RETAIL HOUSEHOLD MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1148, 29 November 1873, Page 16

RETAIL HOUSEHOLD MARKETS.

The butchers arc well supplied with beef awl mutton of superior quality , but they still coiuplain of high prices and small profits. Jiauni and hams arc in hatter sijpjih— roll Imam retailing ;\t !Ul, I'liil hums at Ik per lb,. Good old cheque is plentiful, and selling at (id to Is jier lb.,new is beginning to come in, and is worth fld to lOd. Fresh butter and eggs are in good .supply— the former selling at 8d to !)d per Ik, and the latter at Is per dozen. Fifty-pound bags of flour sell at (is (id, and twenty-five pound bags of oatmeal at 0s 3d. The four pound loaf of bread is now worth s\d cash. There is still a great scarcity of white-headed cabbages and cauliflowers. New turnips are coming in, and fell at 4d per bunch. Peas and new potatoes are more plentiful, tb,e former bringing Qd mi the latter,

4d per lb. Old potatoes of fine quality are freely offered at 3s 6d per cwt. The supply of green gooseberries is gradually on the increase, and large-sized berries may now be had at 4d per lb. Rhubarb sells at the same rate. Poultry are in demand at former rates. Sandpipers and kakas have been the only substitutes for game during the week. There has been a good supply of fish daring the week, especially barracoutas, flounders, cod, garfish, mokis and gropers. On Friday, a boat brought up three or four dozen of gropers, which there was some little difficulty in disposing of. Some of them were sold about town at 2s- to 2s Gd each. Barracoutas sold, during the week, at Od to 9d each.

Messrs Wright, Stephkxsox, and Co. report for the week ending 20th November, as follows : —

Fat Cattle.— The unusually large number of 180 head was yarded, but although considerably in excess of the demand, all except about 25 head were quitted, at a shade, however, under last week's rates, Wo sold, on account of James Shand. Esq., and Messrs Renton, 34 head good quality at £10 4s round. We quote prime quality, 30s per lOOibs ; medium do, 255. Fat Sheep. — 000 were penned, of which we sold 500 half-breds from the station of Messrs Studholme Bros., Canterbury, at 17s each. Other sales were 100 merino ewes at 10s Od. We also sold privately 180 half-breds, shorn, at lls (id ; and 511 do, in wool, at 4d per lb. We qiwte half-breds in wool, 4d ]>er lb ; do shorn, 2' f d to 2W ; merinos in wool, 3\d per lb ; do shorn, 2}d. Fat Lambs. — The market was poorly .supj)lied, only 20 were penned, of very inferior quality, which we sold at 6s fld each. AYe quote prime quality 10s.

Store Cattle.— There is a good demand for bullocks for paddock fattening. We quote bullocks 3 to 5 years old, £5 to ko 10s ; cows, £3 ; mixed lots, 50s per head.

Store Sheep. — We have enquiries for half-breds and merino wethers, the former of which we quote at 7s Od to 8s (id each, the latter at ss.

Horses.— The demand continues excellent for almost all descriptions, particularly for good young diaughtsand horses adapted for light harness. We quote first class draughts, £00 to £70 ; medium do, £35 to £40 ; good hacks and light harness horses, £25 to £30 ; medium do, .£ls to £18 ; light and inferior, £5 to £7.

Wool. — At our sale on Wednesday we catalogued a few bales of odd lots, for which the competition was not very active. Greasy half-bred fleece fetched 12J,d to 12} d per lb.

Sheepskins. — AYe cannot report any rise in sheepskins, which continue at abou 1 . last week's rates. We submitted a large number, chiefly dry skins, and disposed of them as follows : —Green half -breds, 6s lid each ; dry half-breds, 4s 3d to 5s lid ; green merinos, (is ; dry do, Is 7d to 5s Id, according to quality.

Hides.— We quitted over 100 at irom 16s to 20s 3d each.

Grain. — The market remains quiescent, and transactions are far from numerous. Wheat may be quoted at 5s 3d per bushel for prime samples, and 4s Cd to ss for inferior. Oats are worth 4s to 4s 2d for feed, and 4s 3d for milling.

