COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1694, 4 February 1888, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

ASHBURTON MARKETS,

Mr E. G. Staveley, for the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, reports on the Tinwald sale, 31st inat., as follows: Small attendance and light entries of stock, about 1200- sheep being yarded. We sold mixed tat crossbreds, for Mr Wm. Anderson, 6s 6d ; fat ewes, for Mr J. C. Whaley, 4s ; and fat lambs for the same owner, 5s and 6s Id. Other sales were ;—Pat merino wethers, 4s 3d ; and small mixed two-tooth, 3s sd. We sold fat steers and heifers for another client, at £4 7s.

CHRISTCHURCH CORN EXCHANGE

The Corn Exchange reports for the week ending Friday evening, the 3rd inst. :

Oats and ryegrass seed are now offering freely. Prices, however, are sadly against growers, which has had the effect of lessening business considerably, many holders preferring to hold back in hopes of an improvement in values. It is reported that the yield of oats has not reached anticipations, but the quality of samples exhibited is certainly an improvement of those of the past two seasons. Farmers are now chiefly busy with their wheat harvest, which looks uncommonly well and promises heavy yields. It is not expected that samples of this cereal will be on the market for another three weeks’ or a month. The hail storm on Tuesday has done considerable damage to individual farmers but fortunately it was localised. Wheat —A good many sales have been effected during the week, chiefly for prime pearl and hunters, to local millers at from 3s Id to 3s 2|d. Tuscan is very much neglected, buyers not caring to touch it at over 3s Id, and this price is only given to complete orders on hand. Chicken wheat has a good inquiry at 2s lOd to 2s lid for whole, and 2s 6d to 2s 7d for broken. Oats—Old lines are being cleared slowly at Is 8d for short heavy feed; new oats are offering at Is 6d to Is Bd, but up to the time of writing few sales have been effected,

Barley —We hear of a sale of the riew season’s growth at 4s, delivery to 1)e prompt. We expect that this figure will be maintained for prime samples. There are rumors that it is the intention to import from California, so that farmers should be careful not to overstep the mark with regard to prices. Ryegrass —Numeraus sales of small lines of farmers’ parcels have been effected at Is lOd to 2s 3d. Most of the large parcels, however, are being held back for improved prices. Cocksfoot A few lines have changed hands at 3d to 3£d for bright heavy seed. Dairy Produce —Butter is quiet at* to sd, and cheese is in no better demand at 3d.

The above prices are those paid to farmers and delivered f.o.b, Lyttelton, sacks extra.

CHRISTCHURCH STOCK MARKETS,

At the Addington yards on Wednesday large entries of stock, but only a moderate attendance o£ buyers. Fat Cattle—Demand anything but brisk, a slow dragging sale taking place; values remain about as lately quoted, viz., from 15s to 17s per 1001 b, according to quality. Steers sold at from £4 17s 6d to £5 10s per bead, heifers from £3 to £5.

Store Cattle —A moderate entry. A line of thirty-months-old heifers sold at £3 10s per head, and other lots, mostly small lines, at late rates. A small lot of dairy cattle met with a poor inquiry; values unaltered. Fat Sheep—A good number yarded, quality varied. The market opened fairly well, but got very weak towards the close. Yalues fell slightly. Crossbred wethers sold at from 7s to 9s 4d; balfhreds, 6s 6d to 7s lOd; crossbred awes, from 5s to 8s; merino wethers, 5s to 5s 6d, being at from lid to l|d per lb according to quality. Lambs—A large entry; quality varied. The best sold at from 5s Gd to 6 s 6d, one pen of extra superior weight and quality to 7s 6d; inferior to medium, 2s 6d to 4s 6d each, Pigs —A small entry; late rates well maintained. Porkers sold up to 2§s each; stores, 8s 6d to 15s.

DUNEDIN PRODUCE MARKETS.

The following is the report for the week ending Wednesday .* — "Wheat —There is very little doing in the local market, millers being desirous of clearing off stocks in their bands pending the arrival of the new crop, the harvesting of which has already begun in the northern districts. Quotations; Prime milling, 3s 6d to 8s 7d; extra, Id more; medium, 8a 2d to 3s 3d; inferior and fowl wheat, 2s 9d to 3s Id.

