COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1156, 25 March 1884, Page 1

COMMERCIAL.

SOUTH CANTERBURY MAEKETS. Messrs Maclean and Stewart report for the past week ending Saturday as follows : Horses—There is still almost no business in draught stock at their yards on Saturdays, and few lots are entered for sale. They have no improvement in prices to quote. They have inquiry for a few good hacks, which are saleable at good prices, one or two having been placed at from £ls to £32.

Sheep —Store sheep are now being enquireJ after, and though prices are somewhat easier than they were a short time back, a considerable number are changing hands. On account of several owners, they held a large sale of store and fat sheep at Makikihi on Tuesday, the ISth inst. There was not a large attendance, but a good deal of business was done, They yarded fully 10,000 sheep, and sold about 6000 at the following prices, viz. ; —2OOO merino ewes at 8s 7d, 600 merino ewes at Bs, 800 crossbred ewes at 12s, 450 halfbred ewes at 10s Id, 160 cull merino ewes at 5s 6d, 120 merino ewes at os 3d, 75 crossbred lambs at 7s 6d, 450 two-tooth crossbred wethers at IBs 6d, 520 merino ewes at 5s 3d ; also, about 500 fat crossbred ewes at 14s. They have also to report having given delivery of 4000 merino ewes, the sale of which was effected some time ago. Fat sheep—At present there is a good supply, and prices are about to 2|d per lb. Cattle—There is not much business being done in store cattle at present, but they expect the demand to improve shortly. They have sold several small lines privately at satisfactory prices. Fat cattle are at present cheap, from 17s 6d to 18s 6d per lOOlbs being about their value. DUNEDIN MARKETS. Messrs Donald Reid and Co. report for the week ending March 19th as follows : Grain. —Wheat : There has been a ready sale for new crop if in good milling order. Some of the lots to hand have been threshed out rather green. For these there is no sale. We would strongly urge on farmers not to thresh out of stock unless the grain is thoroughly matured. Of inferior or chick feed the market is quite bare, We quote prime white velvet and Tuscan 3s lid to 4s Id ; other sorts, 3s 9d to 3s lOd ; chick feed 2s 3d to 2s 9d. During the week we placed several lines at quotatiens. Oats : Millers are inquiring for best sorts for immediate use, but there are not many coming forward, the market being nearly bare of all sorts. vVe 'have have sold nearly all to hand at—for milling, Is" 10fd to 2s (f|d ; best feed, Is B|d to Is lOd—bags extra. Barley; New crop is now offering. In malting we have no transactions. We have placed milling at 3s, and feed at 2s 9d. Potatoes,—Most of the stocks on hand have been sold at auction and privately at 52s 6d to 65s per ton. Kidney and white are all but unsaleable at any price. Our week’s sales have been 85 tons at quotations. Ryegrass Seed—No demand at present. CHRISTCHURCH MARKETS. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, report on the produce markets for the week ending March 21st, as follows ; Sheepskins—The improved tone noticed last week was more pronounced at Thursday’s auctions, and good prices were realised throughout. AYo offered 1750 skins, which sold as follows .•—Butchers’ merinos, Is 3d to Is 9d ; batchers’ crossbreds, Is lid to 2s 4d ; factory skins, la lid to 2s 9d ; country skins, 2s to ss; lambskins, 6d to Is 7d; dried skins in bales, 2|d to 54d. Tallow and Fat—More competition conduced to a slight enhancement in rates. Best dry fat made up to 24d per lb, though the hulk of supplies were placed at 2d to 2|d. Hides —We cleared all forward at 4d for 601 b and over, 3Mi 501 b to 591 b, 3£d 461 b to 491 b, and 3d for all under 401 b. Wheat—Merchants decline to commit themselves to contracts for forward delivery, except on the basis of current rates. Growers, on the other hand, will not accept these, and are preparing to ship largely on their own account. Present quotations for Hunter’s white and Essex are 3s 3.1 to 3s 41, f.o.b. ; haid winter, 3s 4d to 3i sd, and Tuscan 3s 5d to 3s 6d. We regret to have to report that parcels continue to arrive in store quite unfit for shipment, and we fear there will be a large quantity rejected at ship's side unless more judgment is displayed in threshing. AUSTRALIAN MARKETS. Sydney, March 22. New Zealand wheat, 3s 3d ; New Zealand oats, 2s lid ; maize, 4s lid. Sugar Company’s No. 1 pieces, per ton, £34. Adelaide, March 22. The local breadstuffs market i« quiet, with but little doing. The demand for flour is limited to actual wants. Adelaide wheat, 3s lid to 4s. Town flour, £9 10a ; country brands, £8 10s to £8 15s. ENGLISH~MARKETS. London, March 21. Colonial breadstuffs and tallow remain at laat quotations. The quantity of wheat afloat is 1,813,000 quarters. The wool market is quiet. Arrivals to date tor mxt auctions amount to 120,000 bales.