COMMERCIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2366, 16 October 1880, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

S. C. Times Office. Saturday Evening. An improved demand for breadstuffs has lately been manifested and during the week Dome large parcels have been moved oil at auction and privately. Good milling wheat has shown a decidedly upward tendency, and oats and barley, hitherto almost a drug, are coming into request. There •re, however, but few parcels of any consequence offering and the probability is that farmers in every part of the district have, with a but very few exceptions, got rid of their stocks. The fine rain alternated with genial sunshine,have given an impetus to farming operations, and the pastures are already looking luxuriant. Owing to the abundance of feed, fat stock are in less demand than stores and the meat market shews a marked decline, the supply being largely in excess of the demand. Dairy produce is also abundant and cheap, and this has a tendency to limit the consumption of meat, which, notwithstanding the reduction in value of fat stock, is still being retailed at famine prices. Wc quote as follows :—Wheat—Prime milling, 4s to 4s 2d; medium, 3s 8d to 3s lOd; damaged or Inferior, 2s upwards. Barley—Best malting, 2s fid to 3s ; inferior, Is fid to Is fid. Oats, Is 6d to Is fid for milling, and Is upwards for feed. Live Produce—Dairy cows and heifers, £2 10s to £4; steers, £3 2s fid to £4 10s; fat bullocks, £5 to £6 10s; merino wethers, 6s to 8s; crossbreds, Cs Gd to 8s 3d.

Christchurch, Oct. 15. While ft fair amount of business can bo reported fts having been transacted during the week just closed nothing of a special feature has cropped up. Reports by the English mail are more favorable than was anticipated. Wheat: Good milling quality Is saleable at 4s to 4s fid, and extra lots at a shade over these rates; second class realises 3s 6d to 3s lOd. A few sales of ehlek have been made at 2s to 2s 9d, according to quality. Oats: The market presents much the same aspect, and prices remain about the same. Earley: Quotations are without alteration, good malting 2s 6d to 2s lOd, and anything ap preaching first class is saleable up to 3s fid. Fair sales of seed lots have transpired at Is fid to Is 9d. Flour has had fair attention at £lO 10s to £ll, according to brand. Grass seed —The inquiry has slackened off, and comparatively few sales have taken place. Good seed has been placed at 2s Gd, while some dirty lots have changed hands as low as Is Gd to Is lOd. The stock market was well attended, and biddings were brisker than usual, mutton brought 2£d in the wool, and 14d shorn ; beef, 22s Gd per 1001 b. Dunedin, Oct, 15. Grain—Wheat; The demand shews some improvement, and prices reported last week are well maintained. Prime milling is worth 4s fid to 4s 7d ; fair to good, 4s to 4s 4d ; inferior to medium, 3s 3d to 4s. Oats: There are still enquiries, but holders’ ideas are high, and not much business has resulted. Prime samples are held for Is 8d to Is lOd ; buyers, however, arc not disposed to operate except at considerably below these quotations. Feed oats could be obtained at Is fid, but the inquiry is slack. Barley : 3s Gd is offered for prime malting, the supply of which is extremely limited, 2s fid to 3s 3d (nominal) for medium descriptions. Fat Cattle—l4o head were yarded at Burnside on Wednesday. Although the supply was under the average the demand was but limited. Trade requirements having been so fully supplied from last week’s market, the result was a decline equivalent to about 2s fid per lOOlbs. Bullocks realised from £5 2s Gd to £ll 10s, and cows £6 10s to £7 12s fid. We sold a few head of mixed cattle on account of Messrs Little Brothers. Price for best beef may be given at 2Js Gd 1001 b. Fat sheep were in moderate supply, the number penned having been 1978 head, consisting of 1678 cross-breds and 300 merinos. Butchers being satisfied last week, 400 had to be turned out unsold, and on those cleared a decline of Is to Is fid per head must be recorded. The cross-breds sold at from 12s Gd to 15s (shorn at 8s 9d) and the merinos at 9s 9d to 10s.

Sidney, Oct. 15. Hennessy’s brandy, in case, 35s Gd, in bulk (quarters) 10s Gd. New Zealand oats, per 401bs, Is lOd to 2s 2d ; maize, per GOlbs, 2s Id to 2s 3d. Adelaide, Oct. 15. Wheat, per bushel, 4s Gd. The tone of the wheat market is very strong. Town flour, £lO 5s to £lO 10s; country, £9 5s to £9 10s. Freight to London—steamers, 60s; by sailing vessels, 35s to 37s Gd. Freights to United Kingdom from Adelaide, 40s; from other ports, 42s fid. The tone of freights is firm.