COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1671, 10 December 1887, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

OHRISTCHWRCH CORN EXCHANGE

The Corn Exchange reports for the week ending Friday evening, the 9th inst. :—■ > , •

The graitt and; produce markets were never so flat as':they are at present. With the exception of oats for local wants, prices are seldom discussed with a view to doing business, there being no inquiry for wheat or grass seeds, and barley, beans, and potatoes’ are pretty nearly out of stock. Horae freights continue scarce, which greatly retards business in wheat, as there are several buyers provided they could arrange reasonable carriage. Reports from the cocksfoot country point to a very late harvest; the quantity is expected to be large, but will require a lot of dressing on account of the heavy growth of obnoxious weeds. Wheat—We have no alterations to note in values. Tuscan and pearl remain quiet at 3s 3d to 3s 4d and hunter’s at 3s 3d to 3s 83d. Second quality milling can be purchased at 3s, while whole chicken wheat may now be bought as low as 2s lOd, and broken at 2s 7d to 2s Bd. Oats—A slight local inquiry has been been passing during the week, and sales have been made at Is for short feed and Is 8d for good danish. Inferior sorts are dull at Is 6d to Is 7d.

Barley—None offering. Beans—Out of stock. Peas—Few inquiries at 2s 6d to 2s 9d for feed sorts.

Grass Seeds Machine dressed, nominally 3s to 3s 3d ; farmers’ lots, Is 9d to 2s 6d with heavy stocks. Cocksfoot is now in very small compass, and holders are firm at 4id to 4|d for prime heavy seed; second quality is 3d to 3id. Potatoes are now getting scarce, and 20s has been given at country stations for small parcels. Dairy Produce—This market continues very languid. The best butter in tubs is not worth over 4d, and second quality is*selling at Id to 2d a pound. Cheese is also quiet at 3d to : according to size and quality. The above prices are those paid to farmers and delivered f.o.b, Lyttelton, sacks extra.

CHRISTCHURCH STOCK MARKETS. At the Aldington Yards on Wednesday moderate entries of stock were yarded for the day’s supply. Fat Cattle—The demand was anything but good, and a decided drop in values took place. Steers sold at from £5 to £6 15s, heifers from £8 15s to £5 ss, and for one very prime cow as much. as .£9 5s was paid. Yalues ranged from 15s to about 18s per 1001 b, according, to the quality. Store Cattle—A good number yarded, late values about ruling. Three-year-old steers, good condition, £4 2s 6d to £4 12s 6d; 2to 3-year-old do, £8 12s 6d ; dry cows, from £2 10s to £3 6s.

Dairy Cattle—Good cows, near calving, sold at from £1 to £ss 5s ; second rate sorts, £3 to £3 10s. Fat Sheep—A fairly numerous entry; quality varied, principally good. All the sheep on offer were shorn. Crossbred wethers sold at from 10s 6d to 14s • lighter sorts, 7s 6d to9s 3d; crossbred ewes, 7s to 10s lOd; merino wethers, 6s to 6s 9d, being up to 2d per lb; a shade over perhaps, for primest sorts.—Mr F, C. Tabart sold for the Levels Estate, 204 crossbred ewes at ,8s 6d to 8s 9d. — Messrs Miles and Co. sold for Mr F. M, Rickman, 74 Down cross wethers at 9s 6d to 10s 6d.

Store Sheep —Not many lines on offer,—Messrs Bennetts Bros, sold 230 crossbred ewes with lambs at 8s 3d, and 171 mixed, two-tooths at 5s 6d.

Fat Lambs—A good number yarded, and prices ranged from 5a to Bs, according to quality. Pigs—A small entry, demand good, and a further rise in values. Porkers, 18s to 265; stores, 10s to ,17s 6d.

DUNEDIN PRODUCE MARKETS. The following is the report for the Week ending Wednesday : Wheat —The demand is slack, except for really prime parcels, which are now wanted, but only in Small quantities, for mixing; ordinary and inferior descriptions are in abundant supply, and difficult to quit at any price. Quotations : —Tuscan, 3s 9d to 3s lOd; medium to good (nominal), 3s 3d to 3s 6d; inferior and fowls’ wheat, dull at 2s to 3s (ex store). Oats—These are only in limited supply and hardly any coming forward. There are, however, no indications of any immediate improvement in values, though on account of the light stocks in hand prices may rise before harvest. : Qu stations; —Prime stout bright milling, Is 8d to Is short bright feed, Is 7id to Is 8d; medium and sparrow bills, ls7dtols7i*d; inferior and long oats, Is 3d to Is 6£d (ex store). Barley-—There is little or nothing doing in this cereal, small lots for feed and milling being the only lots disposed of; quotations nominal. Eyegrass Seed —The season being now over there is no inquiry. Cocksfoot —A steady demand has continued for this seed, but the business done has been more of a retail character lately, at about 5d per lb. Chaff —The market is a good bit easier, and £2 10s is the most that can be got for best quality.

