Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 26, 18 October 1889, Page 20

Commercial.

Mb. DONALD Stbonach (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited) reports for the week ending October 16, as follows :—

Fat Cattle.— The entry this week was again a meagre one, only 120 head being yarded. Competition was active, and very eatiffactory prices realised. Best bullocks brought £9 to £12 15s ; medium, £7 10s to £8 17s 6d ; light, £6 to £7 ; cows in proportion. Fat Sheep.— Crossbreds, 10a to 17b 61 ; ordinary to good, 12a 6d to!4s9d; best crossbred ewes, 12s to 13s 9J ; ordinary, 8s 6d to lls 6d ; best merinos, 133 to 14§ ; others, 6a 3d to 8s 6d.

Lambs. — 270 were penned, which bad a fair demand, prices ranging from 69 6d to 15a. Pigs — '250 wera penned, representing all sorts. Suckers brought 8s 6d to 14s 6d ; porkers, 26a to 38s ; baconers, 41s to 535, extra heavy weights to 62a. Store Cattle.— The inquiry being made during the past two or three weeks has not as yet resulted in much business. There are not very many lots offering, but when the spring grass is a little further forward, and sellers and buyers become more reconciled in respect to prices, we anticipate considerable business. Meantime, we have no sales to report but have some pending.

Store Sheep. — There are no transactions of any consequence to report. Indeed, at this season of the year the market is always quiet. Only on very rare occasions lines of any importance change hands, and from now until the wool is off sales will be comparatively to a very limited extent. r""1Wool. — It is very gratifying to find that the series of wool sales just closed in London has progressed from start to finish with a steadiness almost unprecedented. The rise in values pronounced at the commencement was in many instances improved upon and firmly maintained down to the close. Very satisfactory accounts are also to hand from both Adelaide and Melbourne. Our Adelaide circular reports that English, foreign, and American buyers were present in larger numbers than at any previous sale held in that colony. At our first sale in Melbourne 4470 bales were catalogued, of which 4387 were sold — a good indication of the keen competition which must have existed. Top prices were, for greasy merino, 12£ d ; greisy merino pieces, ICijJ-d ; greasy crossbred, lid ; greasy lambs, ll^d ; scoured super merino, Is 9d ; merino pieces, Is 6£d per lb. In the meantime there is nothing doing locally, with the exception tf fellmongers' parcels, and only on occasions their limits are reached. (Sheepskins. — The demand for tbese continues exceedingly satisfactory, and though the catalogues presented every week represent a large number of skins, they all find buyers, and to all appearance a very much greater number could juat be aa easily disposed of. On Tuesday the regular weekly sale at the Central Auction Booms the attendance, as uautl, was large. Keen competition existed. All descriptions were in good request and the catalogue speedily cleared, at prices, though not quite up to last week's top, quality considered, there was no difference in those ruling tbia week Butcher's green crossbreds, best brought, 7s 3d, 7s, 6a lOd, 6a 9J, 6a Bd, 6s 7d, 6s 6d, 6a sd, 6s 4d, 6i 31 ; good to medium nod inferior, 63, 5s 10 J, 5s Bd, 5a 6d, 5s 4d, 5s 2d, 5a Id ; green med:um, 6s Id, 63, 5a lid, 5* 9d, 53 6J, 5s 3.1 ; green lambskins, 9d, Ih, Is 3i. Country dry crossbreds, low to medium brought, Is 4d to 4a ; do do merino, Is 3d to 4s Id ; medium to f ull-wooll<hl crossbred, 4s 2d to 8s 3d ; do do merino, 4d 3d to 6s 2d ; dry pelts, 3d to Is 2d.

Kabbilskins. — The supply ia now falling off very considerably. Very few really good winter skins come to market, nearly all being spring takings ; however, a good demand continues to exist. At the legular auction sales all the shippers are always present, and compete with spirit up to limits, which, at the moment are in full sympathy witn those ranging in the London market. We quote, prime winter greys, la 9d to lasJi ; ordinary *o good, Is l£d to la 3sd ; medium, 9d to Is ; inferior, 5d to 8d ; black and fawn, 7d to lOd ; suckers and halfgrown, 2 1 to 4d per lb.

