Commercial.

Evening Star, Issue 3124, 22 February 1873, Page 2

Commercial.

The Amount of revenue received at the Cus-tom-house on goods cleared for consumption this day, was L6Ol llsOd.

A. Mkroer reports for the week ending 22nd February ; retail prices only ; -Fresh butter in half and lib prints, best quality, lid per lb ; second, do, o<l to lOd per lb ; fresh butter in lumps, 8d per lb ; powdered ami salt, do, Ad per lb. The supply of fresh butter has increased considerably this last week, and some of the storekeepers are salting down their surplus stock. Enquiry is still made for salt butter in kegs, but holders decline selling, excepting small lots to supply present orders, at B._, to 9d per lb. The demand for cheese is brisk, and there is a good supply in the market; best quality 9d per lb. Side and rolled bacon 9d to lOd per lb; good samples are scarce. Colonial hams in good demand, selling at Is to Is Id per lb; English hams (scarce), Is 6d per lb. Eggs at Is 6d to Is 8d per doz, SALE OB' CANTERBURY STATION PHOrBHTIES. A sale of station properties, long to be remembered for its importance and the interest excited throughout the whole Colony, was held by Messrs Matson and Co. The vast area of country included in the catalogue, the superior quality of a great portion of the land, the extensive nature of the improvements, and the present state of the wool market, all tended to invest the proceedings with a special signifi■canoe. Certainly, It was the largest sale that has ever occurred in New Zealand, and not many •finer estates have been offered under the hammer in the southern hemisphere. The catalogue comprised no less than six runs, besides blocks of freehold lan i in various parts of the Province; and although some of the latter were withdrawn, the sum realised was within a trifle of L 186.000. This property belonged to the •firm of Kenuode and Moore, and consequent upon the demise-of the former gentleman, a sale had been rendered necessary to wind up the partnership account. The sale held in the upper room of Messrs Miles and Co.’s buildings, Hereford street, and attracted a large concourse of squatters, professional, mercantile, and other gentlemen. In all, there must have been quite two hundred present, and this number included a very large portiou of the principal settlers in the Province. The first lot übmitted was the Glenmark run, comprising the homestead, with 35,781 acres-of freehold, 11,500 acres of Crown land, held under depasturage licenses, and 25,000 merino sheep. Mr G. H. Moore opened the bidding at L 65,000, upon which advances of £5,000 each were made until L 85.000 was ■reached, when the property was knocked down to Mr Moore. The Lo.ooo bids included one each from the Hon. W. Kobinson and the Hon. E. VV. Stafford, The second lot submitted was Doan Peaks Station, consisting of 4,009 acres of freehold land, 7,850 acres of leasehold land, ami 5,000 merino sheep. Mr Moore started this at £7,000; advances of L6OO each were steadily made by Messrs Moore, K. Campbell, Jameson, .and others until L 12.000 was reached, when a pause occurred. Bids of L 250 followed in slower succession until, at L 13,500, Mr F. Courage succeeded in beating off his opponents, and the lot was knocked down to him. The third lot put up was the Waikari Station, comprising 3.000 acres of freehold laud, and 3.000 merino sheep. Mr Moore again broke ground, offering L 6,000, and after an intermediate bid of L(j,250 it was knocked down to him at £0,500. The fourth lot offered was the Hnrunui Black Hill Station, This property includes 34,070 aores of leasehold land, and 12,500 merino sheep. Mr Moore, on whom all others seemed to wait, hid LIO,OOO, and by the aid of Messrs Studholme, AV. D. Wood, and others, this was steadily increased in L 250 bids until £13,500 was called, when a pause ensued, and ultimately Mr Moore was declared to be the purchaser at that amount. The fifth lot consisted of Doctors Hill Station, which consists of 84 acres of freehold land, 32,300 acres of leasehold land, and 12,500 merino sheep. Mr Moore led off with a bid of LIO.OOO, mid the competition was very smart in L 250 bids up to L 12,500, when u lull occurred. Mr Studholme then made an advance of LSOO, but Mr Moore immediately bid L 13.250, and after slow progress by L 250 nids tire hammer fell to the latter gentleman at L 14.750. For lot six, 50 acres of laud at the Weka Pass, Mr Moore offered L 75, and no advance being made, it was knocked down to him at that figure. Lot seven, 20 acres of laud at the same place, was commenced by Mr Moore at 20s per aero, and ho’ight by him at 45s per acre. For lot eight, 100 acres of freehold at Saltwater Creek, the competition was vtW keto. Xtto bid was £4 per acre, flfld thnjp vyy ■> eliajfp 4iMrk Mr Itfoo* bflcwjt tw purchaser at UO 10# per acre, w

L 1,060 for the block. Lot nine, 40 acres at Little River, was commenced at L2O and knocked down at LIOO to Mr W. White. The next lot was the Ashburton station, and from the first it was evident there would be a great struggle for it. The property includes 7,000 acres of freehold land, 66,000 acres of leasehold land, 40,000 sheep, and a contract for the sale and letting of certain rams which will produce L 743. Mr Moore led off with a bid of I*lo,ooo. The Hon. E. W. Stafford quickly made an advance of L 5,000, but Mr Moore immediately followed with a like amount, making L 40.000. Bids of LSOO then became the order of the day. At L 43.500 there was a alight lull, and the advances began to come much slower. At L 50,000 there was a long halt, but the eloqucnce of the auctioneer slowly worked it up in four bids to L 52.000, at which sum Mr Moore became the purchaser. A round of applause followed the fall of the hammer, and the manner in which Mr Matson extracted the last two advances from Mr Moore’s opponents deserved acknowledgment. The hon. E, W. Stafford was the principal bidder, besides Mr Moore, and after the property had been knocked down, he offered the latter gentleman LSOO for his bargain, but it was declined. The eleventh lot was the right to select twenty acres of Government land in any part of the Province free of cost. This was opened at L3O, and the hammer fell to Mr Dixon’s bid of L 44. The twelfth lot consisted of twenty LlO shares in the Canterbury Meat Export Company, which were started at L2O, and knocked down to Mr C. F. Barker at L 67 10s. This concluded the sale of Messrs Kennode and Moore’s estate, and the total amount realised was L 180,581105. The Lako Coleridge rnn was then put up, but did not elicit much bidding, and was withdrawn at L 15,000. The Heslerton run was also offered, but with a similar result, being withdrawn at LB,7so.— Lyttelton Timer,, 20 tb in*t.