COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 96, 21 April 1883, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

TIMAKU. Wheat is now coming to hand freely. Prime samples free from springing or sprouted grains arc very difficult to obtain, and command the top price of the market, viz., 4s 2d to 4s Sd on trucks at Timara, A large quantity of medium to good is procurable, and sells at 3s 8d to 4s Id, while for inferior 2s fid to 3s fid may be quoted. Barley—Very little demand exists for this cereal, and prices remain nominal. Oats —A large quantity is offering, but buyers do not care to operate beyond immediate requirements. We quote teed Is 7d to Is 9d, and milling Is 8d to 2s, according to quality. C3BIBTCEUECH, The New Zealand Loan and Mer-

cantile Agency Company report as follows :

Grain —The unfavorable weather which set in before the harvest was well secured, and continued with but slight intermissions throughout the threshing season, thereby considerably retarding operations, caused much damage to gram in stack, as well as to threshed grain, for which the means of transit or storage accommodation is insufficient. Wheat—Demand has been fully equal to the supply, and farmers have experienced no difficulty in quitting their crops (if sound) at last month’s rates, v'z., Is 4d to 4s 6d f.o.b. The limited local demand for sprouted wheat having been satisfied, there is great difficulty in quitting this description, except at prices based on English value, Current quotations are 2s 6d to 3s 3d per bushel, according to the extent of damage sustained. Goo I milling seconds, free from sprouts, are saleable at up to 3s 9d. Oats—The Government statistics just published for the District of Canterbury show that there is an excess of area in crop this year, over that of 1881-2, of 34,000 acres, and that the total yield is 1,500,000 bushels in excess of that year. These returns have not always been found reliable, and we take leave to doubt the accuracy of this large increase. There is un questionably a larger area in crop, pro ducing a heavier yield—quite sufficient to keep prices down to the level at which shipments may be made to Eng land. But as a very largo portion of the grain in South Canterbury is discolored, we look for a good demand throughout the year for the bright samples grown in this district, Barley—The demand has sensibly slackened during the month and prices are not so firm as when we last wrote. Brewers having supplied their wants, export malsters having occupied ti e field, but the prices offered by them show a decline on previous rates of 8d to 5d per bushel, and but little business is passing. We quote prime malting (very little offering), 4s fid to 4s 8d ; medium, 4s to 4s 8d ; inferior, 3s 8d to 4s. DUNEDIN. Wheat—This is in full supply, but millers having satisfied themselves for the present and shippers being in no hurry to purchase, prices have receded say 2d to 8d per bushel on those last quoted. Oats have been slow of sale all the month, and show no indication of any improvement, blocks are accumulating fast, and prices reading. Present values, Is lOd to Is lid for bright milling, Is 9d to Is lOd for stout feed Barley—There is is an enquiry for this cereal, but up to the present we have no transactions of any importance to record. Two or three small parcels have been disposed of in town at from 4s fid to 4s 9d per bushel. CHRISTCHURCH MARKETS. Messrs Robert Wilkin and Co report: —At the Addington Yards, on Wednesday, a very large entry of all descriptions of fat and store stock came to hand for the week's supply. There wts a fair attendance of the trade, and in ihe fat stock classes owners had to submit to a slight decline in prices compared to late sales, while store sheep again met a ready sale at prices favorable to vendors. The total* for the day’s sale comprised 10,032 sheep, 554 head of cattle, and 304 pigs, of which we sold on account of various clients— Medium quality crossbreds at lls 6d, merino wethers at 8s lid and 9s Id, a draft of 2-tooth crossbreds at 10s Id. crossbred store ewes (full-mouthed) at 8s 9d, merino ditto at 6s Id. Fat heifers at £5 12s 6d each ; a draft of about 70 forward conditioned store steers at £5 8s per head. Pigs—Medium sized at 27s each ; ditto email from 6s 6d to 10s 6dWe held on Thursday the usual weekly sale of sheepskins in our New Zealand Wool Stores. There was an average attendance of buyers, and good competition. Butchers’ skins, large, 2i 6d to 3s Id ; do, second qality, Is 4d, Is lid, 2s 6d ; country skins, large, 2s sd, to 3s 2d; do, second quality, Is 3d, Is lOd. 2s 5d ; pelfs, late shorn, 4d, 9d, la 3d. Fat and Tallow—There was an average attendance of the trade, and brisk demand. Sixty packages were catalogued and all sold. Fat, best quality, clean and well saved, to 2£d per lb ; second qualify, to 2|d per lb. Tallow, in small lots at 19s per cwt and 2|d per lb. Hides—Sound, dry salted, 3|d per lb ; do, wet salted, 3sd per lb ; damaged hides, 2|d per lb. Calfskins—Sound, 3|d per lb ; cut and damaged, l|d per lb. ENGLISH MARKETS. London, April 18. The breadstuff market is quiet. Adelaide wheat, ex store, is worth 50s, and New Zealand, ditto, 44s to 48s. Adelaide flour, ex store, is quoted at 345. Australian trllow is firm at 35s for beef and 56? for mutton