Commercial.

Evening Star, Issue 3689, 18 December 1874, Page 2

Commercial.

The amount of revenue received at the Ous tom-house on b oods cleared for consumption this day was L9S9 18s 3d.

Mr A. Mercer reports for the week ending December 18 (retail prices only) i Fresh butter, in £ and 1 lb prints, Is to Is 2d per lb; lump do, Is per lb ; powdered and salt butter, Is to Is 2d per lb. The supply of fresh butter continues gcod. Several of the dairy farmers are stilly salting down rather than sell at the present prices, and butter may not continue so plentiful as at present. Salt butter, in keg, very prime, Is Id per lb, but no demand, owing to imported butter selling cheaper. New cheese, of the best quality, Is per lb, not plentiful. Side and rolled bacon in good demand at Is Id per lb; Colonial hams, Is 2d to Is 3d per lb; English haras, very little demand, ls_4d to Is 6d per lb ; beef hams, 9d. Eggs this week continue scarce, and are in good demand at 2s per dozen. In the circular of Messrs Goldsbrough and Co., wool brokers, of Melbourne, for the past month, some facts are given of more than local interest. The importance to which the wool trade of Victoria has grown may be judged from the fact that between the 30th of October and the 16th of November the shipments of wool, chiefly for London, amounted to not less than 85,599 bales._ The previous shipments had been 27,165, making the total for six weeks from the Ist of October 113,762 bales. These shipments included 7,315 bales for Boston direct, and from 10,000 to 11,000 bales were to follow to that port and New York, the American buyers now in Melbourne having picked up some of the best brands in the market. It is another carious fact that for the first time since the P. and O. Company have had the contract for the Australian mails their steamers have begun to carry wool. _ The Nubia, which took out the December mail, [also carried fifteen hundred bales, for which a freight considerably higher than the ordinary rate was willingly paid by shippers. The fact of the steamers now going through the Suez Canal direct to Southampton has enabled the company to go into this, for them, new branch of trade. Messrs Maclean Brothers report for week ending December 17 as follows : Fat Cattle.—There was a fair supply of about 125 head yarded «t the weekly market on Wednesday last, amongst which were some pens of really prime beet, which realised high prices. Our sales consisted of 30 head on account of Mr George Nichol and others, which were taken by the trade at prices ranging from Ll2 2s 6d to L1615s for bullocks, and from LlO 6s to Ll2 15s for cows. We also sold two bullocks bred at Cray, West Taieri, which were prime Christmas beef, at L2O 10s and L 25 respectively. We quote really prime beef, 40s to 45s per ioOlb • medium and inferior, 30s to 355. ’ Fat Sheep.—About 1,000 of all sorts were penned, and, being principally prime quality, nearly all were taken by the trade at a slight advance on last week’s rates. Cross-breds, shorn, realised from 14s to 16s each; prime heavy-weights, three-quarter breds, 20s each; merinos, shorn, 6s to 10s each; cross-breds, in the wool, 20s to 22s 6d. Our sales consisted of 200 at above quotations. We quote prime cross-bred mutton, shorn, 3d to 3Jd; in the wool, 41d to 5d ; merinos, shorn, 2 Ad ; in the wool, 4d. Fat Calves.—A few were forward, which realised from 30s to 50s each, according to condition and quality. Fat Lambs.—2so were penned, which were all disposed of at from 9s to 13s each, Wc sold 50 at quotations, and have placed several lots privately during the week at market rates. Store Cattle.—We this day held a sale of about 200 head at the West Taieri yards. There was a good attendance of buyers, notwithstanding the inclement state of the weather, and all the lots offered were disposed of at satisfactory prices. We anticipate a steady demand for good store cattle for some weeks to come now, as the last few days’ rain will cause an abundant supply of grass. We quote good well-grown bullocks, L 6 to L 7; cows, from L 4 10a to L 5 10a ; mixed herds, 60s to 70s, according to breeding and quality. Store Sheep.—We have numerous inquiries for young merino ewes and wethers, with very few of this class offering. Four-tooth halfbreds are also in request, but we do not anticipate much business being done until shearing is well over. Country Sales.—On Tuesday last, the 15th instant, we held a clearing sale by order of the executors in the estate of the late Robert Sharp Young, at the farm lately occupied by him at Mosgiel, of horses, dairy cows, implements, kc., when everything was sold at high prizes, viz.— Lease of property, with growing crops, L 19 1; draught horses, L4O to L6B ; 1 pure Clydesdale mare, 155 guineas ; dairy cows, L 6 to Ll7; implements, «c., at high prices. Imported Stock.—We beg to call the particular attention of stock-owners to our sale at the Taieri Show on the 30th instant, of the shorthorn bull, Second Earl of Darlington, and fifteen pure Lincoln rams, 2-tooth, just landed, W Calypso, from London, I

Wool is now arriving freely, and it is probable the first sale of the season will be held next week. We anticipate a good demand for all descriptions, and provided growers’ expectations be not extreme, a considerable quantity of the clip will change hands. American buyers are already in the market, and several others are expected by next steamer from Melbourne, whose presence, in addition to the local trade, will secure ample competition for all wools that may be offered, but more especially for those descriptions suited to their particular requirements. Sheepskins. —At our last Friday’s sale we catalogued a large number of skins, which realised up to 5s 9d for half-breds, and to 5s 3d for merinos ; dry station skins, 7.1 to Bpl per lb. Hides, &e. —We catalogued 99 medium weights, which were disposed of at from 16s to 19s each ; yearlings, 7s 6d to 8s 3d ; calfskins, Is 6d to 4s 6d each. We also sold a few odd lots of tallow at from L 22 10s to L 32 10s, according to quality. Grain.—Quotations remain unaltered, viz.: Prime samples wheat, 5s 6d; inferior and medium, 4s 3d to ss. Oats, 5s 6d for good feed ; milling samples, 6s. Malting samples barley, 5s 3d to 5s fid ; feed, 4s fid. THE GRAIN MARKET. Messrs Brown and Sons report:— Oats, although scarce, are not so much inquired for, owing to prices for either feed or milling reaching so high of late. Our quotations are 5s fid to 5s 9d. Wheat steady at 5s to 5s fid, for really good ; fowl feed inquired for, but little or none offering. Barley continues at former rates, viz., 4s 3d to 4s fid for feed, 4s 9d to 5s 3d for malting and milling. Flour, Ll3 to Ll3 10s, good town and export demand. {By Telegraph.) Wellington, December 18.—Mr O’Shea reports Flour stationery, at Ll3 10s. Wheat limited, and no sales. Oats, short supply, at 6s 3d. Maize scarce at 7s fid. Bran, Is 4d. Hams, Is 4d; bacon, Is lid.