COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2406, 1 October 1892, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

CHRISTOHUaCH CORN EXCHANGE.

The following is the Corn Exchange report (per F, Denham, Secretary), for the week ending October Ist: Wheat—For any change there is in the market we might as well head our report with what doctors sometimes paste on their bottles, "The mixture as before." One of the large mills will stop grinding to-day, the reason assigned " We are waiting for lower prices," and we think they will get them, as nothing is changing hands, except odd lots to small mills. Oats—A middling trade doing, with prices a little easier. Potatoes —The price in Sydney, 455, with a falling market, suggests that they have not far to fall, as it costs 40s to consign them there from country stations. We fear we shall have to live on hope and spuds. Dniry—The enterprising proprietor of the Belfast Factory we hear will make a start in about a fortnight. This will give the dairy farmers in that district the mil benefit of this season. Other districts should hurry up. The following are prices to farmers', f.0.b., packages extra, potatoes excepted : Wheat —3s 3d to 3s 4|d for prime; Is 6d to 2s 9d for lower grades. Barley—Feed Is 9d to 2s 3d. OatsMilling 2s; feed, ls9d to Is lid. Potatoes—7s 8d to 9s at country stations. Peas asd Beans—2s 3d to 3s. Rye Grass—Farmers', 2s to 2s 3d; dressed, 8s 3d to 3s 6d; cocksfoot, l£d to B|-d. Cheese—3d to od. Butter —Fresh factory, lid; farmers', Sd to 9d.

CHRISTCHURCH STOCK MARKETS.

At the Addington yards on Wednesday the entries were small. Store Sheep—The sale of store sheep was limited. Two or three unimportant sales of hoggets took place, and a small lot of mixed crossbreds sold fairly well, the only large line of the same class of sheep being withdrawn. Fat Lambs—The market for fat lambs remained good, and anything like a well-grown lamb sold at from 13s to 17s 9d, a few inferior animals which did their vendors no credit selling at from 7s to 10s. Fat Sheep—The fat sheep section was the best represented department of the market. Fully two-thirds of the entry were, however, composed of merinos, only about 1200 crossbreds being offered. Sales of best wethers were effected at 18s to 22s lOd, values being slightly in excess of last week's rates, owing to the short supply. Wethers and maiden ewes ranged from 16s 3d to 19s 6d. There were comparatively few dry ewes offered. These sold at from 14s 3d to 17s, according to quality, and some aged ewes brought less than 14s. Sheep suitable for export realised from per lb, all counted, and ewes from B£d per lb. In the merino section, there were some very fine sheep, which sold at from 13s 6d to 16s 9d, yielding 3d to 3£d per lb, skins and fat counted. Secondrate merino wethers sold at from 2|d per lb. Fat Cattle—ln the sale of beef, there was a noticeable improvement. The demand for good quality, together with a small entry, made values rise, and some steers, which realised from £6 10s to £8 10s, and some very nice heifers that brought from £7 to £9, returned from 22s to 28s per 1001 b. Other steers and heifers of less quality *<>M ?.f fro'.7< I'Gs to i-Ms p'-r IOOIb, at vvbi'li ;-'.:'icr ;•. (V-v wci!'Jini?hed cows! were c|ear«u.

