COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1374, 7 November 1884, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Ashburton Guardian Office, Friday afemoon, Messrs Friedlander Bros, (in conjunction with Messrs Robert Wilkin and Co.) report upon the live stock market for the week ending Wednesday, November sth, as follows: The attendance at Tuesday’s sale was a fairly good one. In fat sheep the entries consisted of good crossbred ewes and wethers, wi h a few lines of shorn sheep. Most of the former lots were withdrawn, not reaching owners’ values. Shorn sheep fetched from ?s upwards. Store sheep, me. ino ewes and lambs were yarded in large quantity, and sold according to ages and peicenlage of lambs ; at foot from 9s to 12s gd, the latter price being obtained for a lot which were mostly 6-tooth and with a large percentage of lambs. There were also several lines of cros bred ewes and lambs entered, mixed ages, which sold at 16s 4d to 8s 6d, with quite 100 per cent of Jambs. Hoggets in the Wool—There was only a limited number entered, and made for inferior lots from los 6d to 12s 9d, the latter . price, however, was fully is beyond the value of the sheep. In fat cattle there was tin average entry, and sold equal to last week’s rates. In stores we placed 28 steers and heifers at 355, 3 springers at 625, 2 heifers at 70s, 3 heifers at : 425, 15 calves at 18s; we also had a small entry of pigs, whidh sold at 27s and 28s each. ■ Privately during the weak we placed 102 merino ewes and lambs at lis gd, 900 merino wethers at 9s, 30 do. at Bs, 196 crossbred hoggets at 13s 9d, 64 fat ewes and wethers at 12s 6J, 405 merino ewes and lambs at is, 506 merino ewes and lambs at 10s 6d. We have to thank Messrs Bullock and Foster—being the only auctioneers present—for the kind assistance they rendered to us in the absence of Mr Tabart, as they had besides looking after ; their own entries, a l so to officiate for Messrs Thomas, Stave’ey, and Ford, which they did With a hearty good will. Messrs H. Matson and Co report on the live stock market, etc , for the week ending Thursday, Nov. 6th, 1884, as follows The heavy rainfall of the previous night and sale morning had its usual effect upon the market, that is, many buyers were late in putting in an appearance, and those present at the opening of the sale were careless, and apparently indifferent as to purchasing. As a consequence, one < r two lines of mutton were passed, and others sold at prices is per head , lower than what was obtainable an hour later in the day. As the auc ion progressed the attendance became more numerous, and a decided improvement in the bidding was noticeable, the various lots, especially the best sheep, moving off freely at prices equal to, and in some instances in advance of, last week’s rates. The same spi-it was maintained until the close of the auction;'in fact, one or-two of the closing ' sales were the best made during the day. In woollys we sold, account of Mr Hay Smith, crossbreds at 18s; account of Mr Creswell, merino wethers fit 14s to 16s ; account of Mr . Steward, merino wethers at 13s 3d to 13s 6d. To Mr Furze, of Dunsandel, must f e given the credit of having realised what is probably the highest value lor a fat sheep ever obtained in the Addington market. With some others he forwarded a few shorn wethers, one of which we sold at the exceptional price of 535. We quote the best crossbred wether mutton in the wool at 3d per lb, medium quality to 2j+d, shorn at 2#d to 2j£d, merino out of the wool a shade less. In store sheep there was a large entry, most of the lines being of a more saleable class than 'Usual. Trade was decidedly better, or, in other words, more buyers were present, and nearly every lot choiged owners. Among ■' others we placed the following :—A line of 400 four-tooth wethers in the wool at 15s, 100 crossbred couples at 18s, 700 shorn hoggets at 8s gri to gs 6d, 821 merino wethers at 6s, cull merino ewes with lambs at foot at 7 s - In fat lambs the supply was about an average, prices ruling much about the same as of late, say, from 9s to 13s for good trade lots. In fat cattle there was a smaller market than tisual, and as the quality was mostly prime, buyers competed with mere spirit and freedom than at any sale for many weeks past, establishing a rise of fully Li per head on the best lots. Tee best beef may be quo: ed at from 23s to 25s per loolbs, 27s 6d being reached in some exceptional instances. In stores there was but little doing, prices remaining nominally unchanged. The entry of pigs was about . an average one, but of a much belter description than of late. The auction throughout plainly exhibited the fact that curers for export are altogether out of the market, prices showing a noticeable falling off.

The following is the Christchurch Corn Exchange report for the week ending Friday, 7th instant The market for grain and produce daring the week has not shown any material change. Li es of wheat of all classes can scarcely be quilted, and prices quoted below are merely nominal. The depression in oats noticed last week is'st'll more pronounced this weelc, and there is little inclination to pu chase at current prices. Barley fit for. malting is conspicuous by its absence, while feed lots are plentiful enough at prices that onght to command sales. Potatoes show no sign of a revival. The latest shipments to Sydney have turned out indifferent owing to the lateness of the season, and there is little likelihood of any further orders from that port, the local market is therefore the only outlet, and quotations are difficult to obtain. Values for the week as under: —Wheat : 3s to 3s 3d prime milling, seconds 2s fid, chick wheat is fid to is gd f.o.b.—Oats : milling 3s, short feed 2s lod, long oats 2s gd f.o.b.—Barley: Malting 4s, second quality do 3s fid to 3s gd, feed 2s to 2s 3d at Christchurch.—Beans and Peas : 3s 3d I to 3s 4d for the former, and the Ja'ter 3s 3d to 3s fid f.o.b.—Potatoes : L2 5s nominally at country stations within 12 miles.—Butter : fid to yd, Legs extra, f.o,b.—Cheese : Nominally 4d flab.