COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 245, 23 April 1866, Page 2

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

V SotrTHiAND Times Office, Saturday, 21st April. The following are the Customs Returns for-— £ Feiday, 20ih Apbil. Rum, 33 gals £19 16 0 Brandy, 28 gals 16 16 0 Wine, 272 gals 54 8 0-? £91 0 0 Saturday, 21st Apeil. Brandy, 54 gals. ... ... 32 8 0 Tobacco, 161 lbs. ... ... 20 2 6 Old Tom, 2 gals. ... ... 12 6 Geneva, 30 gals. £53 13 0 DUNEDIN LIVE' STOCK, STATION AND . j WOOL REPORT. Deivee, Maclean and Co.'s report, 18th April, 1864:— We have very little change to notice in the prices obtained for the past month's transactions, which in stock have been mostly confined to purchases from Canterbury. Although the season is now well advanced, we still have a good demand for store sheep of most descriptions. The transactions jin station properties during the month confirm our, anticipations regarding this description of investment, which, for a time, was considered; somewhat uncertain by capitalists, but has now assumed a reliable and marketable value. During the past month we have disposed of a large number of both sheep and cattle at quoted prices. Fat Stock. — The market has been well supplied with both sheep and cattle, and from the numbers offering, we do not look for any advance upon present rates, until we begin to feel the effects of our winter months, when we may reasonably expect a shorter supply, and consequently better prices. We quote good quality beef at about 42s 6dper 100 lbs ; do, mutton, at about 3£d per lb. Calves and lambs are saleable at former sates. Store stock. — A very large number of sheep have changed hands during the montb, meat of which; cross the Waitaki for this Province and Southland. Lambs and young ewes are much wanted, the supply not being equal to the demand at prices quoted. Good fu'l mouthed ewes are also enquired after, and wethers are coming into better request. We quote maiden ewes at 19s to 20s ; 2, 4, and 6-tooth do, at 17s 6d to 18s ; good 8-tooth do, 12 to 13 ; lambs, equal sexes, at 10s 6d tolls6d; ewe lambs 13s to 13s 6d; wethers, 4, 6, and full-mouthed, at 12s to 12s 6d ; 2-tooth do, 10s 6d to lis. Cattle are very saleable, with but few offering. We quote, mixed ages and sexes, at £7 to £8 ; bullocks, 3 years and upwards, £9 10s to £10. The margin in prices quoted in various cases of stock, is caused by differences in quality and place of dealing. Rams. — An unusually large number have been disposed of this season, including drafts from the flocks of Messrs E. D. Rich, Julius, Lee, Buckland, Degraves, Kermode, Bell, Maclanachan, and other well-known kreeders, at prices ranging from £3 10s to £6 10s. We beg to call attention to our sale of Merino rams on 20th inst., which will be the last of the season. Good Leicester rams are in demand, and any offering would bring from £14 to £16. Stations. — The undermentioned properties have changed hands during the month — and there are still buyers at fair value — namely : Messrs Purdie and Dick's Cottesbrook Run, 33,000 acres, 7,843 mixed sheep, for £12,250, to Mr N. J. B M'Gregor; Messrs Driver and Maclean's Hyde Home Run, 50,000 acres, 9,600 mixed, sheep, 140 head cattle, for £12,600, to Messrs Calcutt and Menlove ; Messrs Borton and M'Master's Kyeburn Run, 150,000 acres, (about one half of which is available for stock), 17,500 mixed sheep, for £20,000, to Mr Wm. Saunders. Messrs Chalmers Bros., of Moa Flat, have conditionally sold a portion of their country, say 45,000 acres, 13,000 mixed sheep, for £15,000. Several other transsctions in station properties are now pending. Wool. — We held our usual Bale on the 10th inst. The attendance of merchants, fellmongers, and others interested, was numerous, and the sale the most spirited of the season. All the lots catalogued, with the exception of a small parcel of fine scoured wool (placed afterwards privately), were cleared at prices showing a decided advance on former rates. The wool season is now, we may say, at an end, although a few hundred bales have still to arrive from some of the more distant stations. Our first sale of the season, held on the s,th day of January, was much later than usual, shearing having been delayed on account of the bad weather which prevailed during the early part of the seasq.n. Since that date prices have been gradually improving, and we may quote the advance during the season at ld to ljd per lb on greasy, and 2d to 2i per lb on washed wool. This advance, however, was rather under than over that which advices from home warranted. Yet, while on tho one hand there is the prospect of a margin being left to the shipper, on the other growers have every reason to be satitfied. That such is the case, we need only state that every lot put in our hands this season was sold, either by auction or privately, in most cases considerably over the grower's reserve. * Our sales throughout the season were very well attended both by local buyers and wool merchants from Australia, and the quantity disposed of much in excess of that of last year. There can be little doubt now that a regular market is established here, and that growers will see it to be much to their advantage to submit their clips to public competition under proper superintendence, instead of either spiling here^privately or shipping to a distant market with all its incidental risks, expens es, and delays. In general, the condition of the clips was better than last year, especially those in the grease, which were particularly light, in consequence of the cold and wet winter and spriug. In a few instances there was a slight unsoundness in the staple, but this is traceable to the same cause. There is still, we regret to say, much room for improvement in tbe classing and packing of many of the clips in the Province, the proportion of pieces and locks, which ought to b» at least 10 per cent., being in many cases much less ; and inferior fleeces, either in quahty or in washing, being packed with superior ones. The very high prices obtained for properly classed clips are an example of the advantage of attending to this particularly. A much larger quantity than formerly of scoured wool has been shipped this year. In the case of very dirty or heavy^ conditionad wool, especially j we have no doubt that it will always prove to the advantage of the buyer to have it scoured and sorted on the spot, where it can be done as cheaply and at as low a rate as in any of the neighboring colonies. . Dbivee, Maclean and Co., live Stock Salesmen, Station Agents, and Wool Brokers, Dunedin, N.Z. Messrs. Royse, Mudie and Miller, of Dunedin and Oamaru, report under date 12th April: — We have to report an unabated demand for every description of store sheep, lambs and ewes especially, causing a slight advance on former quotations. That advance is certainly moderate, as buyers and sellers are equally firm, the former being only tempted by the hitherto easy prices to invest largely at profitable margin to stock-up country, .. Store cattle are scarce, many enquiries, but few completed transactions, and holders are firm. The market for fat sheep has not participated to any extent in the present improvement j large "numbers are offered in both Provinces at firmer rates, For fat cattle the demand is steady, with an upward tendency. Squatting properties, safe and reliable investments, meet with ready pvw-chsaeya at iaoreaied ratee, 3stel awnbe**- pf bales ;pf wsol slapped.