Commercial.

Otago Witness, Issue 1597, 1 July 1882, Page 15

Commercial.

. CUSTOMS REVENUE. The following revenue was received ad the Custou. house, Dunodui, during the week ending Wednesday ""- ■ •', ' *to BBS" :: ■ " " «s»t , ■ Saturday ... ..' t . 308 1 8 Monday ,» ,«,... "81 4 4 Tuesday .. .. « I 3 ' 8 liJ 10 i Wednesday ■ 1280 1« 6 ; Total 4^7746 10 2 • Beer duty 218 19 9 ■ Other revenue .. ..* I^s 4 3 Wednesday afternoon. Tho grain market- has been very quiet during the week, and prices have not undergono any alteration. Buyers of whoat aro chary of operating at present quotations, and holders are not disposed to (five 'way; co that prices' are little more than nominal. These we quote J -Prime milling (Tuscan), 4s lOd to, 6s per bushel ; »ed straw, 4s 81 to 4s 9d per bushel ; ordinary, 4s 2d to 4s fld per bushel ; 1 inferior and fowl feed, 3s 3d to 3s 9d per'bushel. Tho inquiry for pate islqss brisk in, ; consequence of unfavourable advices from' the other side ; prices, however, remain as before— prime milling 3s 2d, and bright feed' 3s to 38 Id 'per, bushel. Fine malting barley is scarce, and would command 4s 9d to 5s per bushel. Millers' produce we quote : -Flour, £11 pei ton ; oatmeal, £10 per ton ; pollard, £6 10s pefton ; ' bran, £6 to £0 10s per ton: ' In the bagging' market, oornsacks move off quietly at 8s 6d per dozen to Bs. 9d for small quantities. Woolpacks are selling to arrive at a shade less than spot quotations, which we give at 3a 6d to 3s 6d per pack. Cement is inclined to be firmer, and sales have ,been made at 16s 3d per barrel in town. Of We are pleased to be able to chronicle that the farmers of Tuapeka West have nearly all sold their wheat at remunerative prices. Mr M'Gill was oul there last Saturday, and was offering 4s 7d and 4s 7Jd per bushel for good milling samples.— Tuapeka Times Sydney advices show that the market is completely glutted'with potatoes. Within the last four weeks 7000 tons have been crowded into that uoarkot, bringing down the pricos from £6 to £3 135., , ,

THE SOUTHLAND GRAIN REPORT. , The Southland Farmers' Co-operative Association'^ report for the woels ending Friday, 30th Juno, is a-, follows:— ,•, • •> ■ V. • ■ J 1 Since last week's report few transactions have taken place in the grain market, ai, the farmers havo mostly completed the' deliveries of their wearied 'grain, and; the t>ad< state of the roads from the recent rains has compelled them to cense carting for a time. Th-. deliveries for some timo to come will be very light, as the farmers who have not threshed out will bo busily eugaged preparing their land for spring sowing. By then, ihe stocks of grain in the hands of tho pur-chasers-will be considerably 'diminished, and -if the demand' for the other Colonies continues, higher rates may in Septembor be expected. Tho system which has prevailed in Southland— namely, the farmers, using second-hand bags for , oats— is highly'objectionablo. Many of the bags aro not in shipping condition, resulting in the buyers refusing to talio delivery. Thu consequent loss must fall on the producers who carry on business under 'such a penurious system, arid' the sooner this laxity-is put a.stop to the better. During the week it has been authoritatively reported that the , Government has reserved for railway purposes a considerable portion of , the foreshore at,the Bluff,- with 'a view of giving additional facilities for carrying on the increased grain trade at tho port. There can be no que.-tioh as to tho wisdom of this course, instead of allowing the local authorities to have unlimited control over questions of such vital importance to those who are .connected with the productive industry of Southland ; because practice and economic management are preferable to inexperience and local bickering. The important question of unreliable Press cablegrams has been causing public comment. . There is, indeed, much need for reform in tho defective system that has prevailed. The controllers of public organs who pay for such cablegrams ara in the main to blame for not long ago stopping such fictitious quotations. One public benefactor, in attempting to coriect the shortcomings of others, has fallen, in some respects, into tho same error, for while he uses the wheat quotation of Messrs Tate Brothers, of Sydney, of tho JSt inst., to serve his ends, hein.geniouely ignores the oat quotation given by that linn, viz.:- " Yesterday we placed a catalogue of New Zealand land Tasmanian, 2700 sacks, at up to 4s 2d for prime seed and feed samples, and 3s lud to 4s for others." With respect to the Sydney oat market, advices up to the 18th inst. state that in consequence of usually large arrivals the market was a little easier, but even in the face of this good samples of oats were free of sale at 4s per bushel. The prices in Sydney for produce are well maintained, excepting ' only New • Zealand wheat and potatoes, and in these it is confidently anticipated that the rates will soon recover. In Melbourne and Adelaide the produce market shows signs of great firmness, and in both markets the high prices paid for grain for feeding purposes can be in the future assured, as there is very little wheat left in either Victoria or South Australia. There will be a scarcity of bran for the ordinary trade, which has already evinced itself, and as a consequent result tho demand for oats as a substitute will be much augmented. As oats can only take its place, farmers who are holders of oats will 'do -well not to lobo sight of causes and results, and make their demand accorJingly. Wheat.— The market stands the same as last week, except that hard milling wheat 'is in much request, and for 'such parcels higher rates have been offered without leading to business. A large parcel of wheat, part of the stocks at the Bluff, ia under offer at remunerative rates for export. The stock of wheat'in the hands of the millers is not large, aud to Replenish higher rates willhave to bo paid/ During the wqek 'not a single' parcel of wheat has been offered for sale. Closing quotations : Best samples of Tuscan, for export, are w^orth 5s por bushel at the Bluff; other sorts from 4s to 4s 9d, according to condition. ( Uats. — A few transactions have taken place at from 2s 9d to 3a per bußhel for delivery at- the -wayside railway-statioDS ; for delivery at the Bluff, for the best oa.ts 3s 2d to 3s 4d is asked, and for ordinary, 2s lid to '3s Id per bushol. The deliveries are falling off considerably. Butter.— There is a strong demand, both locally and for export. Potted butter is frco of sale at Id Id to is 3d per lb.

