Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VI, Issue 282, 27 September 1878, Page 15

Commercial.

♦ Mr. Henry Driver (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company) reports for the week ending September 25th, as follows : — The following fat stock came forward at the yards to-day :—: — 109 head cattle, 1450 sheep, and 12 lambs. Fat Cattle. — The supply was not sufficient to meet the demand, and prices again advanced at least 2s 6d per 1001 b. Best bullocks brought from £16 to £21 ; do cows, from £10 to £15 — or equal to 42s 6d per 1001 b for prime quality. Fat Sheep. — The number forward being also short of trade requirements, prices again improved fully from 2s to 4s per head on last quotations, a very fine lot of cross-breds from Moa Flat bringing up to 25s each. Best pens of cross-breds realised 18s to 25s ; medium. 14s to 17s 6d ; and merinos, of which there were only 150, but of good quality, 17s 3d. Prime mutton is worth 4d per lb. We sold at the yards 1000 at above rates. Lambs. — The few penned brought full rates — say from 9s to 12s 6d. Store Stock. — No change whatever of importance has taken plac« since last report. Wool. — Private cablegrams advise that the London wool sales are progressing more favourable, prices having recovered some of the late depression. The sales close on the 6th October. No business doing in this market. Sheepskins. — Supplies were short on Monday. One catalogue comprised only 700, which sold at very full rates, slightly higher than last week. Butchers' cross-breds sold 5s 7d to 5s 9d ; merinos, 4s 3d ; lambs, lid to Is 4d. Hides more plentifully supplied ; price and demand slacker ; lower rates are expected. We sold good-conditioned medium at 4d ; green butchers', 20s to 245. Tallow. —None. Rough fat sold at 20s to 21s 6d; Grain. — Wheat is unchanged ; market is bare of samples ; farmers busy seeding ; millers working up old stocks. We quote primo milling, 4s to 4s 3d ; medium, 3s 9d to 3s lid. Oats- continue very scarce, but values do not improve, 3s lOd to 3s lid feed samples ; 4s, milling ; 4s 6d, seed. Barley is nominal, none offering. Malting and milling enquired for at 6s and 5s respectively. Mr. J. Fleming reports (wholesale prices) for the week ending Sep. 25, 1878, as follows :— Oats (feed), 3s lOdto 4s per bushel. Wheat — 4s ; chicks, 3s to 3s 4d. Barley, malting, 5s to 5s 6d ; feed 3s to 3s 6d. Pollard, £6 per ton. Bran," £5 10s. Flour, large bags, £10; small, £10 10s. Oatmjal, £20. Potatoes, £5 to £5 10s per ton. Hay, £6 10s per ton. Chaff, £4 10s to £5 per ton. Straw, £2 per ton. Onions, 28s. Cheese, 7d. Mb. J. Vezey reports for the week ending Sept. 25, as follows : — Retail prices. Roasting beef, 6d to 9d per lb ; boiling do, 3d to 61 per lb ; stewing do, 4d to 6d per lb ; steak, 6d to 9d per lb ; mutton, 3d to 5£ per lb ; veal, 4d to 8d per lb ; pork, 6d to 8d per lb ; lamb, 4s to 58 6d per quarter. Messrs. A. and H. Mercer report for the week ending September 25, as follows : — Retail prices only. Fresh butter in £ and 1 lb. prints, best quality, Is 6d to Is 8d per lb. ; secon^quality, Is4d to Is 6d per lb. ; fresh butter in lumps, Is 3d ; powdered and salt butter, Is 3d. Fresh butter is getting more plentiful and several of the shops axe getting more than they can sell; prices falling. Cheese, lOd ; side and rolled bacon, lOd. ; colonial hams, Is ; eggs are very plentiful and retailing at Is per dozen. Mb. Skene reports for the week ending Sept. 25, as follows :—: — Business is now very brisk in the labour market, and men and women on all departments, single and married, are at once secured. Town work is very irregular, and ruled entirely by the weather. Plenty of work for builders, carpenters, and their brother tradesmen. Girls are scarcer than ever, the sooner we get the shipments afloat the better. Shepherds, musterers, and milkers are now in season. Wages : — Girls, 10s to 15s ; upper do. 15s, 20s and 40s ; couples, £65 to £90 ; ploughmen and shepherds, £65 and £70 ; day labour, 7s, Bs, and 9s j station cooks, 25s and 30s ; station smiths, 40s to 50s ; musterers, 50s j milkers, boys and men, 10s, 15s, 20s and 255,