Jles:,rs Wkiuht, Stephens©-* , and Co. disposed of bj auction, iv the Pro\ inuial Sale Yard*, on Saturday, the rights ior the coming race meeting on the' 2nd proximo, as follow s : Gates, £50 : grand stand, £1(5, and stabling-paddock, £10 10s, Couzens : stabling, £1, Callaghan ; race cards, £14, Langley and Uriscoll ; stand booths, £21, J. Watson ; booths, 3 and 4, £9 each, Goodison ; right of selling fruit, .£.">, Elliot ; total, £120 10s ; the total for last year being £131.

llessis Dkivkk, SThWAiiT, axd Co. report as follows for the week ending November 20th : —

Fat Cattle.— A large supply of 130 head were yarded at the Kaikorai to-day, which, added to the fact that several of the largest butchers had received heavy supplies from private sources during the week, caused a considerable reduction in j)rices lately ruling. For best quality we do not think that over about 25s per lOOlbs was obtained, and in many instances fair good quality did not sell for much over 20s per lOOlbs. Although we may reasonably expect larger supplies comiDg forward at this season of the year, we do not anticipate that the numbers that have been offered during the last two weeks will be continued. Of the above number 100 head were sold, and 30 turned out. Our sales consisted of 30 head at full rates, and we have, du-ing the week, delivered privately a very prime lot from the Oamaru district. We do not consider that we would be justified in quoting prime beef as over 25s per lOOlbs.

Fat Sheep. — 10J0 of various sorts were penned, and with the exception of 200 turnpd out, were sold at the following rates :— Say, for shorn cross-breds, 10s (id to 12s each ; do, in the wool, at 20s each ; merinos, shern, 7s each ; do, in the wool, 14s each. We sold 300 at above rates, and during the week sold 500 privately. We quote half breds, iv the wool, 4d alb ; do, shorn, 2\d; merinos, in the wool, 3 ld ; do, shorn 2d to 2}d.

Fat Lambs. — 130 were penned, and realised from Ss to 11s 3d each. We sold at the Yards and privately 150 from 8s to 10s.

Store Cattle.— lhere is still an active demand for good grown steers and heifers at £4 10s to «"> guineas for the former, and £3 to £4 for the latter. We have sold privately during the last week in all 650 head, and will offer at Pahnerston on Friday, the 28th inst., 400 head of very superior cattle.

Store Sheep. — A limited amount of business has been done in shorn merino wethers at from 4s 6d to 4s 9d. Holders, however, with few exceptions, are asking sa. Cross-bred shorn are in demand at 7s Od to Ss (id.

Wool is hcginniii" to arrive in town. We have recehed first instalment' of se\eral clijis, and in about a fortnight we purpose holding our first sale. Sheepskins. — We hold our usual weekly sale this afternoon, when wo catalogued about 1200, which sold at a reduction on last w eek'.s rates. Green skins sold at (is for half-bieds ; merino.-,, 5s <ld; dry skins., merinos, from Is Od to .Is 2il, according to 'quality; pelts, 7tl to !Jd each ; lamb skins, Is to ls'kl,

Hides- were well competed for, brmnh.jj fully <.',d per lb for good shipping p.u'ce!?.. We sold mediumweights, from ISs to 20s ; light woights, 13s to lUs.

Tallow. -None UTurtiu;. Shipping parcels are iiiquiml fuK. Now Zealand Hump. In this product we cannot report any business. Tow we ha\e sold in quantity at •tS pur ton.

Grain.— This market is \cr\ weak in all descriptions, quotations arc nominal. For wheat, best qualities, 5.s to os 3d ; inferior, Is to 4s (Jd. Oats are in demand at 4s to 4s 3d for feed qualities ; choice, 4s 4xl.