THE MARKETS OROOKtUBS Retail prices only :-- Fresh butter, Is 0d to Is Del I Honey, 4d por pound per pound Breaa, over tho counter Salt, Is 3d per pound 5d ; do, delivered, BJd Fresh eggs, Is 9J per doz. Oatmeal, 26lbs, 4s Cd Bacon, lod per pound Dried apples, Sdperlb Ham, lg ' Jam, lib tin, 8d to 9d Cheese, 7d to 10d American salmon lOd to Is Milk, 24 to M por quart Potatoea, 2ilba If

GRKttN BROOBRIKB. MrH. Lamer reports under date the 28th ult J— Apples— eating, 6d; Cook- Pears, 6d per ing, 4d. New Figs, Is per box Lemons, 2a to 3s per doz Orangos, 0, 8, and 12 Is Pine Appies, Is Od each VRBBTABIIKH. Cabbages, 2d and 3d each B< ct-root, 2s per doz. Do per dozen, 2s Tomatoes, Od per lb Carrots and Turnips, Is Potatoea, ISlbs Is por dozen , Onions, 101ns la Cauliflowers, 3d to Cdeach | Artichokes, 2d per lb POULTRY. Powlb, Rs to Bs Bdper pair j Ducks, Os to 7s per pair Geese, 10s to 18s per pair | Turkeys, 8s to 20s each. FISH. Mr Melville reports under date tho 28th ult :— Klounders, 'M to 8s pr doz Blue cod, 6d to Is 3d each Mullet, Is to 2oper doz Soles, 0s to 10b per doz Crayfish, from 3s per doz G roper, 2d to 3d por lb Bod Cod, 2d to 9d each Barracouta, Cs to 9s po Unfcllsh, 3d to 4d per lb doz , I MKAT. The City Company report under date the 28fch ult :— Koaating beef, 8d to Cd Mutton, 2d to 4d J per pound Pork.Cd Steaks, 4d to 6d Veal, 4d to 6d Boiling, 2d to 3d Lamb, 2s Cd to 38 6d To hotels and boarding-houses tho oharge all roun 4d to sd.VHOLEBALE PRODUOK RKPORTS. Mr J. Fleming, Princes street south, roporta under i date the 28th ult, :— Wheat : Best Milling, 4s Straw, £2 per ton 7d to 4s 9d per buhl. Chaff (oaten) £4 to £4 10s Medium .Mill., 4s 4d to 4s per ton Cd per bushel Bran £0 per ton fowls' 'Wheat, 3s to 3a Od Pollard, £0 10s por ton (according to quality). /lour, £11 to £11 10s per Oivla, ■ Milling, 3s to ton ■8s 2d per bushel. Onions, £8 per ton Feed oats, 2a 10d to 3s Barleydust,£oper ton per bushel Bacon, rolled, 7d per lb Slalt Barloy, 4s to 4s 6d Sides Bacon, 8d per lbper bushel (grain fed) Peed, 2s Od to 8a p r Hams, 9d per lb bushel. Cheese, BJd per lb Pearl Barloy, £18 per ton Kidney Potatoos, £3 per Oatmoal, £10 10s per ton 1 ton • Grass Hay, £3 per ton j Derwents, £2 10s per ton Oaten Hay, £4 10s | • Cheese is scarce not many offering. Messrs Anderson and 00., millors, xoport tinder date the 2Bth ult:- • „,„ . ; Oatmeal, £16 per ton Pearl Barley, £18 per ton Pollard, £6 10a per ton Fowls' wheat, 8s 8d per Bran, £0 per ton bshl. Barley Dust, £5 per ton Oats, 3a to 38 Id por Milling Wheat, 4s Od bshl. bushel. Flour— Sacks, £10 15s per ton ; hundreds, £11 ; fifties, £11 5s. PROPERTY SALES. ; Messrs Bastings, Leary, and Co. on Monday afternoon (26th) <<old by auction the Otago Paper Mills, situate on the Water-of-Leith. The price fetchbd was £1226, Mr John Mitchell, of the flrnc of Fergussoii and Mitchell, being the buyer. This purchase consisted only of the > property, buildings, and machinery, exclusive of Stock. . . . Theie was only it moderate attendance of buyers at Messrs Donald Reid and Co.'s grain sale on Monday, and several' lines were passedin. Tho prices show a slight falling off. Best milling oats brought from 3j to 3s Id per bushel, and feed oats realised from 2s 9d to 28 lid. Some 1600 bushels of milling barley was disposed of at prices ranging from 3i 8d to 4s per Messrs Connell and Moodie report the sale of soction 12 Port Chalmers, in three lots, for the total sum of £1945, made iip as follows :-Lot J 1, with 24ft; flin frontage, Wm. Pcdlow, £400 ; lot 2, with 31ft Bin frontage, Wm. Pedlow, £050; lot 3, with 31ft Sin frontage, Uavid Lee, £835. Stuart and Col report having sold to MrW. Downie, of Puerua, part of section 26, block XXIX, Clutha district, at £3 per acre., Messrs Connell and Moodie report tho sale privately of sections 8 and 9, bluck 11, East Taieri district, containing 105 acres, for the sum of £3750, to the Mosgiol Woollen Factory Company (Limited). j ■■ — f LONDON WOOL SALES. { The British and New Zealand Mortgage and Agency Company (Limited) yesterday received tho following tolegram from Messrs Helmuth Schwartze and Co., London, dated -24th inst. :— ' . » Since' our last telegram thero is no change in the bulk of wools. Prices for all good wools are firm. Crossbred easier. ' *'i V" . ;.'; .' , . v ( Messrs Murray, Roberts, and Co. have received the following cablegram:— » \ London, 24th June.