Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 16, 10 August 1888, Page 15

Commercial.

Mb. Donald Stbonaoh (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited) reports for the week ending August 8, as follows :— B Fat Cattle.-The number to hand to-day for this week's sale at Burnside was not quite so full, only 199 head being yarded, the larger portion of which were good to prime beef. Competition was fairly active, but prices realised showed no improvement on last weeks, nll<^ k8 brou * ht £8 12s 6d to £9 15s; one extra prime to £10 12s 6d ; medium, £5 7s 6d ; to £7 7s 6d ; others, £4 5s to £5 ssoowsfrom £3 7s6dto £6 12a 6d. Pat Sheep.— There were only 1,533 penned, and nearly all crossbrede, ranging from medium to good and prime quality. This small number being hardly sufficient for trade requirements, competition Was spirited, all sorts participating i n n rise of quite 2s per head on last week s prices. Best crossbred wethers brought 15s 6d to 17s 3d • ordinary, lls 6d to 14s 6d ; best crossbred ewes, 13s 6d to 16s ; ordinary, 9s 6d to 128 6d ; merino wethera, 10s 3d. We sold on account of Mr. James Johnston. Pnkerau, crossbred wethera at 17s 3d to 15s 3d,; Mr. Andrew Harvey, Waikaka, crossbred wethers, at 17s to 15s 9dj Messrs T.ard J. Taylor, Wairaua, crossbred wethers at 15s 9d t0,13s 9d ; Mr. T. Latham, Gore, crossbred wethers at 16a 3d to 15s ; Mr. Andrew M'Lean, Milton, and others, crossbred ewes at 13a to 9a 9d, and wethers at lls td. Pigs.— 92 were penned of all sorts, which were fairly competed for, by a very good attendance of buyers and prices obtained were about equal to those ruling lately. Suckers biought, 7s 9d to 13s • ligbt{stores,ilss to 16s 6d ; heavier, 21s to 32s ; porkers, 28s to 33s 6d • baconers, 35s to 455 ; a few extra heavy weights up to 85s. ' Store Cattle.— The market does not display very much animation, and the sales made either privately or at public auction are limited At,the same time any suitable lota offering at the Bnrnside saleyards do not fail to find buyers at prices comparing favourably with those obtaining for fat. Store Sheep, — There is no demand of any consequence for these in, the meantime, neither are there many suitable lots offering, so that no transactions of any importance are passing. Wool.— We are without any adnces of importance from the London office since date of our last report. Locally there is no business doing of any consequence. Sheepskins.— Our weekly sale was held on Monday, as usual.when we offered a very full catalogue, the greater proportion of which were town butchers' green skins. There was a numerous attendance of buyers, who competed spiritedly for all descriptions, and, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, combined with the fact that supplies at the Burnside Refrigerating Works have been much heavier lately, the demand seems to be in the increase, and considering the ■loppy state some of the skins were in, prices, on'the whole, showed an advance on last week's. Country dry crossbreds, low to medium brought Is 2d to 3a 7d ; do do merino, Is 3d to 2s 8d ; medium to fullwoolled crossbreds, 3s 9d to 5a lOd ; do do merino, 3s Id to 4s 6d • dry pelts, 2£d to Is Id ; butchers' green crossbreds, best, 4s 9d 4s Bd, 4a sd, 4s 3d ; medium, 3s 9d, 3s 6d, 3s 3d ; quarter-backs, 3a id • green merinos, 2s lid to 3s Id ; lambskins to 4s 3d. ' Babbitskins. — The market continues firm at late quotations, with a brisk demand, all lots coming to hand being spiritedly competei for, and the usual keen interest continues t* be created in the proceedings. We have no further advices with regard to the position of tbe market a* Home. On Monday we submitted a good catalogue, comprising various descriptions, which were all disposed of at° slightly over last week's rates. The following are prices obtained : For suckers 2^d ; summers, s|d to B£d ; autumn, lO^d to 13Jd ; early winter' 14Jd to 15£ d ; full-furred bucks and does, 6d to 7d per lb. ' Hides.— There is no quotable alteration to note in values nor in the position of the markets generally. A moderate demand continues to exist, all sorts being saleable at prices according to weight and condition ; heavy weights, howeter, free from scars, receive the most attention, there being no outside market to leave a margin ; shippers in the meantime, are disinclined to operate. We quote for inferior and bulls, l£d to 2d ; light, 2§d to 2£d ; medium, 2^d to 3jd : heavy weights, 3£d to 3^d per lb. J Tallow.— Several lines have lalely been shipped for the Home market, Which has assisted in keeping prices steady here. It is satisfactory to notice, from cablegrams Htely to hand, the firmer tone of the London market, and prices slightly advancing. At this moment we have no alteration to report on the position of the market The demand for local consumption continues brisk, all odd lots coming to hand being easily placed. We quote prime rendered mutton ISsto 19s ; medium togood, 15s 6d to 17s; inferior and mixed, 13s to 14s 6drough fat is in good request, inferior, at 8s to 9a ; medium to good' 9s 6d to lls 6d ; best caul, 12s to 13s per cwt. ' Grain.— Wheat : Owing to the gradual rise in the price of this cereal at Mark Lane, millers seem somewhat more anxious to do business, and are now picking up all available lots of prime quality sull left in store, which are limited. Paicela could now be placed on the basis of late quotations, but until present stocks are further reduced, purchasers will not be inclined to' operate to any extent at an advance. There is still a considerable quantity of second-rate wheat in agents' hands, which i 8i 8 only saleable at prices about equal to late quotations, and no indications of any improvement in the near future. We quote prime milling, red straw and white velvet 3s to 3» 2d ; choice Tuscan, 3s 3d ; medium, nominal, 2s 6d to 2a 9d • whole fowl wheat, 2s 3d to 2a 5d ; inferior and broken, Is 9d to 2s 2d (ex Btore, sacks weighed in).— Oats : The tone of the market has in no way improved since our last report. While a fair demand exists, buyers are not inclined to give the prices now demanded, and only on rare occasions last week's quotations can be realised. Millars since the rise, have considerably curtailed operations, and are only purchasing to meet direct orders; whereas, before the advance,

