COMMERCIAL.

Southland Times, Issue 1226, 22 March 1870, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The following are the Customs returns for the week ending 19th March, 1870 :—

GiOBSS Smith, auctioneer, reports: — Business for the ..month bas been quiet, and pnces ot most descriptions of stock still show a tendency to decline. Prime fat cattle are worth 25s per lOOlbs ; good to middling, 20s, and have realised that at the hammer at late sales. Store cattle are not in request, most graziers being rather inclined to lighten than increase their herds at this season of the year, and range from £3 10s for middling. to £5 for large-framed bullocks, 8 to 4 years old, Dairy cows generally find buyers with difficulty sellers being averse to recognise the decline on this description of stock as permanent. Quiet cows fetch from £5 to £10 for those in full milk, or springing. Horses are worth £35 to £45 for first-class heavy draughts; second class, about £20 to £25; superior saddle animals £20 to £25, and good light harness the same figures ; ordinary good backs fetch from £10 up ; inferior sorts may be quoted at £3 to £10, and no demand even at those low rates. Several lots have been sold by me at these quotations. - In~ sheep, transactions «•_ "mostly private; . prime half-bred wethers fetch lis each, ordinary mutton, about 2d per lb. Country properties. — Several early selections have recently changed owners at a slight advance on Government price. A good many properties, open and improved, are in hand, but few enquiries are made at present regarding them.

Messrs M'L-ndress, Hepburn, and Co. report having held their periodical sale by auction of flax at the stores of Mr J. W. Jago, Stuart-street, Dunedm, on the 14th inst. The attendance, especially of buyers, was larger than on any previous occasion. Of the 300 bales catalogued, the whole sold at prices showing, in several instances, a decline in last quotations, especially in the scutched samples, owing to their not being so carefully prepared as usual. Of the unscu*ched samples, several' lines showed a marked improvement in the dressing. Flax manufacturers cannot have their attention too strongly drawn to the necessity of removing as much as possible of th 6 grassy matter from tbe points. The tow was passed, there being no suitable offers ; so also were the flax machines. The flax rope did not arrive in time for sale. The following are the details of the sale *—

Messrs Wright, Stephenson, aud Co. report, for the week ending the 12th instant, as follows: — Fat Cattle.—- We yarded from the runs of W. H. Teschemsker, Fenwick, and John Tornbull, Esquires, 67 head, which averaged £6 7s 6d each, equal to 21s per 100 lbs. We quote prime quality 22s 6d to 25s per lOOlbB ; middling, 20s. Fat Sheep. — We yarded 500 wethers from tbe Heine Creek station, which averaged 7s 7d, equal to 2d per lb ; and have also sold, for delivery in town, 500, at 2d per lb. We quote best mutton, 3d per lb ; inferior, unsaleable. Store Cattle. — There are no transactions. '• Store Sbeep. — There is a good enquiry for store wethers and half-breds. We hare sold, for delivery on station, 2000 4, 6, and 8-tooth Merino wethers at 4s each, 1000 _ and 4-tooth half-bred wethers at 4s 6d each, and 1000 6-tooth ewes at is each. We quote 6-tooth ewes at 4s to 4c 6d ;

2. 4, 6, and 8-tooth wethers, at 4s; lambsMerino, 7s per pair ; half-bred, 8§ per pair. Horses.— On Saturday we sold a shipment ex Wellington, from Wellington, chiefly light hacks, at an average of £10 10s. There is a good enquiry for heavy draughts, but few are offering. Quotations: — Heavy draughts, £40 to £60; medium, £25 to £35 ; good hacks and light harness horses, £15 to £20 ; inferior, £3 to £10.

The Oamaru Times of the 15th inst. reports : — " . Large quantities of new grain are offering. Prices quoted are as follow :— Wheat (for good sample), 3s to 3s 8d ; barley, 3s 9d to 4s ; oats, Is lOd to 2s. Potatoes remain at £3 per ton. Messrs Maude and Bee report that they held a sale of full and broken-mouthed ewes on the Bth inst. About' 2ooo were submitted in fifties, with the option of taking one or more lots. The attendance was very small, only some dozen persons being present. One hundred were knocked down at lOd per head, and the balance at 7d. The sheep were in good condition. Mr Franse held his first sale of legs of mutton, from the works of the Taipo HM boiling-down establishment on the 9th. Some 200 legs were offered at 9d each, the purchaser making his own selection. Kidneys were offered at per dozen, but we did not hear the price. The legs are cut rather too small, and would sell more readily if cut English fashion, as they would be then some 21bs heavier, and being a better table joint, would be bought eagerly at Is each. All submitted were sold.

MB 56balaBBeuteh«iflK,£21 6 0 8 V 2do do do 13 2 0 discoloured B 20 do do do 23 5 0 .HS Ido do do 17 IS 0 discoloured .G- 3do do do 23 5 0 MP 9do do do 19 5 0 discoloured 2 Wls do do do 16 0 0 diicoloured K S 13 do unsoutched do 20 2 6 JHI3 do do do 20 7 6 . b JS sdo do do 14 6 0 discoloured KD 3do do do 19 12 6 s Fl6 do do do 16 5 0 green V 4do do do 16 5 0 -rough HI 4do do do IS 2 6 discoloured 'if ' H2 3do do do 12 0 0 rough and discoloured S 21 do do do 18 5 0 O 56 do do do 21 6 0 1 W lO do do do 18 15 0 T4Bdo do do 18 5 0 Also, small parcel, prepared by Booth's patent niachxne, at £29 15s per ton. t . "V MB 2 bales tow Ht i do do ; p,^ V 2 do do T M 2 do do I S flax dressing machines (Prioe*») paajto-d. -

Monday, 14th ... ... £70 4 0 Tuesday, 15th ... ... 190 1 8 "Wednesday, 16th... ... 14 6 6 Thursday, 17th 71 14 2 Friday, 18th ... ... 2917 4 Saturday, 19%... ... 413 0 £380 16 8 *»