COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LVIX, Issue 3002, 14 December 1896, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Nkw Zealand Times Office, Saturday evening. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile. Agency Company (Limited) report for week endirfg lith December, IH9GWool—We have received the following cable advice from our London office today xhe sales closed fairly well this day. Since the close of last series greasy merino, super, medium and inferior; washed and scoured merino, medium and inferior; fine greasy washed and scoured crossbred; slip; medium and coarse washed and scoured crossbred; greasy merino lambs, super, medium and inferior are id per lb higher. Other descriptions unchanged. The total quantity sold during tho past sale Is 170,001) bales, of which 90,000 bales have been taken for tho Continent, and 22,000 bales for America. It is estimated that 20,030 bales have been held over for future disposal. The first series of 1897 sales are fixed to open in London on 19th January.” Since our local salo on 4th Inst, wo have succeeded in placing privately upwards of 250 bales, the prices realised being equal to those ruling on date of tho sale. Sheepskins—Heavy consignments continue to arrive, for which we find a ready market. At our sales this week we presented a largo catalogue of all descriptions, and the prices obtained wore firm at tho level of those ruling a week ago. Quotations:— Country dry skins, full-woollod crossbreds, well saved pelts, to o|d ; good, 4}d to 5d ; medium, yjd to 4.}d ; inferior and broken, IJd to 3d per lb. Butchers’ green skins, x>rlme full-woollcd crossbreds, 5s 3d to 5s 8d ; good, 4s Cd to 5s ; medium, 3s 9d to 4s 3d ; pelts, 3d to 9d each. Hides —Market unchanged, with a steady demand for all parcels offering at prices lately ruling—viz., plump heavy ox, well flayed, 17s to X7s Gd; medium, 14s 6d to 16s; green cow-hides, 6s to 12s each; damaged and sloppy, Id to 2d por lb. Tallow—Market quiet, with but tt limited quantity offering. Wo have no change in values to report, and therefore merely repeat our last quotations—viz., prime mutton, 15s to 15s Gd; good mixed, 14s to 14s Gd; inferior, 12s to 13s perewt. Frozen meat—Mutton market sluggish; Wellington mutton is worth 23d per lb. Hemp— Without change. There is a fair enquiry at late rates—viz., £ll to XU 10s per ton, f.o.b. WheatGood whole fowl wheat is still in fair demand, and for this we quote, 4s Id to 4s 3d, ex store, sacks extra. Oats—Since our last report oats have gradually firmed To-day’s quotations are 2s Gd to 2s Bd for good stout feed. Maize—Market quiet, ak. 3a Id to 3s 3d, ox store, sacks in. Fungus—Very iittlo enquiry, and not much offering. Quotations for prime dry parcels, 3d to 3Jd per lb. A. O. Tainc and Co. report on their horse sale on Saturday:—Tire entry was a numerous one, and, on the whole, a good lot of horses came forward, bat following ou our large sale at Manakau on Wednesday, where a good many buyers were supplied, the demand was not so keen as wo expected, considering tho class offered. A largo number changed hands, useful harness horses bringing from XlO to Xl2; light draughts, XIG; ponies, from X 4 15s to X 6. Good heavy draughts would have sold, but wo had none entered. For this class, up to X3O can be obtained, if young and sound. Wo would remind buyers that during the holiday weeks wo will sell on Wednesday instead of Saturday. Matthew Henry, of Palmerston North, reports for the week ending December 12th : —A fair entry of sheep came forward on Thursday, cattle being made up of odd lots. Tho attendance was much bettor than for the past lew weeks. As usual at auction bidding was slow. By tho close of the day, however, tho sheep were practically, cleared, and a fair proportion of young cattle changed hands at prices showing no improvement on rcccut valucs. Quotations as under Cattle—Mixed yearlings, XI 9s; springing heifers, X 3; forward cows, X2 lls ; cows irt calf, X2 Cs to X 3. Bheep—4 and 6-tooth wethers, Gs 9d to 6s lid; fat ewes, 6s; forward ewes, 5s 3d ; mixed 2-tooths, 5s 3d. Messrs Abraham and Williams report for the week ending lith inst,: —Tho yarding* of cattle during tho past week have been heavy. Steers have fallen away upon former prices, but seem firm at quotations. Ox beef we quote at lls tho 1001 b. Female stock has become neglected, and as an indication, we have recorded a transaction of heifers, fair average quality, at 85s, that last year cost tho vendor £2 12s 6d. At Pahiatua, on Tuesday, few heifers were yarded. An entry of 100 head of well-bred steers of different ages failed to reach owners’ figures, though the offer was fully up to ruling rates. Most of tho other steers wore sold, but the bulk of the business was done privately. Bhoep, in moderate numbers, were young sorts, and, though somewhat small, sold freely under the hammer. Fat bullocks, £ s7s 6J; fat steers to £4l2s6d; 2i-ycar steers, £26s; 15-month steers,3Bs to 44s (these latter wore extra good quality); yearling steers, 30s 6d; to 3-year heifers, 355; 2-tooth ewes, 5s 9d; 2-tooth wethers,- 6s 4d to Gs 7d. At Palmerston yesterday the demand for oattle was quiet, most of the business being done privately. Under the hammer 2-ycar and younger cattle made bettor competition than anything else. An average number of sheep penned; generally speaking the quality was medium only. Tho larger portion of the entry was composed of about 2000 rather small 2 and 4-tooths, of which the bulk of the wethers were disposed of from 5s to 5s sd. The ewes from these, together with about half tho entries of other vendors, went back unsold. Tho demand for fat owes was weak. Wc quote—Prime quality fat bullocks, £G; light weights, £sss ; fat cows, £4 ; fresh bullocks, £4 Gs; 3 to 3j-year steers, £3 10s; 2J-year steers, £2 12a; 2-year do, £2 ss; 15-months steers, 88s ; 18-months heifers, 20s j separator weaners, 8s to 14s Gd; fat ewes, 6s; forward do, 4s 6d; 2-tooth wethers (shorn), 5s lid; mixed 2-tooths, in wool, 8s; forward shorn 4-tooth wethers, 7s 3d.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. — Copyright, Londok, December 11. The Bank of England, returns, published to-day, show the total reserve to be £28,618,000 (£092,000 more than last week), the proportion of reserve to liabilities being 54'X per cent. ('0 more than last week). Three months’ bills are quoted at 8 per cent., a fall of \ since last week. The following are the latest quotations for Government securities:

