Late Commercial.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 994, 20 March 1891, Page 18

Late Commercial.

CHRISTCHURCH CORN EXCHANGE. The following is the Christchurch Corn Exchange Report (per N. P. Meyers, Secretary) for the week ending Friday, March 13th, 1831. ■ . • The weather has been exceedingly favourable for the ingathering of the balance of the grain crops which may now be considered secured, although in some instances not without damage. A much firmer tone in wheat, owing to the steady advance of the European markets, and shortage in New South _Wales, is noticeable, and local millers are anxiou3_to purchase at a.n increase of our last quotations. Sydney advices indicate that New South Wales will require heavy supplies from outside sources and this together with the hardening tendency in the Home markets must be encouraging _to growers who have not sold. Operations during the week have been chiefly confined to millers, especially In the Rangiora market where keen competition was exhibited. There is ample tonnage for growers who wish to ship, but feeling generally is to hold for a month or two. The Oat crop is both poor in quality and yield. Heavy milling is wanted but prices preclude manufacturers of oatmeal competing with our southern friends. Bailey, if prime malting, meets with a fair enquiry, but second quality and off samples are quite neglected. Grass seed is offering freely and prices are weaker. The potato crop is one of the largest ever known as regards average, and the yield of kidneys above anticipations. Several parcels have been placed for shipment a fortnight hence at 27s 6u to 28s 6d per ton at country stations. In Derwent’s forward sales have been made for delivery off the forks at 25s to 27s 6d. _ Following are our quotations : —Wheat —Prime Tuscan, 3s 8d ; Pearl, 3s 6d ; Hunters. 3s_sd ; whole chick, 3s. Oats —Milling Is Bd, Short feed Is Gd to Is 7d ; Inferior, Is 4d to Is sd. Barley—Prime malting, 3s 3d ; Medium, -s 6d to 2s lOd ; feed Is 8d to Is lOd. Peas— 2s Gd to 3s. live Grass—Machine dressed, 5s to 5s Gu Farmer’s 3s Gd to 4s 6d. Cocksfoot—Town machine sd; growers lines, 4d to 4£d. Dairy Produce—Butter—factory made 7d ; to 8d; Farmer's keg, Gd to GJd. Cheese (loaf) —Medium sizes 3sd to 41. The above prices are those paid to farmers, for delivery f.o.b. Lyttelton—sacks extra.

HINTS REGARDING NEW ZEALAND

HEMP PACKING.

Messra Leary and Co. of this city have favoured U 8 with the following hints re the packing of New Zealand Hemp, which they have received from their London correspondent. „ 1. That as far as possible the colour be uniform, and of a palish yellow. 2. That wherß two or more colours exist, they should, as far as possible, be separated into secondary marks. 3. That no Runners, or hard strikes, (improperly decorticated fibres) should be left in the heads, or layer. 4. That the seed or crop end, should be softened, the Tow and hard particles being carefully removed. 5. That the bales generally shipped at present are too heavy and bulky, and the heads too large. Square pressed bales, 2Jto 2-Jcwt each, are much preferred to larger Bales, and the heads should not exceed 2J to 3Jibs weight 6. The fine, good coloured Hemp, should be protected by cloth, and canvas wrappers. 7. That the Hemp be carefully retted or steeped, in none hut clean water, a running stream being most advisable. The defects of colour visible in many parcels of fibre shipped, clearly indicate a want of proper care in this respect, and that discoloured, or stagnant water, has been too frequently used in the steeping process. 8. That neither in baling, nor in dumping, should iron bands or iron wire be used, since either by ship’s sweat, or by sea damage the fidre is liable through oxidation, to discolour, and materially to affect the saleable value of 9. That the bales be bound with New Zealand, or other hemp ropes, but not with iron bands, or wire rope of any description. 10. That to prevent chances of fire through spontaneous combustion the hemp be thoroughly well dried before packing. 11. That in order to do full justice as between one district and another, the name of each district of growth should be superadded to the shipper’s other descriptive marks. 12. The dumping (or extra pressure) put on the bales by ship owners or shippers of New Zealand hemp is a matter of serious moment, TJnlike wool (with its elastic nature) hemp once dumped becomes hard and matted, and the system of dumping adopted in the former article without hurt, is totally unsuitable, and to a considerable extent prejudical, to the _value_ of hemp. Many cases have lately arisen, in which bales dumped (or compressed) by shipowners or their agents have been so seriously affected that the binders, or bands of, hemp—as delivered originally at the shipping port. —have been so loosened, that the Bill of Lading Marks and identities hare not only been lost or destroyed, but a considerable expense has also been incurred for re-tightening bales < 13. That a system so at variance, with the terms of the Bill of Lading is vicious in so many ways, that we feel sure no justification of one so bad can be recognised or tolerated without the consent of the shippers, in. which case it would be well that the authority, or right of dumping, should be clearly set out, and stated in the Bill of Lading. A further, and yet greater grievance to shippers is to be found in the fact that parcels of various marks are promiscuously dumped together, without any regard to the specific obligations and covenants under the usual Bill of Lading Clause, ‘ that bales are to be delivered in the like good order.’

14. That each and every Bill of Lading (as regards marks) should be kept intact, whereas at present, without regard to consequences, the marks of various consignees are mixed together at the will and caprice of the dumpers, and aparently without any thought of after consequences.

