Commercial.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 51, 19 April 1895, Page 13

Commercial.

A. Todd, on behalf of The New Zealand Loan and Mebcantile Agency. Co., Limited, report for week ending April 17, as follows :— Btoie Cattle — The ordinary amount of business is being put tbrongh, but the market ehowa no animation of any consequence, indeed the tendency ia towards lower prices. Store Sheep — A very considerable number of these are now changing hands, the greater portion being placed at auction, owing, doubtless, to the fact tbat sellers, in mobt instances, have despaired of securing better prices thiß eeasoo, consequently sales are now more eaiily effected, since buyers show a keener desire to compete, having more confidence that the highest bid will be effected. Prices ■till remain low, and owing to the want of feed and various other causes there ia very little show for much improvement duiing the rest of this season. Wool — There were no reports to hand this week in reference to the position of the market at Homi', and probably there will be none until after the opening of the third aeries on the 30th inst., when prices obtaining at *he close of the last Ber es are expec ed to be sustained. The amount of wool Available for ibis series of auctions is 340,000 bales. Only the usual oddments are being dealt with ia the local market, no paicelß of ary cons-quecce are now offering. Sheepskins — The tone of the market shows an upwaid tendency, more particularly in respect to Iho value of country dry ekins, which are well competed for at tbe auction room. We had all the buyers in attendance at our we kly auction Bale on Tuesday, when the uncial amount of spirit waß displayed in the biddirgs, and full prices were obtained for all offered. Country dry croPsbre^B, inferior to medium, la 4d to 2s 4d ; do do merino, Is 3d to Is 81 ; medinm to good croesbreds, 2a 6d to 3d ; heavy, 3a 3d to 3s 6d ; extra do, 3i 9J to 4s 4d ; good to best merit o, la lOi to 2s 9J ; heavy, 2<j lOd to 3* 9d ; dry peltp, 1b to Is 31 ; green crosfrbrc.i pelts, Is 6.1 to Is 101 ; picked lots for ppiCial purposes, 2j to 2a 3d ; green lamb*kit b, Is 6 1 to 2s 3d each. Babbitsklm— A very steady raa'ket exists for thesr, al< off red being freely taken up. Prices are also nbowing some advance, more especially on late saved ekics. The moist w<<a(b»r lately ptv vailing delaya diying operations, consigatnents in co s que. cc are less extensive than they would be under more favourabl« circums ancee Owing to the holidays this week'd sales were held on Tuesday instead of Monday, as is the usual custom. All the buyers, however, were in attendance, and prices fully up to and in s >me cases over those obtaining at our previous sale were secui cd. Good dry au umn skins, 6sd to7si ; 6umtner do, 3J 1 to 5:1 ; suckers, half grown, aud inferior sorts, la to 3d per lb Hides — Market unchanged, all comirg to baud beioß taken up at prices on a par with late rates, which aru for ioferior and ligb', Id 1o l£i ; light to medium, I^3 to l^d ; heavy, 50 to 601bs, 2J to 2£j ; ovei 60lt>s,in faultless condition, 2^l to 3d ptr lb. Tallow and Fat — Ibe market ih somewhat quiet. At the same time all the consignments coining forward are readily placed. We quote beat rendered mutton, put up fit for export, 17a 6 1 to 18 < 61 ; medium to good, 143 6d to 16s 6J ; mferior to medium, 10 < to 13j ; bißßt caul fat, 11s 61 to 12^ ; medium to good, 10* 6i to 11 a ; inferior to^tnedium, 9 to 10a per cwt (ex store) Wheat — Owing to the holidays no business of much consequence has been tiansacted. A very fair demand exists for local reqjtrements, and all good milling wbeit offering meets with a ready sale. Fowls' wheat is also io good request, fetching at times nearly as much as the best milliog. We qujte prime milling velvet and Tubcan, 2s 9J to 2d 9}d ; extra prime, a shade more ; good to best,

2a B£d to 2s 9d ; good to beat red wheat, 2* 8d to 2% BJI ; medium milling and good whole fowls' wheat, 2* 7d to 2s 8 1 ; broken and inferior to medium, 2a 3d to 2* 64 (ex store, packs weignrd in, terms). Oats— Thia being a br> ken wei k business in oona- quence had to some extent been interfered with. A Tery considerable quantity ia now coming to hand, but notwithstanding the fact that a large number of growers are storing for a time there is still a sufficiency offering to meet the demands of buyers and at prices showing no improvement on late quotations, which are, say for prime milling, Is 3d to la 3£d ; beat bright, short, stout feed, la 21 to la 2^d ; inferior to medium and good, Is Id to la 2d ; long Tartars, fit for seed, la 3}d to la 5d (ex store, sacks extra, net). Barley — The market for thia is etill inanimate— maltatera only purchasing when the quality ia extra prime. Being satisfied that the quantity available this season ia more than sufficient for their nquirementa, they are in do hairy to put in etocki, meanwhile, at all events. There ia a bi^ quantity of very indifferent barley in Rtore, which will be difficult to place. We quote— Prime malting, 2a 91 to 3* ; medium to Rued, 2s 31 to 2s 6d ; feed and milling, la 6 1 to 2s (ex atore, sacks extra, net). Grass Seeds— There is do change of an importance to note since we last reported. There are bnyrs of ryegrasa, but are unwilling to give prices earlier obtaining. Q natations for ben -dressed perennial seed, 3a 9 i to 4s, medium to good, 3s 3d to 3n 6d (ex store, eacki extra, net). — Cocksfoot buyers are under the impreuion that prices trust farther diop, busr ess in consequence ia restricted. Quotations for beat dressed, id to 4^l ; medium, 3ito 4d per lb (ex store, net). Potatoes — Consignments lately having been on a larger scale buyers are not purchasing so freely, and to eff ct sales lower prices have to be submitted to. B stdeiwents only fetchmp, 37s 6 1 to 40s ; medium, 32* 6 I to 35s p< r ton (px store, sacks weighed in, net). Chaff— The m<rke', meautimp, is glutted, best being hard to plnce at '37n 6J to 40a ; medium, 32s fid to 35s ; inferior to medium, 25a to 308 per ton (ex truck, sacks returned). D.iiry Pioduce — Prime salt butter baa some enquiry from retailers, best dairy made fetohing 6^l to 7d ; medium, bar! to qnit ; North inland factory made, 7^l iv BJ I ; local factory nur»e, 101 to lid. Factory-made cheese, siow sale, medium i-izs, 4£ 1 to i% 1 ; lovf shape, 4$ Itosd ; dairy made, 2\ ito 3 \A per lb. Flax — There is no change to vote in the denvind, which ia still limited to requirements f>r local consumption, Quotations nominal, for medium to good, Ll3 10a to LI 4 10i ; inferior to medium. LlO to Ll2 per ton (ex atore)