COMMERCIAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2253, 6 May 1897, Page 26

COMMERCIAL.

Of the Invercargill niatket tbo Southland Tiuio3 j reports:— "Daring the past wceli piices 'nave j rather gone, back for cats an! tke maiket hzs j consider* bly wrakeneJ, In DnneUin at last ( | Tuesday's stir* there was amnkei d fTereuce between tbe competition at and sines the Ftmou opened, and prices f->ll considerably. On Saturday last a laige number cf fatmcis submitle.l their samples in this inaikot, nnd genev: lly sold .i ( Rood prices, raDging from Is lt'Jd to 2s, accoulin., to distance from the povt. At present buyers v ' uot seem keen after tuts, anil r.ie oft'eiing id Its! money ; th« veasun nt t'\e fallO.oes i»pt seem to W,. owing 1o tbe n:sh ot oata intj the market, but Vas lieea cui&ea thiough failure of orders fiou\. aow youth Wale?, owing to that colony baying recently been visitf.d with heavy rains ; besides this the millers, who were forced at the op-ning of the season to buy oats at any price to fulfil their oatmeal contract 0 , have now rillcl up their j requirements. At present we do not think values i will hold, but are strongly of opinion that the | reduced prices v. iil be only temporary, and we , look for au improvement in the markot shortly. Jjinseed : Theie is a strone demand for good samples, and from 4s 9d to 4s lOd is being offered at up-country stations."

A Wancanui telegram states that Me_3srs Jackson and Co. held a successful sale at Miss Watt's (Lilybank) of 300 of her stud ewes »nd lambs. Prices realised were : Fresh full-mouth Lincoln ("ye«, 37s to 45j ; four and six-tooth, 56s to 57s ; ■ii'ip, 275. J. B Sufctoa's aged lama brought ii; , 7 is?, and i7g^ ; Fred Sutton'a four year-old unit, 6jgs, 13gs, and J7"-gs.

JkE. Saunders has been buying up all the suitable mares in the Riverton district for transportation to Christchurch. On Monday 11 fine animals left by rail, Afeaars Allan Jones, J. Macfarlane, and A. Hannah all receiving very satisfactory prices for the animals. An unbroken colt by Saturn, which took first honours at Riverton as a foal, aud bred by Mr Jones, realised £20. The prices ranged from £30 to £40. — Riverton Star.

AUSTRALIAN COMMERCIAL. Sydney, May 5.

Wheat : Prime chick, 3a 3d to 3s 4d ; milling, 4s 6id to 4a 7id. Flour : Californian, £10 153 to £11 ; Manitoba. £12 10a to £12 15s ; local, £12 10s. Oats : New Zealand prime feeding, 2s 5d ; medium, 2s 4d ; seeding, 2s t'd. Maize, 2s sd. Barley : Cape, 33 2d. Peas : Prussian blue, 4s 6d. Bran, lOd. Pollard, !6id. Potatoes : Circular Heads, £2 15s to £2 17s 6d. Onions : Melbournecrown prime, £6 10s; New Zealand, £7 to £7 103. Butter is in brisk demand ; factory, Is to Is 2d ; creamerjvls Id ; New Zealand factory, lid to Is. Chee«e : Prime, 4d to sd. Bacon, 4Jd to sd. Hams : New Zealand, 9d.

Melbourne, May 5

Wheat (steady), 5s 9dtoss 9id. Flour, £14 17s 6d to £15. Oats : Algerian feeding, 2<s 2dto 2s 3Jd ; milling, 2s 4d to 2s 53. Maize, 3s Id to ds 3£d. Barley : Cape, 2s lOd ; English. 3s to 4s 4i. Br.n and polUrd, Is. Potatoes, £1 7s 6d to £2. Onions, £5 to £5 10s.

Adelaide, May 5.

Wheat firmer tone, but barest busiuess atso 3id to 5s 4£d. Flour, £13 ss. Oats: Dun, 2s 9d ; Algerian (stout white), 3s 6d. Barley : Cape, 3s 9d to 4s 3d; milling, 4s 6d to 5i 3d. Bian, Is 4d. Pollard, Is 6d.

