Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 37, 4 January 1889, Page 19

Commercial.

Mb. Donald Stbonach (on behalf of tbe New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited) reports for the week ending December 27, as follows : —

Fat Cattle. — The number presented at Burnside to-day for the week's requirements was rather a small one— viz., 44 head fit for the butcher, nearly all useful quality, light to medium weights. Then was only a moderate attendance of buyers, notwithstanding competition was fairly brisk, and prices if anything showed a slight advance on last week's. Best bullocks brought £7 10a to £8 12a 6d ; light to medium, £4 2a 6d to £6 17s 6d ; cows, from £3 7s 64 to £6 17s 6d.

Fat Sheep.— 944 were penned, all crossbreds, some shorn, others in the wool, good to prime quality. Owing to a number of the trade being supplied by purchasing pretty freely last week, and no demand for freezing, competition was only moderately active, prices realised showing no improvement on last week's. Best crossbred wethert in the wool reached 17s ; do. do. shorn, 11s to lls 9i ; best crossbred ewes in the wool, 13s 3d to 14s 9d ; do. do. shorn, 10a to 13s ; ordinary, 7s to 9s 9d. Lambs. — 305 were penned, good to prime. For the latter there was spirited bidding and higher prices obtaining ; w hile for the former there was less demand, although prices would compare favourably with those ot tbe previous week. Tbe range to-day was Iron 7s 3d to 10s 3d.

Pigs. — 118 were penned, mostly suckers and stores. A good demand was experienced for all sorts. Competition was spirited, every lot realising satisfactory prices. Suckers brought 8s to 13s ; stores, 22s 6d to 25a 6d ; porkers, 30s to 33a ; baconers, 47a to 58s.

Store Cattle. — A moderately fair demand now exists for grown cattle in forward condition, very few of which were offering. The bulk of those pat on tbe market are not very well bred, and owing to the severe spring are in very low condition. At public auction during the past week, three to four and five-year old steers brought £3 17s 6d to £5 ; two-year-olds, to £2 12s 6d.

Store Sheep. — Ia this class of 9tock there is very little business yet of consequence transpiring ; but we anticipate at tho conclusion of shearing a good demand for all the various classes to be offered. With regard to prices in this market, nothing definite has been arranged between buyer and sellar so far.

Wool.— Cablegrams to hand last week report that the London wool sales closed fairly well. The following advances have taken place since close of last sales. Superior greasy merino, £1 to Id per lb ; medium and inferior greasy merino, barely $i, ana scoured merino, £d to Id ; medium crossbred, Id ; common crossbred, £d to Id ; and lamb's wool, $d per lb, except for faulty sorts. The sales comprised about 155,000 bales. 5000 bales have been held over for future disposal. 90,000 have been taken for the Continent, and 3000 for America.

In this market buyers are waiting for the openiog sales on the 3rd and 4th January. We sell on the afternoon of the 4ih (Friday).

SLeepskins. — These are in strong demand, but we are unable to report any advance in values. Oa Monday our regular weekly auction was attended by a very full complement of buyers, who competed spiritedly for every lot, on the catalogue, which compiised a large number of town b Jtcuers' green pelts, also the usual proportion of country dry*kins. ''he la ter brought for low to medium, Is 5d to 3a lOd ; do. d >. merino, Is 7d to 3s Gd ; medium to full-woolled crossbredp. 4s to 5 4 7d ; do. do. merino, 3s 9d to 5s G 1 ; dry pelts, 3d io 1h Id. A few butchers' woolly green crossbreds, 5s 4d, 5s 21, 6*, 4s lOd, 4s 8 i, 4s 61 ; dc. do. pelts, 18d, 16i, 14d, 12i, lOi ; lambskins, 2s 5d to Is 4d.

Rabbit Skins. — This market is now very quiet owing to the lateness of the season and the absence ot supplits. A few odd lots s ill come forward which arc at all times saleable, but shippers for the present having fixed up their consignments there are lewer buy era and coustquemly less demand. Priced, however, remain unaltered.

Hidis.— The market continues fairly steady and litd quotatijnc maintained. The demand at the moment is almost entirely dependent on the requirements of thi lo^al manufacturers. Shippers are only operating to a very limited extent. We have buyers for any number a* tha following quotation*, viz., for heavy weights, clean, free from scars, 3£d ; medium, 2^ 1 to 3j 1 ; ligot, 2d to2^d ; iofenor and bull*, HI to lj I per lb.

