Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 35, 20 December 1889, Page 15

Commercial.

Mb. DONALD Stronach (on bthalf of the Now Zealand Loan and Mercantile Aget-cy Compauy, Limited) reports for the week ending December 18, as follows :—: —

Store Cattle.— The demand for these still continues weak. A few sales are being iffecied, but giaziers are operatiug with caution, disincliaed to puichase, except at prices likely to leave them a profit when fit for the ba ccers and whicn baa but rarely been the case during the past few yearn. Store Sheep. — At all the country sales held now and for a considerable period a good demand has been experienced for desir >b.'e lots of cress and balibredp, and at present there is every indication of the demand continuing, but shearing is hardly far enough advanced to expect very much business, and until buyers have agjoi selection transcctiots will be limited, al hough thereafter it is anticipated that all available lots will be quickly taken up. Wool.— Bince our last report we are in receipt of the following telegram from our Lonuon cffije:-"The fifth and last series of colonial wool sales closid faiily well. Since close of last sales nearly al) descriptions have advanced £ i per lb. Tbe sales comprised about 168 000 bales; 90 000 bales have been t«ken to tbe Continent, and 4,600 held over f»r fu ure dit-posal." We held our first sale for this season last Thuisd .y (tbe 12 h inst ). when we had a very fair at'enaance of buyers bunt wasqaue apparent that the cablegrams civei advising a re -action in the market at Home had a depressing influence ontheday'soperations,and pnets obtaiued for medium wools, although considerably higher than last jeir, will, we hardly think, come up to growers' en icipatious. Tnekeents de-man l.asu-ual, was experience 1 foi light bail and cros-breds and good combi ig light m-rm). At tbe same time all o her de cnptious had very good attention, which may be gathered fiom ihe f*ct in >t nearly all the catalogues were cleared at or shortly after the r\ cc of the sales. Full particulars of our sale may be seen in tbe Daily Tivies of the 13h mat. — Shearing is now pretty general, esp.cia.iy ou the teabiard. A number of iniaod giowera are also commtncing to forward their cousignments, and by tbe time oui next sale day ( be 9tu Januiry) c -mis r >und »cry fall ca'a'ogue9 are expected f.r presentation. It 19 also quite certain that a number of buyeis now in Ausualia contempla'e beins* present then. bheep»kius. — We brought forward a lengthy catalogue to a lar^e attendance of buydsou luesday, the usual weekly B>le day. This market could not be more favourable t . senders th*n at present. The Tigoious dtmand for export that pp r t vails along with the requirements of tbe local felltoon^ers has a considerable influence on coi petition particularly for shorn cro^bred pelts which are advancing in value we«kly, and every indica ion of the advance continuing to improve Wooll^d ot every descnpiion are in good rt quest, and notwuh-' etandiDg thet prices f^r wool had somewhat receded at the c ote of the last aeries in Lon ton, there is little if any etungein those obt lining for fckins. Butchers best green oro-sbred woolied brought 7s 6 1 7«t 3i, 7i, 6»91, 6s 6d 6s 4 1, 63 3 i, 6i 21; good to medium and infeiior, 6b, 6s lid, 5-) lOd. 5-. 8 1, 5s 5 I, 5s 3 1 5s 2 I, 5s Id, 5* ; green merinos wowlled, 5i 91,558 ', 5s 6d, 5- 3 , os 111 1 ; green lamb k n-, 1b 9d, Is Bd, Is 7d, 1551,1 ; 3d, Is 2d, lid ; do.pel's. l-3d, 1, 2d, Is Id, I*, lid, 9J. Next week's skins will be B_>ld on Monday ai 2 o'clock. instead of Tuesdty in the Ohamber of C menerce hall. Country dry skins croseb'ed inferior to medium, Is 31 to 3s 101 ; do do mcii o Is 21 to 3i 9J ; medium tr lull woolled crossbreds, Si lid to 7s 8d ; do do merino, 3a lOd to 6s 3 1 ; dry j.elts 3d to 13 1.

Kabbusk ns — Ibis maiket 13 cow gwt ing pretty quiet, owing to the lateness of the sefasjn and, consequently, the absence of eupplhs. There are ei ill buyers, howtver. ior any lots tff>rng, and for these prices aie oDtaineJ comparing favourably wi h those realised during the past few we^ks for t-imi ar quality. At toe sales held 1 n LonJou oq the 17ih Oc.ober 1052 bales were submitted, of which 942 were sold at the following raiet, viz., for gooJ to prime wiut-r tkhs, Is 7£d to Is 9^d ; fair ordinary to g od, la Id to Is 7d ; common aud low S'sfo j, 7^l to Is 3 1 ; smail and suckers, 4d to 1 id ; black and fawn, 9|i tw ls4£J ptr lb.

