COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1025, 14 December 1883, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian Office, Friday afternoon. Messrs Miles and Co. report upon the live Btftck market for the week ending I2th December as follows Addington—We have again to record a very light entry of fat sheep at this market on Wednesday last, which was no doubt greatly owing to the fact that stockowners are compelled to make the best use of ihe very little fine weather we are experiencing. Shearing has been both protracted and hue, and in addition to this the bay harvest has now commenced, and fanners will, have their hands fhll for a time. The attendance at the yards was anything but good, and notwithstanding the em «ti quantity under offer (following the short supply of last week) Jprices showed but little improvement. We quote mutton at from 2%d foro per lb; Fat cattle—A fair quantity on hflfc; recent prices were, however, not maintained. One or two specially good lines were notably a draft from the Messrs May Brothers* Pigeon Bay estate, which were a splendid line. We quote beef at from ißs to ais, according to, quality. Fat Lambs—A large quantity was penned, the quality being ,-uneveni Recent : prices were fairly maintained, ranging from 6s to 13s 3d, 'Tatter price was obtained for ii‘ consignment f: from Mr James Holmes, Riccartori. Pig?—A very small number yarded. Competition good, and prices fully up to recent quotations. Store Sheep—A small number comparatively came to hand, but such as were submitted realised prices which must have been extremely satisfactory to vendors. For shorn 'crossbred ewes tip to 14s 6d, and wethers 15s, Was obtained without difficulty, and for crossbred hoggetts, for which class of stock there is now considerable enquiry, we sold up to 14s 3d, the highest price for the season. Store Cattle—A large entry, with a decidedly good enquiry, the presence of a large buyer from the rSptith causing a decided improvement in prices, theiulkof the two and three-year-old steers falling to his bid. Our entries were on account of the Chatmoss Estate, Lowcliffe Estate, Messrs J, T. Rudd, T. Patterson, Charles Mitchell, J- Holmes, J. Hart, W. B. Clarkson,, the Cashmere estate, and others. Our principal sales comprised 34 Southdowns at 14s 64, ,74 crossbred wethers 14s, 66 at 16s 3d, 20 at ,165 atYSs, 20 at 18s 3d, 19 at 16s 63, 69 at 17s; merino wethers, from 11s; hoggets, 10s 9d to 14s 3d; 100 crossbred ewes, shorn, 14s 3d. Privately we have sold, account Chatmoss estate, for freezing purposes, a lin<- of splendid quality wethers at equal to 175, —Ashburton County Saleyards: At these yards on Tuesday last, there was a large entry of .store stock, comprising 4,185 sheep and 118 cattle. The sheep were mostly crossbreds and merino ewes and lambs. The prices, with a few, exceptions were scarcely up to Christehtyrch rates. Merino ewes, with a fair perSmkge of lam 1 s, realised up to 12s (in the wool); crossbreds, from nsto 14s; crossbred hoggets, from 10s to 12s pd. Messrs Matson, Cox and Co. report upon the Live Stock Market for the Ashburton District for the week ending Dec. 12th, as follows :—On Tuesday, at the Ashburton Yards, we field our usual weekly sale of cattle, sheep and pigs. The attendance of fanners, dealers and others was good, and the catalogue for the day’s business was a large one, both in sheep and cattle, no pigs being offered. In fat sheep the entry consisted principally of fat ewes, which did not realise in proportion to the prices paid for stores. In fat cattle the entry was small, and the quality indifferent We quote mutton, 2d to per lb; ditto in wool, 3d per lb; beef, lßs to ais 6d per loolb. In store sheep the catalogue was both large and varied, and prices obtained compare favorably with any sale held this season. In store cattle the entry was fair, iatfd several lines of good steers were quitted at a slight advance upon late rates. We consider the sale to have been one of the most satisfactory held in the district for months, as oat of our very large entry in both sheep and cattle everything was sold, except one old cow. In sheep we sold 51 fat crossbred ewes, I2s 9d; 27. do, 13s 6d ; 50 do, 13s 4d; 19 shorn merino wethers, 7s ; 72 cull shorn cross- , bred hog gets, lis ; 174 crossbred hoggets, Its 8d -isSshom four-tooth wethers, 13s 3d; 254 merino ewes in wool and lambs, 10s 6d; 237 ditto ditto,' 10s ; 239 ditto ditto, 11s ; 394 merino wethers in wool, 9s 3d ; 50 ditto ditto, 8s ;'*2s ditto ditto, 7s 6d; 471 ditto ditto, lis 2d; 259 crossbred hoggets, 12s, and 264 crossbred hoggets, 14s sd; 412 merino wethers, shorn stores, sound mouths, 7s 3d, etc., etc. ID.cattle we sold lat L 4 ss; lat Li 75; 2at Ls IOS; 2atLs Ss 6d; 3 cows at Ls3s ; 25 at L4S 3d; sat L 4 15s ;Bat Li 15s fid; 4at L 4 '4S,, ;: etc,, etc; During the week we have' sold 310 merino ewes with lambs, 10s 3d ; J9B ditto ditto, ns 3d; 400 ditto ditto, 9§ ! do shorn, at 8s id; also for delivery within fourteen days, 1,100 crossbred hoggels, at 12s todj a grand line. In cattle we have sold privately 20 fat cattle, L 6 17s 6d; 41 forward steers, L 5 8s; and 112 2 and 3-year-old at Lj 2s 6d, etc. Farms in good positions are daily being more sought aftefa and. we could place a dozen such in a the land and- price suited. We have sold diving’the week 969 acres of land near Geraldine'at L 6 10s per acre ; 200 acres near Westerfield, at L 5 10s an acre ; and 16 acres near Ashburton at L 25 an acre. a?.VOil . i -.‘o ■ ■ r~r- ■■ ■ ’ ~Thj» following s the Christchurch Com Excßtinge report' for the week ending Friday evening, the I4th>inst: —Very little has transpired during the past week in the grain market, tfio demand reported in last week’s quotations for Wheat and oats has been of a temporary i nature, with the exception of a fair demand fot;,.first-class milling wheat there may be aid to be no inquiry. Holders however maintain prices, looking forward no doubt to the probability of a late harvest. The following are the latest quotations:—Wheat : Sound nulling, 33 lod to 4s 2d per bushel f.o.b. ; seeoq&fluality, 35 3d to 3s 6d ; chick wheat, IS iOoiO' 3s 3d per bushel. Oats; Prime milling; 3s Id to 2s 2d per bushel f.o.b. ; brightsEort fecd, is nd to 2s; inferior i-nd disto is lod. Barley: First-class malting, 4s to 4s 4dper bushel; second quality, 3Sj 3d. tp .34 fid ; feed, is nd to 2s 2d per Pcitatoes : Li 7s fid to Li 10s at country stations. Cheese and butter : 4’Ad to 4d for the former,- and 6j£d to 7d for the utter, kegs extra.