Commercial Intelligence.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 373, 3 May 1866, Page 2

Commercial Intelligence.

OTAGO, Deivee, Maclean & Co.'s Monthly Live Sfbcx, Station & Wool Eeeoet. Dunedin, 18th April, 1868. We have very little change to notice in the prices obtained for the past month’s transactions, which in stock have been mostly confined to purchases from Canterbury. Although the season is now well advanced, we still have a good demand for store sheep of most descriptions. The transactions in station properties during the month confirm our anticipations regarding this description of investment, which for a time was considered somewhat uncertain by capitalists, but has now assumed a reliable and marketable value. / During the past month we have disposed of a large number of both sheep and cattle at quoted prices. Fat Stock.—The market has been well supplied with both sheep and cattle, and from the numbers offering we do not look for any advance upon present rates, until we begin to feel the effects of our winter months, when we may reasonably expect a shorter supply, and consequently better prices We quote good quality beef at about 42s 6d per 100 lbs: do, mutton, at about 3Jd per lb. Calves and lambs are saleable at former rates.

Store Stock.—A very large number of sheep have changed hands during the past month, most of which cross the Waltaki for this Province and Southland. Lambs and young ewes are much wanted, the supply not being equal to the demand at prices quoted. Good full-mouthed ewes are also enquired after, and wethers are coming into better request. We quote maiden ewes at 19s to 20s; 2,4, and 6-tooth do at 17s 6d to 18s j good 8-tooth do, 12s to 13s; lambs, equal sexes, at 10s 6d to lls 6d; ewe lambs, 13s to 13s 6d; wethers, 4,6, and full-mouthed, at 12s to 12s 6d; 2-tooth do, 10s 6d to lls. Cattle are very saleable, with but few offering. We quote mixed ages and sexes at £7 to £8; bullocks, 3 years and upwards, £9 10s to £lO. The margin in prices quoted in various cases of stock is caused by differences in quality and place of dealing. Earns. —An unusually large number have been disposed of this season, including drafts from the flocks of Messrs F. D. Eich, Julius. Lee, Buckland, Degraves, Kermode, Bell, Maclanachan, and other well-known breeders, at prices ranging from £3 10s to £6los. We beg to call attention to our sale of Merino rams on tho 20th instant, which will be tho last of the season. Good Leicester rams are in demand, and any offering would bring from £l4 to £l6. Stations.—The undermentioned properties have changed hands during the month, and there are still buyers at fair value, namely;—Messrs Purdlo and Dick’s Cottesbrook Eun, 33,000 acres, 7843 mixed sheep, for £12,250, to Mr \. J. E. M'Gregor; Messrs Driver and Maclean’s Hyde Homo Run, 50,000 acres, 9000 mixed sheep, 140 head cattle, for £12,600, to Messrs Calcutt and Menlove; Messrs Burton and M’Master’s Kyeburn Eun, 150,000 acres (about onehalf of which is available for stock), 17,500 mixed sheep, for £20,000, to Mr Wm Saunders. Messrs Chalmers Bros., of Moa Flat, have conditionally sold a portion of their country, say 45,000 acres, 13,000 mixed sheep, for £15,000. Several other transactions in station properties are now pending. Wool.—We held our usual sale on the 10th instant. The attendance of merchants, fellmongers, and others interested was numerous, and the sale the most spirited of tho season. All the lots catalogued, with the exception of a small parcel of lino scoured wool (placed afterwards privately), were cleared at prices showing a decided advance on former rates. The wool season is now, we may say, at an end, although a few hundred hales have still to arrive from some of the more distant stations. Our first sale of the season, held on the sth day of January, was much later than usual, shearing having been delayed on account of tho bad weather which prevailed during the early part of the season. Since that date prices have been gradually Improving, and we may quote the advance during the season at Id to lsd per lb on greasy, aud 2d to 3£d per lb on washed wool. This advance, however, was rather under than over that which advices from home warranted. Yet. while on the one hand there is the prospect of a margin being left to the shipper, on the other growers have every reason to he satisfied. That such is the case, we need only state that every lot put into our hands this season was sold, either by auction or privately. In most cases considerably over tho grower’s reserve. Our sales throughout were very well attended both by local buyers and wool merchants from Australia, and the quantity disposed of much in excess of that of last year. There can be little doubt now that a regular market is established hero, that growers will see It to be much to their advantage to submit their clips to public competion under proper superintendence. Instead of either selling here privately or shipping to a distant market, with all its incidental risks, expenses, and delays. In general, the condition of the clips waa much better than last year, especially those in the grease, which were particularly light, in consequence of the cold and wet winter and spring. In a few instances there was a slight unsounduesa in the staple, hut this is traceable to the same cause. There is still, we regret to say, much room for improvement in the classing and packing of many of the clips in the Province, the proportion of pieces and locks, which ought to be at least 10 per cent., being la many cases much less; and Inferior fleeces, either in quality or in washing, being packed with superior ones. The very high prices obtained for properly classed clips are an example of the advantage of attending to this particularly. A much larger quantity than formerly of scoured wool has been shipped this year. In the case of very dirty or heavy conditioned wool especially, we have no doubt that It will always prove to the advantage of the buyer to have it scoured and sorted on the spot, where it can be done aa cheaply and at as low a rate as in any of tho neighboring Colonies. Total quantity of wool exported:— •Bobert Henderson 2021 bales A. W. Stevens 1604 „ Titnaru 2672 „ Thracian 1720 „ Echunga 3682 „ Chile ... 2113 * Celteno 2610 „ Star of Tasmania 1013 ~ Warrior Queen, probably ... 1608 „ Giving a total export 0f... 19,935 „ Prom which deduct the quantity shipped by vessels from Otago, the produce of other provinces 1562 18,373 Being the growth of the Province of Otago for 1865.