Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 14, 2 January 1891, Page 13

Commercial.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Limi TED, report for the week ended December 29 ih as follows :—: —

Fat Cattle.— lß9 head were yarded at the Burnside Saleyards for this week's requirements, the greater portion of which were good to prime quality, the balance comprising a number of aged cows, three parts fat steers and heifers. This entry, although not exreßfiivply heavy, was apparently in excess of requirements. Competition all through the sales was exceedingly languid, resulting in very unsatisfactory prices to vendors ; besides a good many had to be passed in owing to the low prices ruling. Best bullocks brought £7 12s 6d to £9, one or two pens extra heavy weights slightly over ; medium, £5 2s Gd to £G 12s 6d ; light, £3 10s to £4 15s ; best cows, £5 5s to £G os ; light weights and medium qualfty, £2 7s 6d to £4 ss. We cold oa account of Mr. William Kirkland (Elm Grove) cows to £4 ; Mr. William Lindsay (Birch Grove), bullocks to £8 10s and cows to £4 ; Mr. David Sutherland (Locbend), cowb to £4 17s 6d ; Mr. Robt. Charters (Ury Park), bullocks form £6 to £6 12s 6d ; Mr. Thos. Kirk (East Taieri), bullocks from £5 15s to £6 2a 6i, and cows to £4 11s.

Fat Sheep. — The entry to-day again was considerably under the average, only 1283 being penned, all crossbred wethers and ewes, quality ranging from medium to good, with a few pens prime. Although there was a fair attendance of buyers, competition lacked much of 'he spirit (which was not by any means keen) displayed at, last week's auction, and prices in consequence mnst be quoted as easier. Best crossbred wetheis brought 12s Gd to I3s, one pen to 13s 6d ; medium, 9a 6d to 12s ; best do ewes, 10s Gd to 13s. medium. 8s to 10s. We sold on account of Messrs. Ross Bro3. (Bu«hy Park), and other vendors, mixed crossbred wethers and ewes to 10s !M.

Fat Lambs. — 916 were penned, most of which were good to prime quality. This number was considerably in excess of actual requirements, and although the whole were disposed of, prices were lower than these ruling last wrek by Is to Is 6d per bead. Best brought 7s (id lo 9s GJ, a few picked. 10s f> 1 : medium to good, .">s to 78.3d We sold on accmntof Nfesira. Ro-w Bros. (Bu«hy Park), 66 at 9s 3d to 9s Dd ; Mr. T. H. Bussell (Milburn;, 54 at *s ; Mr. Geoffrey Foster (P,.rk Farm), 4»> at Bs.

Pige. — 87 were panned a c nsiderable number of which were suckers with a few porkers and baconers. The entry being small, a very satisfactory deman-i was experienced for all offered, tuckers brought [)% to 15s ; porkers 22s to 29s ; baconers 33s to Mi : a few extra heavy to 469 each.

Store Cattle. — There is very little animation in the market, only an rdd lot occasionally changing hands. Graziers are seemingly indifferent about purchasing except when suitable lots are off r ring an i then only to satisfy present n quirements. Any little inquiry made is for three to four year old bullocks in forward condition, for which £3 15* to £5 5s muht be obtained, perbap9 a little more if well bred and quiet.

i^tore Sheep. — A few lota of aged sheep, principally merino with a few crossbred wetheis and ewes, are being placed, but this demand is mo9tly fir younger sheep, two, four to bix tooth in both classes crossbreds ss well as merinos. In the meantime, however, there are not very many offering of these ages, doubtless the lite rains experienced will have a beneficial tffect on pastures and tend to a farther increase cf business.

Wool. — Since last writing nothing new has transpired effecting the market for this staple, ior do we expect to hear anything detini c with regard to the position at Home till after the opening of the first series sales iv London, which takes place about the en I of January. Pending the Stcond senes of local sales to be hel 1 on Thutsday and Friday of next week, there will b; nothing doing in this line of any consequence. The weather his been sumawhit fitful lately, consequently wool has not been coming forward very freely ; npvertheless fair representative catalogues will be tubmittdd, and with a considerable increase in tbe numbpr of buyers it is devoutly to be hoped a ially in pric a will be displayed and a more cocfilent ten-) prevail.

