COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1267, 11 June 1896, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

Tho New Zealand Loan and Mercanti'e Agency Company, Limited, report for the week ending sth June, 189 G : Wool.— There is nothing fresh from London, and the usual oddments that come into store at this season of the year are eagerly taken up by fellmongers at late rates. Crutchinsrs continue in good demand, and we have cleared all forward at up to 4,4 per lb. The next series open in London on 30th inst. .. ,

Sheepskins.—Wo have disposed of large consignments during tho week to eager buyers, and quote prime full-woolled crossbreds 5.',4 to 5.1 d per lb; good, -1 HI toad; fair to medium, 3.1 d to 4d ; inferior and broken, lid to 3hl; butchers’ green skins, earlv shorn, 3s to 3s 5d ; medium, 2s Oil to 2s 9d. Tallow.—Our London office cables -as fol]oWß . There is rather better demand for tallow. New Zealand fino mutton is worth 20s per cwt, and good beef 18s per cwt. Local supplies continue short, but prices do not improve; prime mutton is worth .£lO 158 to .£l7 ; mixed (and medium, £IG to £IG 5i ; inferior, .£l4 10s to £lls 10s per ton. Frozen Meat.—Tho market still continues depressed. New Zealand mutton is quoted in London —First quality at3Jd, second quality 2jd per lb. Eabbitskino.—Market continues firm at late quotations. Hides.—These are in _ fairly plentiful supply and demand continues good. 4\ e quote -.—Prime stout ox, 31(1 per lb ; medium, 3d to 3|d ; light and cow, per lb. Hemp. —There has been more enquiry experienced for this fibre, but prices offering are not likely to induce millers to reopen their mills. Values are—Fine, .£11; medium, ,£lO ; fair, .£9 por ton. Fungus is in short supply, it is worth 3d to 3.4 d per lb, at which price wo havo a ready market.

Wheat.—Market still very firm, with an indication to advance. Very little is being offered in the South, and as there is an improved enquiry from Australia, an advance in price may ho looked for at an early date. We quote for good whole fowl wheat 3s 3d to 3s Gd, ex wharf, sacks extra. Oats.—There is practically nothing new to report. Dealers hero havo quite sufficient stocks for immediate requirements, and do not care to operates at prices demanded by holders in the South. Quotations are for best feed, standard 0,2 s 3d to 2s 4d ; D grade, 2s 2ld to 2s 3d, ex store, sacks in. Chaff.—There is strong enquiry, and all lines offering find ready buyers closely in accordance with prices quoted last week, viz., G7s Gd, ex truck, sacks extra. Potatoes elicit fair enquiry, but there is no material change in values. Most of the growors have pitted, and the supply is found to bo not over plentiful ; prices, however, remain much about the same as quoted last week, viz., 02s to Gss, ex wharf, acks in.