Hides. — There ia no quotable alteration to note in values, the position of the market being about the same as when we last reported. The demand continues fairly active, but very little prospect for any immediate improvement. We quote extra heavy, properly saved, 2jd to 3d ; heavy, 2 U to2fi ; medium, 2ji to ljd ; light, 2d to^d ; inferior, I^l to l^d per lb. Tallow. — There is no apparent change in either demand or value. A fair demand exists, and ail available supplies readily placed. We quote, prime rendered mutton, \9i to 20i ; medium to good, 16% to 18 i ; inferior and mixed, 12a 61 to 15i ; rough fat, best mutton caul, 13s to 13a 6d ; inferior to medium and good, 9a to 12s 6d per cwt.

Grain. — Wheat: This market is slowly but certainly weakening Shippers have no inducement to purchase at late current prices, and millers operating with extreme caution, only purchasing just sufficient fir present requirements which aie only to a very limited extent. The position of the market, in consequence, is far from satisfactory, aud the prospect of the disposal of most of the wheat now iv store ib not by any means favourable at the present moment. Quotations are, fur beat Tuscan, 33 61 to 3i 7d ; best milling, red ■naw and velvet, 3s 3d to 3s 5d ; medium to good, nominal, 3a to 3s 2I ; inferior to best fowls' wheat, 2s 3d to 2s 10d, ex itore. Oats : These have a moderately fair demand, and a good many are being disposed of. but at slightly lower prices than those obtaining last week, especially for prime milling, medium to good feed showing

bnt little difference. Considering tbo heavy shipment* lately (rone forward to Australia, the probability is that prices will not improve very much for some little time at any rate. Quotations are for stool bright milling, Is lOd to Is lid ; short bright.feed, 3s 8&d to 3s 9sd ; medium, Is 7d to la 8d (ex store, sacks extra). Barley.— The quantity remaining in agents bands is rather small, but there is no demand of any consequence for any description, though extra prime for milling in limitei quantities would still be placed, but in the absence of such samples, there is little or nothing doing. We quote prims malting nominal, 3s fid to 3s 7d ; medium, 2s 9d to 3s ; feed and milling, 2a 3d to 2a 8d (ex store, sacks extra.) Grass Seed. — Ryegrass seed stocks on hands would appear to be more than sufficient for requirements, and unless a considerable improvement is experienced in the demand it is probable a quantity will have to be carried over to next year. Quotations for local grown machine dreased, 3s 6d to 4a ; undressed, 2a 6s to 3i ; Poverty Bay, 5« to 6a (sacks extra). Cocksfoot continues in small request, the sales iff cctert being confined to very small parcels, at prices ranging from 2£4 to 4£<i per ib. . Potatoes. — Quotations are : For best Northern, 97s 64 to 100s ; medium, 90s to 95a ; Southern, 60s to 955 ; kidneys, 35s to 50a per ton.

OhafE.—Q notations are : For prime, £3 5b to £3 7 s 6d ; ordinary, £2 to £2 15s ; straw, £1 10s per too.

Dairy Produce. — The market continues inanimate ; quotations nominal.