ADDINGTON STOCK MARKET. j Christchurch, May 5. j Although there were heavy entiies in all classes } of stock and a large attendance at the live stock | market to-day business in nearly every depart- , nient, in sympathy with country markets, was of ■ an xmaatisfactory nature, so far as vendors were j concerned, for everything but first-class quality. ' Fat Cattle. — Th's class was in over supply, and as the entry consisted mostly of light weight" and • young stock the rates ruling were very low, and this result was helped considerably by the lack of competition. Prime beef brought 15s to 17s per 1001b, other sorts 12s to 14s. Prices per head i weie :-Steer?, £4 to £7 15s ; heifers, £2 53 6d to 1 £5 2s 6d ; cows, £2 17s 6d to £4 15s. !

Fat Sheep.— The entry was smaller than last week. Good freezing wethers, 12s to 14s ; mixed sexes, 10s 6d to 13s ; prims young ewes, 8s to lls 9d ; good trade ewes, 6s to 7s 9d.

Fat Lambs. — A medium entry contained a larger proportion than usual of lines which should have been in the store pens. Really good freezers alone held their own, selling at from 10s to lls lOd. There was lack of competition for trade sorts and inferior lambs, which brought from 5s 6d to 8s 6d.

Pigs. — This depaitment was well represented as to numbers, but the proportion of really prime fats was smaller and a firmer tone pievailed, and froni 3Jd to 3£d per lb about representing prices ruling.

WEEKLY LIVE STOCK AND PRODUCE

REPORT.

Wednesday, May 5.

Fat Cattle.— Of the 164 head yarded to-day about one-third consisted of good to beet bullocks, bHt; none veiy heavy ; the remainder fair quality heifers, cows, and inferior bullocks. In consequence of many of the trade being stocked the bidding to-day was far from brisk, and cousiderably lower prices had to be accepted in all cases. The best bullocks forward brought £7 10s to £S 17s 6d, medium bullocks £6 to £7 ss, others £3 5i to £5 15s ; best heifers '£5 5s to £0 12;s Cd, medium £3 15s to £5, others £3 to £3 J2s Bd.— ,Stiion*ch Bros, and Morris sold: For the Glenham e'tats (Southland), bullocks (medium weights) at £7 10s, £7 5", £7 28 6d, and £6 ; other vendors, cows and heifeis at quo' ahons. — The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited) sold : For Mr William Ktik (East Tuieri), 1 pen bullocks at £8 ; Mr David Sutherland (Lochend), 3 bullocks at £6 to £6 17s Gd ; a northein client, 1 bullock at £7 12s 6d, 4 do at £6 12s Gd, 2 do at £5 12s 6d ; Mr Walter Smith (Blnckmount), 1 pen cows at quotations. — The Farmers' Agency Company yarded 77 aud bold : For Mr William Kirk, 5 bullocks at £7 17s 6d to £8 7s 6d, 3 cows at £5; Mr John Kirk, 5 cows at £'H 2s (id to £4 KM ; AlepsrK Kirby and M'Ritohie, 2 cowa at £5 to £6 17s 6d, 4 bullocks at£b" 5s to £8; Messrs J. A. Burt and Co., 20 bullocks, at £5 10s to £7 12a b'd ; Mesons M 'Covet in and Hauly, 14 bullocks at £6 10s to £8 17s Gd ; Mr W. Lindsay (for Otago Farmer*, 1 Cooperative Association), 4 bullocks at £7 10s to £7 12s 6d, 4 bullocks at £4 17s Gd to £7; Mr S. Grant (Middlemarch), 1 heifer at £6 17b G., 6 bullocks to £7 ss; Mr Hinkley, 2 cows at £2 15i; Mr Perniskie, 7 cows at £4 2s Od. — Donald Reid and Co. yarded 32 and sold : For Mr Jaiue3 M'Gregor (North-East Valley), 1 cow at £3 2s b'd ; Mr John Findlay (Findlayston), 3 cows at £5 10< to £3 5s ; Messrs Murray, Roberts, and Co, (Gladbiojk estate). 11 bullocks at £6 15s to £G ; Mr John Kirk, 1 cow at £4 32s 6d ; Messrs Ruthven, Gibb, Bayne, Townley, and others, 1G at quotations. — Dalgety and Co. (Limited) yarded 24 head, and sold : For Hon. R. Oliver (Corriedale), 7 prime steers at £6 5s to £8 17s 6d ; Mr R. Charters (Ury Park), 4 cows at £5 2s 6d ; Mr John Cummings (Camperdown), 4 bullocks at £6, 2 heifers at £i 7s 6d ; Mr John Campbell (Milton), 2 heifers at £4 12s Gd; other vendors, 5 head at quotations.

