COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1309, 28 February 1885, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

CHRISTCHURCH CQRN EXCHANGE.

The Corn Exchange report for the week ending Friday evening, the 27th inst:— Grave tears were entertained in the early part of the week, that harvesting operations were in danger of being delayed, and the grain in the fields injured by the vyot. Such wpatlier at tin's time of year is certainly calculated to reduce even the most hopeful of our farmers to astatebor? dering on despair. However, there is now some prospect of an improvement, and it is generally considered that given a few more dry weeks the result will not be as disastrous as was anticipated. There is no material change to report in regard to values, although (he tone of the market for both wheat and oa*s is slightly firmer, but not yet sufficient to warrant higher quotations, Considerable shipments of the latter cereals are being made to neighboring

ports, and should the depiction continue it will doubtless tend to harden prices. The quantity of rye grass seed forward to date is somewhat in excess oj: last season’s crop, and of fair average quality. The percentage of weeds, however, is very large, thus entailing expense and loss of weight in cleaning ; values unaltered. Cocksfoot is not coming to hand very freery, buyers and sellers differing to the extent of about -id per pound in price. The market for dairy produce is a little weaker. Quotations to data as under : Wheat.—Old, Tuscan, 2s lOd ; 11, W. and pearl, 3s ; new, 2s 6d to2s9d, f.o.b. ; chicken wheat, Is 9d to 2s, f.o.b. Oats.—Bright milling, Is 9d to Is lOd ; feed, Is 7d to 1s Bd, f.o.b.

Barley.—Nominally, 3s 5d to 4s, Christchurch.

Grass Seeds.—Rye, farmers’ parcels, clean, 2s 6d to 2s 9d ; machine dressed, 3s 9d, f.o.b. ; cocksfoot, 3d to 34d per lb, f.o.b.

Butter and Cheese.—The former 6Jd and the latter 4d per lb, f.o.b.

CHRISTCHURCH STOCK MARKETS

At the Addington yards on Wednesday ;—The fat sheep market was very bare, somewhere about half the average entry being penned. A few prime heavy wethers brought 17s, but these were exceptionally good, the current rates for average weight crossbred wethers being from 13s to 14s, Crossbred ewes sold at from 10s to 12s, and merino wethers realised from 7s to 9s 3d, giving an all-round quotation of about 2d per lb. -There was a large supply of store sheep, made up of merino wethers, a few merino ewes, several lines of crossbred ewes, and a few pens of lambs, but little business was done. Although there are buyers of breeding ewes in the marker, yet they, too, are very cautious in their operations, lines of fresh-con-ditioned crossbreds, with good mouths, not realising more than from 10s to 12s per head. Lines of crossbred lambs brought 8s 8d ; crossbred ewes sold at the price quoted above ; aged and inferior do. at 7s ; and fresh-conditioned merino wethers realised 6s Id. The small entry of tat lambs was quitted at above late rales, but it is evident the season is drawing rapidly to a close. Cattle—lnferior and medium quality constituted the majority of the number on offer. The demand was very poor, and the sale exceedingly dull throughout. Beef from 17s to 20s per 1001 b.

DUNEDIN MARKETS.

Fat Cattle.—The supply was much in excess of trade requirements, and bidding was languid, with a material reduction on last week’s rates, half-fats realising about store prices. Best bullocks brought £8 to £ll 10s—the latter price for a fow pens only of prime beasts ; medium, £7 to £7 17s 6d ; inferior, £4 10s to £6 17s 6d ; cows, £2 17s 6d to £7 10s. Mr A. Grant, Temnka, sold 12 prime bullocks at from £7 17s 6d to £9 2s 6d; Mr A. Grant, Timaru, 6 bullocks at from £7 2s 6d to £8 17s 6d. -Beef, 17s 6d to 20s per lOOlbs.

Fat calves brought from J Is to 17s. Fat Sheep.—The large supply following the overstocked market of last week occasioned a further fall in prices of Is to Is 6d per head on all qualities except prime heavy crossbreds, which alone maintained their position. As butchers have now fully a fortnight’s stock on hand, vendors should in their own interests, limit supplies for a week or two. Crossbreds brought from 10s to 15s 6d ; merinos, 5s to 10s 9d. Mutton, l|d to 2d per lb. Pigs.—Wright, Stephenson, and Co. sold 71 as follows:—12 bacon pigs at from 57s to 625, 9 porkers at from 33s to 375, 26 stores at from 22s 6d to 30s, and 24 suckers at from 9s to 225.

Sheepskins.—Monday’s sales were well attended, but although there was fair competition, previous rates were not reached. Dry crossbreds brought Is 5d to 3s 7d ; do merino, low to medium, Is 4d to 3a lOd ; inferior pelts, id to 5d ; green merino, 8d to 13d ; do do crossbred, 13d to 16d ; lambskins, 8d to ls4d. Hides.—Fair demand for all coming in, as there are occasional buyers for picked parcels for export. There is, however, no change in value, which are 12s to 15s cow, 14s to 23s for green ox : heavy weights up to 4Jd per lb. Tallow.—Good to prime rendered, 25s 6d to 26s 6d ; medium, 22s to 245; inferior, 17s to 21s; butchers’ fat, 14s to 16s. Wheat.—Millers being well supplied, buy cautiously, prime milling only commanding any attention. There have been a few small parcels of new crop forwaid from the North, and this has helped to a downward tendency in prices. Quotations: Prime milling, 3s 4d to 3s 6d ; medium, 2s 9d to 3s 3d ; fowl feed, Is 9d to 2s 3d. Oats. —Very little enquiry, and prices with a downward tendency. Parcels of new crop, short, heavy, bright feed, have been placed at Is lOd to 2s 3d. Quota* tions : Prime stout milling, 2s 3d to 2s 4d ; bright fepd, 2s Id to 2s 2d j inferior and discoloured, 1s 9d to 2s. Barley.—No transactions as yet. There are enquiries for malting qualities. Grass Seeds, —Samples of new crop on offer, but there has been no business done, Potatoes. —Market glutted and prices low. Newly arrived, £2 5s to £2 12a 6d ; any for some time in store, 30s to 40s.