COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1254, 24 April 1880, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Mr Henry Macintosh reports for the week' ending 24th April, as follows The rush for domestic servants during the week has been greatly in excess of the supply both for town and country. Experienced servants for either have been vei-y scarce, numbers of ordeTS being unsuppbed, and although we have had a great increase of female servants from the Old Country since last year, they seem now to be a3 scarce as ever. Men of ait classes are more plentiful, and the demand only middling. DUNEDJN. fBY TELEGRAPH. I April 23. Wheat, 43 3d to 4s Gd; fowls' wheat, 3s to 3s 3d; oats, Is 3d to Is 4d; barley, 4s to 4a 6d ; feed, 2s 6d to 33; potatoes, L2 15s to 13; old hay, IL4; new oaten bay, I*3 ; chaff, L3ss ; straw, L2; bran, L 3; pollard, L 4; flour, large sacks, LlO 10s to LlO 15s; oatmeal, L 1 0; pearl barley, ; onions. 6d ; new cheese, sd; bacon, rolled, lOd; do, sides, lid; hams, Is. Prime fat beef, 255; mutton, 2d. AUCKLAND. (EY telegraph.) April 23. A fair business 13 going forward this week, consequent upon replenishing _ the bare stocks from recent English arrivals. Breadstuff's are unchanged. Southern is m bare supply. Bran has advanced from L 4 10s to L 4 15 ; oats, are a shade firmer—from 2a to 23 Id.

CHRISTCHURCH. To-day's Canterbury Times reports:— The aspect of the grain market during the week h aa presented much the same features as the preceding. The business transacted haa not been of an extensive character, and the feeling at the moment is one of heaviness. The quantity coming forward by rail still continues large, and the ships now loading have been unequal to the work of keeping the line ctear, and considerable quantities have had to be sent to store in Port. Wheat.—Values remain about the same as last week, 3s 9d to 3s lOd, with a quiet market. In the face of the English telegrams buyers at the moment are acting guardedly. On the other hand sellers in many cases, unless able to secure their idea of value, are bent on shipping on their own account. Oats. —Large parcels of all classes of oats have been offered within the last few days without leading to business, sellere not feeling disposed to accept ruling prices. The Australian market is a trifle higher, but is still at such a point as to preclude operations from this place. Feed quality are quoted here at Is 3d to Is sd; milling, 13 Gd, but the demand is wholly confined to purchasers for local wants.

Barley continues depressed, and the quantity seeking an outlet large. Samples of prime quality are saleable at good prices, but other sorts are comparitively a drug. Prices the same as before.

Flour.—Millers quote flour at the old rates of LlO to Lll according to brand. Potatoes. —The market remains about the same, and transactions have not yet been sufficiently numerous to exactly fix rates. Prices range from 273 6d to 355. Gras3 Seed.—Fair sales of merchant's parcels of ryegrass are reported lately, but the market rates for seed are unaltered. Quotations range between 2s and 2a Gd. Cooksfoot i 3 without enquiry, and dealers will only touch it at low rates. Recent advices from Australia afford little hope of relief from that quarter. Stocks of both classes of New Zealand seed are reported heavy in these markets, with a most limited enquiry. Dairy Produce.—Cheese is quoted at 4id to 3d, with only a moderate demand. Butter, Sd to S*d.

TIMARU. (From to-day's Herald.) Deliveries of grain are rapidly increasing, hnt the bulk is still far behind in quantity to ■what it was at this time last year. Theqnality of wheat is now" coming well np to the average, but though 3a 10c! and 3s lid has been paid by millers in some instances for prima samples, merchants will not qnote above 3s 4d or 3s 6d. Heavy stocks have yet to come hi, and we are informed that not a fewfarmers are holding back the pick of their grain for better prices. Oats remain nominally at Is to la 3d.