Store and Dairy Cattle—The sale of store cattle was a very small one, and consisted only of dry cows, for which there existed a brisk demand at all prices up to £4. Some calves realised 25s to 26s 6d, yearlings Irom 41s to 555. and 18-month-olds from 57s to 635. The sale of dairy cows was active, prices ranged from £4 to £7 15s. Pigs—There being no outside competition for bacon pigs, the value of these receded, and pigs selling at 25s to 43s 6d yielded a returr.. of 3£d per lb. Porkers were firmer, prices ranging from 14s to 255. 4d per lb being the general average. DUNEDIN PRODUCE MARKETS. The following is the report for the week ending Wednesday : Wheat—Wheat of good quality has inquiry, and finds ready buyers. Prime up to 3s 8d ; velvet and red straw in prime condition 3s 4d to 3s 7d ; other qualities, from 3s to 3s 6d ; fowls' wheat, good whole, 2s 6d to 2s 8d; medium and broken, 2s to 2s 3d. Barley—Very little business passing in this line. Good malting, nominally, 3s 9d; milling, 3s to 3s 3d; feed, 2s 6d to 2s 9d. Oats—Prime milling, and good, short, bright feed, 2s; medium qualities from Is 6d to Is lOd; long tartarian and other sorts, suitable for seed, up to 2s 3d. Linseed —£13 per ton. Potatoes—lf good qualities 32s 6d to 35s ; inferior, 20s to 25s per ton. Onions —Best Melbourne 5s 6d per cwt. Pigs—Prime quality, suitable sizes, 3£d to 4d; hams, 7d" to 8d ; bacon, 5d to 6d. Chaff—Well cut and clean heavy quality up to 50s; other sorts from 30s to 40s. Salt butter in small supply, 9d Lard—4£d. Beeswax, Is per lb. Honey, market full; 3|d to 4d for best. Cheese—Factory, 5d ; Akaroa, 3|d to large size. Grass Seeds —Ryegrass, farmers', 2s to 3s 3d; machined, 3s 3d to 4s ; Italian, 3s 9d to 4s 6d; cocksfoot, 2|d to 4d.

Sheepskins—At auction on Tuesday purchasers were inclined to operate more cautiously than of late, especially in merino skins. Butchers' best green crossbreds brought from 4s lOd to 5s 6d, a few selected extra heavy to 6s 7d, medium to good 4s to 4s 6d, light 3s 9d, merinos 8s to 4s, dry crossbreds 2s to 5s 6d (the latter price being for lull wools); merinos Is 6d to 4s. Hides There are certainly no signs of improvement in tlie market. Heavy ox are scarce, as usual, and sell readily at from 2|d to per lb; while there is less demand for other classes at the following rates—viz. : Medium mixed sorts, 2d to 2£d; light, lid to If d: inferior and damaged, Id to" l-\d. Tallow—The market has become very bare of supplies, and purchasers are inclined to advance slightly on recent quotations. Prime rendered, of which there is very little offering, may be quoted at 18s Gd to 20s ; inferior to medium, 14s to 17s; rough fat, 10s to 18s Gd per cwt.

DUNBDIN STOCK MARKETS.

At the Burnside Market on Wednesday the following business was transacted:— Fat Cattle—24G head yarded. The entry consisted chiefly of bullocks of good to prime quality, the proportion of second-class cattle being noticeably small. Prices were certainly more in favor of buyers than last week, but for the heaviest and best bullocks the decline in values was but slight. In light and medium weights the difference was more noticeable, and some few lots were turned out unsold, Best bullocks brought £7lss to £Blos, a few pens extra heavy £9 to £9 ss; medium to good, £6 os to £7; light, £5 os to £5 15s; cows and heifers, £4 10s to £7 17s 6d. Fat Sheep—24l4 penned, of which about 950 were merino wethers, chiefly light to medium sorts. The few lots of prime crossbred wethers commanded a ready sale at prices which in some ; instances showed a slight advance on those of last week, but other descriptions were scarcely as firm. With merino wethers the sale was completely overdone, and to effect a clearance of the large number on offer a considerable reduction on late rates had to be accepted. Best crossbred wethers brought 10s to 17s Gd, extra prime 18s —a* small pen of selected sheep going up to 20s, medium 14s Gd to 15s Gd, light halfbreds 18s to 13s 9d, prime ewes 14s to lGs, others lis Gd to 18s, good merino wethers 9s Gd to 10s Gd—a few extra prime 13s Gd, medium 7s Gd to 8s Gd, inferior 5s Gd to 7s. Lambs— l 3to hand, which sold at from lis Gd to J2s Gd. Pigs—276 yarded, representing all sorts and sizes, though about 100 j might be considered baconers. The latter, however, were of medium quality only and sold accordingly, prices ranging from 32s to 50s, the latter price being paid for a few extra heavy weights. Porkers brought 22s Gd to 27s : stores, 17s Gd to 22s ; slips, J4s to 16s; weaners. 6s Gd to 12s.

