Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 11, 6 July 1888, Page 15

Com me rc ial .

Mb. Donald Stronaoh (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited) reports for the week ending July 4, as follows :— Store Cattle. — There are no transactions of much moment recorded. We sold during the past week some lines of forward heifers at satisfactory prices. Store Sheep. — Prices of all classes have firmed, in sympathy with the better prices ruling for fat sheep. Transactions passing, however, are not large. Wool. — The telegrams concerning the London wool sales now in progress, continue to be of a satisfactory nature. Our latest telegram from Londf n Office announces that com etition is increasing and market firmer, while the rise iD merino wool of per lb is confirmed. The advices by 'Frisco mail with returns of wool sold in the April series, have not been altogether satisfactory to shippers. Locally only odd lots are offering, but theae are we'l competed for. Sheepskins. — There is a keeu demand for all lots offering, and prices especially for butchers' green skins show a distinctly upward tendency, On Mouday we submitted a fairly representative catalogue to a large attendance of buyers, and bold dry crossbreds, at Is lOd to 3s Id ; full wools 4s 4d ; Btation merinos, *s to 2s 2d ; and for a special line, It 6d. Butchers' crossbred green realised 4s 5d to 4s 9d for best, and 3s 5d to 49 3d for medium ; merinos. 2s 9d to 3s ; lambi, 3b 2J to 3s 7d. We placed several large lines of freezing skins at full prices. Rabbi tekins. — ThejlocaVmarket continues active though price* are somewhat smaller than recently ruled. There are no very large parcels as yet coming to hand for local sale and it seems evident that the qnantity coming forward this season will be much less than last. We have orders on hand from America and believe that considerable busmen may yet be done by direct shipments there. On Monday we •old 31 bags principally winter skins at up to Is 4d ; autumn skins BJd to 9£d. Hides. — All lots offering are readily sold at about late prices viz 3^d to 3jd for 5(5 lbs hides in good condition, medium, 2£d to 3\. As much as one penny per lb is often lost in prica through cuts in slaughter ing. Country butchers might give special ntte. t'rn lot'iis with greaadvantage to themselves. Buyers would far rather pay the extrat price for hides in good condition. Tallow. — ETerytning off -rine is freely bought up and prices here are relatively better tban in the Home market. Good mutton tallowit worth 17s to 19s. Medium, 149 to 15s. Rough fat commands ready •ale at 8s 6d to 12s according to quality. It is hoped that theincreased duty on caudles will materially sirengthen the position of the local trade. Grain. — Wheat : There is no change to record in this market. Millers are not disposed to purchase but sparingly thoagh it is generally conceded that prices have "touched bottom." In Oamaru and North Canterbury, from whence a large proportion of our supplies of prime milling is drawn holders aie for the roost pait very firm though we hear of some transactions passing at exceptionally low rate?. Local quotations for prime milling are 3e to 3-) Id ; a shade more might bt paid for small parcels of red straw or Tuscan. For seconds milling, of which there is a considerable quantity in store, there is really no demand, and it is difficult to see from whence the outlet for this class is coming unless it be for fowls' feed. For this latter class there is a good demand for phipment at 2s 2d to 2s 4d, for whole wheat in good condition. Inferior is more difficult, of 8-Ue at Is ad to 2a ; all quotations are ex store bags weighed in. Oate. — This market continues strong, with a decidedly upward tendency. Opinion is gaining ground that supplies especially of prime sorts — both feed and milling) will prove much less than last year, and that an all-round advance is inevitable during the next few months. Holders are, for the most pait, very firm in their demands, but buyers are loth meantime to pay an increased price— as outside markets present little inducements. The difficulty of obtaining freignt is still a barrier to business. Prices during the week have been as follows, on the basis of our actual 6ales : — For milling, Is l|d to Is 9Jd (at which latter price we sold a large line JIC, Gore). Heavy feed, Is 8d to Is Bjj-d. Danish are enquired for at lit 7£d to Is 8d (we sold a medium parcel — H J, Henot — at the latter prices). Long Tartarians are in good request at Is Bid to Is 9d, but not many choice lots are offering. Small lots of black Tartarians continue to be sold at Is lOd to la lid. The above quotations are all ex store, nags weighed in. — Barley : Sales are still difficult to make at anything like late rates. There is a small inquiry for milling, but holders sre nor yet willing to accept the pnceß offered . Previous nominal quotations are unchanged. Rye-grass Seed. — We can record no improvement in this market. We hate sold paresis of Poverty Bay seed during the past week, but for Southern growth there is little or no inquiry. Dairy Produce. — Cheese is firmly held, and prices, 4Jd to sd, are likely to be higher. The principal Australian markets give promise of better returns for this product, — Butter : Prime is very scarce and dear ; lOd to lid (kegs extra) has been paid during the past week for choice parcels. Prices in Bydney, our chief export market, are now somewhat weaker, but the outlook for the next few months encourages the hope of present prices being maintained locally, and thereafter, s«y from September to February, the London market should afford a profitable outlet for prime potted,