COMMERCIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4996, 2 May 1889, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

(By Telegraph.) ADDINGTON LIVE STOCK MARKET. CHRISTCHURCH, May 1. The yards were well filled to-day with stock, and the attendance was as good as usual. SHEEP. Though the number of store sheep advertised for sale did not denote any special entries, there were a great ,many dealers’ lots, and but few sales were effected. Mixed aged crossbred ewes fetched 6s 6d to 7s sd, halfbred lambs 6s 4d, a line of recently shorn lambs 5s 7d, 2-tooth crossbred ewes 9s 3d, full mouthed merino ewes 3s 2d, merino wethers in forward condition 4s Id, a very good line of mixed crossbreds at 10s 3d. There was a very large entry of mixed sorts of fat sheep, a few pens of very good quality being noticeable. The sale dragged considerably at first, and buyers in want of good sheep nearly fit, were able to supply themselves at about Is 3d per head less than has been the case for the past three or four markets. Prices did not improve as the sale went on, and a drop of from Is 4d to 3s 8d must he recorded all round. Best wether mutton did not in any case realise more than Ifd per lb, while there was no line of ewe niutton that reached up to lid. There was a smaller entry of fat lambs, and no competition for anything but the primest. 113 sold at from 6s to 7s, and 10 at 7s 2d. A line of 484 medium sorts was withdrawn. CATTLE. The sale of fat cattle was notable for its vagaries. At the commencement some lines of decent quality were withdrawn at prices ranging from £4 5s to £4 17s 6d, but owing to an improvement during the sale the lots were resubmitted and fetched fully 7s Gd to 10s a head above that. Best bullocks reached £7, and heifers up to £6 10s, while smaller kinds sold in proportion. Taken throughout the I average rate was slightly reduced in price as compared with* last sale. Best beef only reached 17s. There was a larger entry of store cattle than has been the case for some weeks ; more lines of young stock offered. Good sorts of yearlings realised 3 r, a to 355, 2-year-olds 38s to £2 11s. A few 3-year-olds in forward condition reached to £3 Bs. PIGS, There was a very large entry of pigs, and a decided fall in prices. Best pork realised 4d per lb. DUNEDIN. May 1. Mr D, Stronach reports for the week ended May Ist, as follows : PAT CATTLE. 147 head were yarded. The entry compared favourably with the entries of the past few weeks, but although competition was fairly active, especially for prime quality, there was little or no improvement in the prices realised. Best bullocks brought £7 5s to £8 15s, light weight and medium to good quality £4 5s to £6 17s 6d, cows from £3 to £6 7s 6d, FAT SHEEP. 1931 were penned, only a couple of pens being merino wethers, the rest crossbreds, principally ewes, with a slightly larger number of wethers than usual. The latter and also good maiden,ewes were in better demand, and showed fully Is per head advance on last week’s prices, while ordinary and aged ewes, even of good quality, had less attention. Nevertheless they brought prices quite up to those obtaining last week. Best crossbred wethers brought 14s to 15s 6d, ordinary 10s 6d to 13s 63, best crossbred ewes 11a to 13s 3d, ordinary 7s 6d to 10s 6d, merino wethers 7s 9d.

GRAIN. Wheat—The market continues void of animation, and transactions have been unimportant, as millers are indisposed to do business at sellers’ quotations. Shippers are also unable to operate at the prices asked at present. Growers, however, are not inclined to accept any reduction on last week’s quotation, preferring to store for a time. Whole fowls’ wheat has a fair demand both for local requirements and shipment coastwise, and for this description full rates could be obtained. Quotations are—for prime milling red straw, velvet, and Tuscan 4s to 4s 3d, medium to good 3s 6d to 3s 9d, inferior to medium 2s 9d to 3s 3d, ex store, but very few buyers. Oats—Deliveries are now assuming large dimensions, and so many growers being anxious for immediate sale rather than incur storage, the tone of the market is much weaker, and although a fair demand exists prices are easier. Buyers are now purchasing only sufficient for present requirements, or as much as they can secure shipping space for. Quotations are—for prime milling bright and full 2s 6|d to 2s 7d, best short feed 2s 5d to 2s 6d, medium 2s 4d to 2s sd, Danish, poor demand 2s Id to 2s 4d, ex store.

Barley has only a very moderate demand. Malaters only operate when extra prime samples are offered ; shippers the same. Medium samples have no attention except for milling, for which the consumption is limited. Quotations arc—for prime malting 3s 7d to 3s 9d, medium 3s 3d to 3s 6d, ex store.