COMMERCIAL.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2167, 4 February 1881, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

GRAIN AND PEODUCE

During the psst week, the weather has continued most favorablo for harvest operations, and the crops are being rapidly secured. Another fortnight of such weather would see the greater portion of the c< real produce of this district in stack, and then business would become brisk. AS present, only odd lots of wheat are offering, and, as a rule. business does not eventuate, owing to the difference in sellers and buyers views as to value. The f irmer look for 3s 6o to 3n Bd and the latter fear to give more than 3s 3d to 3a 6d, but, no donbt, in a week or so, some sottiod value will become the rule of trade. Millers, in the interim, aro the principal buyers. JFlour quotations remain at £lO to £U for town and country brands, but another week will probably see a reduction. Oatn sell fairly well at la 5d to 1b 7d, but thero are not many offering. Now barley, of good malfng quality, finds boy era at 3s 61, but raodium grades are not cared for. We understand shipments of this cereal to London have not done so well as •kippers hoped, and are not likely to bo repeated on a large scale. Grass send. of choice quality, meets a free sale at 2s 6d to 2s 91. Butter continues in good demand at 6d, and some fair-sized sales are reported. Cheese continues neglected. COKN EXCHANGE. ■Com Exchange report for the weekending Triday, the 4th instant: —The Btate of the market has not materially altered daring the week that has-elap9ed. Farmers are still busy in the harvpst field, taking advantage of the truly magnificent weather which prevails for their operations. In some districts a considerable portion of the grain is already carried. A tew lines of the new orop have already found their way into the market, but transactions aB jot are on a very limited scale. There are still • few parcels of last season's crop seeking buyers, and for these also the demand is rot brisk, on acoiunt of the scarcity of tonnage to «xport it. The quotations below refer to last season's grain, as the business done in the new is not yet suflioiently demonstrated to fix pn.-es, and on the whole buyers are reticent. Wheat—Good sound milling will find buyers at from 3s fld to 4b per bushel. Second class milling quality is dull of sale at from 2s 9d to 3a 3d. Chiok wheat, Is 6d to 2s 3d per fcushsl. .... ~ , Oats —Good stout milling are hardly so much sought after, but Bale can be found for them at from Is 6d to Is 7d per bushel; feed samples of ■rood quality are more saleable at from Is 3d to la 54 per bushel; inferior feed, Is Id to 1b 2d per bushel. „ , , , Barley—There is still a small demand for barley of good mtltiog quality, but brewers ntid maltsters are as a rule well supplied and are indifferent ; really good malting samples are saleable at from 3s to 3s 6d per bushel; inferior aamplea are extremely dull of sole, but will meet with buyers at from Is 3d to Is 6d per bushel. Grass Seed -There are very few parcels of last joar's Beed now on offer, but prices, in sympathy with the increased demand for the tow crop, have improved. Well cleaned town dressed seed is saleable at from 2s 91 to 3s per bushel; indifferently cleaned 2s to 2s 3d. Dairy Produce—Cheese and Butter—lne former is in plenti'ul supply at from 3Jd to 4d per lb; the latter is saleable at 6d, with a tolerably brisk demand.

ATJCTIONEEBS' BEPORTS.

