COMMERCIAL.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 523, 21 February 1876, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Messrs Clifford and Roper report on their usual weekly sale, February 19th, 1876, as follows: — calves, 58 6d to 16s. Pigs—weaners, SsGdtolOs; small stores, 15s'to 18s; stores, 20s to 37s ; sows, 40s. Poultry (per pair)- fowls, 2s 6d to 4s 3d; ducks, 3s to 4s 6d ; geese, 6s 6d to 9s ; guinea fowls, 7s 6d. Attendance fair. Messrs J. C. Corr and Co report on the live stock markot for the week ending Saturday, 19th February, 1876 :—A moderate supply of stock came forward to Addington yards on Wednesday. Our entries were—4o head of cattle on account of Mr Malley. We sold good quality fat cattle at from £8 15s to £9 5s per head, or equal to ill 7s (id per 1001 b. Our remarks on the price of young stock last week were confirmed on Wednesday, nevertheless we are of opinion there will be a reaction in the price of this class of stock as soon as the farmers begin to come into market. ENGLISH COMMERCIAL. WOOL. Messrs Miles Bros, and Co. report on 16th as follows The fourth and last series of sales of Colonial wool lor the current year opened on the 23rd November, and closed on the 14th instant. The total quantity catalogued has been— Bales. Sydney and Queensland 23,456 Port Phillip 20,410 Adelaide 3,263 Van Dieman’s Land 1,822 New Zealand 18,400 Swan River 402 Cape of Good Hope 37,095 Total 104,848 Against 89,490 bales In the corresponding series in 1874,and of this quantity about 20,000 baleswere wools held over from last sales. The attendance of buyers has been very fair throughout the series, but the competition has been chiefly supported by our home trade, biddings for export having been languid, owing to the dull state of trade on the Continent, and only about 25,000 bales have been taken on foreign account. At the opening, prices for Australian and New Zealand wools generally ruled about on a par with average rates in September sales, with the exception of inferior scoured and low clothing sales, which declined, but combing vrool, which was in limited supply, was well competed for, and some bright scoured parcels realised from 2s 2d to 2s 4d per lb. During the earlier part of (he series Cape lots sold at a reduction of Id to l|d per lb for fleece and scoured, and id to Id for grease, but prices improved slightly towards the lose.

The next sales have been fixed for the loth February. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company reports:— The result of the series just closed establishes no appreciable change in the value of New Zealand and Australian produce as compared with the rates ruling at the termination of the preceding auctions. New South Wales descriptions (excepting a few extra lots of fleece wools) have exhibited perhaps greater relative weakness than any other kind, while the small proportion of good stapled Victorian still available has been correspondingly strong in demand. Cross-bred New Zealand, which, at the previous sales were, it will be remembered, somewhat neglected, have shown a slight improvement as regards lots favoring the merino strain, while for the coarser and lower descriptions no change in value has been observable, and in some instances they have barely maintained the earlier quotations of the season. The small lot of wool of the now clip from Australia which arrived in time for realisation at [these sales, was not of a representative character, and the prices made for it offer but little guide to the probable courso of the market when the new season opens. Cape and Natal shipments have absorbed the chief Interest of the auctions, and in the absence of any material support from the Belgian and German consumers, have suffered considerable fluctuations. The earlier catalogues showed a reduction of about Id to Ud per lb in fleeces, and medium and coarse sorts to id in best and good, and with a similar decline in greasy kinds. As the auctions progressed, a rather steadier competition set in for the classes which had suffered the heaviest depreciation, bringing with it some slight recovery in quotations. The falling off in value which has recently occurred djO.es not seem greater than the late unfavorable state of business in the leading manufacturing centres will explain, and the absence of any feature of a more hopeful character would seem to prohibit the expectation of any early recovery. The attendance of buyers' during the sales now closing has been numerous—rather ovei than under an average for the season of the year, but mainly recruited Irom the smaller consumers o£ the Home districts, and consequently representing a capacity for consumption hardly commensurate w#h their numbers. About 30,000 bales have been taken for export, WHEAT AND FLOUR; The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company reports : During the recent severe weather our wheat, mariret was characterised by firmness, which, however, has since entirely disappeared, and a dull feeling pervades the trade. A large fleet has arrived at ports of call during the past few days, but the demand Is limited, and lower prices will probably be accepted before the cargoes are disposed of. Stocks in granary and supplies on passage are very heavy, the shipments afloat to the United Kingdom now representing over 2,000,000 quarters of wheat, while the stocks in London warehouses amounted on the 30th ultimo to 556.972 quarters wheat, and 345,600 cwt flour, the former quantity being three or four times that in store at this period of last year. Returns showing a similar proportion of increase have come to hand from Liverpool, Leith, and the other principal grain depots, and in the absence of Continental demand to take off our surplus Imports, we are likely under present circumstances to have a slojv dragging trade for some time to come. By statistics compiled from the Government