AUSTRALIAN MARKETS.

Sydney, Sept. 28. Wheat, chick, 3s 3d to 3s 6d; milling, New Zealand, in fair demand 4s 9d. Oats, feeding, 2s 7d to 2s 8d; milling, 2s Sd to 2s lOd; seed, 2s lOd. Maize, 3s 8d to 3s 9d. Barley, Cape, 3a 4d. Peas—Prussian Blue, 3s 8d to 4s. Bran, and pollard, lid. Potatoes, £2 os; Circular Head, £3 10s. The market has a downward tendency. Onions, £5. Batter, d.iiry-made, 7d to 8d; factorymade, 8d to 9d. Cheese, 5d to Gd. Bacon, New Zealand prime, old, 7£d; mw, Bjd. Hams, lljd. Meluouknje, Sept 28. Wh«at» 3s 104

Flour, stone-made, £8 5a to £8 15s ; I roller-made, £9 to £9 10s. Oats, dull, Algerian, 2s ; Danish, 2s l*d. Adelaide, Sept. 28. Wheat, quiet, 4s. Flour, roller-made, £9 to £9 10s. Oats, 3s 4d to 3s Gd. Bran and pollard, dull, lid. MONETAEIY AND COMMERCIAL London, September 27. A large selection of inferior and second hand wool is being offered at present, and is slow of sale. The j market is glutted and occasionally in buyers favor. All good wools remain firm. | At the wool sales faulty sorts are slow of sale. The Cheviot Hills consignment excited good competition, the best quality realising Bd. The Investigation Committee of the Mercantile Bank of Australia, exhibit increased hostility towards the Melbourne management, and hold that all the members of the colonial board deserve prosecution, especially Sir Matthew Davies. They assert that Victorian credit is on trial, and that the report of the colonial committee surpassed all expectations. The shareholders declare that they have been deliberately and systematically swindled. They have no belief in the suggested reconstruction of the bank, and prefer a voluntary liquidation if the right liquidators are obtainable; otherwise they will insist on compulsory liquidation. The committee characterise the directors' statements made at the meeting in August as disgraceful, and consider that their conduct is beyond explanation. It is expected that the statutory meeting in October will be of a lively and exciting character. Mr Milledge, manager of the Mercantile Bank, denies that there has been any fraud unless Sir M. Davies has deceived them all. He stated that if they adhered to legitimate banking, as known in London, they would not make a penny. The Financial News sayvS that the report upon the purchase of railway land in Victoria reveals shameful jobbery. In financial circles in the city it is believed that the hasty floating of a New South Wales lopn would have the effect of reducing all colonial stocks by 2 per cent. The placing of Treasury bills is not possible, and the successful floating of a loan with a higher minimum than 95 is impossible. The bankers consider it useless to attempt to float a loan for six months, and the leading dealers are confident that no loan could be placed before Christmas. September 28. The quantity of wheat and float for the United Kingdom is 1,908,000 quarters, and for the Continent 1,028,000. A cargo of wheat ex Portia from Lyttelton has been sold privately. At the wool sales prices barely remain steady. At the wool sales competition is brisk and spirited at late rates. The American visible supply of wheat is 56,800 bushels. The liabilities of Messrs Trischler and Co. are set down at £15,000. A composition of 7s 6d in the £ is offered. Madrid, September 29. The Spanish vintage is good both in quantity and quality. The cereal crop, however, is deficient, and it will be

necessary to import £4,000,000 worth.