Messrs H. Ma.tson akd Co. roport on the live Stock Market, &o„ for the week ending Thursday, February 3rd, 1881. rs follow*: For yesterdiy's weekly sale at Addinaton there was but a limite.l supply of fat sheep sent to hand for hade requirements, atore9 representing alarge entry. The auction commenced with a grand line of crossbred wethera from Longbeach, which elicited a brisk competition, clearing the lot at from 13a to 13a 6d per head ; inerin oh from Who same estate, 8s" 9d to 9a. For all classes of mutton the demand was somewhat better—nn •doubt attributable to the thin market, —and every line of our entry was cleared with a ready •sale at an advance of (id to la per head over last week's prices. Mixed average weight orossbrocla brought 9s fid to ll»; prime heavy weight wethera, lis 6d to 13a 6'd ; merino wethers, 6s £d to 9s. The store shrep on offi-jr were mostly «*t a very indifferent class, and reili*od proportionate prio»*. the bulk coming off dry country, and showing the effects of the snaroity of feed. Jtor different owners wo placed 760 cull la-aba at 4a 3d to 4s sd, and 350 aged crossbred ewes in low condition at 6s; nine hundred old merino ewes —in very bate condition—at 2s 74, and.a few small lots at late ruling rates. The demand for store sheep generally shows no abatement, and prices are well maintained. In tat cattle there waa a bare market, varying from medium to prime quality, and as moat of the trade were buyera very few lota were turned out unsold, prices being slightly more in favor of owners. Prime heavy-weight steers brought £ ' 10a to £9 10a; medium do and heifers, £6 to JB7. Store oattle were conspicuous by their absence, about 50 head only being yarded, and theso a very indifferent lot. Prices are unaltered from the last few weeks' quotations. The totals yarded for ths dty comprised 6945 sheep, 176 head of cattle, and 148 pigs, of which our entry included 3656 sheep, 331 fat lambs. 25 head of cattle, and 140 pigs, for Messrs Jno. Grigg B. M Morten, M >rten and White, Jno. Starpe, Jaß. Kinley, M. Ryan, Geo. Kin'ey, J. Tj. Pattrick, Jno. Miln, Jaa. Bell, H Maddison, C. Kiver, J. Johns, P. Duncan, M. and S. Martin, Jno. Davis, P. Grant, W. B. Oarkson, Henderson and Mcßeath, Captain Fisher, M. Hegen, H. Mehaffy, and others. In sheep onr principal sales were 50 crossbred wethers at I3a 6d, 265 do at 13s, 31 at Its 9d. 82 merino wethera at 9a, 40 at 8s 9d. 150 mixed half-breds at 9a 3d to 9s 9d, 30 at 8s 9d. 39 merinoß at 7a 9d, 36 at 7s, 36 at 6s 9d. 70 eroeabred ewes at On, 30 at 8s 3d, 297 merino wethera at 7b 6d, 63 crossbreds at lis, 54 at lis, 4SO at 11b 9d. Stores -862 merino ewes at 2s 7d, 551 lambs at 4a sd, 213 at 4s 3d. 334 crostjbrod ttwea at 6s, 65 merinos at 5a sd, &c. Fat cattle from £5 15a to £7 10s ; stores, nominal. Pigs —The principal part of the entry waa made up of a lute of 140, ex Oreti, from Wanganui. They were of rather a better class than the •average shipments from North, bnt the scarcity and high prices paid for pigs for the last two jearo in Canterbury has again started extensive breeding is this province, and piga are getting much more plentiful. The shipment before referred to elicited but little competition, prices ruling low, as under—2 at 425, sat 265, 18 at 24a, 14 at 17s, 16 at 19s, 15 at 17s, 17 at 9a, 17 at 12a 6d, 12 at 10s, 15 at i2a 6d, 9 at Ba.