Hives. — The market is fairly well supplied, and all coming forward mtet with a moderately goo i demand, the whole going to the local tanne 8 Piices remain unaltered for heavies, but lights and medium wights hive kts atttntim and, i( anything, lowtr. "We quote—For beat ixtra weights, 2|J to 3d; medium, 2»d to 2A- i ; light, 2d to2£i ; infeiior, l£d to lfl per Ib. Tallow. — The market in bare of prime rendered mutton, and Tery few lines of this quahty offering. Inferior to menium is in moderate supply wi.h a r*-ady salt) at quota\i>ns. Roui<b. lat has h good demand and sell ng freely We quute — Prime iendered mu> en 19-ito2os; medium to giol. 16j to 18- ; inferior and mixed, 13a to 15?. Bough fat — bt Bt mutton, I3i to 14 3 ; inferior to medium aiid good, 9s to 12s 6 i per cwt.

Grain. — Wheat : There has been very little inquiry during the past week, and the market each week seemingly weaker than the proceeding one. There uno demand for expjrt and no outlet of any const quence for flour, so tl at sales iv this cereal are to a very limited extent. Slocks held in sioro are still ht avy, and consumers being pretty well supphtd tlure is little opporiuni'y of tffecting sales at anythiLg like satisfactory prices ; and while values in the London market continue at their present level, there is not much hope for any improvem tit ;n tbe local market. We quote, prime Tuscan, 33 to 3.- 2 1 ; be- 1 red straw nn I vtlvet. 2s 9d to 3s ; mi (iium to goo*, 2s 7d io 2s 9i, inferior to test whole fowl's wheat, 2s 3 i to 2s 7d, (X s ore.— Oats : The maike for these is gome from had to worse ; ihe few fmall iota that are disposed of from time to time are taken up by local consumer?, there being no demand whatever f r ebipmenr, and until there is some iiquny for expurt there is but little chance of any improvement. In ihe meantime there are far more sellers than buyers, and while sales continue to be forced prices •re certain to recede. At the aucUon «ale this week out of the

lengthy catalogues submitted, only one small lot was s^ld, and that an extra nice, bright, shjrt feed o*t, at Is 7d (ex truck, sacks extra). Buyers ideas of values now are from Is 41 to 19 6d, (ex store, sacks extra). — Barley : There is no business of any consequence passing ia this, and not likely to for a considerable time t> come. No doubt odd lots will fiad buyers occasionally but no sales of any magnitude will be effected. Q loaiiousaie nominal. For prime malting 3s Id to 3s 3 I ; medium, 2i 6i to 2s 9i ; aeed and milling, Is 9i to 2i 6d (sacln extra, ex store).

Ryegrass Seed — There is some inquiry being made in a quiet sort of way for speculaiion, but the prices purcbaiers would like to givg are not hkeiy ia ihs meantime to lead to much business. Quotations nominal. Tne same remarks apply to cocksfoot. Chaff — The nnrket Svill continues bare of prime oaten sheaf chaff. &■ d consignments to a moderate extent would realise full prices, but the fact of oats being now so low considerably effects ih^ demand for good chaff. Q lotations are — for best, £3 7s 61 to £3 12s 6d ; medium, £2 15* to £3 2s 6d ; inferior, £1 5s to £2 5s per ton. Dairy Produce. — A more hopeful tone prevails, dome inquiry is now being made for both huiter and cheese, and. considering the quanti y of both that is being shipped Home direct, we should not be surprised further on to find the supply insufficient for requirements.

Mkssrs. Donald Reid and Co., Danedin, report for week ending December 18 a 9 follows :—: —

Store Saeep.— Daring the past week there has been come irquiry for well bred two-tooths off the shears, but sales are difficult to effect, s-llers asking a higher price than buyers are at present prepared to give. We have also inquiry for four-tooth cross*red twesoff ms^ock country, either shorn or in wool. At Macraes on Fiiday we will offer close ou 3000 sheep in the wool, in lots to suit purchasers. Store Caitle. — The low price at present obtainable for fat cattle has effected the sale of btores, and there is now a very po^r demand. To eff ct s Ues ex'reme'y low piices have to be accepted. Sale of Avrs ire Cat.le.— Wa have te repoit having sold on, bstnlf of Mr. X B. Fergusson (of W-itUi), 6 pure bre 1 Ayrshire oattle — 3 cows and 8 heifeis — Jatnes F. Woods, Keg , ( vlary borough, Quter s and) being thf purchaser — (he pi ice < f the three cows, viz , Qjeen of the Roses, Young Pjiocess, and Miss Kankin being 120 quint as.