Sheepskins. — A very fair attendance of buyers was present at our weekly auc ion on Tuesday when there was very good competition for all lo s br lugbt forward, especially for lambskins and green crossbred p->ltn, in wh.c'i a slight advance w is estab Uhel, while medium and full w oiled fkins were slightly easier. This was due nod >vb r to the uncertainty nf the market at Home for washed scoured wools Country dry cr js^brvdc 1 ifcrior to medium brought, la 4 1 to 39 ; do do mt nno, Is 5 1 to 3* Id ; fullwoollrd crosabreds, 3s 9d t<> 5-> ltd do do rnerioo, 3s Gd t ) 5s 3 1 ; dry p 'Its 4h to Is Id ; green d:>. Is 4d, Is 31, la 21. la M, Is ; green lambskins, Is Gi, liod 1-* 4 1 la 31. Is :M.

Ral bitbkin- 1 . — The supply being n>w limited, there is but little business passing in those ; at the same time all offered don't fail to meet bujers, who compete spiritedly up to prices equal to late quotations.

Hides. — A steady demand continues to exist, but the market is unchanged co far as prices are concerned which are rather high for shippers to operate. We quote for good to best salted, 2|d to 2]d ;

extra heavy, 3d ; medium, 2d to 2^l ; light, IJd to lijd ; inferior and slippy Id to I JI per lb. Tallow and Fat.— We have no improvement to note in values. Tin demand however continues active, chefly for local consumption, We quote for prime rendered mutton, 19< to 203 ; medium to good, lfa to 18* ; inferior «nd mixed, 12s 6i to 15«61. Kongh fat is readily saleable, and when free from rubbish realises orices relatively higher than those paid for rendered, viz , for best, 13s to 14s ; inferior to medinm and good, 10s to 12j 91 perewt. Grain — Wheat : Tbe holidays are somewhat interfering with business this we u k. Millers being fairly well supplied with flour, are content to work off the balance of the wheat stock, merely purchasing occasionally when particular lines run out. There are no stocks of any consequence in agents' hauis, holders have therefore som« confidence in tbe future of the market. F >wls wheat is scarce and moves off readily whenever there is any to offar and at prices relatively higher than those paid for good milling, we quote best Tuscan, 3-» 9 J to 3s lOd ; medium to good, 3< 5d to 3s 7d ; best red wheat, 3s 51 to 3s 6d ; medium, 3s 4 i to 3s 5d ; broken and inferior, 2s 6d to 3s 3d ex store. Oits : These continue to have a steady demand and all offering easily placed, but prices except on on<) or two occasions have not been improved upon since quoting last week, and quite possible they may not go higher for the present at any rate, the demand being fairly speculative ; at the same, unless heavy consignments are rushed on the market from the ronntry. Present rates are likely to remain firm which we qaote as follows for prime milling, bright and *tout, la s£d to Is 5, ! d : best bright short l'eed, la fxl to Is .'Ud ; medium, Is 4dto Is 4 jd ; inferior and musty, Is to Is 3d ; good Danish, Is 4d to Is 4+d ex store, sacks extra. Barley There is rery little of this cereal now in first band?, in consequence the business passing is of bnt little importance, any offering however is readily placed, There in no prime malting on hand, medium fetches 2s 3d to 2s 4d ; feed and milling, Is 9d to 2s Id ex store.

Grass Seed. — Byegrass seed is only dealt in to a very moderate extent, but the stock being low, late quotations are being upheld for th j small lots disposed of. We quote beat machine Pressed, 4s 9d to 5i ; farmers best dressed, 3s 6d to 4s ; medium, 2a 9i to 3a 3d ex store. Cockefoot seed is only saleable in retail parcels at from 4d to 4Ji per lb. Potatoes. — Old Derwents are now out of the market, but the supply of new kidney is rather in excess of the demand, and the result a slow market. Newly dug fresh potatoes are worth £6 10s to £7 ; imported, £5 103 to £6 per ton.

