COMMERCIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2295, 26 July 1880, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

S. C. Times Office. Monday Evening. Messrs Jonas, Hart and Wildie report for the week as follows:

Fat Cattle.—The supply is fully equal to the demand, and transactions have been 50 head prime at £8 ; 7 head at £6 15s ; and 4 head at £7 10s. The average would be fully 26s per 1001 b. Store Cattle.—Are in good demand. A Pleasant Point, on July 22, we sold about 40 head at the following prices:—Steers and heifers, two to three years old, from £4 10s-to £6 10s ; do. do., eighteen months to two years, from £3 5s to £4 5s ; cows, in full milk and springing, from £8 to £lO 10s.

Sheep.—There are active enquiries for all classes of stores. We sold a small mob of crossbred ewes, full-mouthed, at Pleasant Point on July 22, at 9s 9cl. Horses. —There is a slightly perceptible improvement in the demand for good heavy draughts. Prom the sales effected we quote the following, viz : Heavy staunch draughts from £B7 to £SO; medium do do, from £24 to £BS ; light do, from £l(> to £2B ; hacks and light harness horses, from £8 10s to £l7.

Farm and Domestic Produce.—We have eftcctcd the sale of large quantities of produce during the week :—Potatoes, £2 os to £3 per ton ; onions, Id per lb ; dour, £9 10s per ton ; sharps, £0 ; bran, £3 5s ; chicken corn, 5s 6d to 7s 6d per bag ; oats, 9d, Is, Is 3d, and Is 6d per bushel, according to description ; bacon, 7d, Bd, and 9d per lb; cheese, 6d and 6:}d per lb ; fresh butter, 9d and lOd per lb; fowls, from 2s 6d to 4s 6d per pair ; geese, 5s each ; turkeys, 4s 6d, 5s 6d, and 6s 6d each ; and other produce at fair rates.

Messrs Maclean and Stewart report fertile past fortnight as follows: Cattle —An increased demand for all classes of cattle, more especially for stores fit for feeding off. Prices for cattle may be quoted as follows :—Well grown steers and heifers, from £4 10s to £6 12s 6d ; yearlings, and two-year olds from £2 5s to £4 ; dairy cows'froni £9 to £l2. Fat Cattle —The market is still very firm, and inline quality of beef is worth 25s per 1001 b ; medium, at from 20s to 22s 6d per 1001 b.

Sheep—Store sheep arc at present fetching full values, and are difficult to procure. The following arc ruling rates : —For merino, old ewes, in lamb, from 4s (id to 5s 6d ; young merinos, none offering ; crossbred ewes, at 11s Gd to 12s 7d. Fat Sheep.—Turnip feed is lasting well this .year, and but a small proportion of the fat sheep in the district have been quitted. The prices of these seem still to be on the increase both in the Christchurch and Dunedin markets. Prime mutton may be quoted at 3d per lb. We have sold several large drafts of crossbred wethers at 15s, and merino wethers at from 10s to 11s.

Horses.—The demand at present seems almost to he nil, except at rates which result in a veiy heavy loss to the sellers. On account of Mr Palmer wc sold last Saturday the whole of his valuable lot comprising about 15 head, at an average of nearly £3O.

Messrs William Collins and Co. report holding their regular weekly market and sale by auction on Saturday of farm produce and general merchandise. The attendance was good, and they placed large quantities of produce at satisfactory figures, viz :—Derwent potatoes, -10 s to 50s per ton ; early seed, 55s per ton; onions, good, £8 per ton ; farmers’ flour, £8 to £1) per ton ; bran, 60s per ton ; sharps, 70s per ton; fowl wheat, Is to (is per sack; barley, seconds, 8s (id per bag ; salt butter, in kegs, 8d per lb; fresh do., Od to lOd per lb; carcase porkers, Id to 51 d per lb; hams and bacon, none entered. Good samples can always be quitted. Fowls, 2s (id to Is per pair ; turkeys, Is to 7s each; ducks, Is per couple ; geese, 8s Gd each ; fresh beef, 17s Cd per cwt. A consignment of groceries, in good condition, was easily disposed at prices equal to vendors’ reserves. Tea, in boxes, ex Brisbane, IDs to 20s per box; soap, 15s to 16s per cwt; No. 8 Company’s Yarraville sugar, 41 per lb; Hobart Town jam, 6s to Gs to Gs Gd per dozen. Household furniture, boots, drapery, men’s and boys’ clothing, and a general assortment of sundries, were moved off at good figures.

Messrs George Priest and Co. report having had a numerous attendance, and competition was good, most of the lots offered being cleared at the following rates; —Flour, £!) per ton; sharps, 80s per ton; bran, 70s per ton; potatoes, 48s per ton; onions, Id per lb ; bacon, Bld per lb ; hams, Old per lb; cheese, from 5d to Gld per lb ; jams, ss. to Gs Gd per doz ; fowls, from 2s Gd to 4s Gd per pair ; geese, from 8s (id to Is Gd each ; turkeys, 5s each ; rabbits, from 9d to Is per pair (not very good.) Fruit—Apples, from 7s 6d to 12s per case ; oranges, from Os Gd to 11s Gd per cash ; lemons, up to 22s per ease ; muscatel raisins, Is per- lb. Ornamental trees, shrubs, Ac. —Cupressus Macrocarpa, seedlings, 8d each ; transplants, from 4d to 6d each ; Pinus Insignus, 2d M.ch ; shrubs, Ac., fair rates.