—M arket weaker. ' > Mr Donald STRONACu(onbohalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Apency Co.,' Limited) reports for the week ending 28th June as follows :— Fat Cattle— ln consequenco of the full supply of 299 head (78 of which were stores, remainder being (or' the most part of medium quality, and only a few pens prime), prices at Burnsido to-day showed some decline on last week's. Bullocks fetched from £3 i7s 6d to £11 ; and cows, £3 10a to £10. •We sold on account of the Seadowu Estato 28 heifers at from £5 17s 6d to £8 2i 6d per head ;' and on account of Mr William Shand, 21 head of cattle at £0 12s od. Quotation for beef, 22s Cd per 1001b'. ' ,_,*,'■ Fat Calves.— Nineteen yarded, and sold at from os to lfls each. , , , , Fat Sheep.— There was again a very largo supply, 4500 having been penned, including 1000 merinos and stores, and prices for fat sheep must be quoted lower by about Is per head ; other descriptions suitable for graziers showed scarcely any decline. Crossbreds broivht Irom lOd Od to lGs 0d ; and merinos, 3s 9d to 10a Id per head We offered 2255 head, of which we sold as follows : -On account of Mr M, Henderson, 120 croasbreds at 12s 3d ; for Mr Alexander Thomson, 213 at 14s to 14s 0d ; on account of Mr William Hall, 351 merinos at 7s ; and on behalf of othor vendors, 971 crossbreds, at 12a 9d to 13s Cd; and turned out COO. We quote crossbred mutton, 2Jd to 2.Jd per lb. Fat Pigs.— l9o were disposed of at from 9s to 445. We sold consignments from Messrs Orr and Pearco at from 93 to 40s each. Wool.— Public Press and other telegrams from London show that the market continues easier, especially for coarse descriptions. On Monday we sold a few remnants as follows:— R in circle, 1 bag dead wool, sd ; TJW, 1 bale greasy locks and pieces, 4M ; ~ over +, Ido do fleece, 7Jd ; Jw, Ido do do, 7id ; 2 bag 3 pieces and locks, 3d ; KO, 1 bale greasy fleece,'Bld ; IIL, 1 do do do, 8d ; F, 1 do do mixed, 5M ; TIMARU, 1 do do do, 7£d ; Ido do pieces and dead, 6d ; Idodo do and belliea, sjd ; 2£ do do locks, 3gd ; Ido scoured pickings, Sd ; '£, 1 do do locks, lOAd ; ATHY, Ido do first clothing morino, Is 5Jd. Sheepskins.— Our sale on Monday howed a maintenance of good competition, about at week's values being realised for the lots offered. Dry and station skins sold at from la 0d to 4a 9d for crossbred, and 2s Cd to 3a 7d for merinos ; butchers' crossbreds fetched from 3s 2d to 4s 3d, and merinos 3s 5d to 3a lOd each. Kabbitskins.— We report sales of some lots at from Sd to Is 2Jd per lb for from small and mixed up to fairly well-furred skins. Hides.— We have no sales to rpport this week, b\it the market is d.ecide4ly \n favour of buyers. Tallow.— We sold a few lots on Monday at the following prices :— Fairly-rendered tallow, up to 27s Od ; butchers' 'rough fat, 18s 0d to 19s per cwt. Grain.— Wheat : Our report of last week applies to the present position of this market, and for the time beino- sales are impossible at late quotations. On the ether hand, holders show no disposition to make concessions on their limits. We quote prime milling, 48 lOd to 4s lid (nominal) ; medium, 4s to 4s 8d (nominal) ; fowl feed and inferior, 2s 6d to 33 9dper buehel. Oats: Tho market is a little easier, without auy slackening in demand. Good bright feed finds ready buyers^ 2s lOd to 3s, and milling at 3s Id. We sold at auction on Monday about 1500 bags at equal to these quotations. Barley : In the absence of prime samples little is doing, maltsters being indifferent i about purchasing secondary qualities. We quote .prime, ss (nominal I Messrs Wright, Stephbnson, and Co. report for the ; week ending 28th June as follows :— I Fat Cattle.— A fair supply came to hand to-day, 221 \ bei>g yarded, about one-fourth of which were of good quality, the rest only medium. For bebt pens last wqek's priooi wore obtained, but for medium and inferior a slight reduction had to bo submitted to. ! We sold 101 head as follows; -On accourt of James Shand, Esq. (Edondale Estate), 39 bullocks at from £7 1 10 ato ild 2s Od ; from Windsor Park Estate, a draft cif 12 very prime bullocks at an average of $l\ pw head ; on account of Mr William Bisaett (Gam&ru), 7 prime heifers at £8 }0s to &0 \79 fia } on aooount of 1 Mr Pa.trl.ck Ryan (Portobello), 8 bullocks at £9 ; on Bros. (S ward Dowp),