Canterbury Horae Market—Last Saturday Ming the commencement of the Inter-colonial i-Oriokot Match and recognised as a holiday, -ihoro waa very little doing in horse transactions. About 60 head were entered for sale, and a few {wn horses disposed of at from -£2O to -£32. Several upstanding backs were also placed at from £l4 to £2O and £26 10s, and about a score •«I ..light .weedy haoks at from £5 to -ClO 10a. Generally speaking, there is no improvement in trade. -Wool, Sheepskins, Fat, Hidea, and Tallow ateport.—On Thursday, at our Canterbury Wool .Storea, we held our usual weekly sale of the above. The trade wai we'd represented, and according'to* our predictions of last week, the values of pelts have risen considerably, In fat, a very large quantity was sent forward in bad condition, and for those lots, of course, a great reduction in price had to be submitted to, but for butchers' best rongh fat, dry and well saved, iho market wa?, if anything, firmer than last week. Butch" • b who send their offal for sale in bad condition have only themselves to thank for iho. low price it realities. With such weather as ■we hava had lately, of course it ia a somewhat difficult matter to preserve fat in marketable condition, but if one butcher can do it so can everyone, if they will only take the trouble. Aa this subject is one of great importance to butchers, we trust they will pay more attention to our remarks than they nave hitherto done. 'We have to report in hidea that a firmer tone prevails, and that a further increase upon last -week's rates waa. obtained by ua. Our catalogue lor the day consisted of 2223 sheepskins, lambs and pelts,' 129 bags rough fat, 62 hidea and calfskins, a few packages tallow and nags of woolall of which were sold at quotations as follows, vis.:—Best woolly crossbred skins', 5s to 6a 3d each; best merino woolly ukins. 5s to 6s Id ■each ; butchers' beat crossbred pelts, la )od, 2n, 2a 3d, and one very good line, 2s Cd each ; second ■ quality, Is, Is 3d, Is 6d to 1b 9d ; inferior, 41, Cd, Bd, to lid each; beat merino pelts. Is to Is 5d each; second quality. 7d, 9d, to lid each; inferior and dry, 3d, sd, to 6d each ; butcher*' heat rough fat made 2d, 2Jd, and one line 2fd pec lb; second quality, l.fd, Ifd to 1 |d; inferior and heated, 1 gd to 1 $4 ; hides, 4d per lb.; damaged hides, 2Jd per lb.: calfskins 4d per lb.; tallow, ljd, I*l, 2d. toSfd per lb ; wool, 5d to 8d per lb; pieces, 3d to 5 id; locks, lid to 3 id per lb. ) Country Sales.—On Friday last, January 27th, we held onr usual bi-monthly auction of live sto.'k, Ac, at tho Leoaton Yards. 'I hrongh harvest operations being in full swin:,, the attendance of buyers and supply of stock were both very small, still most of the linea offered changed owners at fair prices. Our /entry comprised 41 head of cattle and 32 pigs. All the former wore Bold at from JSS to £6 10a. Pigs, not reaching owners' reserve, being passed. ,'On Tuesday, at tho Corporation Yards, Ashbar too, we held our usual fortnightly sale of live stock, Ac. but owin* to the farmers beiog busily engaged our attendance was small. Priroa, however, of both sheep, cattle and pigs wore satisfactory to vendors, as we succeeded in clearing 59 bead of cattle (out of 65), 1904 sheep and 92 pigs, at prices fully equal to Addington Yards. Oar principal sales in cattle were—4 at jes 15s,' 4 at £<i 17s 6d, 9 at .£5 17a 6d, 8 at JB3 15s, 6 *t £5 17s 6d, 3 at £3 10a, 2 at M 17s 6d, 4 at £7 2s 6d, 3 at £b 17a 6rf, Ac, ,&o. Cowa almost unsaloablsj. In sheep wj «jola G€ 7 memo flwe-B, 3) 2d; 140 crossbred.

mixed acxeß, 9a Id; 360 merino wethers, 5s 3d; 150 merino wethers, 6s 9d; 155 merino wethers, 6s lOd; 460 merino wethers, ss. In pigs we sold, Wanganui stores, 15 at £1 6s, 13 at £1 Is, 5 at £1 Is, 12 at .£1 6s 6d. 18 at 18s. and for < 'anterbury suckers, 30 at 16s 6d and 3 at 14s 61 each. We consider that the sale was highly sati factory, and that a large business in store stock will be done as soon as the crops are properly harvested. Land and Properties—Last Saturday, 29th ult, thero was no salo. in consequence of a_ half holiday being declared. On Thursday, 3rd inst., we held a salo of the balance of the sections in the South Opawa township, and disposed of eight sections—via., Noa. 37, 38, 42. 43, 57, 58, 66 and 67, at £6O each, and privately a section in Linwood Estate, 10 perches frontage on Cishel street, for £SO, making a total of £530. For building sections in a good position there is an improved inquiry, and, with an easy money mm ket and lower rate of interest, we expect shortly to Bee moro animation in the land market. Commercial—The intervention of three balfho'idays, viz.—Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday, on account of the Australian crickeiers, has had a depressing inflaence upon our markets. We do not however expect to see much improvement until after harvest is over and the wool season closed. It is very satisfactory to know that not only are we having a splendid clip of wool, but that the harvest is likely to be one of the best we have had for some years. The recent accounts from England are not at prosent favorable to shippers for either article, but they may improve as the season advances. A parcel of 500 bushels of new wheat has been sold at 3s 8d per bushel. Wheat at 3s 6d and oats at Is 4d will not pay at the present rates quoted to ship. Cornsacks are ohanging hands freely at 8s 6d for 2|lb and 9s for full four bushels, but wo look for higher rates as the season advances. Woolpacks sell Blowly at 3s to 3s 3d for full weights. Teas are quiet, the demand being chiefly for low class. Sugars are firm and rising in value. The sugars sold to arrive have greatly influenced current rates. A cargo arriving shortly would meet with a ready pale. The easy money market is having an inflaeno" upon the share market, and all classes of dividend paying stock are rising in value. Credit continues sound, and the money market very easy.