Chaff. — The abundinca of new grass, also the holidays tend to diminish the consumption, and although the supply has not been heavy lately, prices don't seem to advanc, but contiaue stationary, viz,, for screened and well-cut oaten sheaf, 42s Gd to 459 ; medium, 37s Oil to 40s : inferior, 2">s to 35s per ton.

Dairy Produce — Prime salt butter in boxes has but h slow sale, at from Gd to 7d ; extia prime, perhaps 8J per lb. Factory made cheese is saleable in small parcels at 4d to 4}i for medium, and 4^d per IH for loaf.

Flax. — Superior soft, bright parcels, also good to medium, if well dressed have a steady demand at our late quotations, say for the former £19 os to £20 ss, and i)rthe latter, £16 10a to £18 10s, while common and strong is difficult to place at satisfactory prices.

Messrs. Donald Stbonach and Son report for the week ending December 24, as follows :—: —

Fat Cattle. — Tha sale this wetk was held on Monday, Wednesday being too close on Chris'mas sh >w day to enable the butchers to get their arrangements completed ; and, as usually happens when tbe day of a »le is altered, it was an unusually dull one toroughoat. The supply forward waß a small one, only G7 head being yarded, of which about half were prime quality and heavy weights, the rest medium to inferior. Bidding was extremely slack, and prices ruled much eieier than last week, several of the larger bujers having supplied themselves ou'side tte yards, and a good many bed supplies since last week — Beat bullocks sold at £8 to £9 7s Gl, medium £6 5s to £7 10s, inferior £4 5s to £5 7s 61, cows and heifers £3 5s to £7.

Fat Sheep. — The small supply of 800 came to the sale to-day, all of them being crossbreds, and two-thirds of the whole were ewes, the balance wethers ; among the latter were a few pens of extra prime sheep, the balanca good useful mutton and medium weights. The ewes ranged from extra heavy Leicesters to medium halfbreds. Notwithstanding the small supply the sale throughout was an exceedingly dull one, and unces were rather in favour of buyers. Best crosßbre 1 wethers sild at 13s tid to 16s; medium, lls to 12s 6d ;

b 'Bt crossbred ewes, lls 9 1 to 13< 3J ; ordinary, 9s ti 10s 9d. We sold evns on account of Mr. H. T. Blair (Brighton), and crossbred ewes on account of Mr. D. Mitchell at quotations.

Fat Lamb9.— 92o were penned for to-day's sale. Several pens were prime, tbe rest ranging from medium to inferior. Competition waß not so brisk as at last sale, although there were bujera in the market for the best fre<zin^ lines, and prices ruled fully Is easier all round. Best ppm sold at lls to 12s 6d ; medium 8s Gd to 10s 3d ; inferior, 5s 9d to Gs Gd.

PiijH. — To- Jay's maiket was oupplieil with suck, rs, slips, and porkers, 68 in all. which sold under brisk competi'ion. Prices for the former were abou 1 the same us last week, but pcrkers s Id much retter. Suckers sldat 5s t>d to 13s ; slips, 14s 6d to 19s ; porkers, 22i to 31 p.

S'cre Cattle. — There are very tew inquiries, and n> business passing.

btoie Sheep.— There is a brisk demand and numerous inquiries for young crossbre.is of bolh texts, also for ewes and lambs, but in, view of the scarcity of grass n^rthwaid, buyers are holding off in the hope that shou'd the dry weathtr continue for any length of tim>, owners may be forced to s -11, and that prices may come lower. In the Soutn grass is very plentiful, but the broken weather has hindered shearing, and, therefore, llure are very few io the market from taut quarter.

