COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume III, Issue 152, 31 March 1876, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

Mk. He>*bt Deiveb, on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, reports a 9 follows for the week ending March 29, 1576 :— Fat Cattle. — 115 head were yarded of ordinary quality. This Dumber, being a short supply, were all taken by the trade at fully late quotations. Best bullocks brought from £9 10a to £13 each; ditto cows, £7 to £10 10». At the yards, and privately, we have sold during the week 45 head. We quote prime beef at about 30s per 1001 b .; medium, from 25s to 265. Fat Calves. — Only about 15 were penned, which sold at 15s to 65s each, according to quality. Fat Sheep. — A moderate supply of 1,200 penned, all of which were sold at fully lust week's prices, say, equal to 2Ad to 2f d for crossbreds, and 2id to 2^-d for prime merinos. At the yards, and privately, we have sold GOO at above rates. Fat Lambs. — 200 were penned, and eeld at from 5s 3d to 10s, according to size uud quality. We sold 60 at above prices. Store Cattle. — We have no alteration to note iv the value of this description of stock. Well-grown, quiet bullocks and cows are in demand at late quotations. Store Sheep from good flocks, not exceeding two-tooth, continue very saleable, and dining the week we have placed 9,000 at prices quoted belon — say, cro»3-breds, 4 and 6-tooth, at from 9s to 9s 9d; ditto twotooth, 7s Gd to 7s 9d ; ditto lambs, at from 63 to 7s ; merino wethers, two, four, and six-tooth, 5s 6d to 6s ; ditto full-mouthed, 3s to 3s 6d ; merino ewes, two, four, and six-tooth, 6s to 6s Gd ; ditto full-mouthed, 2s (5i to 3s. Wool. — A drices of the opening of the second set ies of the London sales on the 28th hist, are anxiously looked for, but as yet no cable* grams are to hand. There is nothing offering in thi9 market. Sheepskins.— We offered a catalogue of 1,200 this afternoon at our usual weekly auction, which were well competed for, and brought slightly advanced rates, principally dry station skins, cross-breds selling up to 03 od ; merinos, 4s 9d each ; butchers' mixed pelts, from 14d to 19d each ; lambs, la to 2s 6d. Hides arc dull at lute rates, medium quality selling from lGs to 19s ; inferior, 13s to 15s — or equal to 4d per lb. for wet silted. Tallow. — We placed a few casks at last week's rates — 28s 6d for fair country rendired. Grain. — Wheat : Prime milling is in fair demand at 4s 6d; deliveries are still small. Oats are much sought after ; good feednew, Is lOd to Is lid ; milling, 2s. Considerable shipping orders are waiting at the out ports, which would be executed here it our local farmers would supply the market. Barley is dull, brewers only purchasing for immediate working, anticipating large supplies ; but as it is well known by groweis that a large portion will be unfit for malting purposes, good iiright samples will command good value*. We quote 43 Gd (or fair malting to 5s for very choice. Mil. Skkne reports for the week eDdin? March 29, 1876, as follows :— Business in the laoor nmrket is resuming its usual activi'y; Country demands for faun and station increase daily. There are plenty people seeking work, but very few are suitable for the leading wants of Otago— viz., arable farming. Late arrivals by the Wellington seem the right sort. Couples are still too plentiful. Female servauts of ability, very scarce. Shopmen and clerks seldom asked for and poorly paid. Wages— Couples, £65 to £80 ; shepherds, £60 to £70 ; ploughmen, £55 to £(io ; milkers and knockabouts, 15s to 25s per wce'k ; duy labor — road, quarry, bush, and rail, 8s and 9s per day J house girl*, 10s to 15s per week; hotel do., 15s to 303; boys and girls, 0s to 10s per week ; storehand* and clerks, 30s to 50s per week. Me A. Jlekcek reports for the week ending March 29,1876 — Retail prices ouhj— Fresh butter in £lb and lib prints, Is 6d to Is 8d per lb ; fresh bu'uer, in lumps, Is 4d ; powdered and salt butter, Is 4d, Ihe di'mand for fresh butur still continues, and the quantity coming in from the different dis nets barely supplies the demand, and prices me still auvai.cing. S" t I. utter (provincial) in kegs is in good demand, 1 Is 3d per lb ; cheese, best quality. Is to Is 2d per lb ; side aud rollel I blcon Is Id to Is 2d per lb ; Colonial hams, Is 3d per lb ; English hams,' Is 6d to Is 8d per lb 5 eggs very scarce, 2s 6d per dozen.