Mbssbs J. T. Fokd and Co. report on the live stock market for the week ending Thursday, the 3rd inßt., as follows : The yards had just tufficient fat sheep sent forward on Wednesday to meet the requirements of the trade. The quality was good, biddings came with more spirit than we have seen them for many a week, and prices were a decided improvement on the previous week. Mutton, the very primest quality, sold equal to 2d per lb.; average quality, per lb. Store sheep are still in excellent demand, especially crossbreds, and as soon as the Btubbles are cleared, we are convinced that sheep of all classes will go up in price. Store cattle just now are not in very activo demand, and the present dry weather is not at all likely to improve matters. Fat cattle are rather a drug in the market, and beef can only be quoted as worth from 15s to 17s 6d per lOOlbs for the best quality, and surely at these quotations it must be very disheartening to the graziers who bought in the spring at such high prices. The total BtockatAddington on Wednesday comprised—69ls sheep, 176 heal of cattle, and 148 pins. We sold on account of J. Stodholmo, Eiq., Thomas Sutton, Son. Colonel Brett, Messrs fnnes, Gordon. D. Mclnnes, Wm. Pitt, S. Garforth, John Smith, A. Evans and others. Our sales both in beef and mutton were equal to our quotations for the prices obtain- d during the day. Wool, Skins, Hides, Pat and Tallow Sale.— At our Wool Stores on Thursday we catalogued over 2000 skins, 100 bags of fat, and a large n amber of hides. We had the usual attendance of fellmongers, and prices were most satisfactory. Bdst full-woolled merino skins brought up to 6s 9d each ; best crossbred skins from 5s 6d to 6s 3d each. Pelts varied in price from Is 3d to 2s 4d, according to weight, Ao. Eongh fat sold from Ifd to 2ja per lb; hides from 3Jd to 4d per lb; wool in bag, at BJd per lb. Privately, during the week, we have disposed of several lines of store sheep—merino and crossbred —and have several orders _ unsupplied for want of the proper classes required.

Mbssbs Acland, Campbell and Co. report on the live stock market for the week ending Thursday, 3rd February, as follows: —At the Adding ton yards yesterday 6945 sheep were penned. There was a better attendance than we have had for some time, and altogether the sale of sheep may be looked on as the best we have had for five or six weeks. # The Longbeach sheep were very prime, and again topped the market, making 13) to 13a 6d. We quote best crossbreds from 10s to 13s 6d, medium 8s 6d to 9a 9d; fat merino wethers, prime, from Longbeach, 8s 9d to 9s, medium 6s 9d to 7s 9d. Stores again sold readily at late ratss. One line of crossbred lambs, not in very good condition, made 4s 3d to 4s sd, merino ewes up to 4s lOd ; fat lambs made from 6s to 9s. Cattle—The entry was a very small one, only 176 bein? yarded. Most of the butchers' cattle were sold, but there was no advance en late prices. In stores the business was nil, only a very few head being yarded, At Leeston last Friday, the attendance was very small, with only a few entries. Farmers now being fully en ployed with harvest operations, have not got time to attend country sales. At Ashbnrtoa on Tuesday there was a good entry of sheep, principally dealers' lots, and for this kind of stock there was a little demand, and some business was done, but in cattle the entry was very small, and little or no business was transacted.

Messbs Bobert Wilkin and Co. report:— At the Addington Yards, on Wednesday, 6945 sheep, 176 head of cattle, and 148 pigs were yirded. In fat sheep there was a fair proportion of good and prime quality lots, which sold fully up to list week's rates, but indifferent Borta were dall of sale, about equal to last quotations. A large supply of stores again came forward, principally old sorts, the bulk of which changed hands at fair prioea. A email supply of fat cattle came to hand, comprised of some prime quality drafts, for which description there was a dull sale, and the result was a drop in prices compared to late sales. We sold on account of several clients, good and prime crossbred wethers at lis 6d and 12s ; good ditto at 10s ; merino wethers at 7s ; fat lambs, best lota, 7s 3d ; second quality, 6s 3d ; fat bullocks at £7 to £7 10s ; ditto, light weights, .£5 15s ; 700 store wethers at 5s 9d ; merino ewes at 4s 8J and 4a lOd.

