COMMERCIAL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIV, Issue 1802, 15 May 1874, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

■•; Melbourne.— The Argus of the 7th inst. reports:— ■ ;

In the import markets, business to-day has b.een extremely dull and heavy. Country \ "orders are coming forward very slowly indeed, and there is little <>r no inquiry for town trade. The larger : buyers, likewise, evince the utmost disinclination to operate \ to any extent. In breadstuffs, flour shows ._ —more h'nnneßß. For a small loc sold by auction Ll4 5s was realised, but tbe balance of the parcel was withdrawn for a higher figure. For the same flour Ll4 2s 6d Avas the best ' oifer made at last week's sa'e. ; Bakers' lots are in fair request at Ll4 10s to Ll4 17s 6d. , : Wheat ;is not; offering ; business is in consequence, restricted. Under the hammer, about 200 bags were cleared off at 6s 4£d to 6s Gd. Oats are very firm, holders still refusing to sell.- 200; bags were disposed publicly, when 4s 8d was realised for inferior, and 5s 2d for ; „ .'.fair/ feeding, while 5s 7d was. obtained pri- . yately for milling. A rumor has been cur- •'•• '' rent throughout i the day -^that about 12.000 .bushels; Calif ornian have arrived at Sydney " ' 'b^'the mail steamer; no' notice is however ■,_•■'<: taken, of 'that circumstance in. our .Sydney telegrams. The depression in the general market could not be better exemplified than by the result of the sugar sale this forenoon—, < : 7083>bagri land mats YaVraville refinery sorts xr^SKSSS^l^J^t^^S®^*! 18 ** 11^" 1^ * ne very - lw*^liriceV*nOT?"riiliiigi as compared with actual cost, little or nothing could be done. One lioe of yellow was sold at 345. Since the sale, however, some parcels have been taken up privately .at better rates. Hops do not'Buow'imlcn* improvement. From England we learn that a larger trade has been done during the mouth, but that prices had not risen, although it was found that a great proportion of tne hops unsold was defective

either in growth or from bad storage, and it was for sucl\descriptions that the very low prices quoted were accepted, and that Imore than ordinary caution was how necessary in selecting hops for exportation. In liquids, we hear of nothing s ecial. Trade sales of Henneosy'spale brandy are making at 9s 5d to 9s 6d, ana small lota of case Hennessy's are also moving off at 295.

„ Ckristchukch.— The Lyttelton Times, of Saturday last rejorts : —

The yards on Wednesday were full of sheep of. all dercriptions, the scarcity of grass apparently causing graziers to fores their fat sheep, as well as stores, into the market. . Some very fine pens of.' fat" she«p were shown, the best being some Romney Marsh wethers fro-n Mr Curria's farm at Springston'; for these 17s were offered and re f used The trade bought sparingly, and, although some sheep sold at fair prices, many pens were withdrawn at auction, some, however, being sold privately afterwards. Our quotations remain at 2£d per lb.. although a trifle over that is paid for extra prime quality. Old merino ewe 3 continue to be brought forward in large numbers, and the prices realised must leave a heavy loss to the dealers. Many lots are sold for the value of the skins, and the best do not bring more than about 4s.

Very few cattle were yarded on Wednesday, the low prices ruling for stores evidently deterring farmers from bringinsr them forward. Fat cattle rib not alter much in value, and our quotation remaius at 20s per 1001 b, with an upward tendohcy. '