COMMERCIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2694, 7 November 1881, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

S. C. Times Office, Monday evening, Mr Moss Jonas reports as follows : Horses—The market still remains inactive, but an improvement may shortly be expected to take place, as the time draws near for operatiors in the harvest fields. There is a slight demand for young draughts. Prices remain as last quoted. Cattle—Fat cattle are in good demand and prime bring as high as 2(is per 100 lbs; medium, 22s Gd. At Studholme Junction on Tuesday, he sold 20 head of fat bullocks at top prices. Stores are readily saleable at current rates. Sheep.—A better demand is springing up and all classes of cross-bred stores are saleable, and he could place a number at market rates. At Studholme Junction on Tuesday,! he disposed of 500 merino wethers in forward condition at 8s lid, and 200 cross-bred ewes, in die wool, with lambs at foot, at a very satisfactory price. At Winchester Fair on Thursday, he sold 212 fat shorn cross-breds, at 9s Gd. He quotes mutton at 24d in the wool, shorn IJd. Miscellaneous—His furniture sale on Tuesday drew a large .attendance of buyers and was very successful, a large quantity of household effects finding purchasers at fair prices, his produce sale on Saturday was well attended. He quotes flour, 14s to 15s per sack ; sharps, 6s to 6s 6d ; bran, 4s; potatoes, 3s to 3s Gd; fowls’ feed, 10s; butter, 3d to 5d per lb ; hams, 7d to 8d ; onions, l£d ; geese, 3s 6d to 4s each ; fowls 2s Gd to 3s per pair. In addition to the ordinary produce a large quantity of miscellaneous goods were cleared out at satisfactory prices.

Messrs Maclean and Stewart report for the past week as follows : Horses.—4s horses of various classes were on Saturday entered at their yards, a considerable number being really firstclass animals, among which were 14 heavy draughts belonging to Messrs Jones and Peters, contractors. Some of these attracted great attention, owing to their very superior quality, and also the way in which every one of them stood the several trials they were submitted to, proving the careful manner in which they must have been broken in and worked. Their condition, notwithstanding they have been at regular work, was first-rate. A number of other useful animals passed under the hammer, and the usual number of inferior and light horses. They report having placed 21 head at the following prices : From £3O to £39 for a few superior draughts ; from £26 to £3O for good farm mares and geldings ; from £lB to £22 for medium sorts ; and from £lO to £l4 fc ordinary and inferior harness horses; hacks ' from £8 to £l4, according to quality. Sheep—There is little as yet doing in store sheep, but they expect as shearing advances, an active enquiry for these, more especially for cross-bred ewes and wethers. They have made no large sales since they last reported. Fat sheep—At Studholme Junction last Tuesday, they penned on account of Mr M. Studholme, 500 cross-bred weathers, very prime quality and heavy weights; 200 merino weathers were sold at auction at 7s. They report having placed privately 1200 fat cross-bred weathers at a sasisfactory price. Cattle—The new yards at Pleasant Point were opened last monday and proved equal to the requirements of that district. A large number of cattle and a few sheep came forward and the result of the sale was fairly satisfactory. They yarded 106 head cows, heifers and steers, the greater portion of which; were quitted at the following prices :—From £3 6s to £4 10s for two-year-old steers and heifers, £2 to •£2 10s for yearlings, calves from 22s to 355, cows from £4 to £6. The usual monthly sale at Winchester was held on Thursday, the 3rd. They report an average number of stock yarded. They sold well forward steers from £4 to £5, and a few good heifers at £4 10s. Fat cattle are keeping up in values and prices fully equal to their last quotations; they are also becoming less plentiful. Skins—They held their usual sale of skins and tallow on Wednesday, at which

they placed 350 merino and crossbred skins at from 5s fid to 6s for full-woolled butchers’ skins, and from 4s to 5s for medium crossbreds and marines. Tallow from 2d to 2£d per lb.

Messrs William Coliins and Co., report holding their regular market and sale by auction, at their rooms on Saturday, of farm produce and general merchandise. The entries of produce were above local requirements, and as a consequence, prices receded on previous week’s report. The following are the figures obtained:—Picked Derwent potatoes, 50s per ton, rooms cleared ; pig potatoes, 15s ; butter, 4d per lb ; cheese, 3Jd ; bacon, 5d ; hams none ; flour, millers, £ll per ton ; farmers’, £7 : bran and sharps, no demand ; fowl wheat, 7s fid per sack; inferior, 3s fid; fowls, 2s fid to 3s per pair. A large lot of wines, spirits, tea, sugar, and confectionery were quitted at prices which could not fail to give satisfaction to the vendors. Chinaware and sundries finished a heavy day’s sale. MELBOURNE PRODUCE MARKETS. The Australian Grain and Produce Company, (late McGregor Gordon and C 0.,) report for the week ending October 26 as follows BreadstufEs —The price of Wheat remains unaltered. We sold yesterday prime northern at 5s ex station, and this isthe maximum price ruling. Country flour is at £ll 2s fid net cash ex store. Barley—English, of a good plump bright grain, is in good request at 3s 9d to 3s lOd and is scarce. Oats—The market is dull. We have sold 4,500 bushels at the following rates ; —Prime feed at 3s ssd, good at 3s 4d, inferior at 8s to 3s Id. Notwithstanding the advance in maize, oats remain stationary. Prime milliug we have sold at 3s fid. New Zealand milling oats are in request at 3s to 3s 7d per bushel. Bran has declined to Is 2£d. Dairy Produce—We sold all our good lines of cheese at s|d ; prime is worth fid, and is scarce.