Fat Sheep. — To-day's entry numbered 2862, including 290 merino wethers. The crossbreds penned were mostly ewes of good to best quality, while of the wethers there were a few pens very prime. Sales opened at a slight advance on last week's quotations, but bidding slackened towards the close, when ewes were selling fully Is lower than lately quoted. One pen of extra prime crossbred wetherß sold at 15s 3d, and a line of two-tooth halfbred wethers at 14s to 13s 9d. Best crossbred wethers brought 12s 9d to 14s ; medium, 10a 9d to 12s Cd ; others, 9s 6d to 10s Gd ; best crossbred ewes, 9s 6\l to lls ; medium, Ss to 9s 3d ; others, 63 9d to 7s 6d ; and merino wethera at 7s 6d.— Stronach Bros, and Morris sold : For Mr Robert Rutherford- (Thorndean, Ida Valley), prime halfbred two-tooth wethers at 14? to 13s 6d ; and for Mr Alex. Douglas (Allanton), crossbred ewes at 103 9d — Ihe New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited) sold : For Mr David Peat (Mount Gowrie) 40 crossbred wethers at 13s 9d, 20 do at 10s lOd ; Mr Godfrey Foster (Milburn), "22 crossbied ewes at 10j o'd; Mr F. W. Pochin (Kirkleston), 30 cio-s-bred wethers and ewes at lls Id, 23 do do at 9s

•V ; :i northern client, 35 crossbred ewes at 10i CJ, 35 do Jo at HK Id, 110 do do at 9s 3J ; southern client, 40 crossbred wethers atul ewes a'j 13s 6d, 22 do do at 13s. — 'Ihc Farmers' Agency Company (Limited) penned 3f>s .-—For Mr R. P.iteivon, jun. (Hillend), 60' crossbred ewes at 9s 3i to 9s (id ; Messrs Brown Bros., 3J do wetheis at Qs Od, 40 meiino do at 7s Gd ; Mr A. C. Thompson, £4 crossbred do at lls 4d to 12s 9.i ; Mr R. Sampson, 142 crossbreds to 12s ; Mr Jn.3. Gow (Invermay), 1 small pen at 10s Gd.— Donald Ri in and Co. yarded SOS, aud sold : For Mr Win. Lamb ( I'apamu), 48 crosbbred wethers at 15-* 3d to 14s Cd, 4 do ewes at 13s Cd ; Mr P. Fletcher (Middlemaich), 11 do at 10i Gd ; Mr Wm. A'ian (MuldleirMrch), 9 do and wetlieis at 9s ; Lee ivLit station, 121 crossbred wethers at 10s Id to 9s; Mr Joseph Allan (Hopehill), 24 do ewes at 6<= 9d ; Mr John AlUn (Tauriraa), 125 do and wethers at lls Id to 103, 7S crossbred ewes at 9s to Sa ; Mr Wm. Grant (Clareinch), 30 do at 5s ; Messrs A. and J. Boyd (North Taisri), 39 crossbred wetheis at 14s 3d to 10s 9d, 153 quarterbrud do at 8s to 7s lOd ; Mr Macandrew (Green Island), 75 crossbied wether- and ewes at 10s to Oa, 60 do ewes at 4s ; Mr S. Rolliuson (Whare Flat\ 31 do and wethers at 5s 9d.— Dalgety and Company (Limited) yarded 353, and sold : — For Mr D. Peat (Mount Gowrie), 60 prime crossbred wethers at )0a 9d to 13s Gd ; Mr K. Jeffries (Flag Swamp), 193 prune do at lls 3d to 13s ; Mr (t. M'Djnald (Incholme), 13 mixed ewes and weth> ,at lls 9d ;Mr Stephen M'Cartby (BeecbKrove), 80 piime crossbred ewes at 10s 6d to lls 9d.

