COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 3311, 18 December 1897, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

NEW ZEALAND LOAN AND MERCANTILE AGENCY COMPANY’S REPORT. The Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company* Limited, report on the produce markets for the week ending 17th December as follows: Wool.—Since our last report wo have nothing fresh to record from London* but the second series of wool sales in Christchurch opened to a distinctly unfavourable market for all but prime merinos. Wool is now coming forward very freely for our next sate, which opens on the 20th prox., when we hope to offer a large catalogue. At our usual fortnightly sale to-day we offered about CO bags of oddments* which wero cleared under the hammer or immediately afterwards at full times valnes. Sheepskins.—At our usual fortnightly sale today we offered a catalogue of nearly 1100 skins to a rather poor attendance of buyers. Every lot was, however, sold a t or about our valuation. In sym*. patby with the reports from England a farther drop in values has to bo recorded. Prime well* woolled skins realised up to sjd ; medium, 4£d to 4Jd; inferior and broken, 2£d to 4d per lb. Pelts offered were mostly in bad condition, and almost unsaleable. Our next sale will bo held on Wed* nesday, the 29th last. 1 Tallow.—Advices from London report the market very firm, and the local demand is strong in cou* sequence. All parcels coming forward are readily saleable at up to <£l4 for good butchers*. Hides.—We have no alteration in values to re* port, but outside markets ■ continue strong, and we have no difficulty in placing all coming forward at last recorded rates. Oats.—Market in the South is reported firmer, bat so far no appreciable change can bo recorded In the local demand. We quote prime abort feed 2s 5d to 2a 6d, sacks in, ex store. Fowl Wheat.—Market firm, although fairly well Siied. We quote food, whole, Us lid to 4s per el, sacks extra, ex store. Maize.—Market strong and we have difficulty In meeting Ibo demand. We quote prime dry at 2s Bd, sacks in, ox store. Chaff-—Market almost bare of prime quality, for which we have a ready demand up to 90s, sacks extra; inferior qualitiesaro,however,alxaosteatircly neglected. Potatoes.—Market fully supplied with the new erop.: Prime kidneys are now only worth 5a to 7s per owt., other descriptions neglected. Fungus;—la short supply. We quote ttdper'lb tqr prime dry parcels.

The Customs returns for yesterday amounted to £IB4O 13s. A . . Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co. report as follows:—We submitted a catalogue of 1500 crossbred skins and 1090 merinos at our fortnightly sale today (Friday). Prices showed no change from last sale, and compare favourably with present values of wool. Good fuil-wooJled crossbreds sold readily at Cd per lb, with un occasional 6Jd for very prime lots. Good dead skins fetched up to 4sd ; damaged and inferior, 3d to 3sd ; good merinos. 4d.to'did. This season’s pelts, well saved, sold at ba to /a each, and lamb skins at 6d to 9cl. We only offered a few oddments of wool, and these changed bands at the level of last wool sale’s prices. Our next skin sale will take place on Wednesday, 29tb December. A . , Messrs Levin and Co., Limited, report as follows:—Wo sold to-day (Friday) 2150 skins, but competition was less keen than wo have known it at any previous sale, and wo fear growers must look to a lower range of values for skins until more is an improvement in the wool market. We quote:— Good crossbred skins. *i<i to 6d ; medium, 4Jd to 4*4; inferior, 3*d to 4d ; dead, 3d to 4d ; pelts, 4u to 8d each. The next sale is fired for 2Jth December. Bu Telegraph.—Press Association, Napier. December 17. Messrs Nelson Bros, received the following oablo message from London this morning: Frozen meat market-To-day’s quotations are—] Best Canterbury mutton, 3Jd; Dunedin and Southland, 2Jil; Napier and North Island, 2’id.