Tallow. — The ueman 1 continues strong and prices firm, but in the absence of supplies the business passing is extremely limited, and fhould consignmeuts continue to come to hand so sparingly a further advance may be looked for. Wo Quote p-ime muttoo, 24s 6d to 25s 6d ; erood to prime, 22s 6d to 23*^ GJ ; medium, 19s 6d to 21s 6d ; inferior xnd mixed, 16s Gi to 18s Gl. hough fat, inferior to medium, ISs to 15< ; best, 15s 6d to lGs 6d per cwt.

Grain. — Wheat : The market com inues apparently without much animation. Some choice lines of milling have be^n on offer, but millers are not dispo« j d to operate to any extent, and are offei ing lower prices for tteij email requirements. Medium quality and fowls wheat is in full tupply but baa no demand of any consequence. We quote prime milling velvet and Tuscan, 4s 7d to 4s 9d ; good to prime, 4b 3d to 4s 6d ; inferior to medium, 3s to 4s ; ex store. — Oats: These show a dowiward tendency for the time being. Late advices f torn the Australian markets not being quite so eacourag ing to shippers, at present tbere is no demand. Ilu holiiays mean time are aL-o interfering with bustnes°, but sellers are still bopetul thaf, ere long business will be resumed with increased activity and are not disposed to force sales. Blocks are extremely light and with two or three moderately sized orders tbe market would be cleared. We quote prime milling, 3s 7d to 3s 81 ; best feed, 3s 5d to 3s 7d ; medium, 8s 3d to 38 4d ; infei ior, 3s to 3s 2d, ex store. — Barley : In the absence of supplies business is quiet. The only demand ia for piime bright samples for malting, and then only to a very limited extent. Nearly all toe maltsters being fully supplied for well on to tho coming tea*

son, neither milling nor feed command any attention. We quote nominally, prime malting, 4s 3d to 4s 6d ; medinm, 4s to 4s 3d ; feed and milling, 3§ 3d to 3« 9d, ex store. Byegrass Seed.— There is very little business passing, but the market is assuming a firmer tone under the impression that the incoming supply will be under the average ; holders are atking higher prices. We quote local-grown, undressed, 2s 3d to 2s 9d ; dressed, 3s 3d to 3s 9d. Poverty Bay undressed, 3a 9d to 4i 6d ; dressed, 4s 9d to 6s 6d, sacks extra. Cocksfoot seed has little or no demand. Stock! here, however, are light. We quote, best, 3j}d to 4£d ; medium, 3d to 3Jd per lb. Potatoes. — A moderately good demand exists, but prices for new are receding owing to the more plentiful supply. Old are almost out of the market. The latter sell at £6 10s to £7 10s, and the former 48 to £12 per ton. Dairy Produce.— Butter : Factory made is worth Is 2d to Is 3d, while farmer's, although in very full supply, is scarcely so firm. Shippers in the meantime being less anxious to operate, this week we quote, 9}d to 10£ d per lb.— Cheeee : Owing to the continued prevailing unseasonable weather this productive this season will be considerably abort of the quantity anticipated earlier, and in consequence a firmer tone is already apparent. We quote factory, 6d to 6Jd ; farmer's. 4d to 6d per lb.

Mb, F. Meenan, King street, reports :— Wholesale prices, bags inolnded : Oats have undergone a considerable reduction in value, owing principally to the break-up of the drought in Australia, and the fact that they went much beyond their value ; medium, 3s 4d ; prime, 3s 61 to 3« 7d ; market dull. Wheat : milling, 4s 6d to 4s 9d ; fowls', Ss to 3s Bd. Barley : malting, 4s 6d ; milling, 3s to Ss 6d ; feeding, 2s 9d to 3s. Chaff, good oat sheaf, £5 10s ; medium, £4 ; straw, £2 10a, very slow of sale. Hay, oaten, £5 ; rye-grass, £4, both scarce. Bran, £4. PolUrd, £4 10. Flour, stone, £11 10s ; in 601 b. sacks, £12 5s ; roller, £12 10a to £13 ss. Potatoes, old, £6 10a ; new, £10, principally Auckland. Oatmeal, £19. Butter, easier, fresh, lid ; for good salt, 10 J, kegs extra.