Wool. — The next Dunedin sales will be held at the rooms of the Chamber of Commerce, Danedin, on Thursday the Bth md Friday the 9th January 1891, commencing each day at 10 a.m. Wool intdnded to be catalogued for these sales should be in town on or before Monday, sth January, to admit of it being placed and valued before the sales, and particulars should be sent forward as early as convenient.

Bhecpßkins. — At the usual sales held on Tuesday average catalogues were submitted. The usual number of buyers were in attendance, and under fair com pet tion all the catalogues were cleared at satisfactory prices. Dry crossbreds Bold at 2§ Id to 5s 9J ;di merino*, Is lOd to 4*4 * Id ; do pelts and lambs, lOd to 2s ; green pelts, lOd to Is 2d ; do lambs, Is to Is 4d.

Hides. — There has been no alteration in values since we last reported. There is a fair dunand for clean, wpll-fUyed par-els, but inferior and dirty are difficult to quit at anything like satisfaotory prices. We quote : Pfime heavies, 2^d to 3d p«»r 1b ; medium, 2^d to 2id ; light, l^d to 2d ; bulls, slippy and cat, IJd to l£d. Tallow. — A good demand exists for local consumption, and all that is arriving meets a ready sale. We quote : Medium rendered, 16s 6d to 18s per cwt ; inferior, 12s to 14s 6d ; rough fat, 93 to 13s.

Grain. — Wheat : A small business has been done in prime milling qualities daring the week, but at values a shade below late ruling rates. Medinm and inferior sorts are still much neglected, and these kinds are hard to place at anything above chick feed prices. We quote prime milling 3s 6d to 3s Sd ; medium, 3s 2d to 3a 4d ; inferior and chickwheat, 2s lOd to 3s 2d. Oats : The arrivals during the week have been very email ; there is at the moment an extra good demand to complete cargo of vessels loading for London, and prices for heavy bright samples suitable for shipment Home have advanced from Id to 2d per buubel. This improvement in values appears to be caused chitfly by necessity of completeing loading of vessels under charter, and partly owing to intercolonial freights having been reduced. Tbe producer thos obtains the enhanced valne. There is nothing apparent in adjacent market" to justify any material advance in prices, and those engaged in tbe trade are not sanguine of present values being maintained. There is a steady demand at present, however, and all coming to hand finds a ready market a full rate- 1 . We quote :— Milling, Is 4£d to Is SJ I ; short bright feed, Is 3£d to la 4d ; discoloured Is Id to Is 3d (sacks extra). Barley : A few consignments have been cleared at for — Malting, 2s 2d to 2s 4d ; milling, Is lOd to 2s ; feed, Is 6d to Is 9d (sacks extra).

Potatoes. — The market has been well supplied during the week, and prices are easier — Prime £6 to £8 ; inferior and small, £4 to £6

Chaff. — The market is quite bare, and, with a good demand, prices have firmed : — Prime, £2 2s 6d to £2 5s ; medium, £1 15 a to *2.

Flax.— Late reports from Home show an increased demand, and for tbe best bright-scutched fibre a considerable improvement in price has been established. Locally there is a good demand, and all carefully prepared lines can be placed at full rates. We quote — Best to bright-scutched and edged, £19 to £20 10s ; medium, £16 to £18 10fl,- inferior, £12 to £15.

Messes. Donald Reid and Co., Dunedin, report for the week end' ing December 31, as follows —

Fat Cattle. — 189 were yarded, consisting of about half bullocks, and half cows and heifers. All were useful quality, and several pens of bullocks were extra beevy weights. Messrs. Muiray Roberts and Co. were to the fore with a draft of extra prime heavy bullocks from Ringaway Estate, and thp two drafts, one of bullocks and one of heifers, from the Land Coy's. Eden lale Estate were both splendid lots, and ought to have met a better sale. Bidding was slack and priceß showed no improvement on last week. We quote :— Best bullocks sold at £8 5s to £9 Us 6d, medium £5 10s to £7 IDs, cows and heifers £3 5s to £7 ss. We yarded 35, and sold on account of Mr. Robert Marshall (Henley), 8 bullocks at £G 7s (3d to £5 15s, - heifers at £4 2«t 6d ; on account of Mr. John Allan (Taurima), 1 bullock at £5 2s 6d, 10 heifers at up to £5 2s Gd ; on account of Mr. D. McDonald (Southland), * heifers at £7 10s to £7 ; on account of Messrs. N. McL^od, Alex. Rawlston, and others, 6 cows and heifers at £3 7s 6d to £3 2s 6d.

