COMMERCIAL.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 272, 26 April 1875, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Messrs H. Matson and Co report on the live stock market for the week ending Saturday, 24th April, 1875. as follows!^—At the Addington Market Yards 254 head of cattle and 5623 sheep came to hand. Throughout the cattle sale biddings came briskly, and every line changed hands. Ail classes of this description of stock meet with ready sale; and the prices realised of late at all sales show a difference in value, as compared with the season 1873, of fully 75 per cent increase. The large number of dairy stations having ceased operations in consequence of low prices ruling for dairy produce and young stock, has left the mark't almost bare of its usual supply of fresh-conditioned store steers, and the demand for such at the present time is very large, with but a limited supply. Dairy cows also have participated in the general rise even to a greater extent, as although good animals always commanded a lair value, say £lO, we have now to quote first-class dairy animals at £2O to £22 10s: even ordinary-class cows of fair milking quality cannot be quoted at less than £l3 to £ls per head; common weeds and old crocks, at £6 10s to £B. In beef the nominal quotation is 35s per lOOlbs, far in excess of rates ruling for several years at this season. The supply coming to hand is of the most limited nature, and the class of cattle sent to market, with but few exceptions, can only be classed as second rate, such as the trade a few seasons since would not have purchased, but now have to pass into consumption. In cattle we sold 80 head for various owners at full rates. In sheep we sold 1893 of all classes, viz:—2-tooth cross-bred wethers, small, fair condition, not fat, at 10s 6d; do do ewes, at 0s 9d; fat cross-bred ewes, lls to Us 9d per head; inferior cross-bred lambs, 5s nd to Gs Cd and 7s per head; mixed cross-breds, !)S to 12s Gd per head; old merino ewes, inferior, 2s to 3s 8d per head. Our quotation for mutton is for prime 2',d per lb. The market has had no fat cross-bred wethers for weeks; the demand is good for such, the trade preferring to give a trifle more per lb for prime wether mutton; but of late the supply of fat sheep at best has only been limited, and the class most ordinary. The demand for cross-bred store wethers is good, purchasers requiring this class of stock for autumn and root crop feeding; the supply is very limited, and although in a few instances station masters have sheep of the class to dispose of buyers will not take the trouble of inspection, preferring to purchase near town even at a considerable advance in prices. Although* contrary to general opinion, we anticipate high rates to rule forprime mutton during the last months of winter and early spring, whilst admitting that the turnip crop in some districts is superior to that of last season, there are other portions of the province where it is far from good, in fact, the root crop this season cannot be looked upon as more than an average one, and when we take into consideration the continued increase of consumption, the few fat sheep likely to come from the too heavily stocked stations, the vile management in overcrowding farms with inferior stock, together with the almost certain high price of beef, we are convinced that mutton will be correspondingly dear. Country Sales—On Monday, at Mr Jacob Ladbrook’s farm, Harewood road, we held a clearing sale of his live and dead stock. There was a very large attendance of purchasers, and the sale was conducted with spirit. Pedigree heifers, 18gs to 25gs; cows, £22 to 45gs; steers, £5 10s to £8 5s per bead; bulls, from £9 10s to £ls; horses, from £2O to £3O; hacks and light horses, from £l6 to £18; stacks of oats, hay, barley, and beans, sold at full rates. The price realised tor dairy cows, viz, £lB to £24, was the highest that has been obtained for years. On Thursday, at Avon Lodge, we held a clearing sale lor Mr T. W. Shand of the whole of his horse stock, cattle, and farm implements, when there was a very large gathering of purchasers, and the prices obtained throughout were of the most satisfactory kind. 50 horses, 25 head of cattle, some sheep, and the ordinary machinery was sold. The draught stock realised at for yearlings £l9, £2O, £27, £2B, to £3B per head; two-year-olds from £32105, £37 10s, £42 10s, to £54 10s per head ; three-year-olds, £35 10s, £47 10s, £SO, to £6O per head; draught geldings, £3q to £32 10s ; mares, from £3l, £4O, £55, £65, to £7O per head; foals at mothers’ side, £ls to £2O per head. The blood stock was bought in by the owner at, for the two colts, 200 gs each, Moss Rose and Sweetbriar at 150 gs each. Cattle sold remarkably well, and the prices realised for sheep and farm implements, though low, must be considered satisfactory. In sheepskins, hides, and tallow, at our wool stores, on Thursday last, there was a good entry, and capital prices realised.