13 bullocks at from £4 to £4 17s 6d ; on account of Mr Thomas Geary, 11 head heifers at from £2 10s to £3 ss; on account of Mr Alexander Douglas (Greytown). 12 bullocks at £4 ss. Wo quote prime beef at 25s per 1001b ; medium, 22s 6d. Privately during the week we have placed 22 head at quotations. Fat Sheep.— To-day's supply was a repetition of the last two weeks, the market being completely glutted, no less than 4500 t-heep being penned. Of this number only absut 1500 were only half fat ; 1000 were merinos; the rest erosabreds of fair to good quality. Prices at the commencement of the sale ruled about the same as last week, but towards tholose they showed a slight falling off. Wo sold 81 L as follows :— On account of Hugh Carswell, Esq. (ToiTois), iid CKmsbred ewes and wethers, at 14s Od ; on account of Messrs Ross Bros. (Mea lowbank), 236 erossbreds, at JOa 9d ; on account of Henry Orbell, Es,q. ( Hio liivcr), 40 crostbroos at l*s, and 33 merino wethers at 10< Id ; on account of Wm. Patrick, Esq. (Balmoral), 150 crossbreds, at 15s ; and on account of James GM, Esq ,9a crossbreds, at 14s 6d. We quote p. ana mutton at 2Jd per lb. Pigs. -About 190 were penned. For prime bacon pigs and grain-fed porkers there was an excellent demand. We sold 55 af, from 38s to 47s for bacon pigs ; porkers, from 24s to 325. Store Cattle —On Friday, 30Lh inst., at the Wyndham Township, in conjunction with Messrs Carswell, White, and Co., of Invercargill, we shall sell 200 head mixed two and three -year-old steers and heifers. Pi i vately during the week we have sold 325 mixed one and two-j ear-old well-bred steers and heifers. Store Sheep. — We have no transactions to report. Hordes.-- There is good inquiry for young draughts ; the number offering is, however, not great. On Satur day next we shall sell, on account of Mr Haven .(Tiniaru), 12 fiist-class medium-draught and lightharness horses. We quote flrst-elass draughts at from £35 1o £40 ; medium, £20 to £30 ; good hacks and light-harnes- horsee, £20 to £25 ; medium, £L oto £15; light and inferior, £3 to £6. • Sheepskins.— On Monday last we held our weekly sale. There was a good attendance of buyers, and im«k competition for the numerous lots offered. Butchers' green ikins, erossbreds, fetched from 3s 9d to 4s 7(1 ; inerlnos, up to 3s 3d ; station skins, up to s 2d. Hides.— The number coming forward is great, and prices are in consequence easier; On Tuetday last we aold 160 at from 3d to 3|d per lb, according to quality, weight, and condition. Tallow is in brisk demand, and any lots commg forward would command a ready sale at quotations. On Monday last we disposed ot several parcels as fo lows : —Prime mutton, £30 to £31 per ton; medium (mixed), £27 to £29 ; inferior, £24 to £26. Grain.— Wheat : The market continues in about the faame state as reported last week, and quotations are likewise without change since then. We now repeat them:— Primo milling (Tuscan and velvet), 4a 9d to 6s • red straw, 4s Cd to 4s 9d ; ordinary, 4s to 4s 4d ; inferior and fowls' wheat, 3s 3d to 3s 9d. Oats : Privately we have placed a parcel of 3000 sacks damaged wheat ex City of Perth. Oats : Good demand for short Jeed of bright colour, alao for milling oats ; inferior very difficult to quit. We quote prime milling at 3s 2d ; good feed, 3s to 3s Id. Btrley : JSxtra choice malting samples are saleable at from 4s 8d to 63.

Messrs Mao&ean and Co. report for the week onding 28th June as follows :—

Fat Cattle. -A full, aupply of, 221 head was yarded to-day, 70 of which were prime, and the remainder fair to good. For prime lots there was fair competition, but prices did not appreciably advance, while for light-weighta, ordinary quality, last week's quotations'were barely maintained. We sold 12 head on account of Mr North (Portobello), at for bullocks £7 12s 6d to £9 ; on account of James Rutherford, Esq. (Summerhill), 15 head, at for bullocks £0 10s to £7 12s 6d, and cowa £4 12s 0d to £5 16s ; on account of Mr D. K. Blackie (Kaitangata), six cows at from £4 to £4 12s Od ; on account of Messrs Bryce Brothers (Lovell's Flat), seven head at from £4 17s 0d to £0 17s Od ; and seven on account of Mr D. Murray (Tapanui), light-weights, at from £3|to £4 ss. We quote prime beef fully 22s Cd per 1001b. Fat Calves.— Nineteen forward, and sold at from 7fl Cd to 10a.