Oats —There is very little demand. Stocks, however, are small, and arrivals .are just about sufficient to supply the local requirements, so that prices are steady at quotations below, say Is 8d for milling (Id more has been paid for a special line) ; bright short feed, Is 7d to Is 7|d; medium down to inferior and musty, Is 6d to Us 2d,

Parley—lnquiries are made for new crop, hut so far none has reached this market.

Potatoes —New kidneys are offering fr.eely at 45s to 50s per ton. Other desci'iptiqnsj of early sorts quite unsaleable.

Ryegrass Seed—Some small sales have been made, and with inquiries for export there is every prospect of a rise in values.

Chaff—Prime oaten, 45s to 50s; inferior and medium, 20s to 25s per ton, almost unsaleable.

Sheepskins —On Monday crossbreds sold at Is 2d to ss; merinos, Is Id to 4s 7d ; green pelts, 8d to Is Id; dry pelts, 2d to Is; green lambskins, Is 3d to la lid; dry do, Is 2d to 3s ; skins in bales, 4d to s|d per lb. Hides —Quotations: Light weights, 3d; medium, 3|d to heavy weights, 3|d to 4id; green ox hides sell at 17s to 225; green cow do, 12s to 17s 6d each. Tallow—Prices have advanced 6d to Is per cwt in best rendered. Rough fat is also in brisker request with a corresponding rise. Quotations: Prime rendered tallow, 16s to 18s; medium, 14s to 15s; inferior, 12s to 13s ; and rough fat, 8s 6d to 11s 6d for best, 6s to 8s medium quality.

DUNEDIN STOCK MARKETS,

At the Burnside Yards on Wednesday the following business was transacted

Fat Cattle—l4l yarded, mostly medium quality and weights. There was rather brisker bidding than of late, with an advance of about 10s a bead over last week’s ruling rates. Bullocks sold at £3 12s 6d to £7 17s 6d; cows, £3 10s to £7 2s 6d. —Donald Reid and Co. sold for Mr K. F. G-ray (Temuka), 14 bullocks at from £5 to £7.

Fat Sheep—The market was supplied with 450 merino wethers of useful quality and 2209 crossbreds, about half wethers, in prime condition, the rest ewes, ranging from small and inferior to heavy weights. Prices again fell from 6d to Is a head. Crossbred wethers sold at 6s to 8s 6d (an odd pen extra a shade more) ; crossbred ewes, 5s to 7s 9d; merino wethers, 3s 6d to 7s.—Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co. sold for Mr John Douglas (Waihao Downs) 50 crossbreds at from 7s 9d to 6s 3d. Messrs Eeid, Maclean and Co. sold for the Waimate Estate 131 crossbreds ewes at 6s 9d,

Eat Lambs Best sold at 6s to 6s 9d; others, 4s to 5s 9d.

Pigs—Only 44 in. These were suckers and prime porkers. The former fetched 10s, and the latter 29s 6d to 4Bs for heavy weights.

AUSTRALIAN MARKETS,

Sydney, Feb. 2,

Maize has declined, and is now worth 3s 9d with a prospect of a further decline. The market is dull. Potatoes are £3 to £3 10a per ton. Onions are easier, and the market dull. They are quoted at £2 15s to £3, Other lines are unchanged.

Adelaide, Feb.- 2

Wheat is quoted at 3s 3d, flour (roller made) at 9s lOd. Oats are on the decline and prices are from 2s Id for old to 2s lid for new crop. Stout bran is quoted at 7^d.

ENGLISH MARKETS,

London, Feb. 1,

New Zealand frozen mutton is selling at 3fd, and New South Wales at 3|d.

Butter is selling freely at a decline of 8s per cwt. At the wool sales 11,000 bales have been offered, and nearly all sold. The market is strong, and prices have advanced a fraction.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, have received the following cable message from London, dated January 31st, 18SH :

Wool —The sales opened this day, with spirit, at the level of last sales, \ For crossbred the market is firmer. Competition by both Home and foreign buyers is active. Though demand on German account is active, that on French account is only moderate. The J sales comprise about 275,000 bales.» Seventy-five thousand bales have been sent direct to the manufacturing districts.

Wheat —Market is depressed. New Zealand average and long-berried are worth respectively 33s and 31s per 4961 b.

Leather—Market firm, and best sides are worth lid per lb. Frozen Meat—Market unchanged. Canterbury mutton is worth 3|d per lb.