On Thursday we held our usual weekly salo of sheopjkiaa, rough fat, hides, &c. 1946 ekina w.ra catalogued, and all sold. There was a good attendance of buyers and spirited competition. For woolly skins the prices remain unchanged as compared with last week's quo atiens, but for lambskins and pelts there was an improvement on late rates of about 4d and 2d respectively. Batcherß* long-woolled merino and crossbred skins, there was none to quote; country skins, large and full-woollo i, 3a 7d, 4s sd, 4b 9d; do, medium, 2s Id, 3s, 3s 7d; do, email and inferior. Is Gtl, Is 9d 2s Id; lambskins, large, Is lid to 2a 5d ; do, medium, Is 2d to la lid; do, small, 8.1 to )a 2d ; pelts, large and early shorn, Is 7d to 2s 3d ; do, medium, 8d to la 7d; do, late shorn, Id to Bd. Fat and tallow—The trade was well represented, and the competition wa* good. As the majority of the fat waa in indifferent condition, owing partly to the wea* her, there waa a decline in prices on last week's rates. Fat: Best quality, clean and well saved, to 2Jd per lb; second quality, to lfd per lb; heated and inferior, at Id to lid per lb. Tallow —None offering. Hides—There was a good attendance of buyers, and the competition was keen. The rates obtained at the previous sale were fully maintained. Hides, sound, at 3gd per lb, and 4d per lb for a line of heavy hides; hides, damaged, 551ba and over, at 2Jd per lb ; do do, under 551bs, at 2d per lb. Calfskinb, sound, at 4d per lb; do, cut and damaged, at 2d per lb.

Messbs H. Bennetts and Co. repo*t on the live stock market for the week ending Thursday, February 3rd, as follows:—At the Addingttn Saleyarda on Wednesday, the numbers of stock yarded was—694s sheep, 176 bead of cattle, and 148 pigs, being the smallest market for a long time past. Fat sheep—The greater portion w< re good to prime quality croaabreda, with a fair sprinkling of merinos. There was an average attendance of the trade, and biddings were somewhtt more spirited, with a slight improvement in prices. Stores still command attention at late rates. Fat lambs came forward in larger numbers than for the last two wo hi-; prices continue firm. Fat cattle—The smallest entry for a long time past, but quite snfiicient for tho requirements of the trade. Althsiugh prices continue low, we succeeded in quitting nearly every lot. We topped the market with a nice line of fat bullocks from Messrs Chalmers Brothers, Ashburton. Storea—Very few in the market and few buyers, but we expect tho supply and demand to improve after harvest. Pigs—A fair ontry, mostly from the North Island ; although they were anperior to the last shipment, were still a miserable lot, and we should think the prices obtained were hardly remunerative to the shippers. Qood stores are being enquired after. Onr entries were 731 sheep, 110 head of cattle and 8 pigs, from Meters A. C. Watson, M. Chamberlain, F. Milliehamp, J. Fraser, E. Clutterbuck, J. Mebrton*, Chalmers Bros., Bennetts Broa., and others, the following being the principal sales : —F*t sheep, 26 at 11a 6d, 225 at lis 3d, 104 at 10 91, 97 at 10s Cd, 37 at 9s 3d ; fat cattle. Bat .£8 7 at £7 7s 6d, 6 at £7 ss, C at £7 2s 6d, 6 at £7 6at jCG 12s Cd. 3at £G 10s, 3at £G ss. 3 at JES 17b Cd, 2 at jEG 2s 6d. 3 at £6 7a 6d, 3 at .£5 10?, 3 at £5 7s Cd, 3 at .£5 15s, 3 at £4 17s Gl, Jsat£72s 6d ; stores. 25 head of from one to two-year-olds, from £2 10a to £t sa) 4 spring ra and milch cows, from £\ 15a to £7 10s. We have also placed during the week a few lines of fat sheep at fall rates.