Messrs. Donald Bkid and Co., Duoedln, report for week ending October 16, as follows :— Store Cattlle. — For this class of stock dniing the past week there has been an active inquiry. Qaiet, well grown, four to five year old bullocks are most inquired for, and such could be placed at satisfactory prices. We have an enquiry for about 200 head fallgrown bullocks. Store Sheep.— Only odd lots changing hands, principally hoggets. We have for sale a splendid line of crossbred hoggets ; they have been well wintered, and would do for finishing off for freezing immediately after shearing. Sheepskins. — At our usual weekly sale at the Central Auction Booms we submitted a moderate catalogue. Dry crossbreds, sola at 2a 8d to 6s 9d ; do merinos, 2a 7d to 6s 3d ; do pelts and lambs, Is to 2a 3d ; green crosabreds, 4s 7d to 7s 3d ; do merinos, 4s 9d to 6s. Rabbitskina,— There are odd lots coming to hand which may be classed as really prime winters. These fetch from 15d to 17^d ; medium, 121 to 14£ d ; inferior, 91 to lid ; summer and autumn, 6d to B^i ; Buckers, 2d to 4d per lb. Hides. — During the week we cleared all to hand at — for prime heavies, 2|d to 3d ; medium, 2d to 2£i ; inferior, l£d to ljd ; balls', slippy, cut, l^d to l^d per lb. Tallow. — At aucaon ou Friday we offered several lots, and sold — medium rendered, Hi 64 to 17s ; inferior, lls to 13a ; rough fat, 10s to 14a. Grain. — Wheat : There his been very little enquiry, and the market does not show any signs of improvement, and is rather weaker than when we last reported. We quote :— Milling, 8s to 3s 6d ; fowls' wheat, 2a 6d to 2s lid. Oats. — There is little change to note in the state of the oat mar* ket. Considerable sales are taking place at the reduced values, and if vessels were available to clear off tbosa already sold, the market would get some relief and pi ices might possibly firm a little. We held an auction sale on Monday morning, when we submitted a large catalogue. There was fair competition, and about 3000 sacks found buyers at prices ranging from Is 8d to Is lid, sacks extra. Barley. — We regret we have no business to report. Potatoes. — We disposed of a few trucks at auction on Monday last, and append brands and prices realised : — B, 1 truck Northern, £5 ; I, 1 do do, £4 10a ; B, 7 baga do, £4 6s ; G, 30 do Southern, £2 12s 6d. Cbaff.— We quote i— Prime heavy oatsheaf, £3 2s 6d to £3 7s 6d ; medium and mixed, £2 10s to £3. Ryegrass Seed. — There is no alteration in last week's quotation*, which we repeat. Very best machine-dressed, 4s to 4s 6d ; farmers' dressed, 3s to 4s ; inferior and badly dressed, 2g to 3s ; cocksfoot, 3d to 4d per lb. Clover Seeds move off steadily. The season is now nearly past, and stocks are pretty well exhausted. Turnip Seeds. — We have a large supply, which we are selling to farmers at good value.

Mb. F. Meenan, King street, reports :— Wholesale prices, bags included : Oats, Is 8d to 2a, dull. Wheat : milling (dull), values, for good samples, 3j 6d ; medium, 3s 3d; fowls', 2s 9d to 3s. Chaff: Supply fair, £3 10s to £3 15s. Hay, oaten, £3 15s ; ryegrass hay, £3 5s to £3 10a. Bran, £3. Pollard, £4 10s. Potatoes, supply moderate ; Southern, £4 10j ; Northern, £5 5a ; kidneys (dull), £3, according to sample. Flour (dull) : Stone, sacks, £8 10a; fifties, £9 5s ; Roller, £y 15a ; fifties, £10. Oatmeal, £12. Butter, fresh, 6d to 10d, fair demand ; salt, nominal, 3d to 6d. Eggs, 9d.

Since we last went to press Lavigerie has says the Weekly Register), had a sudden and rapid attack of illne( s, from which, however, we are glad to report he has already begun to recover His Eminence, as we announced last week, arrived at Lucerne to make arrangements about the forthcoming Antt.Slavery Congress, und there he caught cold, which quickly developed into pleurisy, from which be buffered so much that the last Sacraments were administered, and the Holy Father bad the grief of sendind what seemed likely to be a last blessing to the devo ed Apostle of the Slaves. The fine constitution of the Cardinal stood him in good steid, how* ever ; and the fair hopes of reovery now given will, we fervently trust, will be fulfilled in time to preside at the conference — which, as it now tnrm out, was so fortunately postponed.