COMMERCIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3608, 24 April 1886, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

NEW ZEALAND MARKETS. Tho Now Zealand Loan and Jloi'cj.uti!o Agency Company, Limited, report on tho produco markets of Now Zealand, under dato April 22nd, ISBG, as follows :— WOOL. Dnnedin. — Sinoo onr last report, a fow small sales havo boon held, about 250 bales m all being disposed of. Competition was active, and prices realised woro qnito equal (quality considered) to those obtained at earlier sales. Tho season may bo considered closed ; tlio odd lots coming to hand after this will bo offered at our weekly skin sales. Christchurch. — Thero is vnry littlo wool coming to hand now, tho aeaso:i living virtually ceased. Some mrmportiiut s:ih-3 of oddmants and lambswool haw boon hold during the month, at which fnir prices wcro secured, considering the nnpjirallorl depression existing- ia tho Home market. Tiraarn.— Only buck- country clips and fellroongors' parcels aro now coming to hand. Tho quantity of wool pas-ed through Timarn dnring tho past season mis considerably m oxcoss of previous years, plain!;, 1 denoting a marked increase m tho attention given to woo!- --■ growers m tho district. ( sheepskins ■ Dnnodin. — Our regular weekly auction sales continno to bo well attended, but owing to thu unsatisfactory report 3of the London wool sales now being held, buypra oporato v.il.h groat caution. Country dry skius aro slightly easier, bnt butcher.-)' green crossbreds nro Btoadily advancing, prices now ranging from 1b lid to 2s 2d, merino Is 31 to Is 6d. Timara. — Lato unfuvourablo advices from London of the state of the wool market have oansed a drop iv tho prico of sheepskins. Privatoly and at auction we havo cleared a largo quantity dnriug the past month. Ltite.it ] prices obtained aro as follows : — Half and cross brod (butchers' and freezing skins) up to 2s Id, merino do la sd, lamb do 2s, country skins up to 3s Id. TALLOW AND FAT. Dunedin. — A fair local demand exists, and consignments moot with ready salo, but at prices m sympathy with tho low rates now ruling m the London market. Presont quotations here are— For inferior 10a to 13s, medium Us to 16s, prime 17a to 18s, and rough fat Gs to 9s per owt. Christehnrch. — Values lately ruling aro onl3' maintained with difficulty, tho abnormally large stocks m London will havo to be materially reduced beforo improvement m prices can bo expected. Timarn. — Tho market continues m a very depressed state. Sales aro difficult to effect. Wo have quitted a few lino 3at 7s 6d per cwt for rough fat. HIDES. Dunedin. — Dnring the last fortnight an inoroaaed demand has boon apparent, resulting m a slight advanco on previous rates. The market is now firm at from 4',d to 4Jd for good conditioned heavy hides, JWJlbs ami upwards light and medium weights 3d to Id. Christchurch. — For heavies, which aro m rather short supply, thoro is a strong demand, a line from a shipment of frozen beef has changed hands at a satisfactory all-round price. Timarn.— Wo have to noto a slight advance m prico dnring tho post fortnight, good, clean, well flayed, heavy hides still command top values. Wo havo quitted :i considerable number at up to <ljd for heavies and 2id to 3Jd for light to medium. GRAIN. Dnnodin. — Tho unfavourable weathor which set m towards tho end of last month has continued close up to date, and it is only within tho last few days that any progress could bo mado with loading mor threshing ; consequently, iustoud of an early harvest, it is very lato, and, unfortunately, a largo quantity of damaged grain must result. Wheat — This markot has been steadily improving sinco our lust, both shippers and millers oporating more froely, and a3 it is certain the quantity of good milling wheat is much curtailed, owing to weather influences, present prices are likoly to continue firm. Sales of volvet and Tuscan havo been made at 33 8d to 3s 9d, good red wheat 3s (iJ to 3s 3d, ex store, bags weighed in — f-o.b. Port Clialmers 2d per bushel oxtra, at Dnnedin Id extra. Medinm samples aro hard to place except at chickfeed prieos. Dolivories aro still nnimportant. Oats— Sinco the weather has taken np, deliveries are assuming larger volume, but the market continues inanimate, and growers prefer holding m tbo moantime, midor the impression that a very largo quantity will not be suitable for outsido markets, and that wellgrown bright samples will command higher prices oro long. Present quotations are — For stout bright milling 2s to 2s Id, short bright feed 2s, medium Is lOd to Is lid, ex store, bags woighed in — f.o.b. at Port Chalmers lid per bushel extra, at Dunedin Id extra, but to effect sales Id to 2d would have to bo conceded. Barley — Business m this lino continues very inaotivo, and although thero are buyer* of prime malting samples, tho prico offorcd is low, §3 to 3s 3d, ox storo. Uufortunatoly, very few such samples como to hand, tho bulk being thin and discoloured, and for which thoro is very little demand. Olirifltoburoli— Wheat— Dnrinjr a few days early m April the enquiry for winter w'leats slackened, and prices -gave wav a nounv ncr bushel. With diminished oltering.^how'e^er tho markot has rallied somewhat, Uioun-u prices havo not recovered their formor lev™! Tuscan has continued m nctivu r"niie--t it ml io 3s sid f.o.b. for prime lut;;. ' O.its— There is very little alter .itbu t-j not-'.

tho market is slightly firmer, large shipments having 1 beon mado to South Australia and Queensland. Barley — The araonnt of business passing is almost nil. Prime malting is saleablo at 3a to 3s -id, with very little offering. Second quality has a dragging salo at 2s 6d to 2s 9d. Food anil milling parcels aro m good request at 2s to 2s 3d f.o.b. Tiinarh. — Grain is now pouring into town, and a largo quantity is going into storo on owners' acconut. Wheat — Largo qnantitios havo lately i changed hands, iniller3 buying freely— a pleasant necessity, arising from the fact that tho celebrated looally-made "Toller" flonr is m suoh demand that, working day aud night, they can barely supply the orders m hand. At prcsont shipping q notations for prime milling are — Tuscan 3s 7d, velvet 3s Gd, red chaff 3s sd, f.o.b. Timaru. Fowl wheat is m demand, but tho supply is small; sales havo beon made at up to 3s 3<l, f.o.b. Oata — A fair amount of bnsincss has lately been done m oats. Feed sorts (Danish and Tartars) aro worth Is 9d to 2s, short feed Is lOd to 2a Id, and milling 2s to 23 3d, all f.o.b. Barley — The domand is limited. Wo havo placed a fow lines of medium at 2s 6d to 2s Bd. Prime malting is worth 3s to 3s 3d, a largo quantity of the latter is m tho distriot. FKOZBN MEAT. Dnnedin. — The lady Jocelyn is now loading, tho hulk of hor shipment boing from Timaru, tho balance from fho Burnsido freezing works. Sho will take about 11,000 oarcases mutton altogether. Christchnrch. — Tho R.M.S. Rirnutaka is now receiving a shipmeut from the Belfast freezing work 3of upwards of 9000 carcases mntton and lamb. Tho next ship on the berth ia the s.s. Coptio, for which a cargo of somo 9000 to 10,000 carcases is now being prepared at Bolfast. Timaru. — The Mataura has just oompleted her loading at this port, having C,B7't carcases on board. A cargo is now being prepared for the ship Lyttolton, to load here next month, after which tho works will bo busy getting ready a cargo for a stcatnor m June-July.