CANTERBURY MARKETS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 8, 18 June 1886, Page 17

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

MESSRS. H. MATSON AND Co. report :— Canterbury Hois- " ' : At Tattersall's on Saturday last 80 horses only were catalog .r.i t v the day's sale, and these mostly of a second-class description — i.e., medium hack and light harness horses, as also a few light plough teams. In striking contrast, however, to the two or three preceding sales, there waß not only a large attendance, but a better trade noticeable, fully two-thirds of the lots offered changing owners. We hesitate, however, to hold out too sanguine a hope that this improvement can be considered permanent, in asmuch aßit in no way arose from the operations of the Sydney shippers, who are still " out of the

'market," as far as draught stock is concerned. What really helped to give a better tone to the sale was the fact that a gool few horses were bought up by intending explorers of the Kimberley goldfields, and we are sure that our readers will join with us in wishing them success in their enterprise. In addition to this outside demand, numerous purchases were made in medium stamp horses by farmers for ploughing operations, and this, together with the ordinary buyers who are open to do business in any class of stock provided a small margin of profit can be anticipated, combined to bring about, as regards numbers, a very satisfactory clearance. As announced in advertisement, we submitted the entire horse Young Clyde, which, unfortunately, at this particular time, had to change hands at whatever price could be obtained. Owing to the absence of any desire to speculate in stock of thiß class just now, Young Clyde was sold at a nominal figure, and one which will no doubt give the purchaser a handsome return on his outlay. In addition to the horse sale, we offered, on account of Mr. John Grigg, who is relinquishing the Wilderness Farm, the implements and plant lately used thereon. A clearance was made of pretty well every lot at moderate prices.— Wool, Sheepskins, Hides, Rough Fat and Tallow : At our Canterbury Wool Stores, on Thursday, we held our usual weekly sale of the above^ when our catalogue consisted of 2376 sheepskins, 97 ox hides and calfskins, 132 bagß and packages rough fat, also several casks of tallow. In sheepskins prices ruled about the snme &a last week, except for lines of large and well-woolled skins for which an advance of from Id to 3d was noticeable. The following are prices obtained : —Butchers' crossbreds from 2s, 2s Id, 2s 3d, 2s 6d, 2s lOd, 3s, 3s 2d, 3a 4d, 3s 6d to 3s 7d each, the latter price being obtained for splendid lines sent forward by Messrs. William Rossiter and James Forrester respectively. Butchers' merinos from Is sd, Is 7d, 2s to 2s 4d each ; lambskins, from 2s, 2s 2d, to 2s 4d each— Factory Skins : Some good lines to hand, which elicited keen competition, realising, for crossbreds, 2s 9d, 2s lid, 3s Id to 3s 3d each ; first cross, 2s 2d to 2s 6d ; merinos, 2s to 2s 3d each. Country skins sold well, some lines of full wool merinos reaching 3s 9d. — Rough Fat : All sold at rates about equal to last week, from |d, Id, l£d, to l£d per lb ; inferior tallow at 10s per cwt.— Hides sold at late rates.— Grain and Produce : On Saturday last we held an auction of the above, submitting a fair entry. We noticed a better enquiry for grain of all descriptions, and could have placed a large quantity of wheat at satisfactory prices, had the same been catalogued . We disposed of the bulk of our entry of oats, quitting some 1000 sacks at prices ranging from 2s, 2s Id to 2s 2d per bushel ; about 150 sacks of good feed barley at from 2s 3d to 2s 5d per bushel ; a small entry of beans at 3s 3£d per bushel, and peas at 3s 9d per bushel. We herald with great satisfaction the increasing demand for our grain and produce from the Australian Colonies, and we look forward to the day when this market will absorb the whole of our surplus. District Sales.— At the Tinwald Saleyards, on Tuesday, 6,000 sheep, and moderate entries of cattle and pigs were yarded. The attendance was fair, but the tone of the sale quiet. No fat sheep came to hand. Forward crossbred wethers, 7s 6d to 8s Id ; merinos do, 2s 6d to 2s 9d ; 4-tooth crossbred wethers, in fair condition, 6s 6cl to 6s Id ; fair mouth merino ewes, in lamb, Is lid ; medium cross-bred lambs, 2s lOd, 3s 2d, 3s 4d ; mixed ages crossbred ewes, 28 lOd. Pigß.— Demand weak, and prices low. Stores, 5s ; porkers, 19s. Little enquiry for cattle. Fat cows, £4 to £5 15s; forward grown bullocks, £5 10s ; 2-year-old do, £3 ss. Private Sales. — We have' placed 250 and 120 good crossbre-l wethers for freezing at current values. We report a fair enquiry for sheep of this class suitable for export, and have several important transactions of this nature to detail in our next. Clearing Sales.— To-day we conduct a large sile of farm properties, stock, implements, etc., on behalf of the Rev. Charles Fraser, at the Homestead, West Melton. RANGIORA MARKETS. There was a fair attendance and entry at the above market yesterday. In the absence of Me. Buss through illness, Me. C. Matson wielded the hammer at the stockyards. The following were the prices realised :— Fat sheep, 6s to 8s 2d ; stores, 6s to 6s ; lambs, 2s to 4s ; merino ewes, Is to 3s ; fat cattle, £6 to £6 10s ; two-year-old steers. £3 10s to £4 10s : yearlings, £1 to £1 5a ; calves. 12s to 15s ; pigs, baconers, 12s to iss ; porkers, 10s ; weaners, 3s 9d to 5s ; suckers, Is to Is 6d. In the produce yards the prices were :—: — Farmers' crossbred sheepskins, Is to 2a ; butchers' do, 2s to 2s 5d ; merino skins, lOd to Is 6d ; hides, 3d to 3£d per lb ; calfskins, Is to 3s 3d ; fat, Jd per lb ; sandy merino wool, 3^d per lb ; do. pieces, 2£d ; do locks, Id ; fowls, Is 6d to 2s 9d per pair ; ducks, 29 Sd ; geese, 4s 6d ; seconds wheat, 2s 8d to 3b 4d per bushel ; oats, 2s to 2s 6d ; barley, 2s 6d to 2s 8d ; peas (Prussian), 4s 3d ; potatoes, 4s to 6s per bag ; carrots, 2s 3d to 2s 6d ; onions, |d to |d per lb ; cheese, 6d ; pig meal. 8s to 9s per bag ; bacon, 3d to 4}d per lb; carcase pork, 2£d to 2|d ; timber, 5s 6d to 6s 6d per 100 ft." There was next to nothing done in the grain business, there being plenty of buyers but no sellers. Prime Tuscan wheat was quoted as high as 3a 9d per bushel delivered at country stations. ASHBURTON. Mb. E. G. Staveley (for the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited), reports on the Tinwald live stock market on June 8 :— 6OOO sheep and moderate entries of cattle and pigs yarded. Fair attendance, but sale quiet. No fat Bheep yarded. Forward crossbred wethers, 7s 6d and 8s Id ; merino do, 2s 6d and 'is dd ; 4-vOOth crossbred wethers, in fair condition, 5s 6d and 6s Id ; full-mouthed merino ewes, in good order in lamb, Is lid ; medium crossbred lambs, 2s iOd, 3s 2d, 3s 4d ; mixed ages, crossbred ewes, 3s lOd. Pigs and stores, 5s ; good porkers, 19s. Not much demaud for cattle. Fat cows, £4 to £5 15a; forward giown bullocks, £5 10s ; two-year-old do, £3 ss.