COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 185, 13 October 1876, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

Mr. Henry Driver, on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, reports as follows for the week ending October 11, 1576 :— Fat Cattle. — A fair supply of 120 head came forward for the weekly market. Nearly the whole of these were of from good to prime quality, and all sold at prices fully equal to last week's quotations. We sold on behalf of John Grigg, Esq., of the Ashburton, anotner draft from Messrs. Studholme Brothers 5 paddocks, 70 head in number, which averaged £W all over. Also, 20 head of primo cattle from the j Mataura, on account of I. D. Nicol, which averaged prices equally to fully 35s per lOObs., which may be quoted as the market rate for prime quality. We have also sold 35 head privately. j Fat Sheep. — A full supply of between 3 500 and 1600 enme forward, consisting chiefly of good quality cross-breds, which sold at rates ! about equal to last week's say — 12s 6d to 14s for best cross-breds, or equal to 2Vd to 2Jd per lb. We sold 300 at yards, and 300 privately. | Store Sheep. — Wo have no transactions of any importance to • report. Store Cattle. — There is now a very good demand for quiet well- , bred cattle for paddock grazing. At Mosgiel we sold on the 10th 200 , head first-class stores on account of Messrs Shanks and Watts, of the j Mataura. Bullocks averaged nearly £8 each, and cows from £4 to 1 £5 103 each. Wool. — By cablegram from our London office, dated 30th September, 145,000 bales had arrived for the next sales, which were advertised to commence on the 31st iust. Trade in manufacturing districts unchanged. Sheepskins. — We had a large attendance of buyers at our auction sale this afternoon, who competed briskly, at slightly advanced rates — best butchers' cross-breds bringing 5s 2d, and merinos, 4s 2d ; dry cross-breds, 3s Id to 4s 6d ; merinos, 2s 1 d (o 2s 9d. ! Hides were in improved demand, and brought Is to 2s per hide advance, more particularly on green butchers', the best slaughters I bringing from 22s 3d to 23s 9d ; wet-salted, 3£d to 3Jd per lb. Tallow. — We sold medium quality at £30 per ton. Very little | offering ; good demand. I Grain. — Wheat continues verj firm, and samples scarce at 5s 6d Itoss 9d ; medium qualities wanted. Oats : Supply still short. Feed | qualities are firm at 2s 2d to 2s 3d for choice heavy. Barley : There lis a little firmer tone in the market. Some sales of prime molting at !4s6d ; milling, 23 9d ; feed, 2s to 2s 3d. | Me. Skexe reports for the week ending October 11, 1576, as \ follows : — The labor market is now brisk enough, and it is safe to conI tinue so for the season just opening. Every good man and woman at j all suited to the colonies can now get work. The enquiry for couples iis still backward, but they will be wanted immediately. Hands for I business houses are more asked for. The timber and building trades are working up. Female servants of experience were never so difficult to be had. Single station and farm people are all needed now. Wages : Ordinary females, 10s, 12s, and 15s ;" upper ditto, 15s, 203, and 30s ; 1 couples, £65 to £80 ; shepherds, £65 and £70 ; ploughmen, £52 to < £60 ; day labor — road, raii, bush, &c, 8s and 9s ; dairy hands and i kno o kabouts, 15s to 25s ; boys and girls, 6s to 10s ; carpenters, 10s to 13s ; storemen, 30s to 60s. Mr. A. Mercer reports as follows for the week ending Octoter 11, j 1876, retail prices ODly : — Fresh butter, in -J and lib printß, Is 3d to Is i6d ; fresh butter, in lumps, Is 3d ; powdered and salt butter (new season), Is 4d to Is 6d. Fresh butter is now very plentiful, and prices still fulling. Cheese, of the best quality, Is 2d ; Bide and rolled baton, Is ; Colonial hams, Is 2d to Is 3d ; English hams, Is 6d to i Is 7d. Eggs are still very plentiful, and selling well at Is 3d par doz. I Messrs. M. and J. Meenan, George Street, report the following 1 as the latest quotations : — Flour — Large bags, £13 ; small do, £13 10s ] per ton. Oatmeal — £11 10 a per ton. Pearl barley — £22 per ton. Bran — £5 15s per ton, including bags. Pollard— £6) 10s per ton. Chaff — £4 person. Hay — £3 15s to .£4 per ton. Potatoes — £3 10s to £4 per ton. Carrote — £2 10s per tou. Wheat — 4s 6d to 4s 9d per bushel. Barley—23 9d to 3s 6d per bushel. Oats— 2s to 2s 2d per bushel. Cheese — 9d to lOd per lb. Me. J. Vezey reports for the week ending October 11, 1876 :— Uetail: li oast beef, 6d to 8d per lb. ; boiling do., 4d to sdperlb; stewing do., 4d to 6d per lb.; steak, 6d to 9d per lb.; mutton, 3d to 6d per lb.; veal, 4d to Sd per lb.; pork, 9d to lOd per lb.; lamb, 4s 6d I and 5s per quarter.