Store Cattle. — We have inquiry for good three to four year old bullocks and for speyed heifers, and any suitable lines in fair condition would meet a good market.

Hides. — There has been no business done during the last week owing to the holidays. The only arrivals have been a few coun'ry parcels. We will clear all forward as soon as business resumes after the holidays.

Tallow.— ln this market too there has been very h 1 tie passing: the quantity arriving being small. There is a pood demand, however, and a ready sale for all grades. We quote— Medium renderd, 17a to 18s 6d ; inferior, 12s 6d to i:>s ; rough fat, 10s to 13s. Fat Sheep.— A very moderate supply came forward for to-day's sale, only 1,283 being penned, all of tbem crossbreds, and, with the exception of a few pens, all Bhorn fheep. Rather more than half were wethers ; the remainder consisted chiefly of full-mouth ewes. There was a draft of exceptionally fine quality wethers from the Knapdale Estate, several pens of which were taken for freezing. It was thought that this week's email entry, coming immediately after last week's still smaller one, was sure to cause a brisk sale and better prices, but, contrary to expectation, competition was extremely slack, and prices were fully Is lower. Crossbred (in wool) scld at lls .id to 16s , crossbred wethers, lls to Us Od ; crossbred ewes, 8s 9d to 12s 9d.

Btore bbenp. — There is some demaud for large-iramed wethers suitable for finishing off for freezing, and this class of stock commands A ready sale at full rates. Fat Lambs.— The week's market was well supplied with 916, of which only a few were inferior, the bulk ranging from good to prime. There was fairly active competition, but prices were no better than last we*k. Best peDs sod at 9s 3d to 10s 6d ; medium, 7s 3d to 8s 9d ; inferior. 5s 6d to 6s 3d. Pigs.— B7 penned, consisting of suckers, porkers, and baconers. Euckeie md porkejs met a fairly brisk eale , baconers did not meet

with the same attention. Suckers sold at 9s 6d to 15s ; porkers, 22s to 29 s ; baconeie, 33s to 39a ; a few extra heavy, 46a. Sheepskins. — At our sale on Tuesday there was a fall gathering, and competition throughout the sale was brisk, prices ruling a shade better than at l»st week's sale. Dry crossbreds soM at 2s Id to 5s 9d ; do m-rino, Is 8d to 5s 4d ; do pelts and lambs, 6a to Is lid , green pelts. lOd to Is 4d ; do lambskins, Is to Is 6 i. Grain. — Wheat : A moderate business has besn done in this cereal durin? the week at quotations. Prime milling, 3s 6i to 3s 9i ; mtdu-m, 3s 3J to 3i 5d ; fowl wheat, 2j lOd to 3s 2d. Oats.— Only a very small supply arriving, and as there is a pood demand priced are firm at, for milling, Is 5d to Is s£d : feed, Is 3i to Is 44 I, eacks extra. Parley. — There ie a brisk inquiry for all qualities at quotations. Malting, 2s 4d to 2s 7d ; milling, 2s to 2s 3d ; feed, Is 6i to Is lid. Potatoes. — The market is moderately supplied and prices are firm. We quote :— Beat, £6 to £S ; small and inferior, £4 to £5. Chaff. — The market is quite bare, a id there is a good demand for all qualities. We quote— Prime, £2 2s Ci to £2 7s Gt : medium, £1 15s to £2. Flax.— There is only a very small quantity coming forward ; prices continue firm al last week's quotations.