Fat Sheep.— The number forward for to-day's market was again largo, 4200 being penned, of which I about 1000 woro merinos, tho balance crossbreds, chiefly of good quality. Notwithstanding this somewhat excessive supply, following upon the very full market of last week, prices wore well maintained, but this may be in a great me.is.urj attributed to the fact that a considerable number was withdrawn (say about 750), and various lots of medium quality were taken by farmers for turnip feeding. Crossbreds brought from lls to 10s Od ; merinos, 7s 9d to 9s 9d. We penned 1300, andjsold'as undernoted, viz. :— On account of Wm. Grant, E<q. (South Canterbury), 183 prime crobsbreds at from 15a Od to 16s 9d ; on account of George Crosbje, E*q. (Edendale), 33 medium-weight crossbreds at 13s 9d ; on account of the N. Z. ana A. Land Company (from Pareoi a Estate), 00 do at 14s 3d; on account of 'Messrs Little Brotheis and Samson, 305 ewes and wethers at 12s 3d to 18s, and 36 merinos at 7s 9tt ; on account of Mr J. Davidson (Herbert), 186 at from lla to 14s 6d ; on account of R. Wilson', 1 Esq! (Romarua Estate), 104 crossbred wethers at 15s 3d to 10s od. 25 ewea at 13s, and 225 merinos a.t from 88 Od to di 9d. The above crossbreds were a really prime lot, and topped the market. We quote prime mutton 2,Jd per lb. Country Salos.- Wo would direct attention to our sale 1 of Messrs Allan Brothers' stock at To Houka, near Balclutha, on 14th July. (See advertisement.} The estate having been sold, the stock, implements, &c. will be disposed of without reserve. Pigs.— A large supply of 19Q came forward, and sold at from 10a to £2 4s. We sold 24 at from 12s to 28-i.

Horses. —We held our usual sale on Saturday last, when there was the usual number of entries, and the prices obtained satisfactory. We would diveet special at ention to our sale on Saturday first, when we shall sell, without reserve, 30 Colts and fillies from Timaru. (Sceadveitisemeiit). Sheepskins,— We offered a full catalogue at our sale on Monday last. There was tho usual attendance of the trade, and with good competition tho prices obtained were a shade in advance of last week's values. Station skins brought up to ss ; butchers' crossbreds, from 3a Cd to 4d 4d ; merinos, 3s 2d to 3s 9d.

Hides, -We did not sell any this week. Prices rule in favour of buyers. Tajlow is in good request, and for well-rendered tallow up to 28s, and rough fat 18s fid, is obtained. Giaio,— Wheat : The market has been dull during the week, buyers being indisposed to give prices as recently obtained. Growers do not show any willingness to concede to reduction, and will rather hold. We quote prime milling 4s 10d to 4s lid ; medium, still moro difficult to quit, 4s 2d to 4s 8d ; fowl feed, 3s 2d to 3s 9d. Oats : The market continues firm, and for milling 3s Id and feed 3s is readily obtained. B*rlev : Choico malting lots are readily placed at up to 6s, but for ordinary lots there is but little inquiry, and low prices have to bo submitted to.

Messrs Donaid Reid and Co. isport for week ending 28th June as follows :—

Fat Cattle.— A full market at Burnside t,o-day, 219 head cattle being penned. Only some few pena were prime, and these sold at advanced rates; medium quality receding a shade, Bullocks sold at £3 17s Cd to £11 17s 0d J oowa, J&3 lss to £10— or equal to 20s per IQQIb |or prime, 22s fld medium. We yarded 54 head, and sold : -On account of James Geddes, Esq. (Pa^merston), 13 bullocks at £0 12s Cd to £C 61, 14 cows to £0 ; on account of George Ledingham, Esq. (Kakanui), 12 head heifers up to £10 ; on account of Mr A. Douglass (Greytown), seven head light-weight heifers at £4 2s 6d to £5 2s Od ; and for Messrs Jenkins, Waldie, and Munro, eight head at quotations. Fat Calves.— Nineteen yarded. These were mostly inferior, and sold at 8s to 25s each. Fat Sheep.— Again a very large supply came in, 3659 being penned. About 1000 of these were merinos, which met a very dull sale ; theibaJan.ee (2059) were mostly all good an,d heavy orosabreds. Prices throughout the day ruled la to la 6d a head lower than last week. Some 700 were turned out unsold. Crossbreds sold at 10a fld to 14s ; a few extra to lfls 3d ; merinos, 3s to 9s Od. We penned 503, and sold— foy Matthew Henderson, Esq. (Moeraki), 139 crossbreds at 12s j for T. Henderson, Esq. (Otepopo), 120 inerino-3 at 6s ; for A. PatersoH, • Esq. (Herbert), 50 ciossbiedi to 18s Od ; for D. Heron, Esq.. 6o croßabreds and merinos to lls . Od ; and for Messrs W. Burr (Wairoa), A. Mainlaud (Tort Molyneux), and J. Wallace, 138 merinos at quotations. We quote mutton 2jd per lb. Pigs —There was a full supply, 190 coming in. Bacon pi?B were in good request, and brought higher prices. Storos wero difficult to quit at low prices. We sold on account of J, G. Black, Esq. (Crichtun Park, Pukerau), .50 a.t full rates. We quote pork SJd to 4d per lb, Store CutHe, -During the week wo sold privately QQ, b,uUooks at £5 15a, and have iw sale 40 spayed oows in forward condition.

