COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 3259, 16 October 1897, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

NEW ZEALAND LOAN AND MERCANTILE ■ AGENCY COMPANY’S REPORT. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, report on the produce markets for tno week ending ISlh October, as follows: Wool.—The fifth series of London sales cj o *®** firmly yesterday, Tlio demand for merino ana tno finer descriptions.of crossbred are reported to bo ja told per lb higher, and coarse greasy crossbred, merino and crossbred slipe and ail descriptions oi merino lambs are £d per lb higher th»n at close of last S'ileo ; medium and coarse washed and scoured crossbred are, however, $d per lb lower. At our local sales to-day we submit ed a small catalogue oi about 20 bales, consisting of dead wool, crutchings and oddments, which wore eagerly competed lor. For one bale of Jarnbswool (Jd per lb was secured, and for dead wool up to s£d p er waH obtained. The crutchings offered were very heavy in conaition, and the best price secured was bid per Jo, out 4d was offered for one lot. which, however, had W bo passed in, owner’s reserve being above tnia At our usual fortnightly sale to-day wo offered a small catalogue of about 500 skins, if u had not been for the interruption of traffic on tno Wairarapa railway lino wo would have had a very large lot to offer to buyers. The attendance was exceptionally good, and competition very keen, a,l Jv? e leading lines of good skins fetching up to ojd pet' joWe quote: Prime well-woolled cro-sbreds, uju , medium, 4Jd to o*d; inferior and broken, 3d to 4ci; merino, 4d to 4sd per lb. , . , Tallow.—The English market is reported to do slightly firmer, but there is no change m the local demand. Tho supply is still far in excess of lou* requirements, and most lines coming forward wm have to bo shipped elsewhere. Hides.—Wo have nothing fresh to report, -tnc local demand is still slack, but outside markets a strong, and wc have no. difficulty in securing full rates for ail coming forward. . _ . - Oats.—There Is more enquiry in tho Sooth, ana stocks are moving off, but at lower rates than those recently quoted. There is some little improvement in tho local demand, and prices aro fairly wen maintained. Wc quote: Prime heavy feed at 2a ba to 2s 7d, sacks in, ex store. , , .. Fowl wheat.—Market dull. The supply from the South is plentiful, and prices are not so firm. * o quote: Good whole, -83 10d to 4s, sacks extra, ox store. Chaff.—Local stocks are quite depleted, and enquiries arc being made in tho South for further supplies. The quantity available' is, according to an accounts, very limited, and an advance in pnoe must wo think very shortly take place. In tne meantime, however, wo repeat last w ec ks quotations, which were: Prime heavy quality, 77a ua »o 82s Gd, sacks extra, ex store. „ Maize.—Market unchanged. Tho quantity oiiering is now limited, however, and we should not ne surprised to have to chronicle an advance m price very shortly. Wo quote: 2s 5d to 2s 7d, sacks in, Potatoes.—Market very dull. We quote: Good tabic Dcrwcnts, at up to COs, sacks in, cx store. Fungus.—We can recommend consignments. Well-dried parcels are readily saleable at up to 3ju per lb.

Tho Customs returns for yesterday were £152813s ' 7d: The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, is in receipt of tlio foilo'Wing cable from its London office, dated 14th October, 1897:—Wool The sales closed firmly this day. Since close of last sales greasy washed and scoured merino superior, washed and scoured merino medium and inferior aro id to Id per lb higher. Greasy merino medium and inferior, fine ana medium greasy crossbred aro id per lb higher. Merino and crossbred slipe, coarse greasy crossbred, greasy merino lambs superior, medium ana inferior, are par to Jd per lb higher. Fine wasjied and scoured crossbred, medium and coarso washed and scoured crosibrod are par to id per lb lower. Other descriptions unchanged. The total quantity sold during the past sales is 157,000 bales, of whmh 03,000 have been taken for tho Continent and 2000 for America. It is estimated that 13,000 bales have been held over for future disposal. Tallow—Market slightly steadier. . , , . .. Messrs Levin and Co., Limited, report that they bad a somewhat limited catalogue of wool and skins to present to the buyers yesterday, owing to toe block iu railway communication with the-Wai-ratapa. Prices, however, were on a par with last sale’s, and, though we had no really prime lota, either of butcher or station skins, tho best lots realised 4s lid each and 5Jd per lb respectively. Tho next sale will bo held on 23tb October. Gucrent prices aro as under: Skins Full-woolled, Bid to Bid; half to three-quarter woollcd, to 5 1 ; medium, 4Jd to 4id; short and pelty, 3d to4d; batchers green, up to ss. „ _ , .. Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co. roport as follows :—There was a good attendance of buyers at to-day’s (Friday’s) sale, and we aro pleased to report that bidding was more spirited than wc hove scon it for some time. Prices coniparecWavourably with recent quotations, and wo had no difficulty in clearing our catalogue, which comprised aboot 1009 sheepskins and several bales of wool, at full rates. Wo quote beat crossbred skins at si_d to s*a per lb. dry weight; medium ditto, 4Jd to 42d;*infenoi, 3jd to 4d; merino, 4i<lto 4JJ, and up to for super. Crutching wool, 3jd to lid, according to condition; dead wool, 5d to 5Jd ; looks and pieces, 2sd to 4d. Our next skin sale will be held on 29th October, but wo shall now hold back consignments of wool (except bags) for tho regular wool sales arranged by the Brokers’ Association. The first of these sales is fixed for 19th November. Messrs A. G. Taine and Co. report for the week ending 15th October:—Tho fat stock market keeps well supplied with both cattle and sheep; quotations aro—Fat bullocks, £6 to £7 10a for best; medium, £5 to £5 10s; cows, £3 10s to £4 10s ; beef, Iss Cd per 1001 b. Pat sheep—Wethers, prime, 13s to 14s 6d; medium, 12s; owes, 10s to lls 6d. Store cattle are changing hands, and we have done good business in young cattle and also in store bullocks at following prices:—Yearlings, 20s to 27s 6d ; two-year-olds, 40s to 52s 6d ; three-year-old bullocks, £3 to £3 6s. Store sheep—Demand is principally for hoggets and good wethers ; we have enquiries for both and could place good lines. Quotations are : —Wethers, 9s 6d to 10s 9d ; hoggets, 7s to 8s Cd. Sheepskins—Prices keep well up. Best crossbreds, 6d to 5Jd; medium. 3.Jd to 4Jd ; inferior lots, 2d to Bd. Hides Market good. Best ox, 3d to Sjd; light weights, 2d to 2]d ; calf skins, Is each ; cow hides, 7a to 9s Cd. Wool—At local sales all lots catalogued are eagerly competed for. Odd lots fleeoe, to Cd ; broken do., sd; dead wool, 4d to 5d ; crutchings, o§d to 4!d. Horsehair sells at lOd to Is per lb. Property—Demand exists for four to'seven* roomed houses conveniently situated, also for superior residences and suburban places.

By Telegraph.—Press Association.— Copyright, London, October 14. Silver is quoted at 2s per ozAt to-day’s wool sales the clip branded “ Awarua realised 93d per lb. Received October 15, 9.40 p.m,. London, October 14. The fifth series of wool sales closed to-day. Prices were firm at the opening rates.