COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 130, 29 October 1875, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

Mir. SKE> T r: reports for the week ending October 27, as follows * The usual seasonable weather, expected al this time, has come, and has caused a decided improvement in the labor market. Work is offering on every hand, although in some cases the wages are not high, fetill it will lead to better. There is an excellent demand for all country bred people, and such need not stay in town for an hour. Couples are getting off ; fortunately we arc not so frequently assailed with the old cry — ■*' Wanted experienced couples guaranteed with no children." Tt is a mo-i unnatural demand. Shepherds are much esteemed just now. Mostly men for mustering are needed, of course with Al dogs. Micarers are taking the road; all old hands ha^e got their ground planned out. Female servants are not too plentiful yet, and will not be so fur many a day. Wages — Cooks, barman, waiters, etc., 25s to GOs per week ; shepherds, £G0 to £70 per annum ; ploughmen, £52 to £60 ; couples, £70 to £90 ; dairyhands and knockabouts, 15s to 25s per Aveek ; carpenters, 12s and 13s per day ; masons and bricklayers have the prospect of plenty of work j day labour, Bs, 9s and 10s ; house girls, £26 to £40 ; hotel do., £36 to £52 and more; useful boys and girls, storcmen, and clerks, 30s to GOs per -week. Mr. iIENKY Drive v, on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Merciutile Agency Company, reports as follows for the week ending October 27 :-- Fattle Cattle. — 152 head were yarded at the weekly sale, which I under ordinary circumstances, would not have been an over-supply ; j 6i of these, "however, being a shipment of very prime cattle from Wanganui, and sold without reserve, caused buyers to hold back somewhat in biddirg for other lots. The shipment referred to averaged £14 per head. During the day, best bullocks brought from £1 5 to £19 5s each ; fair to medium, £10 to £14, or equal to our former quotations of 45s per 1001 b. ; for prime quality, ordinary to medium, 82s 3d to 355. At the yards we sold 50 head, and have placed 40 head privately, at market rates. Fat Calves. — None forward. Good vealcrs continue in demand. Fat Sheep. — 1,500 penned, 1,000 of which were taken by the trade at 20s to 2ls Gd each, or equal to 41d to 5d per lb. At the yards we sold 530, and privately 60 J. Fat Lambs. — 50 were penned, and all sold, being small-sized and of ordinary quality, only realised at from 7s to 10s. We have sold 1,000 for forward delivery. Store cattle are still in good demand, and bullocks fit for grazing, in fair condition, are worth £6 to £8 10s ; cows, £3 to £5. We have sold 150 head, and have a very fine lot on the road from the South for sale by auction at Mosgiel. Store Sheep.— No transactions to report, but have for sale several superior lots for delivery after shearing. Wool. — Per Suez mail we have priced catalogues up to September 2, which, we find, fully confirm the advices per cable which, we have received from time to time during the progress of the sales, and which were duly reported. On close examination into the prices obtained for the various descriptions of Otago wools, we notice the decline to be a general reduction in value to the extent of 10 to 12J- per cent, on merino v\ool, cross-breds suffering to a greater extent — losi ug all the advance these wools obtained in May and June, leaving them now about equal in value with merino in an equally clean condition. The general depression in commercial circles caused by the heavy failures, together with such a huge stock, amounting to near 1300,000 bales, to select from, enabled manufacturers and dealers to bring wool down to a point that would enable them to manufacture goods without loss, which is borne out by the fact that after this was accomplished prices hardened, and tho sales closed firm at an advance of Id, on combing sorts. Sheepskins. — Our weekly sale was well attended by buyers ; crossbreus, green, bringing 5s 10U to 6s 2d ; merinos, 4s Si to 4s lOd. Dry skins — crosa-breds from 4s 9d to 5s 2d ; merinos, 2s 3d to 3s lOd. Hides are in good demand, without any alteration hi price. Green. hides, 21s to 2ls 6J ; inferior and light, 15s to 16s 6J. Tallow. — A few casks mixed sold at £20. Grain. — Wheat is unchanged in value or demand, 4s 6d for fair milling samples. Fowls' feed, 3s 7d to 3s lOd. Oats aro still declining in value, growers pressing them on the market. They must bo quoted over 2s dd for good feed. Barley. — We sold fair malting at 53 j season over, brewers full in slock.