Sheepskins—On Monday country dry crossbreds (low to medium) brought Is to 3s 3cl; do do merino, Is 2d.t035,; dry pelts, 3d toOd ; green do, 7d.to, 10d; butchers’ green crossbreds, 3s l;d to 5s Id ;;'do do merino, 3s 6d to 4s Id; lambskins, 9d to Is 4d. Hides—A moderate demand exists, all coming forward finding buyers at about late rates. At all times properlyflayed heavy hides, clean .free from cuts, have the preference, and always bring top price; while neglected and carelessly flayed are only saleable at prices which must be very unsatisfactory to vendors. Inferior and bulls’, l|d to 2d; light, 2f d to 2|d; medium, 3d to BJd; heavy, and otherwise in good condition, to Sfd per lb. Tallow—Prime mutton at 17s to 18s; medium, Ms 6d to 16s 6d; inferior and mixed, 10s to Ms. Rough fat—inferior, 5s to 7s; medium to good, 8s to 10s; best, 10s 6d to 11s per cwt.

DUNEDIN STOCK MAEKETS. At the Burnside Yards on Wednesday the following business was transacted : Pat Cattle—2ll head were yarded, nearly all good to prime. This number was largely in excess of the needs, and prices were again easier than last week. Best bullocks brought £6 5s to £8 10s; one or two extra prime pens to £9; ordinary to good, £3 17s 6d to £6; cows in proportion. Pat Sheep—2oo7 were penned. With the exception of two pens of merino wethers the whole were cross-, breds, and nearly all shorn, various qualities. Competition lacked spirit from first to last, prices obtained being lower than last week’s by Is per head. Best crossbred wethers, shorn, brought 8s 6d to 9s 9d—one .small pen extra good quality 11s ; ordinary, 6s 6d tg 7s 6d; best. crossbred ewes, shorn, 7s 6d to 8s 9d ; extra heavy, 9s 9d; ordinary, 5s 9d to 6s 9d.—Messrs Reid, Maclean , and Co. sold for Waimate estate, 33 crossbred ewes, shorn, at 9s.—Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co. sold for Mr Ai Mowat (Waimate), 36 half bred ewes at 7s; for the N.Z. and A.L. Co. (Pareora), 150 crossbred ewes at 7s 3d to 7s 9d; for Mr P. M. Rickman (Waimate), Ml crossbred ewes at 7s 9d to 9s. Pat Lambs—B37 penned. This number was also in excess of requirements. Bidding were fairly spirited for best quality, but there was little or no demand for small and inferior. The range was from 2s 6d to 7s—one pen extra heavy, 8s 3d.—Messrs Wright, Stephenson and Co sold for Mr Andrew Mowat (Waimate), 50 at 4s 9d to ss.

Pigs—33s were penned, mostly stores and suckers, only a few porkers and baconers. Demand good. Suckers brought 7s Gd to 15s; stores, 17s to 235 ; porkers, 22s to 31s; baconers, 35s to 57.

AUSTRALIAN MARKETS. Melbourne. Dec. 7. Messrs Goldsbrough and Company, Limited, report having sold 5200 bales of wool during the past week. I here was a large attendance at to-day’s sale; and competition was very spirited, the market being somewhat firmer in tone, though no material advances in prices were made. ■ Superior greasy m erino realised 12id,; good,ditto, lOd; crossbred lOfd; superior lambs’-wool, pieces, Bfd per lb.

ENGLISH MARKETS. London, D>-c. 6. "Wool—The tone of the market continues firm, 12,000 bales were offered at to-day’s auction. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, have received the following cable message from London, dated December 6tb 18S7 : Wool—The sales gain firmness as they progress. Wheat —Market firm. N.Z. wheats (average and long-berried) are worth respectively 33s and 34s per 4961 b. Leather —Market is unchanged. Frozen Meat—Market quiet, Canterbury mutton is worth 3|d per lb.,