COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 948, 2 May 1879, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

»- AirmONKKKS* REPORTS. Messrs. Corinell and Clowes report the aheep aotit fit the Totara aatu a» follows : JOiSO (try *:rons-br«d cwra at Is fid; 43i; crossTiVi'fl 1 hoggets, fia 3d ; -MM) do do, tin 3d ; 1000 .■J)v.asiling cross-bred ewes, 9a ; 400 cnil crossbred Iwjggets, THE LABOR MARKET. Mr. It. Mackintosh, reports for the week ending April 2fitfr, as follows : T>nring m'uoy year* I have been m the colonies J have never seen a© many thoroughly practical farm hands out of employment, men. «yt/M>to of taking any position on a farm, sbfc tn> work a double or single furrow plough. good horsemen. and. in fact, brought ap. to farm wovlc. Tlwr outside public witt aslc. rf sncfc 1* th® case. how does it come that we arc sending Home for immigrants'? The problem ia easily solved. Farmers say, "White limited to a wnalt number of this class wages are nt such a pitch that it is almost impossible ti> farm to pay with the ■prices of grain so Tow as they are present. Let ns have plenty of immigratwm. wage* wiULhave ti> be reduced, and then we shall fmJblW to farm to a profit." And can any «m* blame them. Take, for instance, a farmer who> ia struggling along to get his heiut above water, autWing from the high rate of labor. ft bad seomjn. and the low prices for gtain, what position docs he find .himself in, iff with all these evils, he lias a visit from the "Colorado beetle ?" Imagination paints the answer. In many eases t'armimr has been carried on at a loss instead of » profit. It is to ho hoped that the present dart times are nearly over, arid jjjat w«t wre about to torn over a brightev pnge. As 1 stated in my List week's rejwrt. female' servants ate as scarce n.-i ever,

tlwjrougfe good servant# mseting with employment at once ; while others are so. ficktw mfntted that peopfe re.(nir?r>if aervanta go without father than bother with them, and many again Are lumtuted for any c£a«a of household work. Aw importation of female servants of a suitable clasm would be a boon to the country at large. All classes of town servants, and feniaJa ser*an t» for the country are in demand. PTougiiing w at a standstill. Mechanics aro pretty weii ployed. Wages same as last weels. CHRfSTCHtTKCH. May I. There is very little alteration to report in the £rain market. Immense «imuitities of wheat continue to How iu. and t'nw vessels in harbor are receiving nnnsnal dispaticti. Wheat may fc« fjnoted at 3s I>d co 3s 4d for average, and 3s ii<t to 3s iiSd for prime. Oats ore m slightly better business, at '23 fid to iS* 8d ; feed. 2s ffd ; milting barley stiti continues at former rates, viz., 5a fid to fo. The enquiry for potatoes h«w improved, owing to orders from the Australian iijarkets. Buyers are firm and not inclined to accept the slight advance which has taken place—.r>ss to fiOs may be accepted as a fair ifnotatioti. Flotir has seen good business at L$ to L&j grass seed is neglected; butter, lid; ■cheese, ti '.d ; bacon ant! hams, unaltered. At A&tingtnn, on Wednesday, Kit sheep, S39 1 head cattle, and 40 pigs were yarded. Best mutton made eqoal to I3s 4d per lb. and inferior, for boiling down. Id to l.|d ; ■tef was in over supply. Quotation* : Best, in brisk demand, best porkers, 4d ' inferior, 3d to SSd.