COMMERCIAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2442, 24 December 1892, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

DUNEDIN WOOL SALES,

The first wool sales of the season were held at Dunedin on Thursday, the various catalogues representing 5462 bales. There was a good attendance of buyers, representing Home and local manufacturers. At times the bidding was exciting. It is considered that on the whole values ranged from Jd to Id per ft> below those of last year, coarse crossbred showing the least difference of any of the classes. Fine halfbred brought Bjd to 9d, good crossbred 7|d to B£d, three-quarter-bred 6fd to 7fd, extra coarse 6d to 6Jd, good merino 6d to 7d, medium 4£d to s|d, inferior 4Jd to sid, others from 3d to 4d, Locks at proportionate rates, CHRISTCHURCH CORN EXCHANGE. The following is the Corn Exchange report (per F. Denham, Secretary), for the week ending December 24th : Trade is sick and remarks unnecessary. A Merry Christmas to all who read our report, and a Happy New Year to those who have profited by it. The following is price to farmers, f.0.b., sacks extra, potatoes and millers goods excepted:— Wheat —Milling, 2s 9d to 3s. Barley —Feed and pearling saleable at a price. Oats —Feed, Is 6d to Is 8d ; milling, Is lOd to Is 10id. Potatoes—22s 6d, f.0.b., sacks included. Butter—7d to 9d; factory, fresh, lid. Cheese—Bd to 4|d, Flour—£9 for roller. Bran—sss. Sharps —6os.

CHRISTCHURCH STOCK MARKETS. At the Addington yards on Wednesday there were fair entries of stock. Fat Sheep—There was a large proportion of crossbred ewes entered and a fair amount of good quality sheep, a few lines being purchased for export. Three pens of prime Hampshire Down wethers, for which there was keen competition for Christmas use, sold at 30s, 275, and 20s 6d for the respective pens. Crossbred ewes brought 9s 6d to 13s lOd, wethers 9s lOd to 16s 3d, halfbred wethers 13a to 15s 6d, Down hoggets 15s, crossbred maiden ewes and wethers 13s 4d to 16s, merino wethers 9s to 11s. Best mutton averaged 3d to 3Ad. Fat Lambs—There was als‘i a very heavy entry of fat lambs, most of excellent quality, and they brought all prices ranging from 8a 3d to 14a, the average being about 12s. Store Sheep-Store sheep were in fair demand, and sold at 12s 7d to 18s 6d for crossbred ewes and lambs, 5s for merino ewes and lambs all counted, 11s lOd to 12s lOd for two-tooth crossbreds, and 12a lid to 13s 4d for crossbred wethers.

Fat Cattle—The demand for the large entry of fat cattle was sufficient to keep prices about on a par with those of last week. Steers brought from £G 5s to £9 15s, heifers £5 10s to £9, and cows £5 5s to £7. Boar, beef averaged 18s to 20s per 1001 b. Store Cattle—The entry of store rattle was fairly large, and a good demand for all sorts. Calves brought from 12s to 365, yearlings 455, eighteea-months-old £3 8s to £3 10s, two-yoai-old £3 9s to £3 16s, throe-year-old steers £6 6s, cows £3 10s to £B. Pigs—The small entry of pigs sold at late rates, porkers realising 15s to 265, stores 12s 3d to 15s, baconers 26s to 38s 6d, choppers 45s and 465. Baconers averaged 3jd, and porkers 4d. DUNEDIN PRODUCE MARKETS. The following is the report for the week ending Wednesday : Wheat—Prime milling sorts, 3s to 3s 3d; second quality from 2s (id to 3s; fowls’ wheat, good whole, 2s to 2s 3d; medium and broken, Is Gd to Is 9d. Barley—Good malting, nominally, 3s 9d ; milling, 2s to 2s 6d ; feed, Is 9d to 2s. Oats—Prime milling, and good, short, bright feed, Is 8d to Is lOd; medium qualities, Is 6d to Is 7d. Rye Corn—2s 9d. Linseed—£l4 per ton. Potatoes—Good old potatoes, 40s per ton, with a limited demand. New kidneys, £9 10s to £lO per ton. Onions Best Melbourne £0 for old; new onions, £lO. Pigs—Prime quality, suitable sizes, to 3|d. Haras 7d to 8d ; roll fawn, 6d j side bacon, s|d,

Chaff—Well cut and clean heavy quality, 62s 6d ; other sorts from 40s to 60s.

