DUNEDIN.

Southland Times, Issue 1543, 27 February 1872, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

Messrs Driver, Stewart, & Co. report for the -week ending 17th February : — Fat Cattle. — About 80 head were yarded, most of which were of good quality, a number of pens being very prime. The trade being well supplied, did not take but half the number offered, the balance were sent out. It is hoped that the Meat Preserving Co. will be buyers at future sales, as the owners of the cattle turned out on Wednesday would have been content with the Company's prices. Except in cases of overeupply, such as above referred to, we quote 20s per lOOlbs as the average price for prime beef. Fat Sheep. — About 400 sheep were penned, consisting; of .ordinary quality wethers and old ewes ; about 200 were sold at 6s; 3d for former, and 4s 3d to 5s 6d for latter ; a few cross-brede brought 7s 9d to 8s ; 70 cross-bred lambs were taken at '7s to 7s 6d. We quote prime mutton at 2d per lb. Store Cattle.— "We hare placed a few small lots at 25s to £3, according to ages and condition, and have buyers for large number of ages from 2 years upwards. Store Sheep. — There is still a good demand for every description of sheep, with the exception of broken-mouthed and culls. Merino wethers from known flocks are saleable at 4s 6d to 4s 9 J ; ditto ewes, 4s to 4s 3d ; ditto lambs at 4s. Cross-bred, 2- tooth and over, 6s to 6s 6d ; ditto lambs, 5s to 5s 6d. Stations. — No transactions have transpired, but we have numerous enquiries for investment in good properties. Wool. — The only public sale during the week •we held at our warehouses on Monday, 12th inst. There was but a moderate attendance of buyers, but the bidding was spirited throughout, and former prices were fully maintained. The catalogue comprised about 800 baleß wool and 2000 Bheepskins. 105 lots, all of which (with the exception of one or two holdover for instructions) •were disposed of, either at auction or priva'ely immediately thereafter. Priced catalogues have already been published, we therefore merely give the range of- prices as follows, viz : — Greasy merino, 8&i to 14£ d; do, cross-bred, I3£d to 16£ d; washed merino, 18d to 20 JJ ; do, crossbred, 18 Jd to 20fd ; greasy locks, 4sd to 7f d ; do, pieces, B£d to 12£ d; washed locks, lOd to 12d ; do, pieces, 12d to 13gd." We extract the following from our London agents' advices of 14th December. The fifth and last series of sales for the year commenced on 23rd November and terminated on 7th inst. The total quantity catalogued was 70,568 bales, of which 8658 bales were New Zealand : wools- The attendance of both home and foreign buyers has been good throughout, and there has been spirited competition, the advance advised of Id per lb on moat descriptions, and on

long stapled wool rather more, was maintained | to the close. The great rise in the value oi wool j ' this year is most satisfactory, the more so when we remember that beside the increase in the importations over last year, there were 50,000 bales in importers' hands at the commencement of the present year held over from last. Ihe great waste caused by the late war has, no doubt, tended to strengthen prices, but it is evident that the demand has now all but overtaken the supply. Trade in the manufacturing districts is very healthy, and we see no reason to doubt that present prices will be fully maintained at the February series. , , ni * Sheepskins.— At our sale on the 12th, owing chiefly to a special demand for America, competition was unusually spirited, and all the lots offered, comprising about 2000 skins, were sold at extreme prices, say ranging from Ik 1 to Is per ' Flax.— Sime the arrival of the San Francisco l mail, there has been more frequent enquiry, and some few parcels have changed hands at rates slightly in advance of late quotations. lhe quantity coming into the market is comparatively limited, and this, combined with the favorable nature of London advices, lead us to expect that more remunerative prices will rale for Borne months to come. i ~

The Oamaru Times of the 20th inst. reports : — New grain is now. coining into the market pretty rapidly, ana we note several irausatti«"»' Prices rule for wheat 3s 9d to 4s, the latter figure having been conceded for a considerable quantity delivered last week. Oats range from Is 8d to Is lOd, the higher price being for firstclass muling. Some samples of barley have been brought in of good color but small in grain. Quotations are not established for this cereal. Flour is at £12 10s to £13 for old, and £11 10s to £12 for new. Oatmeal, £14 ; pollard, £4 ; bran, £3 ; potatoes (very few coming forward), £6 nominal. The crops generally are turning out better than was anticipated, the wheat giving in some instances as high as 45 bushels to the acre.