Store Sheep.— No sales to report. Wool.— On Monday we disposed of a few balaa,aft for waßhed merino, 17Jd ; washed pieces, Od : greasy jpieceß, &q, 1 '- v" -^T

Sheepskins. - At our regular salo oh Monday we pu forward a full cataloguo. The domand was scarcely so brisk, but prices unaltered. Crossbreds sold at la 6d to 6s 4d ; merinos, Is 3d to 4s lid ; lambskins, 2s lOd to 3S'id ; station skins, none in. Hides.— There is a good demand for hoavy hides, free from offal and cuts ; light and inferior aorta are quiet, at prices a elude lower. Wo quote heavy clean ox 3^d to 4d ; cow*' and inferior, 3J co 3£d ; b atchera' hides, 15s to 21s Gd each. Tallow. -In the absence of any sales wo quote best leudered mutton £29 to £30; butihers' mixed, £26 to £28 10a ; infe ior, £24 to £25 10s; rough fat, £18 10s to £20 per ton. (JouuM'.v Sales. — We beg to di-ect attention to our sales to 'take place on Saturday next, Ist July, on account of Professor Black, at Criohton Park B»t»to, near FukciMH, where we will offer the whole of his well-bred .stock, including hort.es, cattle, pi^s, &c , rcgether with implements, <£c. ; also, on account of Messrs Corrans, M'lntyre, Puvvis. and Gordon, 15 di aught horses, 40 head cattle, 100 sheep, farm iniplemtnts, &c., &c.

Grain.— Wheat : The pant weok has been exceedingly quiet ; buyers aro offering lower prices, to which vendors do not readily accede, and in consequence but few sales have taken place. Prime samples aie inquired for, but at lower prices ; medium and soft wheats are neglected. We quote prime milling Tuscan, 4a lOd to ss ; velvet, 4s 9d to 4i lid ; red straw, 4s 7d to 4s 9d ; medium, is lid to 4s 5d ; fowl ie-.d, 2* lid to 3s 9d. Oats : The demand for short, bright oits has in no way chatigv,d, while discoloured a»d smutty lots are rather duller. Prices are a shade under last quotations. Milling oats sell at 3s Id, to 3s l^d ; feed (short and bright.), 3a to 3i Id; long oats, 2s lid ; inferior and discoloured, 2a 8d to "2s lOd. B irley : '1 here is fair domund for bright I malting, with but little offering ; other sorts sell at 1 2s lid to 3s lOd. Potatoes sell at £2 7s 6d to £2 155. Stkl-ukkson and Co. report for the week ending 28th June as follows :— Fat Cattle.— 22l head yarded to-day, of which only about 70 were ,prime, the remainder fair to goodi There wa* fair competition for prime lots, and lastl week's quotations were fully maintained. Light weights and stores showed a slight falling off. We) yarded 40, and aold on account of Messra Frew, Jon« kins, Kirkland, Douglas, and James at from £5 10s to £0. Best bullocks brought from £5 to £0 2s 6d ; cows, £5 to £8. We quote primo beef at fully 22a 8d per 1001b. Fat Calves. —Nineteen yarded, and sold at from 7a Cd to 19s. Sheep. — 4200 penned, of which about 1000 were merinos, the remainder erossbreds, chiefly of good quality. Alter last week's heavy market a fall was looked for, but owing to about 750 being withdrawn, last week's prices wore maintained. Crossbreda brought from lls to 16s Cd ; merinos, 7s 9d to 9a 9d. Pigs.— l9o came forward, and sold at from 53 ro £2 4s. ww e told 15 suckers on account of Mr Wm. Kirk* land at 6s. •..ncupoKins.— Our sale on Monday showed fair com* pouiioii, and formor prices were fully maintained, butchers' crossbreds fetching from 4s Id to 4s 3d } merinos, 3a 6d to 33 lOd. Hides. — We have no transactions to report. Grain.— Wheat :*Good samplos are difficult to place; the local buyer.l seem to bo well stocked ; however, holders maintain their position, aud show no disposition to make concessions. We quote prime milling at from 4s 9d to 4a lid ; medium, 4s to 4s 8d ; fowlb' feed and inferior, 2s Od to 3a lOd per bushel. This latter finds n:ady salo at quotations. Oats are still in good demand, though the market seems a little) easier. Bright feed brings from 2s lOd to 3s ; und milling, 3s id. Barley : Very few first-class samples coining forward ; those to hand find a, ready sale at' si ; second-class and inferior lots are plentiful, and! bring according to quality from 3s Gd to 4 s 2d per bushel. Potatoes.— From the large quantities coming for"' ward prices have Buffered, and last week's prices are 1 only to ho had for really good seed. Wo quote prime Derwents, at from £2 10s to £3 per ton. Wool. — London telegrams show tho market continues oahior, for coarse descriptions especially. MINING NOTES. Mr J. F. Watson reports for the woeft eliding I 28th June :— Heefton.~The Welcomo Company's return 1 for the) week wan Go3oz of amalgam from 90 tons of stone. I'here is an abundance of stoiiu on hand.— The Keep-it-Dark Company's return for the week was 040oz of amalgam from 194 tons of quartz ; retorted gold for tho fort'iight, 3190 a, and for the mo.sth, 6350z, and a dividend of 2s per (2000 th) share was declared. Rich stono is coming to grass.— The Golden Treasure Company ; The- reef btaiu a good width of btone in all the" 'faces. The Jusfc-in-Tiroe Company : The new main shaft ia to bo commenced immediately.— Tho South Hopeful Company have a moderate width of quaitz in the face of main tunnel.— The Nil Despevaniium Company have a good body of quartz, containing payable prospects.— The Fiery Cross Company aro making good despatch with the southern extension. - The Royal Company h*ve commenced to put in a tunnel. —The Wealth ot Nations Company will he able j to crush constantly in a few weoka. — The Murray Creek I Cement Company have arranged for a trial crushing of 20 tons.— The Pho&nix Company are exploring tho 1 reef lately discovcred'in their claim.