Fat Lambs. — There were 1299 penned to-day, and of these the greater proportion were only half fat to- store?, and these descriptions were difficult to place at satisfactory figures, while prime lambs for export were well competed for, and sold readily. One consignment bred and fattened by Mr Robert Kutherford (Thorndean, Ida Valley), brought from lls 6i to 12s 3d ; good average lambs brought 9s to 103 6d ; medium quality, 7s 9d to 83 9d ; inferior, 63 to 7s Gd.— Stronach Bros, and Morris sold a prime draft for Mr Robeit Kutherford (Thorndean, Ida Valley), 54 at 12s 3d, 25 at lls 9d, and 30 at lls 6d ; and for Mr James Landells ( Lakeside farm). 86 at 7s fid to 7s 3d —The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited) sold : For Mi- Godfrey Foster (Milburn), 33 at 8s 6d ; ft southern client, 50 at 7s 3d ; 259 at 63 to 7s Gd — The Farmers' Agency Company (Limited) penned 24 1, and sold : For Mr M'Herbert (BroadRcreß), 143 at 9s 6d to 10s ; Mr A C. Thompson (Otakia), 42 at 63 to 9s 6d ; Messrs F. Thomas and Co. (The Ten ace), 59 at 7s 6d.— Donald Reid and Co. yarded 256, and sold : For Mr P. Fletcher (Middlemarch), 52 at 9s 9d ; Mr William Allau (Middlemarch), 59 at lls to 103 3d ; Mr Joseph Allan (Hopehill), 91 at &t 3 1 to 7s 3d ; Mr Gilbert Buchanan (Green Bank), 5i at 7s 9d to 6s 9d — Dalgety and Company (Limited) yarded 281, and sold : For Mr W. Pearson (Moonlight). 110 prime lambs at 9^ 3d to lOi 3d ; Mr D. Finnic (Moonlight), 19 at 9s 9d ; Mr G. MD maid (Iccholme). 56 at 8s to 94 9d ; Mr Jno. Thompson (Wairio), 70 at 9s 6d to 10s; Mr J. Randells, 25 to 7s 6d.

