COMMERCIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2360, 9 October 1880, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

» — S. C. Times Office, Saturday Evening, The grain market is dull, and prices are without alteration. Good milling wheat would command a ready sale at improved rates, but there are but few samples offering. Inferior parcels are more plentiful, but they can only be disposed of with difficulty, farmers generally having disposed of their best grain, and the market being glutted witn refuse. Transactions in oats are few, and the supply and demand are about equal, Harley meets with little or no demand, and any purchases made are chiefly of a speculative character. We quote best milling wheat 3s lid to 4s 2d per bushel; inferior 3s upwards. Malting barley, 2s 3d to 2s 6d; feed, Is 6d to 2s. Oats, milling, Is 4d to Is 9d; feed, Is to Is 3d. The monthly fair at Winchester on Wednesday was a damper to stock owners, the attendance being small, bidding slow, and prices shewing a marked depreciation. Out of 1000 sheep and 82 head of cattle brought forward, the following sales were effected:— Messrs Wildie, Allan and Stumbles sold 10 head of 2-year old steers and heifers, at £4 each ; 1 steer, three years old, at £5 15s. Mr Moss Jonas sold 350 merino wethers at 7s 6d each : 156 hoggets at 8s 3d. Messrs Maclean and Stewart sold 80 fat sheep at 14s 9d each ; 6 cows at £4 ; 12 heifers at £3 2s 6d ; 12 steers at £4 2s 6d ; 12 steers at £5 ; 13 do at £5 10s ; 3 do at £3. Mr K, F. Gray sold 16 merino ewes and lambs at 7s Id each ; 11 cross-breds at 13s 6d ; 7 cows at from £4 7s Od to. £8 5s ; 4 springing heifers at from £4l7s 6d to £5 ss; 8 steers at from £3 17s 6d to £4 ; 2 fat cows at £B. Mr T. W. Corbett sold 50 head of 2,3, and 4-year-old stores, in forward condition, at from £4 12s Gd to £5 5s each ; 5 head fat cattle at from £7 10s to £8 ss, Messrs Mundell and Co., sold 70 fat crossbreds at 15s each; 1 harness mare at £lO 10s ; 1 pig at £2, CANTERBURY CORN EXCHANGE. The following is the Corn Exchange report for the week ending Friday evening, October 8, 1880. There is absolutely no change to report in the state of the market during the week. Business is very dull. The transactions taking place are purely of a local character, or what might be termed a hand to mouth business. Freight is difficult to obtain. Millers are still in the market for wheat, but hardly so eager. Wheat—Good milling samples are worth from 4s to 4s 3d per bushel. Exceptionally fine quality of certain descriptions a shade over these figures. Second class milling, 3s 3d to 3s 9d; chick wheat, 2s to 3s per bushel. Oats.—The business done during the week has been of a most unimportant character. Good, stout, short milling are saleable at from Is 6d to Is 8d per bushel; feed quality, Is 3d to Is 4d; inferior feed, Is to Is 2d per bushel. Barley.—The market for this cereal is rather sluggish. Malsters and brewers are tolerably well supplied, and nothing but exceptionally fine quality will tempt them, and that too at a moderate price. Fair malting quality may be quoted at from 2s 3d to 2s 6d per bushel; extra prime, 2a 8d to 3s 6d; feed samples, Is 6d to Is 9d per bushel. Grass Seed—The demand is hardly so good. A few transactions have taken place at from 2s 6d to 2s lOd per bushel; these have been farmers’ parcels, but of exceptionally good quality. Town dressed heavy seed is worth 2s lOd to 3s per bushel; light and badly cleaned, Is 9d to 2s 3d; cocksfoot, 2Jd to 3d per lb, in small lines. Potatoes—A few trifling orders have been executed during the week at about 15s the ton. Sales have taken place at less than this figure. It is hardly likely, however, that growers will accept less, as the cost of labor, carting, Ac, would not warrant it. The same prices may be quoted as last week: 15s to 20s per ton, sacks extra. Cheese and Butter—The former, 4d to 44 the latter, 7£d to Bd. Dunedin, Oct. 8. The following are latest quotations:— Good sample milling wheat, 4s 4d to 4s 7d; medium wheat, 3s 9d to 4s; fowls’ wheat. 2s 6d to 3s; feed oats, Is 4d to Is 5d ; milling, Is 7d to Is 8d; malting barley, 2s 9d to 3s 3d ; feed, Is 9d to 2s; potatoes, £2; grass hay, £2 10s; oaten hay, £3; straw, £2; bran, £3 10s ; pollard, £4 10s ; flour, £lO 10s to £11; oatmeal, £9 10s ; pearl barley, £18; onions, 8s; cheese, 4d to sd; bacon, rolled, 8d; hams, 9sd; sides bacon, 7£d to B£d (grain fed); chaff, £2lss. Auckland, Oct, 8. Canterbury potatoes are so overstocked as to be almost unsaleable; in some instances cost of freight can scarcely be obtained, while Oamaiu find ready sale at £4 to £5 per ton. Local maize is easier, and is quoted in lines at 3s. Oats are easier, but without decided alteration. All kinds of barley are difficult to move. Ales are largely overstocked. The. importation of

yams has been very much reduced lately. Dried fruits show a downward tendency. Candles are unchanged. Vestas are firmly held. Sugars are as yet unaffected by the fall in Melbourne markets. Sydney, Oct. 8. Hennessy’s brandy, in case, 35s 3d; in bulk, quarters, 10s; kerosene, diamond, per gallon, Is l£d to Is 8d; Devoe’s, Is 9d; Patna rice, £2l to £22; maize, per 60Ibs, 2s Id. Adelaide, Oct. 8. Adelaide wheat, per bushel, 4s 4d, good demand, but higher prices asked; town flour, £lO to £lO 5s ; country flour, £9 5a to £9 10s; freights to London by sailing vessels, 37s 6d to 40s.