Wool.— The fi st of this season's series of Dunedin Wool Sales was held on Thur-day last, the 12th inst. Owing to the fall in value reported at the close of ihe Loudon Bales, bidding waß bcarc» j ly so strong as WdS at one time exp-cted. The sales, however, passed off fairly well, and prices on the average showed an advance of from Id to 21 per lb. on the prices obtained at the opening sales of last season. Of ihe 517 bales which were forward in time to be valued by ti e buyers only 19 were passed at the sale. Our mxt sale will be h-ld on Tburslay, 9 h January, 1890, at the Chamber of Commerce, Dunedin. Wool intended for'this sale should be in store on Monday, 6th January, if possible, to admit of being valued by buye s before tne sales begin. On Tuesday last we submit ed a lengthy catalogue of edd bales and bagß. Bidding was fairly bribk, and the catalogue was quickly cleared.

ttabbiiskins.— Only very small catalogues were offered on Taeeday, made up chiefly of early spring t.ke and Eucsns. The lucil buyers were in attendance, and biddiner. especially for welt got-up lots, was fairly bnsK. Suckers sold at 2J to 31 ; spring, 5J to BAi per lh

Sheepskins. — At the Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday we submitted a moderate catalogue. Abou 1 half were dry bkins fiom country clients, the balance butchers' green skins. Only a vety small number of gre n full-woolled skins are now c *n ng forward, the balk of the bu-ch^rs' L>»s being t,,elts. Tne d^m nd for all c.as es was nther easier. Dry crossor. ds sold at, 2s 4 1 to 6s 91; •1 m.rincs 2s Id to 6* 9.1 ; green croisbrtds, 6<3i 6^, 5* 9i, 5, 7d, s^3d, 5-., 4s 7J, 4< 31 ; do merinos. 5s 61, 5< Id. 4s 10 1, 4s 6 i, 4s sd, 4, ; .lo lambi. Is 10 I, Is 91, Is 7d. Is SJ, 1= 4d, Is 2J, Is, lid , pelts, Is 3d, Is Id, Is, lid, 10J, 8.1, 61, sd. Hides.— This market siows a slight decline, and lately reported values are now obtamablf f _>r only the very best heavy hide 3, c'.ean and free from cuts ; light and inferior, wiih which the market is over-stocked, cannot be placed except at very low r-ues. During the week we placed a 1 on b«nd at for prime heavies, 2ji to 3d ; medium, 2d to 2s\ ; light and inferior, l£d to If 3 per Jb. Tailow.—Loc illy there is very little business doing, and prices show no alteration on last week's quotations. Manufacturers are nt curing all conn >g forward. There is some inquiry for rendered in cask-, fie for shipment, and this quality nonets n ready sale. Bough fat is also readi y placed at late rates. We quom— Prime rendered, 18s to 20s ; medium, 16d to 17s ; inferior, 12s to 14s ; rough fat, Us :o 14s per cwt.

Gr<iin. — Wheat : There is prac'ica'ly notbirg doing. Quotations nominal — Milling 2s 91 to 3< 2d ; fowl wheat, 2, 4d to 2ißi Oats. — Business is ex iemely dull. At auction and privately during the w«'»k a few lines have b^en sold, at for — Prime milling, Id 6\ i to Is 7^ 1 ; feed, 1-, 51 to Is 6d (sacks extia). Barley. — doing. Po at-eg.— Derwents are quite out of season, and only meet with sale as pig feed at ab r it 5s per ton. Kidneys are in good request, but advices of large quantities to arrive, threaten to glut the marked for a time. We quote from 5a to 8s per cwt.

Mr. F. Meenan. King street, reports :— Wholesale prices, bags included: Oats, Is 6 i to Is BJ, dull. Wheat: milling (dull). 3s 3.1 10 3s 6d ; fowls', 2s 9J to 3s. Cbaff : Full supph , buU ii.f ;iior, £2 10i to £3 10-i, according to quality. Hay : Oaen, £3 10- ; ryearaßS, £3 5^ (ooth dull;. Bran, £3. Pollard, £3 10s. Po atoes : Southern, £1; No them, £1 10s (dull of sale). Flour: Sacks, £8 0s ; fifties, £8 15s; roller, sacks, £8 10s; 501 b., £9 ss. Oatmeal, £10 (dull), Butter from 6d to lOd. liggs, Bd. Salt butter, nominal, 5d to 6d.