COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 852, 26 January 1883, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The N. Z. L. and M. A. Co. report for the month of January as follows : - Christchurch— Wool; The third series of the year was held on the l6th .and 17th instant, when 4,100 bales wete brought forward, of which upwards of 2,500 were placed under the hammer, or privately immediately after the auctions. We submitted! 11,754 bales, and quitted 1,090 at the following rates :—Merino, 7d to io%<l ; half-bred, 8d to gd ; cross-bred, to Bs4d • Romney, 8d ; Leicester, 7d ; scoured lambs, gd; scoured cross-bred, lojfd to 1 i'Xd ; scoured merino, is 4Xd to is 7%d. The bulk of the wools offered were heavy in condition, being full of yolk and earthy, though no fault could t be found with the staple. Some well frowif merino clips, light in condition, elicited een competition, and realised satisfactory price&r-notably, 67 bales Buccleuch brand at IC>X<s‘ 10J bales Whiterock brand at same figure, and 13 bales Ashley Downs at rod. Our next’aflcuon sale will be held on the 7th February, for which 700 bales are already in store, including some choice merino clips.— Sheepskins : Fellmongers Being largely engaged with wool-scouring the demand is not so active’ J woolly skins, and prices in consequence _are somewhat easier, but for pelts there is good'lnquiry/and all brought forward are readily f: pl a ced at full rates. About 26,000 skins have been brought to the hammer by the various brokers.—Tallow; We have no business whatever to report in shipping parcels of tallow, as local boilers, without exception, consign on their own account. For fat the demand is good, and all brought forward meets #ithi' -ready sale at our quotations.— , Grain f .. Wheat : The late bright weather, assisted by a nor’-wester on the 20th and 21st, has brought the crops to maturity simultaneously, and farmers are straining every nerve to secure the grain whilst conditions are so favorable. -Some early Tuscan" has already appe»red oh the market, the quality of which is all that could be "desired. Sales have been effected at 3s : 6d for Tuscan and 3s 4d for Hunter’s, delivered in Christchurch, thus proving the correctness of our prognostications a month ago. There can be no doubt now that 3s 3d to 3s 6d f.o.b. will be the ruling rate for early delivery, and it .remains with farmers to decide whether. •' they will accept this figure or ship \o London on their own account. The rate- ■of freight on wheat to London is not yet definitely fixed, but we have already announced to our clients that it will not exceed 40s per ton of 2,2401b5. —Barley : No- : thing of any moment has transpired regarding this cerealjduring the month. Holders of old crop vrflli mot' ■ accept less than 4s 6d to 5s whilst‘ maltsters prefer waiting for the new grain, which they expect to secure at about 4s. —Oats : Only a hand-to-mouth business has been passing during the month, and this at gradually declining rates, until 2s 6d has been touched for bright feed of old crop. Early de-UveriesrW--new crop were placed at 2s Jd, but 1 ' 2s". is now the current price for right-ffeed|February deliveryat Christchurch.— Grass Seeds -: "Ryegrass—A large crop has been gathered in •- good condition, and the quality generally is all that could be desired. Supplies are not coming to hand so freely as expected, but doubtless when the grain crops are secured grass seed will have more attention. Some parcels have been placed at 3s to 3s 3d, according®!*) dressing.—Properties ; Owing to the severe stringency of the money market, and the prSEabililyof the same prevailing until the Victorian .Joan is floated, the enquiry after propertieshas entirely ceased. 11 is hoped, however, tfiqt spine improvement in this direction may display' itself after the' crops are realised upon.

Messrs J. T. Ford and Co.* report as fol' lows ;—The opening of the new Yards at Tinwald on Tuesday last created some excitement, and they will undoubtedly be a great boon, and give an unmistakeable fillip to stock sales in that district*' There is no doubt that they have been ladly wanted for some time past, and now that the convenience exists this centrally sitjiated market is bound to become well patronised. We had the pleasure'onppening the ball with some good lines of sheep.and cattle, and can report prices as quite equal"to those ruling at the Addington Yards. A scanty supply of stock, both beef and came forward for this initial sale, and the attendance was likewise somewhat meagre, but being in the midst of a farmers’ district this isriot to be wondered at, all hands being now fully occupied with the abundant harvest, and"having no time to spare either to send stock forward or to attend sales on purchasing thoughts intent. We sold on account of the Alford - Estate some good bullocks at L 6 and L 6 ios each ; heifers, at L 5 10s; steers and cows at 14. On account of Mr Nicholas we sold cow and calf at L 5 xos, and a dry cow at L 3 ; others according to condition, etc. A line of sdp good store merino wethers on account of C. J. Harper, Esq., we withdrew, as biddings were not commensurate with their value, and a good demand exists for store sheep outside the markets; !

The following is the Christchurch Com Exchange report for the week ending Friday evening, the 26th instant There is no material change to report in the state of the grain market daring the past week. Harvesting is now general over all parts of the country. The weather continues most favorable. The reapers and binders are reported as doing the work well. The harvest this year will be more quickly gathered than in preceding seasons. ■ Wheat : A few sales of Tuscan of the new crop are reported, at prices varying between 3s €d to 3s sd per bushel, f,o.b. Sales have hardly yet been numerous enough to establish a maximum and minimum price. Old wheat is passing into consumption at from 4s to 4s 3<l pfetf‘bushel.—Oats : Good short milling, 2s to zs id, f.0.b.; long feed id to 2d under the 1 highest quotation.—Barley; The new season’s crop is still conspicuous by its absence, apd little or no business has as yet taken place;:—Grass Seed : No sales have as yet takeh’place in this article of produce, one reason for this is that farmers are all so busy harvesting they' have not had time to dispose of their sahiples. Offers have been made, and a small amount of business has transpired at from to 3s 2d for well-cleaned samples. Cockslbet; 3jfjd to per lb.—Potatoes: A few inquiries have been made for kidneys, X 3 to 2*3 S s being the value.—Cheese and Butter*ffThere is no alteration to note in values.. The former is woith from 5d to the lat|jggj)d to 9#d per lb.