COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1985, 21 December 1889, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

AUCTIONEERS REPORT. GERALDINE. Messrs Webster and Macdonald report from Ist to 18th December, as follows: There has been a strong demand for store sheep in forward condition for topping off on grass. We attribute the demand to the very favorable season for feed, there being an abundance of grass everywhere, and farmers and graziers generally do not like to see grass going to waste. W e have sold privately and by auction for the past three weeks 2235 sheep as follows: On account of Mr W. Macdonald, 213 4-tooths at 9s 2d, 210 at 8s 9d, 280 at 8s Bd, and 287 2-tooths at 7s lid; on account of Mr T. Markham, 180 4-tooths in forward condition at 9s 6d; Mr W. Postlethwaite, 60 fat ewes at 8s 6d, 42 do at 8a; Mr J. Wharton, 63 fat ewes at 9s 3d, and Mr E. M. Godwin, 900 2-tooths at a satisfactory price. There is a good enquiry for fat lambs fit for export, and anyone having this class to dispose of we can find a ready sale at fair values. Cattle —The cattle market is at a standstill at present, but we hope the tide will soon turn and reward the patience of holders of this class of stock. We sold two-year-old steers at £2 2s 6d ; yearlings at lls, and milch cows from £2 to £8 10s.

Pigs—Market scarce, any coming forward will meet a ready sale.

CHRISTCHURCH STOCK MARKETS. At the Addington Yards on Wednesday the sale was nearly double the ordinary size, there being no market next week. Fat Cattle—An unusually heavy entry. Competition was keen until nearing the tail end of the market, when, as the quality fell off, values suffered in consequence. Best beef made from 17s 6d to 19s per 1001 b, and from 15s upwards according to quality. Cows sold at from £3 5s to £9 ss, heifers up to £9, and steers up to £l2 ss, the latter being very prime. Fat Sheep—All the fat sheep pens were crowded to excess. The sale started well, and late values were generally maintained till toward the finish when a decided falling off was noticeable. Best mutton made from 2d to 2id, and inferior from l£d upwards. Messrs Matson and Co sold for Mr J. GK Murray, crossbred wethers at from 12s to 13s 6d, and merino wethers at 8s to 10s; for Mr A. M. Clark, from the Waihaoranga estate, a magnificent line of crossbred wethers at from 14s 9d to 15s lOd ; for Mr J. Grant crossbred wethers at 11s Id and 13s 6d; for N.Z, Land Company (Levels) crossbred ewes at from 10s to lls 3d.

Stores— The enquiry for store sheep and cattle was fair.

Lambs—A large entry, including a good number of really fine lambs. The demand for all classes was good, one pen of Hampshire Downs going up to 13s 6d. A few sold at 6s 6d, but the greater numbers sold at from 10s 6d to 12s 6d.

DUNEDIN PEODUOE MARKETS. The following is the report for the week ending Wednesday:— Wheat—There has been very little inquiry during the past week, and the market each week is seemingly weaker than the preceding one. There is no demand for export, and no outlet of any consequence for flour, so that sales in this cereal are to a very limited extent. Stocks held in store are still heavy, and, consumers being pretty well supplied, there is little opportunity of effecting sales at anything like satisfactory prices. Quotations: Prime tuscan, 3s to 3s 2d ; best red straw and velvet, 2s 9d to 3s ; medium to good, 2s 7d to 2s 9d; inferior to best whole fowls’ wheat, 2s 3d to 2s 7d (ex store). Oats —The market for these is going from bad to worse. The few small lots that are disposed of from time to time are taken up by local consumers. At the auction sales this week, out of the lengthy catalogues submitted, only one small lot was sold, and that an extra nice bright short feed oat, at Is 7d (ex truck, sacks extra), Buyers’ ideas of values are now from Is 4d to Is 6d (ex store, sacks extra). Barley—There is no business of any consequence passing in this, and not likely to for a considerable time to come. Quotations are nominal—for prime malting, 3s Id to 3s 8d; medium, 2s 6d to 2s 9d; feed and milling, Is 9d to 2s 6d (sacks extra, ex store). Grass Seeds—Eyegrass, 2s 6d to 4s 6d ; cocksfoot, 3d to B^d. Potatoes—Old Dorwent, 20s to 30s, but scarcely saleable; new Auckland kidneys, £9 to £lO. Pigs—Well fed, 3-£d; hams 8d to 9d; rolls and flitches, 6d to 6|d. Chaff—Heavy oaten, £2 15s to £3 ss. Straw—Oaten and wheaten, 355. Butter—Best salt (new season’s), 6d. Eggs—Yery plentiful, Honey—-4-jd to 4^d. Cheese—Akaroa, 2id 3id : factory, 4d to 4|-d.