Messrs Freeman R. Jackson and Co.’s Johnsonvillo stock report (telegraphed last week to the New Zealand Mzii.) is as follows :—The bullocks entered for tho day s sale wore all fair quality, though generally light-weights. The bidding was not so keen as at last sale, consequently beef fell in value slightly. Sheep were well competed for, and prices improved. Of pigs, only u lew came forward, and they were better worth. Cattle —Best bullocks, £G 17s Gd to £7 5s ; others, £ij 5s to £G 15s ; cows, ,£1; ox beef, lGs, and cow’s, 14a tho 1001 b. Sheep—Wethers, 9s Id to 11s 3d ; ewes, 8s 8d to 9s. Pigs—Small baoonors, 20s ; porkers, 11s Gd. Messrs Freeman R. Jackson and Co. s Wanganui stock report (telegraphed last week to the New Zealand Mail) is as follows:We had very few sheep for Wavcrley. Cattle were in usual numbers. We sold most ol the cattle, but the sheep, consisting mainly of old ewes, were difficult to quit. At Wanganui wo bad a fair muster of botli cattle and sheep. Tho cattle were all sold with the exception of the line of cows. Of the sheep, all souml-mouthed animals found ready purchasers at quotations, but inferior lines were hard to place. However, wo cleared the card with the exceptions of two small linos of fat ewes. Pigs were in usual numbers but were dull of sale. We quote —Cattle—At Wavcrley: Weaners, 23s to 20s Gd; cows, £2 15s to £3 ls|; steers, £2 lGs to £3 12s; forward bullocks, £i 18s to £4 19s ; fat cows, £4 12s Gd ; heifers, £2 5s to £2 10s ; milkers, £2 13s to £4l2s. At Wanganui: Yearlings,2os to 80s; heifers, £2 7s; milch cows, £3 7s G<l to £4 13s. Sheep—At Wavcrley: Old ewes, in lamb, 4s Id. At Wanganui: In lamb, 4s to 5s 3d ; superior, 9s Gd ; empty ewes, 4s Gd to 5s ; wethers, 8s Id to 8s 9d; lambs, 5s Id ; fat ewes, Bs. Pigs—Large baoonors, 23s to 31s; smaller, 17s to 225; pork pigs, 11s to 14s 9d ; others, 4s to Gs 9d. The following is a copy of a London market cablegram received by the New Zt a and Loan and Mercantile Agency Company Tallow —There is a better demand. New Zealand fine mutton is worth 20s per cwt; New Zealand good beef is worth 18s per cwt. Messrs A. G. Taino and Co. report ol tV We'lington-6>"k. veil, .-kin end pmpiwlv markets for week ttnniutf oth Juno, «is 10l lows:—Fat sheep- Prime wethers, rising, lbs to l's Gd for best ; ewes, 7s Gd to 9s lid. Store wethers -Good trosh slice]), sales up to 9s lid. Kwes in lamb—Good demand; land li-tooUis, 5s to 9s ; full-mouthed, 5s Gd to is Lambs, 7s to 7s lid for Iwst. Fat cattle Prime beef. 17s per lOOlli. Ft-.re catJ e Wen tiers, same as last week I > ury eaC le Young cows, dose to calving, there is still goo 1 demand, and likely to last. \\ e have made a number of sales at very satisfactory prices, up to £8 lor best cows, and havo now a demand for good cows to calve in spring. Pies —lJaconors, 35s to ins; porkers, 18s to 22s Gd ; slips, no sale. Sheepskins—Good demand at our weekly sales, all coming forward selling freely, best dry skins bringing Lid to 5.1(1; medium and half-woolled, 3-td to Id : green skins, up to 4s Gd for best ; orutehings, •Id to Lid. Messrs A. G. Taino and Co. report of their horse sale on Saturday:—We had a pretty good entry, including a truck from ifockcn Bros.,of Feilding, and afew draughts, j For some reason or other the market was dull, and a number had to be turned out unsold. We sold all the draughts except onej up to £2G being p iid fora big gecling : £l7 to £l9 for medium, and £IG to £lB tor active half draughts. Wo sold about the usual number of useful harness horses, £9 10s being top price for a spring carter. A few of Hoeken Bros, unsold are now for private sale. We offered a number of traps, and sold dog-cart, £l2 10s. Next Saturday we will olt'er a truck of right good spring carters and half draughts from Mr J. McPherson, of Clt vo > Hawke’s Bay. Sydney, Juno 3. Whoat —3s to 3s 3d. Llour— Itollor IIJ to £10;i0s ; New Zealand, - oats, from New Zealand, prime feed,

