COMMERCIAL. MR FREEMAN R. JACKSONS FORTNIGHTLY STOCK REPORT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 50, 18 February 1879, Page 2

COMMERCIAL. MR FREEMAN R. J ACKSONS FORTNIGHTLY STOCK REPORT.

Wanganui February 12. The continued dry weather and scarcity of grass has a most depressing effect on the price of stock, store sheep being almost unsaleable, and no prospect of improvement until a change in the weather takes place. Cattle are lower in value, with few buyers even at the reduced rates. At Wavciley a . number were turned out unsold, and at the . yards to-day some of the heifers from Christchurcli had to be sent back to the paddocks. „Sheep at St. Hill street were in numbers and dull of sale, a proportion of them beins: of an inferior class, which at I any time are difficult to place, and much more so now. Good fat sheep will find purchasers at boiling down rates, but old and and inferior shoep are unsaleable. I placed before the sale 350 of Air Peat's 2-tooth ewes at 12s, being the pick out of 750. I also sold 200 fat wethers at 9a 6d, for export per St Kilda, together with a cargo of fat cattle at fair rates. At Waverley the cattle entered were of a good class and iv good condition. I did not clenv the lot ; some of the pens had to be turned out, but the rest made good prices. l»heep were well competed for, they being chiefly of a good class. Mr Wilson's rams were much admired, and fetched fair prices consideiing the times. Cattle. — At Waverley 33(> head were penned. Prices were — Best cows, £5 17s 6d; steers, £5 ss ; heifers, £3 17s Gd ; fc-year-old steers, £1 sfi to £4 7s 6d. At St. Hill street, 1 82 head came forward. Fat bullocks, £8 to £9 ; imported heifers, £7 ss ; yearlings, £4 17s 6d ; forty head of the Wallabi cattlfc I placed at £6 ; local cows, £5 Is 6d. Sheep.— At Waverley, 1,450 were penned. Prices were — For .best ewes, 9s 6d j ordioary, 5s 3d to 7s; lambs of inferior quality, 2s. Mr Wilson's rams made from £6 to £8 10s. At St. Hill-street, 6,150 were offered, but only 350 were sold. Fat ewes and wethers, light weights, 7s to 83 ; Mrs Hair's ewes, 93 5(1 to 12s 6d. Inferior sheep, 2s to 2s 6d. Horses. — A large number came forward. About ths usual lot were sold. Best draughts, up to £45 ; hacks, £10 10s to £35; inferior, £5 to £6. Exports— &o cuttle, 6000 sheep. Wellington, Friday. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company report that there was a good attendance at their wool sale yester- • day, and the late prices ruling were fully maintained. The biddings were spirited, and the whole oatalogue, except three or four lineß, »vere disposed of. The current rates obtained were— lnferior locks and pieces, 2d to 3d ; greasy cross-bred fleece, (3d to B£d ; merino, none offered; sheepskins, full wool, sd ; lambskins, 9d each ; pelts, 3d : hides are unsaleable except at reductions on late rates. George Thomas reports :— Flour (Adelaide;, £14 to £15, scarce'; colonial, £10 to £10 10s ; oats, new, 4s to 4s 3d ; bran, Is ; wheat scarce, inferior fowls, 3d 9d to 4s ; hams, 9d ; bacon 8d ; cheese B^d to 9d ; maize, 5s 6d to os 9d ; pollard, 6s 6d to 7s ; potatoes scarce, 90s to 100s ; buttor dull, 9d. '