quantity has gone into consumption, but it must be admitted that reductions in prices have had to be made to effect sales. Really first-class sheep of suitable size, say about 56 to 601bs weight, have not much depreciated in value, being worth to-day 4§d and specially prime carcases 4Jd per lb, but for heavy fat sheep, of a wasteful nature, buyers will not pay over 4d per lb. As afioat3 are moderate, and stocks not unusually large, we rather look for an improved trade in the course of the next few weeks. River Plate sheep have been realising 33d to 4d per lb, but sales in London have not been pushed. New Zealand general supplies on offer have been poor in the extreme, and relatively low prices have in consequence been made. First-class lamb, of suitable size and quality, is worth s|d to 6d per lb, but few are to be found. Common quality is selling from 4-Ad to s^d. New Zealand Beef.—The glut of American chilled has curtailed the sale of frozen, but as importers are not forcing sales, values show but little alteration, hinds being nominally worth 4£d to 4|d, and fores, 3|d per lb. STOCK SALES, Christchurch, July 23. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company report (per Mr J. N. Robinson) as follows At Addington live stock market to-day fat sheep were in good supply ; demand brisk ; best wethers, 18s to 24i, and np to 26s for extra quality and weights ; do. mixed sexes, IGs to 20s ; do. ewes, 14s to 19s 9d ; mutton selling at 2d to 2gd per lb, allowing for skins and fat, Cattle, fair entry, good inquiry; beat bullocks, £7 10s to £lO 10s ; do, cows and heifers, £4 10s to £7 ; beef making 18s to 21s per lOOlbs, Store sheep, small entry, keen inquiry ; store cattle, small number yarded ; business quiet. Pigs, small supply ; no change In values. Dunedin, July 23. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company report (per Mr A. Todd) as follows : —Cattle—l9B ; best bullooks, L 9 to Lll 10s; others, L 3 7a 6d to L 8 10s; beef, prime quality, 22s 6d to 255; ordinary, 17s 6d to 20a per lOOlbs. Sheep—2677; best crossbred wethers, 16s to 19s ; others, 10s 6d to 15s 6d; best do. ewes, 14s 6d to 16s 6d, one pen to 18s 3d; others, 10s to 13s 6d ; merino wethers, to 14s 6d; mutton, 2d to 2Jd per lb ; 103 lambs, 8s 9d to 12s. Pigs—--9 1; porkers, 26s to 345; baconers, 26s to 60s.