2s Gd; maize, 2s Gd; barley, Capo, 2s 8d to 2s lOd ; bran and pollard, 9d each; peas, Persian blue, 43 to 4s 3d. PotatoesPlentiful ; Circular Heads, £2 15s to £3 : locally- grown, £2: onions, New Zealand, prime, £B. Buttor— Dairy-made, 10u to lid ; factory, lid to Is; cheese, New Zealand prime, Old to 7d ; bacon, dull, scl to Gd. Sydney, June G. At the two wool sales during the week, 2400 bales were sold, chiefly od lments: but included a few good lots newly shorn from Oueensland. Competition at the opening showed a tendency to become distinctly weaker, and there wore numerous withdrawals, but business afterwards rallied, and prices were fully equal to those oi lastloitnight’s sales. New Queensland combing brought Old to T'.d ; scoured, up to lS’.d. Though tho bread-stuffs market is quiet, it gives signs of a revival of speculative activity. The firmer tone of the New Zealand and San Francisco markets has put local holders in better heart, A little business has been taken in New Zealand wheat, including a thousand bags Hunter s, 3s Sd, landed in Sydney, and a thousand bags of Tuscan for seeding 1 purposes, Js l(Ud, to arrive. A good deal ot business is doing m Californian wheat, in connection with which enquiries are also being made from New Zealand. About 2000 bags have been placed privately at a price which it is thought difficult to repeat. The next two vessels from Vancouver between them bring 1400 tons of wheat, and San Francisco will probably find on additional ship. . The produce markets close quiet without noticeable change. Meluoukne. .Tune •>. In wheat, small business is doing, the prices being 4s lid toss Id. Oats Algerian feeding, 3s to 3s Old; seeding, 3s 4d; stout white, 3s 2hi ; Tartarian, 8s to 8s Old. Maize. 8s 2d: brail, Is 0;, l d ; potatoes, depressed, £1 lljs to £2 ; onions, £G to £7. Meluodrne, June G. Very little is doing in wheat. Holders show a disinclination to sell at current quotations. T Adelaide, June 3. Wheat, 4s 4ld ; flour, roller brand, £lO 10s Bariev —(Jape, seeding, 8s Gd to .>s 94 ; feeding, 2s Gd to 3s. Oats-Algcriau, 8s 9.1 to 4s; stout, 8s 8.1 to 8s 94. Bran, 10,d ; pollard, la Id. London, Juno ■>. The frozen moat market is unchanged. Hemp is unchanged. Sugar —Best German beet, 10s ; Java, 18s Bd. The English wheat market shows a weak tone, without quotable change ; Continental inactive, and American dull. No. 1 best Scotch pig iron, f.o.b. in Clyde, 46s 10-ld. Tho Bradford wool market is very weak. London, Juno 7. At Saturday’s sales 2900 cases of kauri gum were offered, of which 888 were sold. Three-quarter scraped brought 92s ; halfscraped, GOs. A total of 937 cases are in stock. . The total quantity of wool that has arrived up to date is 801,000 bales, of which 75,000 bales have boon sent forward direct to the manufacturing districts. \\ ith the quantity held over from the last series, a total ol 302,000 halos will bo available for tho next series. Hides—New South Wales heavy ox are quoted at 31(1 ; light, 3'jd ; cow, 3d. Basils - New Zealand, 8;d. The price of silver is 2h 7:1(1 per oz. CHRISTCHURCH PRODUCE MARKET. Christchurch, Juno 3. Wheat is in good request, and some fairly large samples wore plaood to-day, both to millers and for export. Oats move off steadily at quotations, but principally for local consumption, as recent advances have impeded the export business. Oatsheaf chaff of prime quality may bo considered as dearer, although quotations at tho moment are unaltered. The export of potatoes, which lias been cheeked through the outlets being blocked, shows signs of being resumed this week. The following aro the current prices : Wheat Pearl (prime milling), 3s 5d ; millers’ mixed lines, 3s -Id to 3s od ; Tuscan, 3s 4-ld ; Hunter's, 3s 3d to 3s 3.1(1 ; good seconds, 2s 9d to 2s lOd. Oats —Prime milling, 2s 3d to 2s 4d ; good seed Tartars, 2s 3d ; short feed, to 2s 3d ; duns and Danish, 2s 2d. Barley—Malting, prime, 3a Gd to 3s 9d (nominal); medium do, 8s to 3s 3d ; second quality, 2s Gd to 2s 9d ; feed, 253(1? Beans—Well saved, 2s4d; ticks, 2s 4d to 2s Gd. Peas Blue Prussians, 3 s G.l to 3s 9.1 ; others, Ms. FlourMillers quote: Roller, £10; stone, £9 IDs. Sharps, £4; bran, £3 10s; oatmeal, £11: oatsheaf chaff, 50s at handy country stations. Onions, £0 10s, at . country stations. Potatoes -Derwonts, 32s Gil to 85s at country stations. Grass-seed: RyegrassFanners’ lots, 2s 3d to 2s 9d; machine-dressed, to 8s 9(1 ; heavy weight, 4s. Cocksfoot—2;d to 8;d ; town machine-dressed, 4(1 to -11<1, extra to dpi ; cowgrass, 4d to aid ; white lover, 41 to 71.1: A Dike, Id lo 5*4. Iniiry produce : Cheese ■',! d to 44 ; loaf, Id to -1.1.1. Butter Factory, Is ; dairy, 9d to I'M ; salt, 7d to «d. Bacon and hams, 51.i1.

THE ADDINGTON MARKET. (Ju uisTciiu ceil, .1 line 8. There were fair entries in mint departments at the Addington market to-day. . The attendance was good, and business fairly brisk. Fat Cattle—Two hundred an 1 sixty head yarded. In spite of the large entries bidding was brisk, and there was no fall in values, prime beef selling at 18s to 20s por 1001 b j inferior to secondary, 13s to 17s; steers, £5 to £lO ; heifers, £1 12s Gd to £3 5s ; cows, £3 17s Gd to £7 ss. Dairy Cattle.—The entry showed an improvement, in qualify. Best sorts realised £(i Ids to £9 5s ; others, £8 10s to £G. Store Cattle. —The yarding was small and of indifferent quality. No business worth quoting was done. Fat Sheep,—There was a largo entry <>f mixed quality. The sale, though somewhat irregular, was on the whole good for prime sorts. Prime heavy-weight cm.- dir -1 wethers, It!; to 17s 9.1 ; be. t freezing weights, .21 4s to £1 5s 9d ; do maiden ewes, 18s tie Fs; mixed sexes, 12s Gdjto 11s Gd ; butchers’ best heavy weight owes, 12s Gd to 15s 3d ; medium to good do, !).s Gd to 12s ; lighter and inferior, 7s to Ss Gd ; merino wethers, Gs Gd to 11s 9<l ; owes, 5s to Gs Gd. Fat Lambs.—Prime sorts, 9s Gd to 12s .id ; poorer were neglected, bringing from 7s to 8s yd. , . . Store Sheep.—Medium entry ; turnip sheep in great <4 maml. and sold at very good figures. Ewes, whether in lamb or not, were not wanted, but lambs met slightly better competition all round,