returns it appears that the supply of foreign wheat and flour into the United Kingdom’ for the three monthsending November 30th last, amounted to no less than 4,425,743 quarters against 3,022,426 quarters fn 1874. and 3,028,581 in 1873. For the same period the deliveries ol English .vheat were estimated at 2,510,000 quarters against 3,270,000 in 1874, and 3,051,000 in 1873. The total exports during the same three months were 17,320 quarters in 1875 as compared with 31,394 In 1874, and 296,123 quarters in the preceding year. _ . . . . There have been no arrivals of New Zealand wheat Of late, but for the parcels remaining on sale 50s to 52s per 4961bs is Ihe present quotation. Adelaide wheat brings 53s to 54s ex granary; for the two cargoes of this description at ports of call about 53s per 480 lbs might be obtained. New Zealand flour is nominal at our quotations. Prices ex granary, are as follow: Australian wheat ... ... '63s to 54s per 496 lbs New Zealand do ... ... 50s to *Es per. 496 lbs Australian flour ... ... 3?s to 38s per 280 lbs New Zealand do (nominal)... 30jj to 33s per 280 lbs Messrs Miles Brothers and Co report:— Soon after the departure of the last mail the market for wheat hardened aHittle, in consequence of supplies being kept off by contrary winds, and aiao the unfavourable state of the weather for agricultural pursuits ; but this advance has since been lost, large cargoes of wheat having arrived, and the granaries at all the principal ports are now quite full, so that with the enormous floating supplies, estimated at 2,000,000 quarters, w.e think we must be prepared for an easier market, Californian is quoted at 54s per 500 lbs for cargoes on passage. Australian wheat is worth in London at 53s fid to 54s per 4961h5, and New Zealand 50s to 525. Australian flour is quoted at 33s to 38s per 280 lbs. NEW ZEALAND HEMP. Messrs Miles and Co. report There have only been a few sales of this fibre at previous prices, but the market generally has been very inactive, and there have been no fresh arrivals since our last. Stocks on hand amount to about 1250 tons, and quotations are about £27 to £3O for fine, £23 to £26 for good, £2O to £22 for fair, and £lB to £l9 per ton for common. The New Zealand £oan and Mercantile Agency reports:— , The transactions at public sals have comprised about 700 bales, which were disposed of at auction on 24th November, out of 1334 balds offered. The quotations obtained showed a decline of 10s to 20s per ton on previous rates, at which there have also been sales by private contract. . The market continues dull in sympathy with that for Manila hemp, which has further giyen way about £4 per ton; the failure of the principal operators In Manila Messrs Russell and Sturgis having disorganised the market. The following is a statement of the stocks, landings, and deliveries to th£3oth ultimo, and to same date of last year : 1874. 1875. Stock on 30th November... 1972 tons ...1360 tons. Landed January—November lyes „ ... 309 „ Delivered do ... 1660 ■ 998 „ Landed during« November 11 Delivered do 100 „ ... w ~ We have no further arrivals nor advices of shipments to report,

PRESERVED MEATS. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company reports : These provisions are in good request at our late quotations, which are well maintained, the supply being somewhat reduced, and with a fair trade demand, clearance of boiled mutton and beef are readily effected. Soups and miscellaneous meats move off slowly at about previous rates. We repeat our quotations.— Boiled mutton, 6lb tins ... 5d to sjd per lb. 41b tins ... do do do 21b tins ... fid to 6|d per lb. Boiled beef, Clb tins ... 6}d to fijn per lb. 41b tins ... to per lb. For the four weeks ending 9th December, the arrivals were only 1119 cases. We have advices of shipments from the colonies of 8294 cases. Messrs Miles and Co report There is a fair business doing in this article at about 5d per lb for fi’s mutton, and G-£d for 6’s beef, but as usual at this season, in the retail trade grocers are busy with their Christmas fruits, and therefore do not pay so much attention to this other branch of their trade. TALLOW. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company reports:— During the four weeks which have elapsed since the despatch of the San Francisco mail of 18th November, 2603 casks of Australian tallow have been brought forward at public sale, of which quantity 2153 casks have been disposed of under the hammer-, the prices realised ranging from 43s to|sos fid for mutton and 40s fid to 47s 9d for beef. These rates show an improvement of about is per cwt. The market has continued firm, the arrivals having been very limited, and the stock allowing a smaller total of all sorts than has been known for fifty years at the corresponding period of the season. The demand for fine qualities is well maintained, but in the shortness of supply of such descriptions buy ers have been under the necessity of satisfying their wants principally from the second rate parcels which have constituted the greater portion of the offerings. The supply of home melted tallow has again diminished, which has of course assisted in maintaining the market for colonial produce. A telegram received yesterday from Melbourne under date Bth instant, states that the export of tallow to Great Britan for the month had been 2700 casks. 517 casks arc advertised for auction to-morrow. Present market prices may be quoted as low.P.Y.C, New 53s per cwt Australian mutton, fine... 50s to 51s fid per ewt Do medium ... 48s fid to 49s fid per cwt Australian beef, line ... 47s to 47s 9d per cwt Do medium... 45s fid to 4fis fid per cwt Arrivals for the four weeks'ending 11th December were 538 casks. Stock of all descriptions on 13th instant was 7914 casks. By the mails delivered since our circular via San Francisco No 103, we have advances ot shipments amounting to 1755 casks.