Melbourne.—The “Argus” of the 14th instant reports:—ln the import market a moderate amount of business has been transacted, and sales to a fair extent have been reported. Breadstuff's are in moderate request, and the weakness in flour has become more apparent. Sales have been made at £lO 7s 6d, but some holders have refused to quote under £lO 10s, and have realised that figure. Wheat is exceedingly firm at Is 9-Jd, and there is very little offering in the open market. In oats we note the quittance by auction of 2500 bushels of Tasmanian at 4s to 4s 3d for good to tine feed, and 3s to 3s 10 Jd for inferior to ordinary. Maize is still very dull, and we cannot quote over 4s lid. In sugai's a large business lias been done, chiefly at auction. There is also a moderate inquiry experienced privately. Under the hammer 3887 bags Mauritius, ex Pelham, were cleared off, when middling white crystals realised £33 15s to £44 ss; greyish crystals brought £33 to £33 10s; yellow brewing crystals sold at £32 to £33; yellow counters at £3l to £3l ss; soft yellow counters at £2B 15s; and low to good rations at £2O 15s, and £2l to £24. At the saraetime 3099 mats and pockets Queensland sugars were quitted at £23 15s for rations, £26 5s to £27 5s for browns, £2715s to £2B 15s for low counters, and £3O for grey counters. Privately, a line of 500 bags yellow counters was placed at £2B. We also learn that within the last three days the Victoria Sugar Company have disposed of 400 tons of their manufacture at prices ranging, according to quality, from 28s to 365. The usual sale of Varaville will be held on Thursday. A small parcel of Brandon candles was sold at damaged realised lOd under the hammer, Gipps Land and Tasmanian hops were quitted at Is 9d. 40 bales of Dundee cornsacks, irregular weights, were cleared off at 8s lOd to 8s 10-id. A large business is done in teas. AVc hoar of the quittance of 400 half-chests and 500 boxes medium congous, cx Wm. Turner, likewise of another shipment of some 230 chests, at prices ranging from Is 3d to Is sd. For tlie last week a good demand for export has been reported, and wc learn of the disposal ot 1500 half-chests, ordinary congous chiefly, at close on Is and up to Is 4d for low medium. Quarter sardines have been sold at os. Gunnies are coming more into notice. We hear of 150 bales having changed hands at 7s, being an advance on late quotations. The timber sales comprise 1050 deals 11 x 3 red, ex Andromeda, f old at 5Jd for 9 x 3. In liquids, we note the sale of 70 quarter-casks of Hooper’s pale port at a concession on the trade rate of £45.

Dunedin.— Maclean Brothers report for the week ending 22nd April as follows:—Fat Cattle—l6s head were yarded on Wednesday, a large proportion of which were prime quality, the supply as a whole being probably as good as we have seen yarded this season; and all were disposed of at quite equal zo last week’s rates, with the exception of one or two pens of inferior quality. Bullocks brought from £8 to £l2 ss; and cows, £b 10s to £lO 10s; or say, 27s 6d lor prime quality, and 22s 6d to 25s for inferior to medium, per lOOlbs. At the yards we sold 88 head on account of Messrs Waldic, Miller, and others at above quotations. Fat Sheep—23so were penned—a very large supply at any time, but far in excess of requirements this week, as the trade was lairly stocked from private deliveries. There was, therefore, but a slight demand, and barely half wore disposed of at a reduction of Is xier head on last week’s prices, or say at Its to 10s for cross-breds, and 7s 6d to 10s for merinos, or say 3d to 3jd for the former, and 2jd to 2.Jd for the latter. We sold 3GO at the yards and privately. For delivery in June and July we have placed 2500 cross-breds. Fat Calves —A few only were yarded, v. hich realised full prices, say 30s to 555. Store Cattle—The demand continues active tor well-grown cattle, which command freely late quotations, say £5 10s to £6 10s for bullocks, and £4 10s to £5 for cows. At these rates we have placed several small lots. Store sheep—Young sheep are still much wanted, but transactions in this are limited in the extreme. Quotations; Cross-breds, 1 and 6-toolh, 11s 6d to 13s; do, 2-tooth, 9s to 10s 6ci; merino ewes, 2,4, and 6-tooth, 8s to 9s 6d; full-mouthed, 4s 6d to ss. Wethers, 2,4, and 6-tooth, 7s 6d to 8s 6d; fullmouthed, 5s to 6s. At the above rates we have placed several small lots. Wool—We have no further advices from the Home market, and in the local market business has been contincd to the sale of a few bales. We shall otter several small lots tomorrow (Friday) at 3 p.m. Sheepskins—Our usual sale on Friday last was well attended, and a quantity of skins were disposed of at satisfactory prices, say, for full-woolled skins 5s to 6s 6d; pelts, 9d to l s 6d; green skins, 2s 6d to 3s. Hides were scarcely so eagerly competed for, and did not letch quite up to former quotations. Our sales consist of 181 hides, at from 15s to 21s 6d. Tallow—None ottered. Grain —Wheat: We note more frequent inquiry forprime Northern wheat, but tnere are very few transactions taking place, and quotations are nominally 4s 3d to 4s 6d. Oats are in moderate request, and small parcels are changing bauds at 2s sd to 2s lod, which we quote at present market value. Barley .- Prime samples are wanted and command full prices, say 5s 6d to 6s ; medium sorts are scarcely bo saleable at 5a to Sb 3d,