COMMERCIAL.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3160, 29 March 1871, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Chbistciiuecii. — From the " Times" of the 27th we take the following :— Mr H. E. Alport reports a sale of produce afc his auction rooms, Hereford street, on Saturday. Chicken's wheat brought 2a 6d per bushol ; sharps, 4s 9d per bag of 12Olb8, equal to £4 per ton j bran, 2b 3d per baj* of 80lbs, equal to £2 16s 8d per ton ; bags, Is each ; inferior cheese, 2£d per lb ; Hobarfc Town applos, 4s 6d per case of 501b8. The Bamo paper of the 25th eaye : — Wo cannot report any alteration in either value of or demand for provisions. Butter continues fco be placed at 6d to 6£, and cheese afc 4±d to 4sd. JFarmer'a bams and bacon may be quoted at 8d to B|d, while for known brands as high as lOd has been roalised. The demand for wheat continues active ; superior samples for forward delivery are readily placed for 4s ; and for Btored lines of picked samples, for immediate shipment, 4s 2d to 4s 3d is the cur« ; rent price. The millers have great difficulty { in getting parcels to BUpply their local domands, and in consequence of the firmneßS of the •wheat market they have advanced the price of flour to £12. The large quantities of oats that hivo gone forward and are on the way to Melbourne have somewhat weakened quotations, bub if anything the values here are ft trifle firmer. (sh?od bright samples of potato have been fetching for forward delivery 2s Id to 2s 2£d, and as high as 2s 3d has transpired for completion of shipments. Tartarian rulo from la lOd to 1b lid, up to 2s, according to the wants of the buyer. Good bright barley is scarce at 3s ; few lines of this description offering, while inferior ranges from 2s 3d to 2s 2d. The "Lyttelton Times" of the 25th re ports : — Messrs E. Mitchell and Co. report on the live stock market for the week ending March 24th as follows : — Tbe slight improve* mont which we noticed in out? report of the

lOfch inefe., In the demand fttf Store stock, has gradually increased, and inquiriea fov both sheep and cattle are now numerous. A large number of sheep have obanged hands privately during tbo -week, and the lota submitted to auction have been keenly competed for. There is also a better demand for Btore oattle. Heifers near calving, and good sound young steers, are readily placed. Fat cattle are a shade higher, and altogether there is a decided improvement in our Btock market. The market on Wednesday comprised as follows:— 1471 sheep and 167 head of cattle. We yarded, at Smithfiold, 975 sheep and 18 head cattle, the whole of whioh we sold at the following prices :— 11 Norfolk Down rams, from 21b to 47s 6d each ; 18 Cotswold lamb rams at 27b 6d ; 830 old ewes, brokenmouthed, at 2s ; 616 half-bred Leicester lambs at 5b 6d each. Cattle : One pen weaners, from 8 to 10 months old, 35s per head ; one | pen yearling oteers, £2 17s 6d per head ; ono pen 2-year old heifers, £3 7s 6d per head. We quote mutton at l£d per lb for Merinos, and 2d per lb for half-breds ; prime beef, 21a per lOOlbs ; socond quality, 18b to 19s. Horßes : There is a little bolter demand for draught stock.