(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

Southland Times, Issue 3306, 24 January 1879, Page 2

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)

... . ..DtTNEDIN, Jan. 23. • :- Mr-Skenfe reports:—-Laborers, Bs, 9s, and. lOsj married couples, £76 to £85 j ploughmen .and shepherds, £GO, £65, and £70 ;,dairy people, 15s, i 2bk Jan:d'2ss v ■ female Servants, 10b/? 15s, 20s, 255, "and;3os; cooks, waiters, grooms, and-boots, 20s ..t0.,,505;- gardeners, 25s and. 30s;; carpenters, masons, and bricklayers, lls.tp 16s. Mr J. Bradshaw reports as; follows for the week ending. Saturday,; 18th inst.:—National Bank of New Zealand shares, £3 10s: Colonial Bankl, £2 10s y National Insurance Company shares, £1 5s ; Standard "Insurance Company shares, 19s; Union Insurance Company shares, ,12s 6d; Colonial Insurance Company shares, 3s 6d; ITew Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company shares; 50s paid-up, £5 15s; Walton Park Coal Company shares, ICs ; National Mortgage and A. Company shares, £1; Scottish and New Zealand Investment Company shares, 18s; . money secured on freehold property. 9 and 10 ; per cent, per annum. Christchurch, Jan. 23. 1 The past week was marked by extreme quietness, transactions being limited, and mostly confined to working off old stocks. Wheat market a:trifle easier, and few lots sold at prices ranging from 3s 6d to 3s 9d, no sales of new for forward 1 delivery. Oats (new) are offering at 3s Gd, but ' buyers are indisposed to give that price, though sales could be made in quantity at 3s 3d; barley, no sales reported. Flour remains at previous quotations. Grass seed, ranges at 5s to Gs, • according to quality. The weather during the week has been fine, and greatly in favor of har--1 vesting operations,which are njw in full swing 1 throughout the district. The late rains have ' given a great impetus to the agricultural and pastoral interests, and autumn feed will be plentiful. At the markets on Wednesday, 4100 sheep and lambs, 398 cattle, and 49 pigs were yarded. Sheep met with a ready sale at prices • equal to 2|d per lb, for first-class animals. Meat , in bnlk may be quoted at 2d to 2£d. Lambs, in , brisk demand at 7s to 9s Gd. Beef taken up . freely, best at 30s to 32s (id ; medium, 27s (id to ■ 30s. Store sheep, dull at sale ; but store cattle in increased demand at advanced prices, especially for forward bullocks and heifers, for which there is active enquiry. A fair amouut has been doing during the \ week. In sugar prices are firmly adhered to by holders at £27 ; Brown's, £30 to £31 10s; yellow counters, £30 10s to £32; yellow crystals, £S3 to • £34 ; fine white counters and crystals, £34 10s to £35 10s for snowdrops. Hennessy's brandy has been placed at 34s Gd and 30s; C. Y. C. is offer- \ I ing at 22s Gd and 7s 3d; Hines' case has been cleared out of the market nt equal to 29s Gd; ■ whiskey, rum. geneva, and gin show no business; ■ kerosene is without improvement, and cannot be 3 expected to recover so long as supplies continue j to pour in at the same rate as lately. The Signal and Helen Angier arrived during the week with upwards of 4000 cases. Prices range from Is to t Is 4d, Is 3d and Is lid in bond, according to - quality aud test. The James Borland and - Albert are shortly due, and will further augment 1 stocks to the extent of K>oo cases. Cornsacks f are in good demand at from 8s 3d to 8s 6d for 2 heavy weights in parcels of 50 bales, growers ) being supplied at 8s 9d. Wool packs are very quiet; cement is taken up as fast as it arrives, l rates are firm at lbs to 18s Gd; galvanised iron 1 and fencing wire are listless, with no prospect of c improvements till stocks are reduced.