Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 31, 26 November 1886, Page 17

Commercial.

Mr. Donald Stbonach (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited) reports for the week ended November 23, as follows :—: — Fat Oattle. — 158 bead were yarded at the Burnside sale yards for the week's supply, representing all qualities. At the commencement competition whs somewhat dull and prices easy, but a<* the sales progressed and towards the finish biddings were brisker and prices about equal to last week's were obtained for prime quality. B->st bullocks brought £8 15s to £11 ; one extra heavy brought £10 10s ; light and medium, £5 to £7 15s ; cows, from £4 15s to £10. Fat Calves.— Six were penned, which sold at from 15s to 255. Fat Sheep. — 1,912 were penned ; only a small proportion being in the wool, About 500 were merino wethers, the balance crossbreds of various degrees of quality. A fair demand evisted, but competition was only moderately brisk. Prices all round receded fully Is per head from last week's. Best crossbreds, in the wool, brought 13s 6d, one pen 178 , others, 9s 3d to 12s 9d ; shorn do, 5s to 1 2s ; merino, in the wool, 9s 6d tolls 9d, do shorn, 4s 6d to 5s 6d. We sold crossbred ewes, shorn, to 9s. Fat Lambs. — The market was glutted, 749 being penned, mostly inferior to medium quality ; only a few gooi heavy weights. For the lattpr competition was fairly active, but inferior and light were in less demand. A few of the best_brought 8s to 10s 9d ; others, from 4s to 7s 9d. We sold drafts on account of various vendors to 7s 9d. Pigs. — There were only fourteen forward, Suckers sold at from 10s 6d to 11s ; porkers, 24s to 295. Store Cattle. — There are buyers now for large-framed bullocks in forward condition, and such could be placed without much difficulty at from £4 15s to £6 ; mixed stores are also saleable at fair rates. Store Sheep. — There is but little inquiry, and as yet not many offering, Business, in consequence, in the meantime is at a standstill. Sheep-kins. — These were well compered for at our weekly sale on Monday last, and previous rates were fully maintained. Country dry crossbreds (low to medium), brought 7i to 3s 101 ; full-wool, 4s to 5b 4d ; do do merino (low to medium), 91 to 3a 3d ; full wool, 3s 6d to 6s id ; dry pelts, 2d to 5d ; green crossbr^ds, 4s 6d, 4s 9d, os, 5s 3d, 53 6d, 5s 9d, 63 Id ; do merino, 4s 4d, 4s 7d, 4a lOd, ss. 5s 2d, 5s 5d ; do pelts, 6d to 8d ; lambskins, 9d to Is3.d Rabbitskins. — Suckers and inferior are neglected, while fair to good, and prime are slightly improving in demand, and value prices realised this week, considering the quality offered, showed an advance in several instances, and are as follows • — Suckers and small, ]-d to 2d ; inferior and mixed, 3d to 6d ; low sea«on, 7d to 10 ; medium to good, and well furred skins, lid to 14£ d per lb. Tallow. — There is a good demand existing, and all offered find a market ; but prices show very little improvement on lats quotations, which are as follows : Inferior and mixed, Us to 14s ; medium, 15s to 17s ; prime mutton, 18s to 19s ; rou^h fat — inferior, 6s to 7s ; medium, S3 to 10s ; best mutton, 11s to 12s psr c»vt. Grain. — Wheat : The market is without much animation. Beyond the disposal of small parcels to supply immediate requirements, the business done is quite unimportant. A few of the millers are fairly stocked, while others are not, and owing to the comparative low price of flour the latter refraiu from purchasing any more than just satisfies for the time b j ing, while there is very little passing, Owing to the market being bare, lite quotations continue firm. We quote best milling at ns to 5s Id ; good to prime, 4s 9d to 4s lid ; medium to good, is Gi to 4s 8d ; inferior anil fowls' wheat, scarcely any of which is in the m irker, 3a to 4s .Si (ex storp, bags weighed in). — Oats The market is becoming gradually weaker. There is no improvement in the demand for shipment, and buyers refrain from puichasing, in the belief that pnees, although lower tnan tbose current last week, will be still further depressed. It is impossible to effect sales of any consequence, even at considerably below last week's quotations, and, considering the stock on hand, the prospect is anything but hopeful. We quote prime heavy bright milling at Is 9d to Is lOd ; short bright feed, Is 7d to Is Sd ; inferior aud medium, Is 4d to Is 6d (ex store, bags weighed in). — Barley : The market is inactive, partly because of no stock beingon hand, also of no demand of any moment. Some of the smaller brewers are still making enquiries, but their demands are easily satisfied. Feed is occasionally asked for, but milling is dull. We quote best malting, 2s lid to 3s ; medium, 2s Sd to 2s lOd ; feed and milling, 2s 6d to 2s Bd.— Grass Seeds are still moving oil in small quantit os at about late rates, viz , for ryegrass, undressed farmers' medium, 2s 6d to 3s 3d ; good to piime (fairly clean), 3s 6d to 4s 6d ; machine-dressed, off old pasture, 5s 3d to 5s 9d. bass extra ; cocksfoot, 4d to 47d 1 J '

Mr. F. Meenan, King street, reports — Wholesale prices, including bags : O-its, inferior to prime, Is7d to Is lOd. Wheat : milling, -Is to 5s ; fowls' wheat, 3s 6d to 4s. Barley : malting, 2s 9d to 3s 3d ; prime milling, 2s 9d ; feeding, 2s 3d to 2s 91. Chaff : straw, £2 15s to £3 ; sheaf, £4 6s to £4 103. Str^w. £2 per ton ; hay oaten, £5 10s ; ryegrass (scarce), £4 10s. Bran. £4 10s Pollard, £4 10s. Potatoes: Derwents, £2. Butter: fu ,b, 4d to 9d ; salt, best, 6d. Flour : £10 10s to £11 ; rollei. £11 10s to £12 ss. Oatmeal, £10 10s. Eggs, Bd.

There has lately been a scare at Colombo in consequence of the presence of a crocodile or two in the lulv lake theie. The military men, whose barracks are near the lake bung anxi'm-, l<> destroy the voracious reptiles, have gone as far as to watch i n them at night. Early one morning, a gallant officer was found asleep on the bank of the lake, but in evening dress. He, of course, explained that he had been '• watching for crocodiles " !