COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 203, 23 February 1877, Page 12

COMMERCIAL.

Mb. Heney Deiveb (od behalf of the New Zetland Loan and Mercantile Agency Co.) reports for the week ending February 21, »s follows :—: —

Fat Cattle. — 175 head were yarded to-day, a few only of which were of good quality, the balance being but medium. Although . this is by no means a large supply, it was the worst market we have had this season, and one-third at least had to be withdrawn or sold to graziers— due, principally, to the poor quality of the stocks. Best pens of bullocks brought from £9 to £11 10s ; do cows, £7 10s to 4510—0r equal to 26s or 27s per 1001 b. We sold 60 at the yards and privately. Fat Calves.— Twenty forwarded, and all found buyers at from 20s to 70s. Fat Sheep. — 2000 came forward, but the butchers having been so well supplied of late, sheep were very dull of sale, and only onehalf of those penned changed hands, at a slight reduction on last quotations. We quote best cross-breds at from 9s to Us 6d, or 2^d per lb No merinos forward. Fat Lambs. — 100 penned, and all found buyers at a slight advance on last week's rates — say, for best pens, at from 7s to 9s j medium, 5s 6d to 6s. Store Cattle. — We have no transactions to report since our last. Store Sheep. — There is a good inquiry for merinos ewea and cross-breds, and we have during the week sold 7000 at the following prices .- Merino wethers, two, four, and six-tooth, 5s to 5s 6d ; doj full-mouthed, 3s to 4s ; merino ewes, two, four, and six-tooth, 6s to 7s ; do, full-mouthed, 2s 6d to 3s 6d ; cross-breds, four-tooth and over, 7s to 8s ; do, two-tooth, 6s to 7s. Sheepskins. — Supply small, competition good. Full-wool merinos, 5s Id j green shearlings, Is 8d to 2s ; pelts, Is Id to Is 3d; lambs, Is 8d to Is lOd; station skins, 6fd per lb. Hides. — We sold about 100. No well conditioned shipping lots were offered. Wet-salted brought 3£d to 3|d per lb. Demand good. Tallow. — We sold several tons of country-rendered tallow. Very inferior sold at £26 10s ; medium, 28s 6d to 29s 6d. Wheat. — Scarcely any transactions have been made in new grain. Millers are buying in the country the best samples at 5s — equal to 5s 6d here — quality very soft. A very large proportion of the new crop that was cut before the storm, will be quite unfit for milling purposes. Oats aie in great request, but no supplies in town of old or new. At the outports 2s 6d is offered for shipping parcels in fair condition ; good old, 2s 9d to 3s, superior milling. Barley. — Market is quiet. Brewers hold large stocks, and are awaiting result of new crop before giving any advance on late rates. We quote good malting 4s to 4s 6d. The samples of this season's crop will not, with but few exceptions, compare favourably with last season's. Mr. Skexe reports for the week ending February 21, 1877 : — Affairs in the labor market are rapidly improving, and. work is plentiful, especially in the country. Town trades and business are slightly improved. Carpenters are pretty busy; buildings going up in every direction. Blacksmiths and the general iron trade seem to be worst off at present. Pick and shovel men are in good demand. Bush work is quiet. Hotel servants (male and female) are more asked for. Couples are slacker than usual. Shopmen and clerks are far too plentiful; no amount of writing and warning seems to keep them back Wages — Couples, J665 to .£BO, and foundj ploughmen, i 252, .£55, and £60 ; shepherds, £60 ; day labor, 7s, Bs, and 9s ; hotel servants (females), 12s, 15s, 20s, and up to 30s ; cooks, barmen, waiters, grooms, 25s to 50s; nurse girls and boys, 6s to 10s ; carpenters, 10s to 13s ; storemen and clerks, 30s, 50s, and 603 ; harvest bands, 255, 3 )s, and 40s per week. Sir. A. Merce reports a« follows for tlie week ending February 21, 1877. retail prices nly : — Fr sh butler, in -J- and lib prints, Is 3d to Is 41; froah butter in lumps Ud to Is ; powdered and sulb butter le ; fresh butter 13 not so plentiful, anl prices are expected *o advance. Cneese, new primp, I 3; old cheese, good, lOi to Is. Side and rolled bacon, lOd ; Colonial hams, Is 2d ; English hums, Is 6d ; egg 9 are now scarce, and retailing at 2s 3d per dozen. Me. M. C. Fleming reports (wholesale prices) for tho week ending February 21, 1577, us follows: — Oats (feed), per bushel, 2s 2d ; milling, 2a 3d. Wheat (chicks) 4* to 4s 6d. Barlej, malting, is to 4» 6J ; feed, 2s 6 I to 3s. Pollard, none, liran, £5, bags included. Flour, large bags, £15 ; small, £15 10. Oatmeal, £11. Potatoes, now, 5s Glto 63 per cwt. Hay (new), £3 10s ; old hay, £i per ton. Chad", £4 10a p»r ton. S:raw, ±2 per ton. Mb. J. Vezet reports for the week ending February 21, 1877:— detail : Roast beef, Gd to 8d per lb. ; boiling do., 4d fo 5d per lb ; stewiny do., 41 to Gd per lb.; steak, Gd to 9J per lb.; mutton, 3d to 6d per lb.; veal, 4d to Si per lb.; pork, 9d to lOd per lb.; lamb, 2s 6J to 3i 6d per quarter.