Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 14, 27 July 1888, Page 15

Commercial.

Mr. Donald Stronach (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited) reports for the week ending July 25, as follows :— Fat Cattle —265 head were penned at Bumside for this week's sales, one half of which were good to prime, the balance only medium quality. There was a full attendance <f the trade, but this number was rather beyond their requirements, resulting in less spirited competition, which caused prices to recede fully £1 per head, besides several pens being withdi awn from sale. Best bul'ocks brought £7 10s to £8 10 ; one or two tens extra prime reache i £9 15a ; mediums, £5 6s to £7 ; others £3 10s to £4 10s Cows in proportion, Fat Sheep.— 3l72 were penned, of which about 200 were merino wethers, fair to good ; the balance crewsbreds, the greater portion of which were ewes, the rest wethers of medium to good and piime quality. Competition was much duller to-day, partly owing to leas demand for export, also from the fact that the trada were well supplied from last week's full supply, which caused a dragging sale all through, and prices realised were about Is per head dowa from list week. Best crossbred wethers brought 12s to 14s— one or two peas 14s 6d to 14s 9d ; ordinary, 8s 6d to 11s 6d ; best crossbred ewes, 11s 6d to 12s 3d— a small lot to 14a ; ordinary, Gs 9i to 10s ; merino wethers, 7s to 8s 6d. Pigs.— 269 were penned, comprising all sorts. Competition was fairly active, but prices were in favour of buyers. Suckers brought 5s to 14s; light stores, 15s 6d to 19s6d; porkers, 27s to 36s 6d ; baconers, 38s to 57s ; a few heavy weights, 74s to 80s. We sold 3 pens at 31s to 425. Store Cattle. — There is nothing of any importance to chronicle with regard to the position of the market, which continues inactive. Some inquiry is experienced for both steers and mixed mobs, but buyers' ani sellers' ideas of values differ so widely that little or no bnsiness in the meantime is passing. Store Sheep.— Owiug to so few offering bnsiness at present is dull. Crosßbrede of all descriptions are saleable, and small lots occasionally change hands, but no sales of any importance are transpiring. Wool.— Since our last report the third seri< s of colonial wool sales in London has been brought to a close, and though fine wools have slightly advanced it is unsatisfactory to learn that coarse crossbreds and other medium desciiptions have drdined and 5 were lower than at the close of the previous sales. We are in receipt of the following cablegram from our London office, dated 18th inst. "The ■ales closed to-day at the level of last sales except for superior greasy, superior scoured and washed merinos, prices for which have advanced id to Id per lb ; while coarse croasbreds have declined +d to Id per lb ; 157.000 bales had been taken for the Continent, 3000 tor America, and 70,000 bales held over for future disposal. Sheepskins. — These are always marketable, the supply naver too heavy for requirements of the trade. On Monday, our regular weekly Bale day, we had a numerous attendance of buyers when we offered a moderately full catalogue. Competition was spirited for all classes, the fine wools having the most attraction. Green crossbreds, although on the whole slightly higher than last week, considering the increased growth of wool, are not advancing in price to the extent that might be expected. Country dry crossbrtds, low to medium, brought Is 4d to 3s 6d ; do do merino, Is 3d to 2s lOd ; medium to full-woolled croßsbreda, 3s 9d to 6s 9d ; do do merino, 3s 2d to 4s 8d ; dry pelts, 3d toj le 2d ;»butchers' green crossdreds, 4s Bd, 4s 6d, 4s 2d, 4s, 3s lOd, 3s 8d ; do do merino, 2s Gd to 3i ; quarter-breds, 3s 9d to 4s ; lambskins, 2a7Jto3s7d. Rabbitskins.— Notwithetanding adverse reports from the London market the demand is good, and competition spirited. At our sale on Monday we had a full attendance of buyers, when we offered a catalogue of summer, autumn, and early winter skins. The summer skins brought 6td to BVd ; autumn, 9d to 12;) d ; early winter. 13\d to 15id i per lb. " " : Hides. — The market continues fairly steady, but there is w improvement to report in values. The demand at the moment is almost entirely dependent ou the exigency of the local manufacturers. Shipper* are unable even at the present low rate? to operate to leave any margin. We have buyers for all coming forward at the following quotations, viz,, for heavy weights, free from cuts or other faults, 3|d to 3|d ; medium, 3{d to 2','d ; light, 2;& to 2{-d ; inferior and bulls', l£d to 2i per lb. Tallow. — The regular demand for local consumption continues unabated, but there is very little doing in shipping lines. The Londoa market shows a firmer tone, Lut although stocks here are not heavy, present prices are not likely to materially improve before we are advised of a further advance on Home rates. We have buyers for every description at prices according to quality, which are as follows : — For piime rendered mutton, 18s to 19% ; medium to good, 15s 6d to 17s 6d ; inferior and mixed, 13s to 14s 6d ; rough fat, inferior, 8s to 9s ; medium to good, 0s 6d to lls Gd ; clean mutton caul, fresh, 12s to 13s per cwt. Grain. — Wheat : The tone of the market still continues weak, and the prospect of the disposal of most of the wheat now in store is not by any means encouraging. The operations of our local millers are almost entirely confined to the supplying of local requirements, which are limited. The quantity put through for this purpose does not assume to very large dimensions, and being under the impression that prices must still recede, purchases are only made just to keep moving in the meantime. Whole fowls' wheat has a very fair demaad, and large quantities could be placed for export at prices lately quoted. There is no improvement whatever in the demand for medium. We quote prims milling, velvet, and red straw, 2s lOd to 3s Id ; small- lots of extra choice Tuscan nave realised slightly over. Mudiutn nominal, 2s Gd to 2a 8d ; good

1 hard fowls wheat, whole, 2s 3d to 2s 4d ; inferior and broken, It 9d to 2s (ex store, sacks weighed in).— Oats : Owing to tie position holders have lately taken up, buyers who hare no alternation have had to comply with sellers demands and pay higher pricei in some instances and for special lines as much as Id to l£i over last week's rates. Th«se purchases are on account of millers, who one and all are nearly out of stock, and in order to supply orders on bands, are thus obliged to give prices asked, but shippers, who are by far the largest buyers, decline ?o operate in the meantime at the advanced rates, expecting that speculators, rather thaa ship on their own accountwill be disposed so raer or later to put their stocks on this market ; in the meantime, prices are very firm and rising, but it is somewhat hazardous to predict the future of the market. We quota prime milling;, brigitt and stout, lslO£d to 2s ; shou bright feed, Is 9±i to Is lOd ; medium, Is B£d to 1« 9d ; iutenor, la 61 to Is 8d ; long oats, fit for seed, Is 9d to 2a ; black, in poor demand, at 1* 9d to Is lid ; retail lots to 2s (ex store, sacks weighed in).— Barley : There are considerable stocks of inferior and medium in thia market for which there is no demand, except for milling occasionally ; malsters are full and decline to purchase any but choice samples ; quotations nominal. Ryegracs Seed.— During the week we placed some parcels Poverty Bay seed and have inquiries for Provincial, but as yet there is not much of the latter moviog. We quote undressed, Is 9d to 2s 6d ; machine dressed, 2s 9J to 3s 3d ; cocksfoot seed is still unsaleable except in very small lots, for which we quote 4d to 4£d per lb. Potatoes. — Good Northern are scarce and inquired for and are now worth 65a to 7)s ; Southern have more attention and also realising higher prices. Dairy Produce.- Butter. There is hardly any coming forward and the quantity on hand extremely limited, and prices very firm at 9^d to lOd. Factory-made cheese is also in limited supply.