Pigs—The quality showed an improvement. Prime sorts brought 3jd per lb ; medium kinds, 3d. Stores met with demand.

NEW ZEALAND DAIRY PRODUCE IN LONDON. In his reports to the Agricultural Department. Mr H. Gray, Government Surveyor of New Zealand Dairy Produce in London, points out that it is a somewhat moot point whether actual harm is caused to butter by its being reduced to extremely low temperatures, but he can only remark to the ship-owners that extremes are to be avoided. Jlis attention has been called to the largo number of broken packages, both of butter and cheese, and he intends to ask the ship-owners for a return of the marks found to be too fragile for handling, so that the factories interested may be advised. In regard to the transit of cheese, tho reports goes to prove that there is room for improvement,, and ho cites an instance where the ship was nine days out from New Zealand before tho temperature of the cheese room was down to stklog. Another instance of the unsatisfactory state of things prevailing is that of the cheese being stowed under the cohl air trunks, the temperature in which vicinity, he thinks, was very likely at times as low as 53<leg. When these trunks were used to conduct the return air from tho chamber condensation ensued, and tho water dripped on the cheese below. Mr Gray refers to the delays that take place in the discharge of cargo at the London Docks, and his reports show that the dairy produce is sometimes allowed to remain for a considerable time at the dock sheds—a very serious matter as far as the butter is concerned. Messrs W. We.ldel and Co., London, in their weekly market report of 2lth April, state : Butter. —There are no arrivals of Australasian butter to announce. 4 lie last cargo of importance was the Tongariro, over a fortnight ago : only 90 cwt. have come to hand since. This falling-off of regular consignments has had the usual effect of causing hundreds of grocers and buttermen to close their accounts for colonial butter until next season, and in other cases many are only taking very small quantities pending the arrival of Irish and other grass butters, consequently the cargoes of the Port Chalmers and Rangatira will arrive at an unfortunate period, when buyers are by no means keen, and tempting oilers must therefore bo made before sales can bo effected. There is nothing to record as to prices, except that they are nominally unchanged from last week. It is expected that about 90s will be the value ol the finest factory (colonial) next week, with a few shillings more for choicest. Cheese.—The market for Canadian cheese is firm, and for choice white high figures aro being asked. “In New Zealands there has been a fair trade at unchanged prices, except for sonic lots which have lost the “ clean ” character they bad when landed and are now a bit “ tasty.” For these a shilling lower lias been accepted. Tho import ol colonial cheeso for the season has been up to date nearly 14,000cwts below last year. Prices for New Zealands are 3Gs to 38s for rod, and 39s tolls for white. The Taieri Advocate loarns that Mr Stewart Campbell, the proprietor of the West. Taieri Dairy Factory, is in receipt ol information regarding his last large shipment of lmtter to London, to the effect that it brought up to as high as 107 s per cwt. THE MEAT EXPORT TRADE. The Colonial Consignment and Distributing Company, in their meat report dated 21th April, savs : New Zealand Mutton—The Fifeshiro has arrived with 11,01-5 South Island sheep, lhe Tokomaru has still great part of her largo cargo on board. The Tongariro finished her discharge last week, much of her cargo being more or loss damaged, 972 carcases and 20b parts being condemned by the Sanitary Officer. The Tokoa finished on 22nd ; her cargo was also in indifferent condition, 2GD carcases and 151 parts being condemned. Tho presence on the market of these damaged sheep, following on a previous shipment ox Euahino, has had a most prejudicial effect, not only causing a fall in prices, but harming tho trade by the damaged meat going into consumption. Trade has been bad, and even tho very low prices accepted have not increased tho output to any great extent. Best Canterburys are selling at about 3jd per lb, ft few make )<1 per lb more, others again sell from 2 : t ‘d to 3d per lb; prime sheep continue scarce. Dunodins, if bright and fresh, make 2:M to 2?d per lb, but the bulk offering are stale and off colour, and sell at 2bl per lb, sometimes less. North Island shoe]) have sold from 2j'd to 291 per lb. New Zealand Lamb.—The Fifeshiro brought 01,(171. This trade has shared in the common ! depression, demand has not been so brisk or I the numbers moved so large. Prices remain much as they were, from 4 ', d to Ipi per lb, j depend'tig on condil imi and quality.