An important auction sale of laud was held last week by Messrs Driver, Stewart, j,nd Uo. A large number of buyers attended the sale, and on the whole, very satisfactory juices were realised. About nine acres of land in the North-East Valley brought £420. Fifty quarter-acre sections in the township of Portohellb realised an average of £14 each : and 27 quarter-acre sections m Brighton township an average of £4 per section. Fifty acres of land in the Otakia district were knocked down at 19s an acre.

Messrs J. and A. Maclean* report for the week ending 2(ith November, as follows : —

F,it Cattle. — The weekly market *>\as largely supplied on Wednesday, ISO head being yarded, some of which were of very prime quality, but prices v ere a little easier, on account of the larger number forward, about 40 head being turned out not sold. AYe sold a lot of medium wei&ht bullocks on account of Mr R, Wallace, which realisod from -tjS 7s (id to <:lO lss per head. Wo also offered a lot of really prime heavy from Cray, West Taieri, which brought from ■tili.'M. up to £2i. Wo quote prime quality beef at from 27s (id to :'.IK per lOOlbs ; medium, from' 22s M to •255. but look for a slight decline in j>i ices on account of the number coining forward. Fat Slice)). — About 500 w ere penned, which brought from l(is to 17s for cross-breds in wool, and 10s (jd tor merino ewes in wool. We quote prime half-brcds, in wool, at 4d to 4Jd per Hi ; shorn, 2d to 2',d ; merinos in wool, 3kl to 3-} d; shorn, 2d to 2id. " ' Fat Lamb?.— About CO were penned, chicijy hiferior, which lealised. from (Jb {jd. to iQs, gd eaci, accord, \ng to bl«g, *"

Store Cattle.— The demand for good well-growrl steers and heifers still continu s, and for the next month at least will go on steadily improving in value. We beg to draw particular attention to our next monthly s-ile at the West Taieri Yards, on Tuesday, the 25th instant, when we will offer, in lots to suit purchasers, 150 head of really first-class store bullocks, cow*, and heifers. We quote good well-grown bullocks from £5 to £C ; cows and hsifers, from £2 15s to Hi, according to size and breeding. Store Sheep. — We have no active sales to report this week, but have numerous enquiries for good young sheep of every description for delivery after shearing ; and having a large number on hand for sale, most of which are at present under offer, we anticipate closing for most of them within the next four days at the following prices, viz. : — Cross-breds, 2 and 4-tooth, from 8a to 9s ; cross-bred lambs, from 7s 6d to 8s ; merino wethers, 6 and 8-tooth, from 5s to 5s (id ; merino ewes, from ;is to 7s, according to age, breeding, and place of delivery. Sheepskins. — We held our first weekly sale at our rooms on Tuesday, when, we catalogued 900, chiefly dry station skins, 700 of which were sold at prices ranging from 2s to 5s Cd.

Hides. — 1(58 were catalogued, and were actively competed for, being all sold at satisfactory prices, viz., for light weights from 30s 6d to 17s each, heavy weights. 18s to 20.s Gd.

Tallow. — Only a small lot of inferior quality came forward, which was sold at £27.

Grain. — "We have no alteration to make on our last week's quotations, viz., 5s 3d to 5s 6d for prime samples wheat, and 4s 6d to 5s for medium and inferior. Oats have been more actively inquired for during the week, which we quote at 4s 3d for good feed, and from 4b 4d to 4s (id for prime milling.

Messrs M'Landress, Hepburn, and Co. report that on Saturday they sold by auction at their rooms part of Captain J. T. Boyd's estate of Opoho, adjoining the new Botanical Gardens. The sale excited very general interest, and, contrary to the opinion expressed by a few that the property was situated at the wrong end of the town to sell readily, the sale proved a decided success. There was a keen competition for every section as it was offered between speculators and buyers desirous of securing homesteads, thus proving that public attention is now directed to a district that has in the most unaccountable manner remained too long neglected. The portion of the property sold was subdivided into 160 quarter-acre sections— of these only the 10 sections immediately opposite and adjoining Captain Boyd's own residence were passed in at £19 each, the owner's reserve being €30. The whole of the others were sold at prices ranging from £21 to £93 per quarter-acre.