COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1047, 11 January 1884, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian Office, Friday aftemosn.

Messrs Miles and Co. report upon the live market for the week ending Thursday, 10th January, as followsAddington—At this mwkrt'on Wednesday a large number of sheep came forward, although not quite so heavy a yard as the week previous. The entries comprised very few extra quality sheep, the’.majority. of the mutton being crossbred eweS and merino wethers. Amongst our consignments we had the pleasure of submitting a small line of the choicest wethers for freezing purposes' which we have seen yarded for some time? vK, a draft of crossbred Sonthdowns bom Mr S. Gillingham, Albury, with which we topped the market for the day at 2os each; we also sold, on- account "of Mr ■M. Quinn, Tea very nice lot of wethers and ewes, the wethers realising 17s.6d.and the ewes 13s 6d. A consignment from the LOwcliffc Estate was also, keenly competed for, and realised up to 16s od. -We quote mutton from 2>£d to 3d per' lb. ' The fine weather we have experiencedthe last few days, and the pros- . pect of a continuance of hot weather burning Up the feed, is tending to reduce the inquiry for stores, and we noticed a perceptible decline m prices, notwithstanding that a good many bnyirs'didc liot operate. Fat Cattle —About the< usual number penned, a small proportion only being ofan anywise extra quality. Prices ruled, at «ont recent rates, viz., from. 18s to BisihSiofib. . Store Sheep—ln this class of Btodt k ; ligtit entry, comparatively, ■ came forward, comprising all descriptions. Sales showed a slight drop in values, crossbred wethers jn forward condition selling up to xjs 6d td 15s Od; crossbred ewes, up to 14s 6d ; merind wetberv9s 6d; merino ewes, from & to Qsi accbnfihg to age and quality ; crossbred 6d. Store Cattle-A limited supply, sufficient, however, for the small enquiry.. ,No alteration; in values is apparentv except fer three and fqur-yeard-old bulmck4 'which ate extremely difficult to obtain, andrare ktifagiag good prices, from L+ 10s to L6-IQS. s uThe totals yarded were 8,427 sheep, 374cattle,and 82 pigs.

Til* following Is the Christchurch Com Exchange report for the week ending Friday erming, Uie nth lust. t—The grain market continuf* dull,, operations being confined to immediate requirements. The improvement In the weather has had the effect of forwarding crops, oat cutting having already commenced in several districts. The grass seed crop will be heavy, and buyers are diffident in offering price* so early in the season. The quotations foe the week are Wheat: Sound milling wmt«c,' 4s tq.4s 2d, f.0.b.; Tuscan, 3sgd to Rs- 'f bb. j secbnd quality, 3s 3d to 3s 8d; Wheat, is aod to 2s at Christchurch.— Oats? Primfe milling, 2s id to 2s. 2d per bushel; bright short feed, is id to 2s; inferior and discolored, is 8d to is lod per bushel, f.o.b.—Barley ; None offering, prices nominal. -7: Cheese and Butter; 4j£d to s*l the fqimer with little demand, and 6j£d to 7d for the hitter.

Wool Bale. Messrs Miles and, Co. report on the third saledfthe series as follows :—Mr J. T. Ford as auctioneer, and submitted 1,096 bales, of which a very large proportion were sold at satisfactory prices, the bales withdrawn not fetching vendors’ reserves, which, in many arft put pn without knowledge of real value. It is a matter for regret that growers pay so little attention to the proper getting up of their dips. In many instances the want of proper cate has seriously affected the value here, and we cannot too earnestly impress upon out clients the necessity for careful skirting and packing. Of the wool withdrawn we were compelled to hold over the Valetta clip for our nextsaS, as only a smaU proportion arrived in rime. w TUs dip* we venture to predict, will prove second to none in this market having been well and carefully classed, heavily _ skirted, and is coming forward in grand condition ; and 'regret wasexpiessed that we were unable to offer it with the res*. Notably among the dips offered we would make special mention of the HackthOtne clip (Mr C. J. Harper’s) on the Hinds River. This is the third year this cKpohaJtibeeiP sold in this market, on each occasion bfingiug the highest value obtained at auction as a whole for net cash. The spanner In which it is got’up reflects great credit on the grower, and affords an example worthy of ; by;, others who send their dips, whether large or small, to this market. Of the whole 196 bales, 49 hales, one-fourth in numiberi and xonsideraly over one-fourth in pieces and locks. - Buyers consequently have confidence in the different sorts, knowing that they can ship without further