do do merino, Is 2d to 3s 9d; medium to full-woolled crossbreds, 3s lid to 7s 8d ; do do merino, 3s lOd to 6» 3d ; dry pelts, 3d to 13d. Hides—We quote, for beat extra weights, 2fd to 3d; medium, 2*d to 2|d; light, 2d to 2id; inferior, l£d to Ifd per lb. Tallow Prime rendered mutton, 19s to 20s; medium to good, 16s to 18s; inferior and mixed, 13s to 15s ; rough fat, best mutton, 13s to 14s ; inferior to medium and good, 9s to 12s 6d per cwt. DUNEDIN STOCK MARKET. At the Burnside Yards on Wednesday the following business was transacted : Fat Cattle—2os head were yarded. More than half were prime bullocks, but few could be termed really prime Christmas beef. There was a slack demand, but prices were on the whole about 20s per head better than last week. Best bullocks sold at £8 10s to £lO 12a 6d; ordinary, £4 ]os to £7 15s; cows and heifers, £3 15s to £9, —Mr Donald Stronacb sold cows at from £5 15s to £7 5s for Mr F. Oldfield, Seadown. Fat Sheep—36s4 yarded ; with the exception of about 100 they were all shorn. For prime wethers and maiden ewes for freezing there was good competition, and these commanded about last week’s prices. Medium and inferior sorts met rather a slow sale at prices from Is to 2s per head, according to quality, lower than was obtainab'e last week. Best shorn wethers sold at 12s 6d to 14s 9d; ordinary shorn wethers sold at 9s to lls 6d; a few picked show sheep sold at up to 16s 6d; shorn ewes sold at 7s 8d to 14s ; wethers in wool sold at 15a 6d to 18s 6d. —Mr John Grindley sold for Mr A. Humphrey, Seadown, mixed crossbreds, shorn, at 10s 6d.

Store Sheep—During the week Mr Ghrindlay sold for Mr W. Grant, Timaru, 5000 full-mouthed merino ewes, guaranteed sound, at 4s 6d. Fat Lambs —1476 penned, all good useful quality, a few pens extra prime. There was a good demand all through the sales, and all penned were cleared at from Is to Is 6d advance on last week’s prices. Beat pens sold at 9s to lls 9d; medium, 7a to 8s 6d ; inferior 3s 6d to 6s 6d.

Pigs quality from suckers to heavy baconers. Prices were slightly in favor of buyers. Suckers sold at 9s 6d to 14s; porkers, 25s to 345; baconers, 38s to 475; extra heavy, up to 60s. AUSTRALIAN MARKETS. Sydney, Dec. 18. Wheat—Chick, 2s to 2a 2d; New Zealand milling, 3s. Oats —Feeding, Is 9d ; milling, 2s to 2s 2d. Maize, 3s to 3s 2d. Barley—Cape, nominal, 2s 6d ; English, 3s 6d. Bran is dull at 7d; pollard, 7d; oatmeal, £ll to to £l2; potatoes, best, new crop, £3 to £3 10s; onions, £4 to £5 10s. Butter— made, 3d to 6d; sepa-rator-made, 6d to 7d; factory-made, 7d to 9d. Cheese —Local made, 5d to 6d; New Zealand made, 6d to 6£d. Bacon—Local cured, 7d to 8d ; New Zealand cured, to lOd. Hams— New Zealand cured, lid to Is. Melbourne, Dec. 18. Wheat—New crop, 3s 7d ; old crop, 3s 9d. Flour—Stone made, £10; roller made, £lO los. Oats —New Zealand, 3s 4d; maize, local, 3s 9d. The sugar market is depressed, Queensland yellows £l9 10s to £2O 15s. Adelaide, Dec. 18. Wheat, 3s 5d to 3s 6d ; flour, stone made £8 10s to £9, roller made £9 10s to £9 15s ; bran, 6d ; pollard, 7d. ENGLISH MARKETS. London, Dec. 17. December-January wheat shipments in iron vessels are quoted at 355. The total quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 1,004,000 quarters, and for the Continent 168,060 quarters. The American visible supply is 34,000,000 bushels.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company’s 4 per cents, are at 95.

CHRISTCHURCH WOOL SALES. The second series of wool sales opened on Thursday afternoon. About 9000 bales were offered. There was a good demand for superior wools, but not so much for interior sorts. The prices obtained were in most cases equal to those of last series. Crossbred wools realised 9d to 10id, halfbred 9d to 1s Id, merino Bid to 9|d, locks, 2*d to 4|d, pieces 3d to 6d.