Salt butter in demand for shipping ; prime quality only wanted, B^d; cases Is. Lard—sd. Beeswax, Is to Is Id per lb. Honey, 4d for best.

Cheese—Factory, 5d ; Akaroa, 3f d to large size. Grass Seeds—Ryegrass, farmers’, 2s to 3s ; machined, 3s 3d to 4s.

Sheepskins—At auction on Tuesday heavy-woolled halfbreds 5s 6d, 5s 9d, to 6s; crossbreds, ss, 5s 3d, to 5s 6d; medium, 4s 3d, 4s 6d, to 4s 9d; merinos (good), 3s 3d to 4a 6d ; extra, to 5s 6d ; country lots, proportionate rates; pelts, 7d to Is sd; lambskins, Is 2d to 2s. Hides—The market continues in much the same state as of late ; but the tendency of values is, if anything, slightly downwards for light and inferior classes. Town ox and well-flayed cow hides are comparatively scarce, and for the former full rates are obtainable. Previous quotations may be repeated. Tallow—Late rates are more than maintained. We quote prime rendered mutton tallow at 19s to 20s per cwt; medium to good, 17s to 18s ; best mixed, 16s 6d to 17s 6d ; inferior, 13s to 15s; clean unrendered mutton caul fat, 13s to 13s 6d ; medium, 12s to 12s 6d ; ordinary rough fat, 10s to 11s 6d per cwt. DUNEDIN STOCK MARKETS. At the Burnside Market on Wednesday the following business was transacted:— Fat Cattle—229 penned. Among the different lots to hand were some exceptionally prime bullocks, and these elicited a good competition, and sold at an advance on last week’s quotations. Cattle of medium weight and quality were rather dull of sale than otherwise, and barely maintained last week’s rates, while there were a good few lots in the fat cattle pens, and included in the above number, which would come under the definition of stores. One or two extra heavy bullocks brought from £9 5s to £10; good, £7 5s to £8; medium to light, £6 15s to £5 15s (at which latter figure graziers came into operation) ; cows and heifers, £4 to £7 ss. Fat Sheep—l92o sheep yarded, about 250 being merino wethers—the crossbreds representing an average proportion of wethers (including several lots of heavy weights), and the same be said of some of the ewes on offer. In comparison with the previous sale there was an average decline of about Is per head on fat sheep. Two or three small pens of wethers which had previously been selected for show purposes brought 17s 6d to 18s, but for ordinarily prime trade wethers 13s 9d to 14s 6d were current rates; medium, 12s 9d to 13s 6d; heavy-weight ewes, 12s 6d to 14s; light to medium, 10s to 11s 6d; merino wethers, 7s 6d to 10s. The above prices all refer to shorn sheep. Fat Lambs—soo penned. Some few lots were rather on the light side for trade purposes, bvit owners having lambs in the market . juld not be otherwise than satisfied with the result of their sales. Best lots brought 11s 9d to 12s 6d, extra good to 13s 6d, inferior to medium 9s to lls.

Pigs—3lß penned. Suckers brought lOsto 14s ; slips, 15s to 17s; stores, 18s to 225; porkers, 23s to 26s ; bacon pigs, 27s to 325; a few extra heavy, 40s to 50s. Fat pigs were at a considerable discount.

