Commercial.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 178, 7 December 1877, Page 4

Commercial.

Mr Hknkt Diuveii (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co.) reports for the week ending December sth : — Fat Cattle. — 97 head caroe forward at the weekly sales to-vliij, all of from good to primo quality, an:l prices showed a slight advance on Into quotations. Besb bullocks brought from £10 to £<.?, 10a ;do cows, £7 10s to £10 10s,— or 30s per 100! b for prime beef.- A.t the yards wo sold 55 hiiiifl, on nccount of Messrs J. C. Bucklnnd and Little Bros, at rates; and two show cows, on account of the Cicy Company, for £22 10s and £18 10s. Fat Calves.— -Ten were penned, all finding buyers at from 20s to sns. (hit Sheep —1999 wore peuned, and owing to the bidding being very slack, BUO had to be turned out unsold. Best pens of cross-breda brought from 10a io 13s ; merinos, only one lot, very prime, 12s- -or fully 2d per lb for best mutton. We sold MO at the yards. Pat Lambs. -SSO were forward, and being much in excess of requirements, prices declined. . Best lambs brought from 7s to 10s 6d ; ifleiliuu), 5s to 6s (id. We sold "200 as above. . ' Store Cattle.— Owing to the still continued dry , ■weather, vory little is doing. We have sold a few small lots, numbering about 100 head in all, at recent quotations. Store Sheep.— No transactions to report. Wool. — We are still without any cablegrams advising either opening prices of November saW or reporting progress of same. By the San Francisco mail just to hand we have priced catalogues to complete August-September sales, by which and accouufc sales also to hand we find the improvement in prices noted in our previous report in combing merinos has extended to all descriptions. Cross-fireds, so much neglected, have participated to the. extent of Id per lb, No sales of wool worthy of notice have taken place in this market during the week. A considerable quantity is daily arriving at our stores. In our next report we shall no doubt be able to announce tha day of our opening sale, meantime we havebuyers inquiring, quite ready to operate at what should be vevy satisfactory rates to growers. Many growers inquire whether wool in grease, or washed, is most likely to bring relatively the higher price. Our. advice Ivas been, and is — if heavy in grease don't wash it ; if light in greasy, and appliances good for producing clean, bright : wool, wash, and when practicable, skirt well and classify in the shearing shod. Our London office reports that several clips would have brought much better returns had more attention been paid to well skirting the fleece. Slipepslcins.— We had a full catalogue of skins at our sale last Monday, but owing to most of our lots being very mixed and inferior, mostly dry country consignments, bidding was slack. ' Butchers' cross-breds and merinos maintained late rates— the former selling up to 5s lOd, the latter 5s 3d. Hides are still unaltered in value, 4d per lb being current value of good conditioned wet salted hides. We sold about 100 equal to this quotation. Tallow. — Market is dull. To effect sales lower prices have to be submitted to. We sold some small lots inferior, L23 10s toL24 ; rough fat, 21» 6d per cwt. Grain. — Wheat does not appear to have reached its lowest point, as neither millers nor bakers have confidence io enter into any tran&actiona

beyond mere daily wants. For the very choicest wheat 5s 6d is the highest offer ; fair to good milling, 4s Od to ss ; unsound 3s 6d to 45. 3d ; at these ratea there is no disposition to operate to any extant. Oats, owing to all the town stock being cleared out for shipment, and the growing crop being injured by the continued drought, have advanced, and sales have been made, equal to 3s 3d for good heavy feed. Barley : There is some inquiry for malting sorts, but holders, viewing small crop growing, are disposed to hold for better prices.