Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 272, 19 July 1878, Page 15

Commercial.

Mr. Henry Driver (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company) reports for the week ending July 17th, as follows : —

The following fat stock cams forward at the yards to-day :—2Ol: — 201 head cattle, 1961 sheep, 6 calves. Fat Cattle. — The supply yarded was a fair one in numbers, but the quality was principally only medium, not more than 60 head being good beef, and these realising extreme rates. Best pens of bullocks brought from £13 to £18 10; do cows, £8 10s to £15— or fully 40s per 1001 b for good quality, and from 32s 6d to 35s for medium. Fat Calves. — These sold at from 15s to 555, according to weight and quality. Fat Sheep. — The moderate supply forward consisted of very prime cross-breds, and also a quantity of merinos. Best cross-breds brought from 16s to 21s 6d ; do merinos, from 9s to los — the latter being a very fine draft from the North— or equal to fully 3£ per lb for prime mutton. Store Stock. — There is no alteration to report,

Wool. — We have not received any cabelgrams from our London office since our last report. By the San Francisco mail just to hand we have price catalogues of the first eight days of the May and June series, from which we gather that the decline from the closing rates of March was greater than the cablegrams had led us to understand, more particularly in cross-breds and scoured, being fully Id to l£d, and in some faulty descriptions of cross-breds, 2d to 1\ per lb, the advanced price which has taken place during the progress of these sales, and which our latest cablegram reported they had closed firm at, does not more than re-establish the closing rates of March. The outlook for the autumn sales is more hopeful, as trade in the manufacturing districts was improving, which for a long time had been greatly depressed, and when the mail left large failures were taking place as a consequence. Sheepskins.— We catalogued 1500 on Monday at our weekly auction, mostly country slaughters, for which we had brisk competition, prices continuing to show an odvance on last week's rates. Cross-breds sold at 3s Gd to 4s ; merinos, 2s 8d to 4s ; full wool, ss. Hides are unaltered in value good conditioned wet-salted bring

Tallow.— Demand slack, prices having declined Is to Is 6d per cwt. in London ; shippcrs«expect a corresponding reduction in this market. We sold a prime lot of mixed at £29 per ton. We sold a prime lot of mixed at £29 per ton ; but dark and inferior tallow is very difficult to sell. We quote good to prime, £27 to £29 ; medium, £24 to £2G ; inferior, £18 to £22 ; rough fat, 21s. Grain.— Wheat is without enquiry. The improved tone of the London market may firmjthe market a little. _ At present there are no buyers except for very choice qualities, or job lots at low figuies. Quotations are nominal. Best milling, 4s 3d to 4s 6d ; medium, 4s ; inferior, 3s Gd to 3s 9d. Oats are quiet. Good demand for seed qualities. With a better supply, and a slight concession in price, shippers would be in the market. We offer to-morrow 500 bags from Rivcrton district, without reserve. Present rates 3s 9d to 3s lOd, feed ;4s seed and milling. Barley is unaltered in supply or value ; transactions for want of supply are small. Good to choice malting, 5s 6d to 6s ; medium, 5s to 5s 3d ; milling, 4s 6d to 4s 9d ; feed, 3s Gd to 4s.

Mr. Skene reports for the week ending July 17, as follows :—: — Plenty of employment in every direction for plain hard working people. There is a decided scarcity of skilled ploughmen, and the want is increasing and will increase. Shepherds are now asked for. The building trades, and most skilled workmen, are well employed. Female servants in every line of life are very much needed. Couples for stations and farms are always wanted. Most of our late arrivals are more suited for city life, than country ; this is a mistake. There is less discontent this winter than usual. Wages— boys, 6s to 10s ; couples, £75 to £93 ; ploughmen and shepherds, £60, £65, and £70 ; bricklayers, 15s ;. cooks, waiters, boots, grooms, gardeners, 20s to 30s ; female servants for private houses andjhotels, 10s, 12s, 15s, 20s, to 30s. Mb. J. Fleming reports (wholesale prices) for the week ending July 17th, 1878, as follows :— Oats (feed), 3s lOd to 4s per bushel. Wheat —milling, 4s ; chicks, 3s to 3s id. Barley, malting, 5s to 5s 6d ; feed 3s to 3s Od. Pollard, £3 10s per ton. Bran, £5 10s. Flour, large bags, £11 ; small, £11 I(>3. Oatmeal, £20. Potatoes, £3 10s per ton. Hay, £5 per ton. Chaff, Hi 10s per ton. - Straw, £2 per ton. Mr. J. Vezy reports for the week ending July 17th, 1878, retail : Roasting beef, 5d to Sd per lb ; boiling do., 3d to 5d per lb ; stewing do., 4d to Gd per lb : steak, Gd to 8d per lb ; mutton, 3d to 5M per lb ; veal, 4d to 8Q per lb ; pork, 6d to Bdper lb ; lamb, 2s 6d to 4s per quarter.