♦lnterest payable In May and November. payable in January and July. New Zealand hemp is steady, Wellington, fair quality, is quoted at £2l6s. New Zealand frozen mutton, first quality, 3Jd per lb ; second quality, lamb, Bgd. The English wheat market is quiet, with an inclination to weakness; the Continental shows a general decline, and the American is declining and weak. Colonial oats, fine quality, 2os; common sorts, 20s Gd ; beans, 83s. The sugar market is slow —German beet at 9a j Java at lis Od.

No. 1 best Scotch pig iron f.o.b. in Clyde, 48s. The butter market is steady, with prices unchanged. Of the Aotea’s cheese, the old make brought 12s to 44s and the now 483 to 50s. THE WOOD MARKET. Messrs Levin and Co., Limited, have received tho following telegram, dated the 10th December, from their London agents, Messrs Dalgety and Co., Limited:—“Tho wool sales have closed with fairly animated demand, though lately reported rates are hardly maintained. The total quantity of colonial wool (including old stocks) available for the series was 199,000 bales, of which somo 67,000 bales have been sold for Home consumption, 90,000 bales for tho Continent and 22,000 bales for America ; leaving 20,000 bales to bo carried forward to tho next series. As compared with tho closing rates of the last series, prices are, on tho average, as follows: Greasy merino fleece, good combing, and greasy merino combing pieces, 5 per cent, to 8 per cent, higher; greasy merino flccco, medium and inferior, at par to 5 per cent, higher; good scoured wools, a change, if any, is in favour of sellers; medium and inferior scoured wools, 5 per cent, higher; crossbreds at par to 0 per cent, higher.” Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co. have received the following wool market cablegram from thoir London house, Messrs Sanderson, Murray and Co., dated 10th December, 189 Gs—Sales have closed weak. Good to extra good greasy combing merino, and extra line scouted crossbred market has advanced 5 per cent, compared with closing rates of last sales; for other descriptions tho market shows no change.

- Price. Variation as compared with last week. 21% Imperial Consols £ 8. <1. Ill 5 0 5 /• lower. 4% N.3.W .. 117 10 C 5/• higher. 3A% N.8.W, 107 0 C 6/- lower. 101 0 C Unchanged. 101 0 c 6/- lower. 100 0 0 Unchanged, 112 0 0 Unchanged. 84% South Australian 111 5 0 20/- higher. 4% Queensland 111 5 0 5/- higher. 3,4s& Queensland .. 101 15 0 5/- lower. 112 0 0 Unchanged. 105 5 0 5/- higher. 100 0 0 Unchanged. 3A% West Australian 111 0 0 15 /• higher. 34% Tasmania 108 0 01 Unchanged.