WELLINGTON MARKETS. Messrs Laery & Co. report current wholesale values as under : llay and Corn Market.

Messrs Abraham and Williams report: — We have only the Palmerston sale lo report upon. Sheep and cattle were largely in excess of advertised numbers. For the formor spirited demand existed throughout and practically everything cleared. Found lambs and forward wethers advanced in prico For empty owes of a suitable class an unsatisfied demand existed. Tho G-tooth breeding ewes at 5s 7d were on the small side. Cow beef was dull of sale and at lower values. Store steers wero in better demand than last week, and made better prices lleit'ers, store and milch cows and iniift’orent weaners remained on vendors’ hands. Wo quoto— Sheep—Store ivetlicrs, 9s 5d to 9s 8d ; others, 7s Gd to 8s lid; empty ewes, 4s Gd to Gs ; forward empty owes, Gs 9d to 7s Gd ; 2-tooth empty ewes, Gs lOd ; fat ewes, 8s 2d ; brooding ewes, 7s; others, 5s 7d ; best lambs, 5s 4d ; others, 2s to 3s 10J : G-tcoth breeding ewes, 5s 7d. Cattle - 3-year forward bullocks, £1 10s; 21-year steers, £3 13s; 2-year do., £2 15s Gd to £3 ; well-bred mixed yearlings, 85s to 40s ; forward empty heifers, £3 10s ; fat heifers, £3 lGs ; fat cows, £t. Mr Matthew Henry reports of his Palmerston sale : —Both sheep and cattle wero forward in limited numbers. Tho formor being composed of odd lots, commanded littlo attention, but were ultimately sold at value. Among tho cattle were some lines of useful well-grown steers, which wero held at values out of proportion to those at present ruling, hence they had to leave the yards unsold. Young cattlo wero if anything in better request. Quotations as under : —Cattle—3-yoar steers, £3 5s to £3 12s Gd ; forward cows, £3 5s ; yearlings, £1 5s ; weaners, 14s. Sheep Lincoln owes in lamb, Gs Gd ; empty owes, 8s Gd ; shorn lambs, 3s 7d. Pigs—Weaners, 3s to 3s Gd ; porkers, 14s.

£ s. D. £ I). Feed barley 0 2 s to 0 2 9 Maize ... 0 3 3 Oats, feed 0 2 3 to 0 2 5 Wheat, milling 1 0 3 10 Fowl Wheat 0 3 7 Rye Corn 0 3 3 Seed Barley ... 0 3 11 Hay, ton 40 0 to 4 10 0 Oaten, ton 3 in 0 Straw, ton i) 15 0 to 3 0 0 ChalT, oaten sheaf ... ii 10 0 Wheat, straw 3 0 0 Onions, 4 0 0 to 6 10 0 Potatoes. Potatoes 2 17 G to 3 5 0 Farm and Dairy Produce. £ s. D. £ s. d Milk, quart 0 0 21 Butter, fresh farm, lb 0 0 7 to 0 0 8 Butter, separator ... (1 0 n to 0 0 10 Salt butter 0 0 G to 0 0 7 Cheese 0 0 4 to 0 0 4J Loaf 0 0 4f Egg.-', dozen (trc.sh) ... 0 1 7 B.ieon, lb 0 0 51 Ham, lb 0 0 7 Fowls, pair ... 0 2 0 Ducks, pair ... 0 3 0 to 0 3 3 (.loose, pair 0 ! 0 Turkeys, pair 0 0 G to 0 7 G Fn-)u n Market. £ s. D. £ 8. r. Roller flour 9 5 0 Pollard r> 0 0 Oatmeal n 0 0 Bran 4 0 0 Seeds £ s. 1). £ S. V Ryegrass, Farmers’ lots 0 o 11 to 0 3 3 Ryegrass, Machine dressed ... 0 4 0 to 0 4 C Cocksfoot, lb 0 0 31 to 0 0 41 Wt. Clover, lb 0 0 HI Red Clover, lb 0 (l 1) Alsyke, lb 0 0 1) CowOrass.il)... 0 0 11 Timothy, lb ... 0 0 5 Rape, per ewt 1 5 0 Linseed, per ewt 10 10 0