COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1138, 12 February 1884, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

AUCTIONEERS’ REPORTS

Geraldine. Messrs J. Mundell and Co. report sales of stock, etc., for the week ending February 9th, lc'B4 : At their usual monthly safe ot stock, in the Geraldine yards on Wednesday, the attendance of buyers ami those interested m sales of stock was good,

although the day was fine and harvest operations might be considered in full swing. The cattle sale was dull and dragging, and only a few lines changed owners at auction, but privately a fair amount of business was done. Fat sheep brought good prices, considering the quantity yarded, Pigs also weie keenly competed for, and high prices obtained. The totals yarded for the day’s sale Mere —Sheep, 1220 ; cattle, 213 ; pigs, 10 ; horses, 8. Paces realised were : Fat sheep, 13s 3d to 13s 9d ; store cattle, 3-year-old steers, in rather low condition, LB 10s ; 2year olds, L2 17s 6d ; yearlings, LI 10s. Pigs, small stores, LI Is to LI Is fid. Horses, not saleable. We quote beef, per cwt, 18s fid to 20s. At Winchester Fair, on Thursday last, both entries and attendance was small, harvest, no doubt, interfering. We sold 1 fat heifer at L 4 6s, and 1 mare and foal at L 8 8s fid. At our rooms, Geraldine, on Saturday, a fair amount of business was got through, and prices for farm produce and furniture up to last quotations. TIMARU. Messrs Maclean and Stewart report for the week ending Saturday last as follows : Horses—They regret they cannot report any improvement in prices or in the demand for draught horses, but they anticipate, if the present good weather holds, that there will be a much better enquiry, and good sorts will command high values. At their yards to-day about 30 were entered for sale, more than the half of which found buyers at from LlB to L 24 for medium good draughts, inferior kinds and ordinary hacks from Ll2 to Ll 6. A few extra good hacks were in the yard to-day, and these sold up to L2O, A good trotting pony, with single buggy and harness, brought L3O. On account of Mr John Bell, they sold at Makikihi, on Friday, 8 very fair draughts at from L 22 to L 27. Sheep—The demand for store sheep has been somewhat better during the week, and there seems to be an inclination among buyers to secure any good lots offering now, in the likelihood of prices becoming a good deal firmer in a short time. At Makikihi yards, last Friday, they offered for sale a number of very good lines of crossbreds and merinos, a total of 1600 having been entered. For some of the lots there was fair competition, and they sold the following :—About 500 merino wethers at 7s 9d, 100 crossbred lambs at 8s 7d, and 500 crossbred 2-tooths at 13s lid. Fat sheep are keeping much about last week’s quotations—about to 2|d for prime mutton being about present values. At Makikihi. on Friday, they sold 100 fat merino ewes at 8s lod, 100 crossbred ewes at 14s 9d, and about 60 crossbred wethers at 15s 9d. At Studholme Junction, last Monday, they offered on account of Mr Studholme a very prime draft of 500 merino wethers, but there was an absence of buyers for these, and they were not sold. Cattle—The demand for store cattle is very dull, and they are at present very difficult to sell. At Makikihi, on Friday, they offered a lot of about 15u head of first-class steers, heifers and cows, all in forward condition, but they only succeeded in placing a few cows and calves at L 3 17s fid, and yearlings at 37s fid. Fat cattle—Pr'me quality beef is barely worth 20p per lOOlbs, from 17s fid to 18s is about the average rates at present current. At these quotations they have sold a few lines.

CHRISTCHURCH CORN EXCHANGE

The Corn Exchange report for the week ending Friday evening, the Bth inst : With the exception of oats, transactions during the week have been confined to small orders for local consumption. The few days’ fine weather have had the effect of hastening harvest operations, many farmers being even now in the market offering some very excellent samples of oats. Quotations for the week : Wheat —Prices are unaltered, with little offering. Millers still show a disposition to purchase sound samples at a shade under ruling prices, viz., 3s lOd to 4s 2d, Oats—Prime milling “ old,” 2s 2d to 2s 3d f.o.b. A few sales of new have been made at equal to 2s and 2s Id f.0.b., for immediate delivery. Peed qualities, Is lOd to 2s. Barley—None offering. Grass Seed —Rye grass : Farmers’ samples, a few sales have taken piece, at from 3s to os 3d per bushel. Cooksfoot : The crop this season is very heavy, but, owing to the adverse weather, comes slowly to hand. Lines have been bought at per lb ; however, buyers generally are only offering 3d to 3£d. It is, therefore, difficult to fix quotations till parcels of some magnitude are placed in the market. Butter—Prime samples, farmers’ kegs, 6|d to 7£d per lb. Cheese—3-|d to 4d for new, and 4-Id to 5-ilfd for old.

AUSTRALIAN MARKETS

Adelaide, Feb. 8Wheat —To clay’s quotations are, buyers 3s 93, sellers 4s per bushel. Flour has slightly recovered its recent fall ; town brands are now quoted at L 9 15s to Lit) ; country ditto LS 10s to L 8 i ss. Sydney, Feb. 8. New Zealand wheat is quoted at 3s 4d per bushel ; New Zealand oats, 2s lid per bushel ; Sugar Company’s No. 1 pieces, £34 per ton.