COMMERCIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2735, 27 December 1881, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

8. C. Times Office, Monday evening. Mr Moss Jonas reports for the past week as follows ; Horses.—For Saturday’s sale about 15 horses were entered. The attendance was above the average, and the bulk of the lots submitted changed hands at very satisfactory prices. He notes a little improvement in values, and quotes firsl-class draughts, £.25 to £3O ; useful farm horses, £2O to £23 ; hacks, from £lO to £2O; light, £6 to £B. There is no doubt in a montb or two good sorts will be required for harvest work. Cattle.—Prime beef may. be quoted at 22s fid per 100 ]bs ; medium are difficult to place at anything above store prices. He has no sale of any note to repoit, as the butchers had supplied -themselves with prime beef for Christmas. Store cattle in good forward condition are saleable at reasonable r tes.

Sheep.—Fat sheep ; The market is well supplied, and owners selling will have to submit to a reduction in prices, as the shorn sheep dre forced into sale yards. He quotes prime mutton at per lb. Pigs.—He sold 7 prime bacon pigs at 28s each; 50 weaners at from 6s up to 9s each.

Miscellaneous - —Business during the week was very active, the principal transactions having been large private sales of variom kinds of produce. His sale of furniture on Monday was very largely attended, and fair prices realised. His sale on Thursday,, of toys, &0., passed off very successfully; and his sale on Saturday of horses was better attended and altogether more spirited than lor some weeks past. The same liveliness characterised the general sale o! produce and sundries, every lot being well competed for, and consequently very good prices and a large clearance was the result of the sale.

Messrs Maclean and Stewart report for the past \\ cek as follows: Horses—A small entry of horses was received on Saturday at their yards for sale —18 head having c>me forward. They the demand very dull and few lots changed hands, and these at low figures. They do not anticipate much business doing in horses until the near approach of harvest, when they expect a considerable number of draughts will be required. They sold nine head, principally inferior draughts and light hacks, and quote values much the same as when they last reported. Oatt e— On Monday, the 19th inst, they held their usual fortnightly sale of cattle at the Washdyke, at which they sold most of the lots there submitted for rale, at the following prices, viz,—well forward steers, at from £6 to £6 17s fid ; cows, from £4 10s to £7; year-old cattle, at4ls. Fat cattle are somewhat easier in values, and may be quoted at from 19s to 21s per lUOlbs. At these quotations they have sold.

Sheep.—They have few transactions of importance as yet tc report in store sheep, the want of feed keeping buyers out of the market, and owners are still holding out for tr»p prices. They have sold several small lines privately, viz.—ooo cross-bred hoggets 380 mixed cross-bred ewes, lambs and wethers, 400 cross-bred ewe hoggets, all at satisfactory prices. Fat sheep are plentiful, and may be quoted at per lb. The privileges of the annual Caledonian sports were sold on Saturday as follows: — 2 general license booths, to Mr Flaherty, for £SO; 2 refreshment booths, to Mr 13. Toner, £26; right to sell cards to Mr Hurcombe, £7 ; right to charge at gates, to Mr Watson, £l4O ; making a total of £226, a sum verv nearly equal to what was obtained last year for the privileges.