Pig?. — There were only 132 to hand to-day, and nil classes sold in favour of vendors. There is a strong demand at piesent for baconers and stoics, and these could bo placed in any numbers, s-uckers sold at 7s 6J to 9s : slips, lls to 14s ; stores, 153 to 19s ; porkers, 25s to 30s ; baconers, 34s to 435 ; and a few heavy pigd, 48* to 52s.— Stronach Bros. and Morris sold : For Mr R. Finnic (Riccarton), one pen of slips at quotations. — The Farmers' Agency Company (Limited) sold : For Messrs "Perniski and M'Nab — porkers, 26s to 37s ; suckers, 10s.— Donald Reid and Co. yarded 36. and sold : For Mr John Wright (Mosgiel), 21 at 27s ; Mr A. Young (Breadalbane), 14 at 7s Gd to 7s; Mr Wm. Wooo, 20 at 9s fid to ss.— Dalgety and Company (Limited) sold 8 at quotations. Store Cattle.— Transactions recently have not been very exteusive. Although there are buyers for forward conditioned bullocks, prices asked are two high in most cases to allow a fair return for finishing.— Stiionach Bros, and Morris report having s.old during the week three lines at fairly satisfactory figure;?. Country S*les.—'{ he New Zeafand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited) report having held their regular auction sales during the past week at Clinton. Balclutha, and Milton, when a good yarding of sheep and lambs was presented at each of the above places, and the attendance being good a very considerable amount of business was put through. Both sheep and lambs were ivadily placed at pi-ices in favour of vendors. The salos effected at auction and privately comprised 7300 lambs and 5154 sheep with a few hend of cattle, also horses— all at full prices.— The Farmers' Agency Company (Limited) sold by auction as under :— At Clintou, on Thursday last, 3157 crossbred wetbers to 12s lid ; ewes, 4s 6d to 10s 3d ; lsmbs, 4s (3d to 7s Id A. At Gore on Tuesday, 4th inst., we peuned 3304. and sold as follows : Wethers, 83 Id to 11< Gd ; ewes. 5s 9d to lls ; lambs, 5s lid to 8s fid ; boilers, 23;2 3 ; merinos. 2s to 3i ; and private'y during the week 5550. Total for the week, 12,311.— Dai.ghty and Company (Limited) report having held their monthly sale at Palmerston on Tuesday, the 4',h inst. The:e was a good attendance of buyers, and as the sh>rp offered were of the class most in demand at present, a very good sale resulted —^ne of the best that has been held in Palmeroton this season. In all we yarded and sold 883 sheep at the following range of values "• — Two and four-tooth ciossbred wethers at 10s 3d to lls Id ; 2 do (small), at 7s lOd to 9s ; two-tooth do ewes, at 10s 6d ; aged do, at 7s Id to 7s 6d ; crossbred lambs (small), 4s Id to 4s 9d. There was also a large entry of cattle, but as the demand for these was very slack, the bulk of them were passed in. Country Sales.— Donald Reid and Co. report : AYe held a special autumn horse fair and stock bale at our Taieri saleyards, Allanton, on Tuesday last, the 4th inst,, when we submitted a grand entry of well-bied first-class heavy draught colts and fillies, and rf backs and roadsters (broken and unbroken), and a largo entry of sheep and cattle. There was a record attendance of buyers in quest of the first-class stock we were enabled ti offer, and under very spirited competition neaily all the heavy draught horses, and most of the young and unbroken hack", were speedily disposed of. The whole entry of draught horses was much above the average, but among the many veiy choice coltß and fillies that were offeied special mention should be made of the two jeally grand thr< e-year-old fillies, and the three-year-old colt bred by Messis J. and A. Wi's.oll, the progeny of Baron Salisbury, out of delected mares, and which sold at £3S, £27, and £28 respectively. Mention should also be made of the two grand two-year-old fillies and the two-year-old colt bred by Mr Robert Cullen, of Owhiro, ths piogeny of Lion King, out of Salisbury mares. These weie much admired aud keenly competed for, and for two-yeur-olds made the very satisfactory return of £28 10a, £28 10s, aud £25 10s respectively. Altogether the sale of horses throughout was the briskest and best sustained we have seen this season. All kinds of horses were in demand, but the one thing that was specially apparent was that the improved ijrice of grain has put our farmers in better spiiits and has awakened fuither enterprise in cultivation, and it was also apparent that it will pay farmers to breed good horse stock, as such will always command a ready market, and_ at fairly payable prices. The total entry comprised 47 horses, 152 cattle, and 621 sheep. Nearly all the heavy draughts and several hacks and unbroken r-ad-Bters found buyers at very satisfactory prices, the whole of the sheep and rather more than hal f of the cattle entered were also disno&ed of. Good draught horse/, young and unbroken, sold at £25 10s to £3S ; good young draughts, broken-in, £22 to £-24 10s ; aged, £10 to £13 ; hacks sold at £6 £0 £10 , two-tooth sheep, mixed sexes, 8* lOd each ; crossbred lambs (small) sold at 53 ; aged ewes and boilers, 1b 8d to 3s ; dairy cow?, in profit, at £4 to £6 35s ; bullocks, £3 10s to £5 153 ; yom.g cattle, £1 10s to £3 10s. We direct attention to onr clearing sale to be held on account of Mr John Allan, Taurinm on Thursday, the 13ch insl. ; al=o, on account of the WailioK estate on Friday, the 14th insl. For full pariiculais see Ola^o Witness and Diily Times. Dalgety and Company (Limited) report h?ving held their foitnightly sale at Balclutha on Friday, the SOth ulc, when they offered a very large yarding uf sheep and cattle. There was a large attendance of farmers, a consideiabls number of whom weie bent on business 'i he dem n:d right through the sals was good for all the better cla^&ss of she r p. but more particularly for foiward-coudi-tioned wethers, well-grown lambs, and youus

