Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume X, Issue 509, 12 January 1883, Page 18

Commercial.

Mb. Donald Stbonach (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Limited) reports for the week ending; 10th January as follows: — Fat Cattle. — 110 head yarded for to-day's market, the greater portion being medium quality. The Bhort supply caused an advance on last week's quotation. Bullocks fetched from £7 17s 6d to £14 ; cows, £7 17s 6d to £9. We sold on account of J. MAuley, Esq., 14 cows at from £7 17s 6d to £8 12s 6d ; William Shand, Esq., 3 cows at from £7 15s to £9, 11 bullocks at from £7 17s 6d to £8 ; and quote beef at 27s 6d per 1001 b. Fat Calves. — Sixteen yarded, and sold at from 16s to 325. Fat Sheep. — 2312 were penned ; 200 of these were merino. This number was somewhat in excess of requirements, and towards the close of the sales lower prices nad to be submitted to. Crossbreds fetched 8s to 12s ; merinos, 5s 3d to 6s. We sold on account of Messrs. Fleming and Hedley, 261 crossbreds at from 9s 6d to 12s ; Messrs. C. and S. Wilson, 164 do. at 9s to 9s 3d ; J. Faton, Esq., 62 do. , at 8s 3d to 11s ; P. Hunter, Esq., 22 do. at 8s 6d ;M. Morton, Esq., 364 do. at 8s 3d, and 27 merinos at 5s 3d ; and quote mutton at lfd -■' to 2d.

Lambs.— B79 penned, and fetched from 6s 6d to 9s. We sold 157 at from 6a 6d to 7s 9d. Pigs. — Fourteen were yarded, and Bold at from 18s to 325. Store Cattle; — We have no sales to report, but purpose offering 130 head bullocks and stores at Mosgiel on January 19. Wool. — We had our third regular sale for this season on Tuesday, January 9, at our wool warehouses, Lower Rattray street. There was a fair attendance of buyers, and almost every lot being started near its valne and followed up with spirited competition, fully late rates were obtained, except for a few lots strong and heavy crossbred. We catalogued 222 bales and 67 bags (chiefly farmers' lots) and sold 186 bales and 66 bags at, for greasy merino, from 7M to 12£ d ; halfbred, 9M to lOfd ; three-quarter bred, 9£d to lid ; crossbred, 7£d tolOld. Sheepskins. — We held our usual sale on Monday, when we offered an average catalogue. The attendance of buyers was not good ; the biddings were not up to previous values, and we had to pass several lots, principally lambskins and station skins in bales. The following was the range : — Station and dry skins fetched, for crossbreds, 2s 2d to 3s Id ; merino, 2s 7d to 4s Id ; butchers' green crossbred*, 4s 6dto 5s 7d ; merino, 4s 4d to 5s ; lambs, Is 2d to Is 6d ; pelts, 5d to lOd ; goatskins, Is. Rabbitekins.— We did not catalogue any this week, but intend offering several bales next Monday. Hides. — No alteration in values. Tallow. — We offered and sold several lots of medium rendered at from 23s to 28s per cwt., and rough fat at from 20s to 21s 6d. Grain. — Wheat : There is a slight inclination to buy, but at prices which holders consider to be very much under value, therefore very little business is done. Quotations same as last week. Oats : We held a sale by auction on Monday, January 8., at our wool and grain stores, Lower Rattray street, when we sold 1262 bags at from 2s 4d for discoloured and musty sorts, 2s 5d to 2s 9d for fair to good feed, and 2s lOd to 2s lid for short bright oats. Barley : No sales to report. PRODUCE MARKET— JANUARY 12, 1883 Mb. F. Meenan, Great King street, reports : — Wholesale prices: Oats, 2s 8d to 3s per bushel ; milling wheat, 4s 3d to 4s 9d per bushel ; fowls' feed, 2s to 3s 9d ; barley, malting, 4s to 4s 6d ; mil* ling, 3s 6d ; feeding, 2s 6d to 3s 6d ; hay, £7 per ton ; chaff, mixed, £4 10s; hay chaff, £6 ; straw, £2 10s ; bran, £4 10s ; pollard, £5 ; potatoes, (old) £3 ; oatmeal, £15 10s ; flour, £10 10s to £11 ; butter, medium to prime, 9d to Is perlb. ; salt, 9d per lb. ; eggs, Is 3d; per dozen ; bacon, sides, 8d per lb.; rolls, 7£d ; hams, 9£d ; pork, 4£d; old cheese 8d to 9d, new 7d. Messbs. Mebceb Bbothebs, Princes street, report : — Fresh butter (in *-lb. and lib. prints), best quality, Is per lb.; ordinary butter, lOd per lb. ; eggs, Is per dozen ; roll bacon, 7£d per lb.; good salt butter, in kegs, 9d per lb. ; cheese 7d per lb. LABOUR MARKET.— JANUARY 12, 1883. P. M. Gbast and Co., Labour Agents, report for the week :— There has been an unusual brisk demand for all kinds of servants : harvest operations in the Northern district have commenced and harvesters are expecting great wages, as it set ms hands are not very plentiful North. We would advise men to exercise a little caution before throwing up permanent situations at fair wages for the sake of a few week's high pay. From present appearances wages are likely to continue very firm. In the face of a falling grain market, this is not so cheering to farmers who, in consequence, are likely to avail themselves of the most improved and labour-saying agricultural machines, thereby reducing labour to the lowest minimum possible, to enable them to profitably work their farms. Wages : couples, good demand, £65 to £80 ; shepherds, number engaged^tins week, £65 ; ploughmen, scarce, £52 to £65 ; gardeners, busy semKn over, £60 per annum and found ; hay harvesters, 30s. General hands — milkers, 20s, 25s ; youths, boys, ss, 15s ; grooms, 20s ; station, farm, cooks, 255, 30s ; blacksmiths, carpenters, 255, 30s per week and found. Harvest men, in absence of engagement, we cannot quote rates ; day labour demand eased considerably in consequence of approaching harvest ; pick and shovel men, bushmen, fencers, 7s, 9s ; blacksmiths, carpenters, Bs, 10s ; plasters, masons, bricklayers, 10s, 14s per day. Female servants— supply unequal to the demand, more particulaly for farm and country ; there being a seeming inclination on the part of our girls to accept these situations for which they are receiving from £30 to £45 per annum ; barmaids, 20s, 30s j waitresses, housemaids, laundresses, general servants, 12s, 15s ; cooks, 15s, 40s ; , nursegirle, 6s, 10s.