Commercial Intelligence.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 52, 30 December 1867, Page 325

Commercial Intelligence.

StocfcSta-;.

; Dunedin, 6thDeb.,1867; Wo /have.. to repeat: the market generally very! qmqt .throughout .tlie f past month, which insiy he 1 accounted for in a-great rheasure by most of our Uoiyvbjvners being engaged witn' shearing, and uh■ll - S'*?: is;rairly, .over, we may ,reasonably expect a continuous inactivity, particularly iii store sheep. •Til*-' i - 18 description of stock are disp'osed to act Witu.greatj caution; anticipating a greater reirom last ynav’s rates, than we think will « u when,market prices are fuUy estabusnedi We h'avej howcver, succeeded in disposing, of a very considerable number of all classes for aeuvery_after shearing, at prices as quoted below, uat stock, noth.sheep".arid, cattle, continue scarce, without any change iA prices. The former are luteiy to be in better supply/ at roduced rates,'aftersueanug is, further advanced; but we ean see no reason for expecting abetter supply of beef, except occasionally ,by the arrival of imported lots, consequently, the present demand for healthy storesmustcontinue., 1 0 averaged prices as quoted be-

• Fat Stock.—As' before stated, fully maintained •matquotations; say, beef,,so per lOOlbs; mutton, sa per lb iu town, or about' 4)4 per lb on station. ” ® r a X e a^so made sales of prime weathers, at 225, on station* Calves of good quality are very scarce, and saleable at £4. to £4 los. • s J ; ° r ® Stock.—Transactions in wethers (in the wool) for paddocks may now he said to be over, asholders decline to treatuntil after shearing. We have made contracts for delivery after shearing, at rollowing vatesWethers, 9s Hd to 10s; ewes, 2, 4, and 6-tOotb, at 13s to 14s. Lambs (equal sexes) at ,18s per pair—mostly Otago bred sheeu. We expect to see these prices, maintained,' arid will not be. surprised to see .a slight advance in some descriptions during the season. Dairy co wst—if well-hred, quiet, and near calving —are .much inquired after, and saleable at £lB. Horses,—The supply of draught stock during the month has been large—in excess of the requirements of the market—and prices for inferior descriptions have somewhat receded. . Firstrclass heavy especially—maintain former quotations, ana are likely to do so till the close of the wool season. Hacks of all descriptions have,been mor.e saleable lately than during many months past, really good stylish animals being in demand at high,rates, while ordinary stock finds buyers'at very payable prices. . Stations.—Desirable properties are inquired after by buyers willing to give good value,-and any placed in the market ;wbuld meet with ready sale, it is worthy of notice that so ■ few stations in this Province have been offered for sale during tbe last 12 months, which may be fairly attributed to the generally’sound position of our runholders, and the well-established confidence in such investments, ( !

Wool.—The late,unsettled weather has had the effect .of retarding shearing operations, which are now. general all over the Proviuce. We are of opinion that, on account of the late heavy Tains, the great bulk of the clip this year will be much liehter in the grease than last; and in this we are confirmed hy the appearance of the few samples at pi resent to hand. For this reason, ns well as on account of;tho hetter demand in London, for well got-up fleeces, .washing will be much more general thpn hitherto. _ We 1 would again impress upon powers the advisability of paying every attention to the proper ,getting-up of their flocks; and we are pleased to notice that several of our leading squatters ore already making arrangements for the erection of the improved spout-washing apparatus, which has proved so successful iu the hands of the chief Victorian flockowners, and of which complete drawings, specifications, and estimates may ;be seen at our offices. The state of political affaiw on the Continent of Europe, the peat depression of the Home woollen trade, and the immense increase in the production of wool, combined, do not warrant any expectation of improvement in the London market.