COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 211, 8 December 1880, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The English Markets.

The following is ’Messrs, Miles Bros, and Co.’s colonial produce report, dated London, October 22 :

Wool.—There is little change to report since our last advices. Not much business has been done, but there have been some private sales, which, though small, gave indications of somewhat greater activity in the Home manufacturing districts. Continental consumption continues normal, but the demand from that quarter is slightly easier. The Antwerp series of sales of River Plate wools opened on the 19th instant with a numerous attendance of buyers, but the competition was not very brisk. The new arrivals for November comprise : Sydney, 6,050 bales ; Port Philip, 8,301 bales; Adelaide, 1,941 bales; Swan River, 211 bales; Van Dieman’s Land, 314 bales ; New Zealand, 11,494 bales; Cape, 31,026 bales; total, 59,337 bales. There will also lie 35,000 hales in addition, which were held over from last sales. It is expected that there will be about 120,000 bales on hand by the time the next sales commence.

Wheat and Flour.—Winter seems to have set in early, heavy snow having fallen throughout Great Britain—a very .unusual circumstance at so early a period. Since our last, slight reaction in values has taken place in the wheat market, but it is in so sensitive a condition that prices vary almost every market day, and on the whole prices keep steadily to previous quotations. Shipments from Atlantic ports to the Continent are on a large scale, owing to the deficient harvest in Germany and Russia, and the failure of rye. English wheat comes forward more freely, but samples are generally inferior in quality, imports of New Zealand wheat have been smaller than was expected, and fine parcels meet with ready sale, while inferior are difficut to move. Oats sell slowly at previous rates. Flout in fair demand, and wc'hcar that increased ship-, ments a~e likely to come forward from Australia. Victor!,inwheat is worth 48s to 51s ; New Zealand, long berried, 48s to 53 s > fair average, 46s to 48s ; and inferior, 41 s to 45 s per 4961 b. Australian flour, superfine, 34s to 355; New Zealand, 31s to 34s per 280 IR Oats, fine, 28s to 34s ; and common feed, 24s to 27s per imperial quarter. Tallow and Hides.—The tallow market has been steady since our last advices. The stock in importers’ hands is now only about 7,400 casks, the amounts disposed of at late sales having been laige. To-day’s sales passed off with good demand. Beef advanced 6d per cwt.; mutton sold very irregularly'; the former realised 32s 6d to 33s 6d, and the latter 33s 6d to 36s per cwt. There have been no sales of hides since our last reports; next auctions are fixed for 28th instant. Bank rate, percent.