Lyell.— Tho United Alpine Company aro making good headway with No. 6 level. The timbering of No. 5 level is completed. —The Crcoaus Company mcb a ma of quartz six inches thick in the eastern cross-cut. —The United Victory are opening out aii int--rinediato level north and south. Good stove is coining to gras3 —Alpine No. 2 Company have completed the erection of winch.— Tho Morning Star Company : Tho tunnel is being oxtended an additional 100 ieet.— The Victor Emmanuel Company's reef is about 10 inches thick, and. carries a good percentage of gold.

Quotations : —Welcome, £4 15s ; Keep lt-Darh, 60d Gil ; Wealth of Nations, 12a ; Golden Treasure, 7s ; Royal, 3s 9d ; Nil Despeiundum, 61 ; United Alpine, 24s '&J ; United Victory, 235 ; United Italy, 5s 3d ; United Ing-le-wood, 3s.

Mr M. Pym, legal manager of the Maryborough Gold-mining Company, received tho following telegram from Arrowtown on Satui day :--" Struck goodl stone on Friday evening 60 feet from the ends of contract tunnel. Reef two feet wide, and getting; wider to all appeaiances. Gold showiug freely alt through. *

THE LABOUR MARKET.

Mr &KBNE reports for the week ending 28th Juno : —

Winter ia wakening up a bit, just lo remind us that all is not sunshine in tho " balmy South," emigration touts notwithstanding. Work U plentiful, and pay good ; but we wsynt harmony in the labour market badly. Aa long as men treat each other with jealousy and distrust, so long will strikes be the result, and the outcome an unwholesome state of society. High wages do not bring bliss. See yonder defaced mortal, staggering, blustering, and knocking down his bix months' Bwoat-earneiil cheque in a few hours ; his dividend an empty purse and a remorseful headache, Working men, bank your money, and you cannot gob robbed or poisoned. It will be "a bright and a glad iiay for uawheu the Clyde Central is fait ly starred, giving work to all classes, placing the " resident" settlers on the soil, and nursing and rearing a class who will be bound and attached to the soil. The rural districts iv Scotland and Ireland are being slowly evicted. We must profit by the lesson, and encourage the bone and sinew to come to New Zealand. Just fancy the Taieri Plain desolate— only a gamekeeper in charge. Wages : Gojiplos, £75 to £85 ; day labour, 8s to 9s ; light weights, 5s to 7s ; plouhgmon, £05 ; second-class, £45 to £52 ; shepherds, £00 to £05 ; Station cooks, £62 to £65; milkers, 10s, 12s, 15s, and 20s ; hotel men, 20s to 30s • and 40* ; do « females, £40, £52, £05, and £30 ; general domestics, , 10s, 12s, and 15s ; storemen and clerks, £2 to £4 ; boys -town, 5s to 10s; country, 10s to 15s, with, food.

Messrs Grant and Co., Universal Labour Ejanatige;;, eport :—

There has not been much doing t«, 'bho labour market for the past week, owing to i&«< state of the weather. The following arc tho curicabvaLcaot wai^os: —Couples, farms and stations, £65 to £75 ; ploughmen, £5i to £05; gardeners,. £65; shepltords are movimr at £60 and found ;, grooms, 20s ; general farm' anrt station bunds, 20-i.^imMkevu, iOs; Imvm, ss, 10-i; blacksmiths, 30s ; ca v \p^nters > SOs per week and foundr. hotel, men - bariv-Pft, waiters, boots, 15s to 50s ; cooks! ■ 25s to 60s; Uisuh,enmen, 20a \vnt week aaid. found.. Tradesmen^lthusy. Carpenter, 12s, 14a ; piclc-and--Bhov/f!\ nqftu,, <sf.c., 7s, to Ba. per day— demaud good.. ]Jer^ak servants scarce, (Dpoks, 20s, SO* ; barmaids, . SCft ; housemaids,, lajiadTessea, waitresses, general servants, and kiteb k wiiWftidß,,l28 > 1S», 20s ; juursegirl& (very Bcarce), 5$ id, lfla per week and found ;, house; Keeper? aijd^Arfle.sscs, £62.per)»nnum r