AUSTRALIAN MARKETS. Sydney, Dec. 21. Wheat, chick, 2s lOd; new milling, 3s 7d. Flour, New Zealand, £8 10s to £lO. Oats, 2s 7d to 2s 9d. Maize, 4s to 4s 3d. Barley, New Zealand milling, nominal, 4s 2d to 4s 6d; English, 3s 6d. Bran, New Zealand, 9d to 9|d. Pollard, New Zealand, 10£d. Peas, grey, 3s 6d to 4s; blue, 4s to 4s 6d.

Potatoes, early rose, £3 to £3 5s ; new, local, £3 15s to £4. Butter, dairy-made, 7d to 8d; factorymade, 8d to 9d. Cheese, choice, 8d ; second quality dull at sjd. Bacon, Hew Zealand, B£d; hams, lljd to Is. Deo. 22. The wool consignments offering this week are again heavy, amounting to 35,000 bales. The demand from the Continent and elsewhere absorbs 30,000 bales. There is no material change in prices. For choicest greasy clips B£d to lOd is freely paid. For scoured wools there is excellent competition, the lower grades slightly enhanced. Washed fleece wools are difficult to deal with. Prices current are, greasy fleece, 8d to BJd; superior) B£d to lOd ; lambs, 6d to Bfd; crossbred, B|d; scoured fleece, good, 9|d to Is Ifd; superior, Is 2d to Is 4d; washed fleece, 9£d to ll£d. Melbourne, Dec. 21.

The wheat harvest is delayed owing to the bad weather. Old crop is firmer in consequence at 3s4jd; new crop, 3s 3d. Flour, stone-made, £7 15s to £8; roller-made, ;i 8 2s (id to £8 15s. Oats, Danish, Is lid to Is lUd ; stout feed, Is to 2s } milling, 2s to 2s 2d. Barley, quiet, 3s 2d to 3s for good prime malting. Potatoes, Victorian, £3 to £3 10s. It is authentically stated thau crops will be small this year. Butter,potted, 9kl to 11 Jd. Cheese, New Zealand, in bond is difficult to sell; medium is quoted at 4Jd to 5d ; loaf, 5d to s^d. Dec. 22. The Broken Hill Proprietory Company have declared a dividend of 2s per share, and inaugurated a reserve fund, beginning with £50,000. Adelaide, Dec. 21. Wheat, old crop, 3s 4|d: new, 3s 3|d. Flour, roller-made, £Blss. Oats, 2s 3d to 2s 4d. Bran and pollard, 7d. MONETARY AND COMMERCIAL. London, December 20. in the course of an interview to-day the Agent-General of New Zealand said that the sale of Australian and River Plate frozen mutton as a New Zealand product was largely injuring the latter, and New Zealanders were much annoyed at the substitution of New Zealand for Southdown mutton. The merits of the New Zealand article were, he declared, sufficient to secure for it a ready sale. At an excited meeting of creditors and depositors of the Liberator Building Society, resolutions were passed denouncing the affair as a great swindle. Many of the speakers execrated Mr Jabez Spencer Balfour, who was largely interested in the institution, ami the mention of his name brought down storms of groans from those present. Dec. 21. The receiving order granted some time ago against Mqrjtetta and Co., merchants,

has been rescinded on the ground that the act of bankruptcy was insufficient cause for the order.

The total quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom is 2,764,000 quarters, and for the Continent 820,000 quarters. New Zealand Shipping Company’s shares are quoted at £1 5s ; Union Steam Shipping Company’s £lO. The receiver in the estate of the Liberator Permanent Building Society says that the society borrowed money at the rate of 22 per cent, to enable it to pay a dividend of 5 per cent. The report that the calls made by the New Zealand Shipping Company were rendered necessary by losses which had resulted on wheat transactions was not correct. The company declare that the calls were made chiefly in order to pay for the steamer already purchased. The loss on the wheat transactions was only a small one, and will be covered by the calls. The company assert that the call is being responded to with alacrity. New York, Dec. 20. The New York Exchange is excited, and 500,000 shares have been sold.