ewes. For these classes prices were fully equal to rates ruling at previous sales, but the demand if anything was weaker for inferior Saoits-. Cattle did not meet with much inquiry, forward-conditioned bullocks excepted, but wo cleared the whole of our entries at ,values given below. Our sales by auction totalled 4500 sheep and 60 head of cattle. The range of values was as follows : — Best crossbred wethers brought from 10s 6<\ to 12*, medium crossbred wethera from S,j 6d to 9s Od; crossbied lambs, tislOd toßs 4d ; do(small), 4s to 5s 2d ; do ewes, (3s to 7s ; two and three-year-old for-ward-conditioned si eers, £4 5s to £5 ; two-year-old steers and heifers, £3 to £3 5s ; yearlings, £1 4s. — Dalgety and Co. (Limited) repoit having held their monthly sale at Owaka on Thursday, the 29th ult. There was a very large entry of cattle, 239 being penned. The demand was principally confined to wull-grown, forward-conditioned steers suitable for turniping, other sorts being to a great extent neglected. Of the 239 yarded we sold 150 at the following range of values :—Forwardconditioned stsers, £1 to £5 ; two-year-old steers and heifeis, £3 to £3 10s ; small do, £2 to £2 10s ; calves and yearlings, 16s to £1 15s. Sheepskins. — Large catalogues were submitted this week by all brokers and cleared at sntisfacvory price 3. Best clean full-woolled crossbreds are worth 5d to 5Jd ; do merinos, 4fl to 4td ; hslfwoolled crossbred aud halfbred (well saved), 4d to 4Jd ; do merinos, 3Jd to 3|d ; dry pelts (best), Is to 2s ; inferior, 4d to 8d ; butchers' best crossbreds, 3s to 3s 4d ; medium, 2s b'd to 2s lOd ; inferior, 2s to 2-s 5d

Rabbitskins are now beginning to arrive in quantity, and a fairly big season is looked for. The quality of skins is improving rapidly, and local buyers are eageriy competing for all lots offered at auction. Prices ruling this week showed a slight advance on last quotations, some latelycaught fkins selling at 9sd per lb. Springs brought 6id to 8?rd ; summers, 4d to 5Jd per lb. Hides. — This market also shows a slight improvement, there being numerous inquiries for hides of all sorts. Best well-flayed ox hides, as usual, command most attention, and sell readily at from 3d to 3Jd ; medium ox hides, 2Jd to 2|d ; light ox, ljd to 2Jd : best cows to 3d ; others, Hd to 2Jd ; infer.or and slippy hides, Id to IJJ p>r lb. Tallow. — This market is firm at late rates, which may be reneated, viz. : — Best rendered mutton; 14* 6J to 15s 6i ; medium, 13a 6d to H3 ; rough fat, 8s to lls per cwt. Grain — Wheat : There has been some inquiry during the week for Tuscan and milling velvet. Values for prime quality remain unchanged, at which figures miller* are not disposed to do anything beyond a restricted business. Fowl wheat meets with geod competition. Quotations : Northern velvet, 4s Id to 4s 3d ; southern, 3a lid to 4s ; prime Tuscan and red wheat, 3s lOd to 3s lUd ; medium, 3s BJd to 3s 9Ad ; fowl wheat, 2s to 3s 4^d (sacks in). Oats: The bulk of consignments, which are now on a heavy scale, ia comiDg in for storage, compiritively little being advised for disposal. Special inquiries are made tor duns and long Tartarians. Since last report saleshavo been rather more difficult to make at the quotations'then given, which, however, are practically unaltered : — Prime milling and seed lines, 2s Id to 2s 4rl ; good to best feed, 2s to 2s Id ; medium, Is lOJd to la lid : inferior and discoloured, la 6d to is 9d per bushel (sacks extra). Barley.— Satisfactory prices are obtainable for all offering at following quotations :— Good to best malting, 3i 9d to 4s ; fair to medium, 3s 3d to 3s 6d ; feed and milling, 2s 3d to 2s 9d per bushel (sacks extra, net).

Chaff. — Consignments are fairly heavy, and competition good for prini9 well cut sorts Medium quality meets with poor sale, and heated samples cannot be placed at any price. Quotations : Best oaten sheaf, £3 to £3 7s 6d ; medium, £2 Ws to £2 15s ; inferior, £1 103 to £2 per ton (bags extra). Potatoes.— Values during the week have been easier, best Dei wen ts bringing £2 17s 6d to £3 ; others, £2 10s 6d to £2 15s ; prime northern, £3 5s per ton (sacks in).