Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume V, Issue 245, 11 January 1878, Page 12

Commercial.

Henry Driver (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company), reports for the weelc ending 9th January, 1878 :—: — ' '. , Fat Cattle. — The market waa again over-supplied with 240 head of from fair, to good quality, which being more than the trade was prepared, to t.ake without considerable reduction in prices, a few, pens had to be turned out. Best bullocks brought up to £12, do. cows £10 10s, the,. highest price obtained for best quality not exceeding 27s 6d per lOOlbs. At the yards we sold 60 head, and have placed 40 head privately during the week. . . ' Fat Calves'. — About 20 were penned, and there being little or no demand, most of them were withdrawn, a few lots selling at 20s to 30s. . ,". ' ' < ...,,' Fat ' Sheep. — As in the case of cattle this market 'was ' aiso overfeupplied with 2650 sheep^of all sorts, a portion of which were ( turned out, and will be held over, until next week. The pens taken by the trade realised from" 7s 6d to 10s 6d ; .one pen of a choice cross-breds, heavy weight, bringing as high as 12s 6d each, or prices equal to not over lfd per 'pound. At auction and privately we sold 600. Fat Lambs. — ,700 being penned caused a considerable reduction on last week's rates, best lambs realising up to 8s 6d, while ordinary to good quality were scarcely saleable at Cs to 6s. A few medium | pensi were turned but unsold. , j Store Cattle. — We' have no transaction to report. There is a fair inquiry for quiet well-bred bullock' s at up to .£7 ; do cows, £5. . Store Sheep.— There is a very brisk inquiry for cross-breds of er_ery description, ,and merino wethers or ewes. Cross-breds are saleable at from 5s to 5s 6d for lambs, 6s to 6s 6d for two-tooth ; 7s ip 8s for four- tooth, and upwards. Merino, lambs, 5s 6d to 65;,, d0. ewes, two,.fpur,.ahd six-top,th, 6s to 6s 6d ; wether,s, two, four, and. six-tooth, 55.6 d toss 9d. Aged merinoes^are dull o^ sale unless from flocks known to have been w.ell culled, and are saleable at from 3s 6d to 4s for wethers, and 2s 6d'to 3s 6d for ewesl During the week we have sold of various sorts 65G9r'' tra "« M -"" 1BM *»-- -"••'" v Wool.-rQn Monday last we,disposcd of a few, small lots of wool, when prices were well maintained. The lots realised as "follows: — JMc v greasy crossbred, Bfd, ; RN.^. greasy crossbred, 9£d;.PoverD, greasy merino and crossbred, B^d ; locks, and pieces, sd. We hold our second regular wool sale of the season on Tuesday next, when we will offer a large catalogue of every description. Sheepskins. — The sale ,was well, attended, and the competition wa* good,- although prices have not yet attained the prices got. about a month ago, still the tendency is upward, and we quote up to 5s 6d for cross-breds, 4 s 7d for merinos, Is 4d for lambs, and butchers pelts Ad each. t , , , Hides. — The aspect of the market is unchanged, with a fair supply forward. The prices continue firm at late'quotations. . Tallow. — A few lots of medium sorts and rotigh fat found buyers at very satisfactory, rates .that point to an advance in value. Quotations are— lnferior fat,, ISs 6d ; mixed and beef, 28s 6d : eood mutton, 32s to 32s 6d, ' . ,$, $ Grain. — In the expectation of' the harvest being soon to hand millers are very loath to buy, and we cannot quote any transactions In wheat, v but prices are still unchanged. Oats still command a deal of notice, and the supply, is very Jjmited^^We have sold a really good parcel at 3s 6d. Feed may be quoted 3s 3d to 3s 5d ; milling, 3s 6d. Barley there is no business to report, but we have had enquiries for prime malting. Mb. A. Mercer's market report for the week ending January 9. Retail prices only : — Fresh butter in £ and Ilb prints, lOd to lid ; extra brands, Is ; fresh butter in lumps, 9d ; powdered and salt butter, 9d. Although the market is well supplied with fresh butter there has beenji better demand and the price has advanced. Salt butter in keg, ! no demand at present. Cheese, best quality, old, lOd .to Is ; cheese) new, 8d to lOd. Side and rolled bacon, 9d. .Colonial hams lid to Is. English hams,, old, Is to ls,2d; new, Is 4d ; little or no demand. Eggs since New Year has been very scarce and advanced in price from Is 3d to Is 4d per doz. Mr J^ Vezey reports for the week ending Jan. 9, 1878, retail : Roasting beef, 5d to 8d per ft ; boiling do., 3d to 5d per lb ; stewing do, 4d to 6d per ft ; steak, 6d to 8d per lb ; mutton, 2M to sdper lb • veal, 4d to 8d per ft ; pork 6d to 8d per, ft' ; lamb 2s 6d" to 4s per quarter! ' " , ' , ' ', Mr J. Fleming reports (wholesale prices)' for the week ending Jan. 9, 1878, as follows :— Oats (feed) per bushel, 3s to 3s 4d. Wheat —milling, 5s to 5s 6d ; chicks, 3s to 3s 7d. Barley, maltine, 4s to 4s 6d; feed, 2s lOdt to 3s. Pollard, £6 per ton. Bran, £4 5s ba<*s ■ incLuded.. Flour, large bags, £14; small, £14 10s. Oatmeal, £17. Did Potatoes, £1 15s per ton. New Potatoes, 10s per cwt ' Old . Hay, £7 10s per ton. Chaff, £5 10s per ton. Straw, £2 per ton. Mb. Skene's labour report for the week ending January 9 : Nothing talked of now but hard work, fortunately there is plenty of it to be got, and also good pay. No excuse now for any man going idle. Shortly the harvest will demand every extra willing hand. When even those with little knowledge of country lifo can make a few pounds at the binding. Skilled trades of ail sorts are very sound. Ploughmen are in good demand and topmen get fine wages Shepherds arc reviving fast. Day labourers at road, rail, bush, &c. are well employed. As to female servants it seems we will never be able to use the, word " enough." Hotel servants in every department are well employed ; so are steamboat stewards, cooks, &c. Wages couples £70, £75, and £80 ; day labourers, 7s, Bs, and 9a ; masons, bricklayers, carpenters, 10s to 15s ; ploughmen, £52, £55, £60, and £65 • shepherds, £70 ; dairymen, 20s and 255 ; boys, 10s to 15s ; female servants, 10s, to 15a, 20s, 255, and 30s ; men cooks, 265, 30s, and 40s • shop hands and clerks, 30s to 60s : stewards, waiters, Sec, 40s to 60s '