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night, whose shades put an end nowadays to the struggles of athletes, as they did long ago to the battles of Homek's heroes. The beating given to that long unbeaten county Lancashire, decisive as it was, hardly prepared either the friends or the enemies of Mr Murdoch's followers for this latest addition to their laurels ; it merely proved that at Cambridge they could hardly have played up to their best form. The hard-fought and indecisive matches with Yorkshire and Nottingham did not a little to strengthen the impression, iby that time gone abroad, that, with' Spopforth out of form, the Antipodeans would be no match for the Gentlemen of England. The betting (and there waß probably a good deal of it) must have been decidedly against the visitors, and any of their supporters who had the courage to take the odds, must have reaped a handsome reward by their venture. This, as many of our readers will remember, is the second occasion on whioh the Australians have met the Gentlemen." Four years ago they encountered them- at Lord's, and were beaten in one innings, with one run to spare. Now they have exaotly turned the tables by winning in one innings and with one run to the good.' The coincidence is singular^ and likely to be remembered by those devotees of the game who love to store up its' curiosities and gossip thereon, in or out of season. As for the match itself, it is indeed, like the Battle of Blenheim— a famous viotory. Englishmen, it is saidj never- know when they are beaten ,• stilj weica'n hardly see .how English cricketers can avoid that painful but sometime^ salutary knowledge after the present encounter. They may pull them; selves together and avenge their defeat next month ; and we must say, though writing as a Colonial paper to Colonial readers, yet for the honour of Old England, that we rather hope they may. But for the present, afc all events^ the Australians are the cocks of the walk; There is no getting over that fact. When the beßt professional teams were ' re- I peatedly thrashed, by them, there were fifty excuses ready to hand. The pro- ' fesslonals were paid to lose, or (it was auggested) they were half drunk, or they did not care to exerfc themselves because they were not being sufficiently well paid. ' Lord Hareis' team, it is true, waß not open to •: these remarks, and was yet beaten ; but then it could hardly be called representative in any • Bende of the word. - The Eleven which ' has "just succumbed on the Oval comprised the pick of England's gentlemen cricketers. One or two well-known names were indeed absent, : notably . Lord Harris himself and the Hon. Alfred Lyttelton. But their places were filled by first-clasß substitutes, and the team as a whole presented a brilliant array. To say nothing of W. G-. Grace, who Beems to have been on his mettle with both bat and ball, its ranks held Mr Hornby, whose powerful hitting for Lancashire laßt reason dejoidedly outßhone the performances of any other English, batsman, the Gloucestershire champion included. With Meßsrs Graob and Hornby, was Mr Patterson, who last, year scored 110 not out for, Oxford against 1 ( j and Mr 0. T. Studd, who this year scored 118 for the latter University against the Australians themselves. There were also Messrs Lucas and Bead, the two crack Surrey bats, and Mr Ramsay, whose fast bowling did much to inflict on the visitors their Cambridge defeat. Then there was Mr Steel— daring with the bat and cunning with the ball ; and, last but not least, Mr Tylecote— great as a wicket-keeper, and whose innings of 404 was long unsurpassed, until MrßoE's4lstoppedit laßt year. To find fault with the composition of any team is easy, and, of course, the attempt will be made on the present occasion. But the hard fact will nevertheless remain that the Australians have - beaten just about the very best amateur eleven that could be got together to meet them. To have done this ab all would have been a sufficiently great feat. To have done it in one innings — by two to one, that is— is a triumph which ought to make all Australians, young and old, feel proud of their plucky countrymen. Many people, even in Anglo-Saxon countries, sneer at what they are pleased to call "the athletic craze." But the old Greeks did not think athletics matter for sneering. They greeted their-Olympic victors with processions and banquets, , erected statues to them, and held them in . all honour. Yet v the Greeks were no fools. ,The question may fairly be asked, Are we bo much better than they, that we can afford to laugh at their reverence for bodily proweßS ?

Our Wellington correspondent telegraphed on Wednesday that "Mr W. J. Hurst, M.H.R. for Waitemata, has left by the 1 Waitaki for Dunedin for the express pur- ' pose of inspecting the works of the Har- , bour Board in order to judge what course he should take in reference to the bill empower- : ing the Board to borrow further. Mr Hurst has hitherto been an opponent of the bill, but he is anxious to see for himself the position of affairs. He will be prepared to meet persons interested, whether members of the Harbour Board, Chamber of Commerce, or others, and hear what they have to urge in support of their respective views. As it is not improbable that the result may largely influence the action of the Auckland members generally on this bill, it will be advisable to put Mr Hurst in possession of all available information on the subject. He will reach Dunedin to-morrow night."

An important notice of motion has been given by Mr Wright, member for Ashburton. It will be brought on on July 12th, and proposes that a board of directors should be constituted to have the management of the South Island Railways from the Blaff to Waikari: the board to consist of- five members, to hold office for five years, and one member to retire