COMMERCIAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5325, 1 August 1895, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

[Special to Pbebs Association.] LONDON, Jult 31. The total quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom ia 3,310,000 quarters, and for the Continent 1,070,000 quarters. The visible supply ia not quoted this week. At the wool salea the total disposed of included 158,000 bales for the home trade and 198,000 for export ; 34,000 being held over. All old stockß offered were virtually cleared. SYDNEY, Jult 31. i The meat market Bhows a distinctly hardening tendency, and prices are advancing. Best mutton shows a rise of from 23 to 3s on last month's quotations. > Butchers statethat really good sheep and '• cattle are hard to procure ; there is, too, a likelihood of a greater scarcity. The . drought, which is becoming very severe •: in grazing districts, continues. Graziers j rushed their surplus stock into the market j in fear of the drought, and there is now a J shortage. The large growing export of live and frozen meat combined must, it is considered, lead to a considerable rise before long. Graziers are also beginning to look for improved pricee. MELBOURNE, Jtjlt 31. The Age Bays that the expectation that the price of wheat in tbe world's market will continue to improve is inducing Victorian farmers to increase the area of cropping, and thin year there is considerably more sowing. ADELAIDE, July 31. During the past half-year the colony's export of cereals, chiefly wheat, decreased by 1,970,000 bushels na compared with laat year. The flour export increased 900 tons. New Zealand took 38,000 bushels of wheat and 240 tons of flour, showing a large increase. The total export of wheat was 2,560,000 bushels; flour 28,500 tons. The aggregate value, £466,000, shows a decrease of J8253.000 as compared with 1894. __________ The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, has received the following cable message, dated LONDON, Jult 30. Wool — The sales closed firmly. Since close of last sales the following descriptions have risen as under :— Coarse greasy cross-bred, Id to l£d per lb; greasy merino super, washed merino super, scoured merino super, greasy merino medium and inferior, Bcoured merino medium and inferior, fine greasy cross-bred and medium greasy cross-bred, sd told perlb; medium washed cross-bred, medium scoured crossbred, coarse washed cross-bred, coarae scoured cross-bred, greasy merino lamba super and greasy cross-bred lambs, id per lb{ washed merino medium and inferior and fine scoured cross-bred, par to id per lb. The total quantity sold during the past sales is 360,000 bales, of which 138,000 bales have been taken for the Continent, and 62,000 bales for America. It is estimated that 32,000 bales have been held over for future disposal. Wheat— Market inactive.