NEW ZEALAND LOAN AND MERCANAGENCY COMPANY’S WOOL SALE. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, report as follows : —We held our fourth wool sale of the series yesterday, when the attendance of both local and foreign buyers was above the average, and notwithstanding that the catalogue offered was comparatively small, the competition was thoroughly satisfactory. Although we are unable to quote an actual advance in values,

still we consider that from sales, made here there is every indication of the maintenance of equal prices in the Home market. A considerable proportion of the catalogue was composed of shabby, bush-stained wool; notwithstanding this, however, our prices have ranged as per particulars given below of the principal lots sold. Greasy crossbreds lambs' Kahinau, 7Jd I WHD 7id, Fairbank. 7id; GN, 7Jd ;EG under bar, 7d ; RR conjoined, 7d ; CG Stoney Creek, 7M ; do WAH, 7jct; HB under curve, 74d; JK conjoined, 7d ; triangle, 7M ; HD conjoined, 7Sd; AC,7d ;BoverKanapa,7id ;88, 7id ; RVS, 7d; HM Ashurst, 7Jd; K, 7Jd ; GHW, 7d : CNS over Shannon, 6|d ; HFover O, fijd ; greasy crossbred, WAH 7Ad, 9id ; HP conjoired, s£d; Maika Kaihoata, 7jd ; W and M, 7Jd ; HD under curve, 6Jd ; double W, 5Jd ;“D4, GJd ; JCO, CJ ; EW over, Otaki, 5d and 6J; K over curve, 7Jd; NL, 7Jol; greasy crossbred hoggets, 7jd ; do do ewes, 7id; scoured lambs, XX, 9Jd; greasy crossbred part lambs, fid ; EW over, Otaki, fijd ; greasy crossbred part fleece, ES under bar, 7d; greasy Romney, AA over E, 6&d ; washed crossbred JH, BJd ; slipe half-bred JH, SJd ; slipe lambs’, 7d.

STEVENS AND GORTON’S STOCK REPORT. _ ■ Bulls, March 16. We were unable to forward our usual report last week. During the last fortnight sales have been exceptionally large and brisk, the Palmerston sale on the 6th particularly so, both as regards number of stock entered and prices realised. Large entries came forward at Woodville, Palmerston, Bulls, and Kiekeru. Bidding was spirited at all the sales, and nearly everything was sold. Woodville.— Cattle—Fat cows, L 3 6s; 18 months to 3-year steers, L2 6s ; 2J-year steers, L2 13s 6d. Bulls.—Fat cows, L 3 7s 6d; cows and calves, 37s 6d ; heifers in calf, L2 13s 6d. Sheep.— Woodville—Wethers, 10s 6d to 10s 9d ; ewes, various, from 6s to 10s 6d ; lambs, 4s Id to 7s. Palmerston—2-tooth ewes, 13s to 13s sd; 2-tooth Romney ewes, 12s 3d; 2-tooth to full-mouthed ewes, 12s 8d to 12s 9d. breeding ewes, various prices, from 6s 8d to 12s 3d ; wethers, 10s 6d to 11s ; lambs (woolly), 7s 6d to 8s lid ; shorn, 3s 2d to 6s 9d ; rams, 2J to 3| guineas. Bulls.—2-tooth ewes, 10s lOd to 12s 3d; 4-tooth ewes, 12s; breeding ewes, various ages, 8s fid to 10s 4d ; wethers, 10s 7d ; woolly lambs, 7s to 9d; shorn lambs, 5s 7d to 6s 9d. Kiekeru. —Fat wethers, 12s fid ; 2-tooth ewes, 11s 7d ; pure Lincoln ewes, 14s 2d ; wethers, 10s 8d ; shorn lambs, 4s to 7s ; woolly lambs, Bs. Horses —Draught, L 8 2s 6d to L2O; hacks and harness horses, from L 4 10s to Ll 4. SHARE MARKET. The undermentioned sharebrokers report on the share market to date, March 18th, as follows : Last

Gold —Fiery Cross, 7s 3d; Globe, 21s 9d ; No. 2 Dark 6s; Beaconsfield, 2s 6d; Hercules, 2s 6d ; Wakamarina Gorge, 26s 6d. J. Dransfield D. T. Stuart Harcourt & Co. Thompson & Knowles MacKinnon & Tring- Truebridge & Reich ham R. C. Shearman & Co.

Buyei •a. Sellers. sale. Local— £ s. c 1. £ s. d. £ s. i d. Wel’t Woollen 2 5 0 2 7 6 2 6 0 Wel’t Gas ... — 16 0 0 — Trust and Loan G 12 0 6 12 6 6 12 6 Equit. Building 7 0 0 — 7 0 0 Wel’t Build ... 6 7 6 6 10 0 — W& M Railway 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 Gear Meat 5 10 0 — 5 10 0 Meat Export ... (L5paid) 4 12 G 4 15 0 4 12 G (L3)... 2 12 G 2 15 0 — (32s 6d) 1 3 6 — — Banks— N.Z. (old) 5 2 6 5 3 6 5 2 0 ,, (new) 7 5 0 — — National — — 1 16 6 Colonial (cum)... 2 2 6 — 2 2 6 Insukance— National 17 0 - — 17 n Union .... ... 1 6 0 1 G G '—•* South British... — — 1 10 0 Stand ird — 0 14 0 — Miscellaneous— Loan & Mercantile 2 17 G 3 0 0 — N.Z. Kiv’r Plate Land Mort’ge 0 8 G — — National Mrt'ge 10 3 0 10 9 — N.Z. Shipping , (cum) 4 0 0 — — Kaiapoi 2 7 6 • 2 10 0 2 10 0 N.Z. Drug! cum) 1 0 3 . — — Wanganui Gas 12 10 0 — —