COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2042, 6 May 1890, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

AUCTIONEERS' RIiPORT. TIMARU. Messrs Gracie, Maclean and Co. report for the past fortnight, as follows: Horses—We have again to report a further improvement in the demand for draught stock of good quality. At our weekly sales and also at the various clearing sales held by us. the demand has been excedingly good and prices better than for some years past. We have several enquiries for hunters up to weight, and upstanding harness horses, but weedy hacks are unsaleable. We quote medium to good draughts at from £ls to £3O, inferior £8 to £l2, light horses up to £l9. Sheep—At Washdyke the entries of fat sheep have "been small, but stores have been in good supply, and a large amount of businflss done. We sold 131 wethers and ewes at 13s Id to 13s 3d, 357 ewes at 4s 5d to 4s 6d, 141 full-mouth ewes at 7s 6d, 100 at 6s 3d, 400 do at 6s 6d, 22 lambs at 7s 6d. Privately we placed 2385 fat merino wethers, 461 half-bred ewes, and 35 long-wool rams. Cattle—Business in this line is completely at a standstill, There are neither fat nor stores offering. We have several enquiries for fat cattle and forward stores for turnip feeding, also for cows in fall milk. Skins—A tour regular sale on the 23rd ult., we catalogued and sold under brisk competition, 1200 skins at —for best sorts 2s 6d to 4s 9d, medium Is 9d to 2s 2d, pelts 9d to Is sd. Clearing Sales—We have held three large clearing sales during the fortnight. On the 22nd April, we sold for Mr John Aitken, Smithfield ; on the 25th April, for Mr H. Stewart, Upper Otaio j and on the 30th April for Mr D. Johnstone, Temuka. On each occasion the attendance was large and the sales altogether the most successful we have held for years, horses, sheep, cattle, and implements realising remarkably good prices.

ENGLISH MARKETS. Lokdon", May 2. At the wool sales prices are unchanged, but the tone of the market is improving. Merino sheepskins are id, and crossbred sheepskins below the prices ruling at the March sales. New Zealand mutton, 4§d; Sydney, 4d; Kockhanapton, 3f-d; lambs, s^d. New Zealand and Queensland beef are quoted as follows :—Hind quarters, 4^d; fore-quarters, 4d. New Zealand hemp, good quality, £22; fair, £2O. Six thousand quarters of New Zealand wheat (June and July shipments) have been sold at 34s 6d. A shipment of wheat by the barque Carrizal from Lyttelton has been sold at 35s 9d, and a shipment by the Oberon from the same port realised 34s 10id.