COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1090, 3 April 1883, Page 1

COMMERCIAL.

TIMARU MARKETS. March 30. Prime milling wheat is now worth 4s 2d ; medium samples, 3s lOd to 4s ; milling oats, Is 8d to Is 91 ; feed, Is 6d to Is 7d ; malting barley, 3s fid to 4s 3d. Deliveries of wheat have been numerous during the past week both by road and rail, the quality being fair. Damaged grain is offering freely without meeting purchasers to any extent.

Messrs Maclean and Stewart, of Tiraaru, report for the past week ending Saturday as follows : Horses—Over 50 horses were today entered at their yards for sale, and a large portion of them were first-class draughts ; for these there was a brisk demand, and prices realised Were very much better than have beeu going for a considerable time back. On account of the contractors for the Albury and Fairlie Creek line, they sold 7 first, class draughts at an average price of £35 10s each, one gplding fetching as high as £45. On account of another owner they sold 3 mares and geldings at an average of £32 10s. They also placed, on account of several other owners, 18 at prices somewhat below the above quotations, the horses being inferior. They are glad to report the marked rise in the pricps of good young horses experienced at their yards to-day, and they fully expect the present prices will be fully maintained, if not increased during the next few weeks.

Cattle—The demand for store is rather better than when they last reported, and several small lots at their different sales have brought satisfactory prices. At the Waskdyke last Monday a fair entty was received for sale. They sold then over 120 head of mixed cattle at the following prices, viz., for wellgrown steers and heifers from £3 lfls to £5 ; two-year-old steers and hpi'ers from £2 25k to £3 ; ordinary cows, from £3 to £6 ; calves, from 15s t<> £2. At their usual monthly sale at Pleasant Point last Friday a small entry came forward, and thsro was no demand for what stock was entered. They sold a few fair steers at £2 lus. Fat Cattle—There ia but little de mand. A few have been placed at prices equal to about 22s 6d per 100. Sheep—The demand for all kinds of store is still brisk, and prices realised very favorable to sellers. At the Washdyke l?st Monday they sold merino ewes at 5s 3d ; cross-bred lambs at 7s 3d to 8s Gil. On Wednesday, in conjunction with Messrs R. Wilkin "and Co., tn account of Mr James Macdonald, they held a large sale of sheep and other stock, which was well atUm!ed, and sheep especially were in good demand. The following are the prices realised, viz., 437 ■£ bred ewes, 2-tooth, at lis ; 413 do wethers, at lis 6d ; 200 do do, 6 and 8-tooth, at lis ; 180 lambs, |-bred, at 7s lOd ; 305 do |bred, at 9s 5d ; 100 £-bred ewes, at 9s Id ; 1234 i-bred ewes, at lis 2d ; 2800 merino ewes, at 6s 3d ; 800 do,

at 4h ; 140 do. at 5s 7d, making a total of over 6000 sheep sold. Fat Sheep are keepiug tip iu price, and owni»rs are holding out for high rates, prime mutton being worth fnl'y 2|d per lb, at which price they have sold several lots.

Ram Fair—The annual Ram Fa'*r was helil at the A. and P. Society's Grounds on Tuesday last, nnd an average entry 'f merino ami Imigwoolled rams was ma-ie. After the sheep had been examine! tlvy he>d their usual sale, and sold, on account of ceveral owners, 80 Lincoln and Liecest r rums at piic's from 30* to £B. Eoi uwiuo ra*»s there was no demand.

CffRrSTCHURCH CO <N EXCHiNQE

Report for tlie week ending Friday evening, the 3uth inst. : The state of the market during the week is similar lo lust. No circumstance has occurred which calls for

special comment. Wheat Good shipping lines of Tuscan, 4s 4d to 4s 5d per bushelt f.o.b. ; other wheats 4s 3 i lo 4& 5d per bushel, f,( .b,; second quality, 3s lOd to 4s ; chick do, 2s 10d to 3s 6d per bushel, delivered in Christchurch. Oats—Milling quality, 2s to 2s 2d per bushel; feed, 2s to 2s Id. Barley—Fair to good malting, 4s 4d to 4s 7d per bushel, delivered in Christc'iurch ; extra fine samples, 4s 8d to 4s 9d per bushel ; feed quality, 3s to 3s 3d.

Grass Seed—Farmers' samples, 2s lOd to 3s 6d ; town dressed, 3s 8d to 3s 9d per bushel ; cocksfoot, 3|d to 3|d per lb. Chpese and Butter—The former 5d to s£d, the latter 9d to 9£d per lb. Beans and Peas—The former Ss 5d to 3s 6d, the latter 3s 6d to 3s 9d, according to sort and quality. Hay—£3 to £3 10s per ton, delivered in Chnstchurch. AUSTRALIAN MARKETS Sydney March 30. New Zealand wheat, 4s 2d per bushel ; New Zealand oats, 2s 6d ; maize, per bushel, 3s 4d ; Sugar Company's No- 1 pieces, per ton, £35. Adelaide, March 30. Wheat is quiet at 5< 4d to 5* 6 I and no business doing. Town flour, £l2 10s; country brands, £ll 7s 6d. There is nothing doing in foreign cargoes. WELLINGTON MARKETS. March 3).

Mr James O'Shea reports flour, Adelaide, nominal, at £l7 to £l7 K's ; Canterbury ami Oaniara, £ll 5s to £ll 10s ; sharps, 100 sto 110 s; liran. hardeniner, 95* to 105- ; o-hk, 2« 6d to 2s S-J ; •>()tii!.)f.. 90s t>» 100 s; maize and barl"», n-> salcx ; and bacon, 7d t..» 7£' ; but % 8< «<• 91 ; checs.-, 6|l i«- 9.1.

The AETFPt Tketotalleb —An 'eminent brewer' lately met one of his employes, in whose button hole was a blue ribbon, the mark of the temperance man. The brewer, who knew that the recruit >o the blue ribbon army had not been noted for his abstention from liquor, allied him what the ornament signified, and whe her he did not think that the wearing of the decora ion was a little inconsistent with the fact of his earning his livelinood in a brewer's emplo . The man winked, and made answer thus, ' Well, sir, the fact, is, I'm sf nd of a glass of beer as anybody, and that's why I wear it You see, sir, they likes to tempt me, and then I siccumbs!'

Alleged Curu fob Dbunkeitnkbs — There is a famous prescription in use in England for the euro of drunkenness, by which thousands are said to hare been assisted in recovering themselves. The prescription came into notoriety through the efforts of John Vine Hall, commander of the Great Eastern, steamship. He had fallen into such habitual drunkenness that his meat earnest efforts to reclaim himself proved unavailing. At length he sought the advice of an eminent physician, who gave him a prescript-ion which he followed faithfully for eleven months. At the end of that time he had lost all desire for liquor, although he bad been for many vears led captive by a mo*t debasing appetite. The prescription, which he afterwards published, and by which so many drunkards have been assisted to reform, is as follows :—Sulphate of iron, five grains; n:agnesia, ten grains; peppermint water eleven drachms; spirit of nutmeg, one drachm ; twice a day. This preparation acts as a tonic and stimulant, and so partially supplies tho place of tko accustomed liquor, and prevents that absolute physical and moral prostration that follows a sudden breaking off from the me of stimulating drinks.