heavy consignments of oatmeal were being shipped all over the colonies, which cannot now be done. Shippers of fe«d oats are com! pletely out of it, and will not be able to resume busines, until prices l> •£ We / lOr1 Or a , mQ ch stronger demand, with a corresponding rise outside, takes place We quote prime milling, stout and bright, Is lifd to 2s ; extra choice, perhaps a shade more, bnt sales are few ; S&LW^ 16 ?? 1 • 9 . 1 °i i tolßll * d 5 medium and discoloured is Ir J° \* \°,i ; mßh aDd loQ S TTat*r t* r 9, fit for seed, Is 10d to 2s 3d : black, Is lid to 2s (ex store, sacks weighed in).— Barley : Only the choicest samples have any attention from maltsters. Medium is unsaleable for malting, and can only be placed for milling, and a considerable quantity of this description being available, millers are not inclined to purchase except at a reduction. We quote prime malting, 4s to 4a 3d ; medium, nominal ; milling, 3s to 3s 3d ; feed, Is 9d to id (ex store). Ryegrass Seed, -This has a little more attention, but sales are with a few exceptions confined to almost retail lots at the following quotations for machine dressed, 2s 61 to 3s ; undressed, Is 9d to 2s 3d • (sacks extra). Cocksfoot has some inqury, but the business passing is limited at from, 3|d to 4Jd per lb. Potatoes.— The market has been more fully supplied during the past week by come consignments from Canterbury which has slightly eased prices for the time being, stocks bowever are low, and last week s quotations obtainable, which are for prime northern derwents 75s to 85s ; southern, 70a to 75s ; sacks weighed in. Dairy Produce.-Butter : Very little primelquality now comes to and which would readily realise 9Jd to ]od. Factory made cheese is also scarce and likely to realise higher prices.