Commercial.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1547, 3 February 1874, Page 102

Commercial.

HAWKE'S BAY STOCK AND STATION BEPORT. During the past month there has been an active demand for store sheep of every class, locally as well as for neighboring provinces; prices demanded and obtained consequently rule high, though not by any means intrinsically higher than prices for wool hitherto obtained would warrant : still, the sales effected have been at considerable advance on the current rates of last season. Enquiries for purchasb are in excess of numbers at present offering for sale ; however, if the present extremely dry weather continues, larger numbers will of necessity be placed in the market, but the season is too far advanced and the demand too legitimate to anticipate material reduction, if any, in price from this cause. Fat Sheep.—or this class the rise in price has by no means equalled chat of stores, the number offering is so far in excess of our limited outlets; indeed, a coasiderable number have changed hands with store lots at same price. This is a positive loss to ihe country, but must be borne till we secure effective meat-preserving establishments, and thereby, as in the Southern provinces, relieve our statious of their superabundant fat stock. Cattle.— Stores have shared in the general advance of prices, and for young mixed mobs there is a considerable demand for stocking inland country ; present quotations are forCattlb.—Fat, 17s 6d to 18 6d for immediate delivery, demand limited. Stores. mixed, £3 10s to £4 tOs, according to sexes and ages. The Rissington her 1 , a superior lot, has been purchased at £5 per head. Weddebs.—Fat.—Small size, suitable for the season are enquired for; heavy weights are at present dull of sale. I have pold 14 0 medium, in two lots at 9s 6d and 10s 6d. Store.—Merino, aged.no sale; for mixed ages, 6s 3d, 6s 6d to 7s. Flocks of sound condition and good character of wool/ are readily sileable at these rates ; my sales have been 7300 from the flocks of the Hon. Donald M'Lean, Messrs. Mackersoy, IJarding, and ethers. In cross-breeds, I have sold 2,800 eight-tooth and under at from 8s to 9s, and about 1,000 superior half-bred RomneyMarsh, Mr Harding's, at 10s each, Ewes.—Market firm for all descriptions ; my last week's sales have been : Merinoi two and four-tooth, 10s ; equal ages, 2,000, Mr H. M'Lean's, 7s 6d ; eight-tooth, none broken, 1,000, ditto, at 6s ; also, 3,000 mixed ages, delivered at Waipawa, 7s 6d, and l,0 n 0 sound just eifht-tooth, at 6s 6d each. Halfbreds are scarce, a few transactions have been completed, but at a wide range ; for mixed ages 7s 6d to lis 6d, according to breed and condition.

Lambs. —Very few transactions yet, and those have been generally of indifferent quality, therefore no guide to prices. For good healthy lambs, either Merino or halfbred, there are numerous enquiries. RAMS.—Merino : The importations hitherto thfs season have been limited, but of firstclass quality—from the flocks of Mr. Currie, Victoria (by Hon. D. M'Lean), and from Mr Sises, and Mr An ierson's, Otago stud flocks. There are some excellent provincial bred ram lambs this season from last year's mportations, but none at present offe ring. In long wools, independent of several firstclass Lincolns, direct fiom England, a few of Messrs. Sutton Brothers, selected at Christchurch show, have been imported and sold to Mr Tanner; these ere a most valuable addition to our provincial flocks. Amongst the lot there is one young Lincoln ram, considered by practical judges the most promising sheep of the season, valued at £l7O ; also, the champion Lincoln, winner of the Cup at the 1872 Invercargill Show; also, winner of the Dunedin Silver Cup last seasons show. Mr Tanner's successful efforts in obtaining the best blood procurable as sires for his valuable Kirkham ewes, must eventually place his flock highest in Lincoln exhibits in the colonies. For provincialbred Lincoln's and Lincoln-Leicester rams for ordinary crossing there are several enquiries <rom Otago, and locally there will be considerable demand this season. The annual Ram Fair will be held at Havelock on the 11th inst, when a large number of first class stock will be submitted for sale.—Merino, Lincoln, Lincoln-Lei-cester, &c. A considerable concourse of buyers is expected from this aud adjacent districts.

House Stock.—There are numerous enquiries and evidently increasing demand for medium and heavy draught stock at from £45 to £66. An importation of this class is much wanted, and fair prices might be expected on such a venture. .Really good use- | ful hacks and carriage horses are also much ! wanted. For both descriptions of stock this province presents ample field and every encouragement to parties willing, to devote attention to breeding. Wool.—The sales effected here have been comparatively trifling in extent, though the prices obtained have been higher than would have been realised in the larger markets of Dunedin or Christchurch. From the unsettled state of the American money market, and the large amount of wool shipped direct j from the colonies to America last year, the market there is at a standstill, and only wools peculiarly adapted for that market are being offered for this season by an American buyer, and that at» reduced rate from that of last year. Buyers for the English market, from the extreme fluctuations in the rate of discounts there, and other ruling causes, have been very careful in their purchases ; indeed, very few brands of wool of any importance have bees purchased in the colony this season, unless at reduction, although the light stocks held in the home market does not warrant the anticipation that there should be a fall in value to any great extent. Sheepskins are in good demand, but as local fellmongers are givin? liberal prices, there is no inducement to export. Station Properties.—l have only one transation to report as concluded during the past month, having sold Mr Harding's Mount Erin estate, of about 6,000 acres, fenced, &c, with all necessary improvements; house' woolshed, yards, &c., &c, with 7,000 Merino sheep; a few cattle, horses, &c, to Mr T. Procter, of OtagOj for £15,000. From the comparatively large amount of property that has changed hands in this province during the past year, amounting to £206,000, prices have advanced so much that there does not now present the same quickly attractive margin of profit for the buyer as was apparent in priceß asked a little over six months ago. Indeed, in seveal instances, properties offered of late have been at such an advance as to deter present investment, several inteading purchasers, while admitting the great,

and increasing capabilities of the soil and geniality of the climate, return to the Southern provinces, seeking investments there, which may yield a speedier, if not ultimately a more certain return. Yet to parties able and willing to assist in the development of this country, by fencing and surface gnss-sowing, a more certain and greater future profit on investment can be depended on here, than can possibly be hoped for in any other portion of the colony. As a rule, however, this necessary development is greatly retarded by the too great extent of many station properties, and the reluctance of owners to dismember them. Were they smaller they would be of easier control, and take much less time and capital in being made capable of carrying an enormous increase on the present numbe r of stock, consequently advancing the land to its real value, and as undoubtedly enriching the holder as the colony, M. E. MILLEB, Stock and Station Agent. Browning-street, Napier, 31st January, 1784.