COMMERCIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3329, 3 December 1883, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

S. C. Times Office, Monday Afternoon, Messrs Maclean and Stewart report for the past week as follows, viz.: — Horses—A small entry of draught and light horses were on Saturday booked at their yards for sale, only 35 having been submitted at auction. The quality was poor with few exceptions, and there was but little demand, and low prices were ruling. They placed about 15 head at the following prices B’or fair and medium draughts, £23 to £2B j light and inferior sorts, £l6 to £2O; ordinary hacks, £lO to £l6. Sheep—A good demand exists for almost all classes of store sheep, and a number of lots are likely to change bands as soon as shearing is finished. Prices asked by idlers are high, but as feed has become so abundant, and the certain market lor prime mutton at a high figure, owners are getting very full rates for their store sheep. They have had no auction sales during the week, but report private transactions pending. Fat sheep —Good crossbred wethers are worth about 15s, or equal to say 3d per lb, at which quotation several lots have changed hands. Cattle—Store cattle, hitherto a drug in the market for some time back, are at last enquired for, and there is now a good demand for almost all kinds, with the exception of old cows, which are still unsaleable at anything like fair values. Three-year-old steers and heifers are worth from £3 10s to £6 according condition ; yearlings and two-year-olds, from £2 to £2 10s. Fat cattle—These are much the same value as last week, viz., 25s per lOOlbs for prime beef. Wool and Bkins—Their usual auction sale was held last Wednesday, but as the season is nearly at an end, and farmers being busy shearing, a small entry was catalogued about 600 skins and a few bags and bales of wool were sold. Prices were rather lower than at the lost sale, several buyers being absent on account of the opening wool sale at Christchurch. Good medium skins fetched from 3s to Is; ordinary mixed lots, 2s 6d to 3s ; sundry lots of wool from 6d to 7|d per lb.

' Messrs William Collins and Co. report a good demand for all classes of produce during the week and at their regular weekly market and auction on Saturday. They quote:—Derwent Potatoes, 30s per ton ; holders are beginning to realise the fact that they should have sold early in the season; oats, Is 6d to Is 8d per bushel; fowl wheat, Is 3d to 2s per bushel; Californian onions, 25s per cwt; fresh butter, 6d to 8d per lb ; eggs, Is per dozen; hams and bacon, faulty 5d to 6d per lb; good samples are worth 7d to 8d per lb ; fowls, 2s 6d to 3» 6d per pair ; ducks, 4s to 5s per pair. Furniture and general sundries were sold during the day at good rates.