COMMERCIAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7213, 18 May 1898, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

AUCTIONEERS' REPORTS. (The National Mortgage and Agency Company, of New Zealand, Limited, report on the stock and grain market as follows : Ibere was a decided improvement, in the sheep market at the Junction Yards sale yesterday, and all offered sold readily at folly an advance of Is 6d per head oa -ate rates. Fat ewes sold fmm 7s Id to 8i lid ; fat lamb?, suitable lor butchers, at 83 3d ; store crossbred lambs, from 5s id to 6s lid* sold on account of a client, fatewis, at 8s Piga.—A good yarding came forward. Yveaners sold at from, 63 to Sa j fctorts, lis to 12a 9d ; baconew. at up to 26a. Cattle. —The usual yarding came forward. Fat steers and heifers brought from L 5 10s to Lo 12a ; cows, in calf and spriDgiog, from L2 103 to L 4. Yearli-gs and two-year-olda were difficult to quit at almost any money. We yarded and Bold on account of Mr J. Xambert: Cow, in milk, at 03. On account of a vendor: Co as, in cdf, at L2 4s the past fortnight we sold several lines of freezing sheep at satisfactory prices. CRtJS 3IABKST. The grain market has experienced a considerable advance during the past fortnight, and the outlook at the present time is such as to warrant all the firmness that exists Sales of wheas have be n made at np to 4s 9i for prime velvet, at sidinga. Oats have shared in the general improvement, and prime Danish for setd command np to 23 9d ; Tartarian?, 3s ; dnns, up to 3s is asked; short oats, up to 2s 9J. ' Potatoes. Owners apparently h*roly know how to ask enocgh, and it is difficult to get a quotation.

Mr F, P. Bnrbary (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited) reports a3 follows: [there "wa3 a small attendance of the public at the Junction Yards yesterday, and the entries of all c*asse3 of stock were also very smalL _ _ , We sold fat crosibred ewes at from /s 2d to 83 Id, and store lambs from 03 7d to 6s lid, the latter price being obtained for aa exceptionally good lot. There is a good demand for all classes of fat eheep, more especially for freizsrs. Store wethers for turnips are also in be = n demand. Fit sheep of all classes are likely to fetch very high prices thi3 coming winter. Cattle. —Small entry comprising agea cows, calves, and backward stores. Ihe demand was practically nil, any sold fetching ridiculously low pr.'ccs JFafc cattle and good cow 3 at calving would bring fair money, but there was practically none in the market yesterday. Pigs.—A largo entry and poor demand for suckers, but well grown weaners, slip?, and porkera foand ready sale at recent rates. HIABKEr BEPOBT. In consequence of the scarcity of giain in France and Italy the markets during the past fortnight have undergone a considerable improvement. has advanced fnlly 3d per bushel, and oats 2d to 3d per bushel since onr last report. 'J'he recent disquieting reports from Home give holders the idea that higher prices will be seen presently, and so they are disposed to hold off meantime. Barley is quiet at pass quotations, but the quantities now available for sale are small an i will mostly be required for seed. The potato market i 3 excited, and prices have advanced during the past fortnight 20s to 303 per ton, principally by the operations of speculators. Oar quotations are as follows Wheit—Velvet. Tuscan, and red chaff, prime milling, 43 9d to 4s lOd, delivered in Oamaru, sacks 4d (add Id per bushel to fco.b.) Barley.—There are no lines of prime malting offering. Medium malting 43 3d to 4d 6d, delivered in t amaru, sacks 4d; Cape (scarce), 33 3d to 33 9d (add Id per bushel to f.0.b.) Oats.—-Short milling, 23 7d to 2a lOd; Suns and Tartars, scarce, 2s 7d to 2a lOd ; Danish (heavy old ferd), 2s 5d to 2s 7d; Danish (medium new), 2s 4d to 2s Cd, all ex store, sacks 4d (add fd per bu'hel to £o.b.) Potatoes—Table Derwcnt3, L 5 to L 5 10s; kidneys, L 5 to 15 10s (both tx store, sacks in.) Ryegrass —The market is firm, and there has been a slight advance in prices.

Messrs Fleming and Hedley report that there iras a good attendance at the Junction Yards yesterday. Sheep—There wa3 a email entry of all sorts. The competition was fairly good, especially for the better class of sheep, one line of store ewes in forward condition reaching Ss lid. The others all sold at prices fairly satisfactory to the vendors. They yarded. 150, and sold: On account of Mr Rhoderick M'Donald: 20 fat; ewes, at 5a 7d; 23 do do, at 7s sd. On acconnt of Mr P. Flannery: 10 fat ewes, medium quality, at 6s; 35 cull ewes, at 2s. On account of Mr P. Bixter: 62 store lambs, at 4s Id. j- i j Cattle.—There was a medium entry, and prices were much on a par with rating lasts week. 3 hey yarded 30 bead, and sold— On account of-Mr: John Paton: Two fat steers, at 15 10s each- On account of Mr F. Botting: Fat steer and fat heifer at J-O 12s On account of Mr James Carson: 2-year-old heifer at calving, at L 4; in-calf at. LL 93; two-year-old steer, at hi 155;.0n acconnt of Mr George C-ampbell:. 2 Heifers near calling, at L 3 2s 6d each; 1 -dodo at L2l4s 6d ; cow in ca-f, at L 3. On account of Mr Kennedy : Cow in milk at LI 16s. On account of Mr Wattera -n: Heifer In calf, at L 3 7& 6d. On account of other - clients Cow in milk, at 245; 3 calves at 4s ► 3deach";"2storecowa at lis each; l doafc 218 6d; 3 calves at 6 J 6d each'; cow in calf at 303, - _ ; . .-"Pigs.—These were in good demand, "and all at rates folly equal to 1-ii.t sale. They yarded 34, and sold good forward porkers at .frdm-23a 6d to 275; store 3at from 14s tol7s 63; -weaners, best, at from lis to 13s; ' ordinary,at from 6s 6d to 9a. ;