COMMERCIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2688, 31 October 1881, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

S. C. Times Office, Monday evening, Messrs Maclean and Stewart report for the past fortnight as follows ; Horses- -They hare to report on Saturday the 22nd inst they submitted at auction, at their yards, 26 head draught and light horses. The sale was attended with the usual number of buyers, but the demand for horses of all. descriptions was dull, and a considerable proportion of those entered were passed in. On Thursday, the 27th inst. the day after the show, they yarded 47 head, principally hacks, with a few draughts. A good many of the former changed hands at satisfactory prices. On Saturday their entries consisted of 29 head, most of which found buyers. The demand for all classes was considerably better than on the previous week, and better prices were obtained. They quote: —For ib'st-class draughts, from £2B to £35; for medium, £2O to £25 ;for hacks, £l2 to £l4 for ordinary ; and as high as £35 has been obtained for weight-carrying hacks and harness horses. A few really good draughts are saleable, for which they have an enquiry. Cattle —On Thursday, the27th inst., they held an auction sale*of store cattle at the South Canterbury Yards. They yarded 330 head, principally one and one and a half year old cattle, and sold 270 head at the following prices:—From £2 6s to £2 10s for yearlings, and from £3 lOs to £3 12s 6d for onc-and-a-half-year-olds. At the Waehdyke yards, on Monday, the 24th inst,, their entries were 96 head, all of which they sold, at £2 for yearlings, £2 19s to £3 12s 6d for eighteen months to two-year olds, and £6 for a few well-grown steers. Tuey have considerable enquiry for well-forward steers and heifers, prices obtainable being satisfactory to owners. Fat cattle have advanced c hsidcrably in price since they last reported, and butchers and others have more difficulty in obtaining really good beef. They have not made any sales of importance torepoit, but quote prime quality or beef as worth from--23s to 25s per 1001 b. Sheep.—There is beginning to be a considerable demand for store cross-bred sheep, which at present arc rather scarce in this district, owners just now being about to be immediately engaged with shearing operations, are not offering their surplus stock for sale. They have placed privately a line of 900 hoggets at a satisfactory price and could place any number of this class of shefcp if on hand. Fat sheep—They have but to report, little alteration in the price of these since they last reported, Shorn sheep are now coming freely into the market, values being from 8s 6d to 10s for good cross-breds ; from Gs 6d to 7s for merinos.

Sheepskins.—They held their usual sale of skins last week, at which they sold country cross-breds at from 5s to 6s ; merinos, 3s Gd to 4s.

Mr Moss Jonas reports as follows

The influx of people from the country during the show week has given the town a busy appearance, and a large quantity of stock has been booked for sale, but at the auction sales of cattle, hacks and draught stock sellers have preponderated over buyers, and with the exception of the cattle, fully half the entries at his sale ou Thursday were turned away unsold. Notwithstanding this, however, a large ataount of general business has been done, and the market has had temporarily a very animated appearance. Horses—Oft Thursday the principal entries were in good hacks and first-rate weightcarrying hunters, and for the former £l2 to £ls was the ruling price, while the latter ran from £2O to £26. Draught stock is very dull of sale, and first-rate young horses are selling at from £25 to £3O, while medium, which comprise the bulk of entries, sell at fmm £ls to £lB.

Cattle—At the South Canterbury Yards on Thursday, a large number were yarded, comprising fat, good stores and milch cows, and nearly the whole found purahasers under the hammer. He quotes prime beef at 25s per 1001 b, medium 22s 6d, and the slight advance upon late quotations is due to an increasing scarcity of beasts fit for the butcher. Milch cows in very low condition, at from £4 4s to £5 ss; yearlings,’ £2 2s Gd ; heifers, £3 IG>; calves, 255. Sheep—On Thursday, at the South Canterbury Yards, the only lot entered consisted of 250 cross-brods in forward condition, and they realised 13s Gd. Privately during the week he has disposed of a few small lots of' shorn cross-breds at Os, and could place a large number of this class of sheep at fair values. Prime mutton still remains at former quotations. Miscellaneous—A large quantity of furniture of all descriptions was sold at Mr Fyfe s clearing sale on Monday. His usual sale of produce on Saturday attracted ai large number of buyers, and he quotes:—Flour, 14s per saek : sharps, Cs Gd.; bran, 4s; oat u , Os; fowls’ corn, lOs (scarce) ; potatoes, 3s to 3s Gd ; fowls, 3s per pair; ducks, 4s 3d per pair, butter, 3d per lb ; bacon, 5d ; hams, Gi to 7d.

Messrs William Coliins and Co., report holding their regular market and sale by auction, at their rooms to-day, of farm produce and' general merchandise, The attendance was full up to the average, and all lines were in good demand, at (he undermentioned figures—Derwent potatoes good sample, 48s per ton, inferior, 20s; chcctc, 34d: butter, 4(1, market perfectly glutted; bacon, 7d ; bams, 7d. must be good to obtain that figure ; cureiV taints, to 3d;’oats, all faults, 5s (id per sack : fowl barley, 10s per sack ; wheat, none in the market; farmers’ Hour, 14s per sack ; millers’ do, 225; bran and sharps, no buyers ; fowls, 2s 6d to 3s per couple ; ducks, 5s per pair ; pigeons, 4s per dozen ; tea, 14s per box; No. 1 Co.’s sugar,* 4d per lb : soap, 4-cwt boxes, 6a fid. Men’s women’s and children’s boots, orockeryware, and household effects were quitted at owners’ instructions.