Commercial.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 333, 25 February 1874, Page 2

Commercial.

A. Mebcer reports for the week ending 21st February, retail prices only : — Fresh butter, in prints, best quality, Is 2d per lb ; second quality, Is . Id per lb ; freßh [ butter, iri lumps, Is per lb ; prime* salt butter, Is per lb j cheese, 10d to Is per lb ; side and rolled bacon, lOd to Is per lb ; colonial hams, Is to Is 2d per lb j English hams, ils 8d per lb ; eggs, Is 4d per dozen. Capstick:, Duthie, \nd Capstick report having sold for the week ending 21st February, 1874:— - r 'At Our yards; Milton, on the 19th and 20th i* st., Leicester and Lincoln rams : I ram on account of Mr. James Sutherland, £6 10s ; 5 do do Mr. John Gibson,' £8 ; 8 do do Mr. John Gibson, £2 ss ; 3do do Mr. Eobert Wilson, £3 ; Ido do Mr. David Carson, £7 12s, 6d ; . 1 do do Mr. Mark Dale, £4 7s 6d ; 2 do do Mr. Wm. Allison, £3 10s ,-10 ' do lambs, do £2 ; 3. do do Mr, John Hislop, £2 ss ; 1 rani do Mr. Peter M.Gill, £4 7s 6d ; 4 do lambs Mr. Robert Fergusson, £1 5s ; 147 three-quarter-bred ewes 10s to 18a 6d each ; 95 Leicester ewe lambs, 16s to 20s each ; 62 half-bred do ewe and- ram lambs, 10s to 20s each ; 88 cross-bred lambs (culls), 6s to 7s each ; 2486 merino ewes and weathers (fullmouthed) 2s 8d to 4s each. Our private sales have been 900 merino eyres,

at 3s 6d ; 900 merino ewes mixed ages 5s 3d; 504 crossbred ■ lambs at 8s 3d ; 610 cross* bred lambs, at 8s ; 160 cross bred late lambs, i at 6s. We had a large quantity of Leicester rams and-ram lamba yarded, bufcthey did not, comeup any. way near the quality, to those offered for salethe two previous years, We attribute ,the reason greatly to the shortness gi feed since lambling, as all the lambs appeared to; have been stinted both of grass and milk. The aged rams also were in poorer conditian than they usually are at this season of the year, but we may state that the sales turned out quite up to our expectation, considering the earliness of the season. Our second series of sales for the season will take place at our yards, Tokomairiro. on Thursday, the 19th. March, when we expeot the demand for breeding ewes and stores, will be quite up to the requirements of last year. Parties desirous of bringing stock to the March sales will oblige " the auctioneers by forwarding particulars as early as possible, as the sale will be for cattle, horses, and sheep, &c, &c, sheep pens and stock yards unrivalled in the colony. Messrs J. and A. Maclean report for the week ending 19th February, as follows :—: — ' Fat Cattle. — The supply on Wednesday was very much in excess of the demand, which caused a considerable fall in prices. 170 head were yarded, principally medium quality, which' were nearly all disposed of at prices ranging from £5 to £9 for bullocks and £4 to £6 10s. for cows. Our sales consisted of 40 head, on account of Messrs. R. Robinson, James .Henderson,. J. Waldie, J. Eagerty, &c., at quotations. We quote — Very prime beef, 20s. per 1001 b; medium and inferior, from 14s. to 17s. 6d. Fat Sheep. were penned, and were all disposed of 1 at the following prices, viz :—: — Crossbreds, 9s. 6d. to 12s. each : merino wethers, 7s. 6d. each. We quote — Prime cross-breds, 2£d per lb.; do. merinos, 2d. Fat Lambs. — Only a few came forward, and were sold at from Bs. to 9s. each. Store Cattle. — No transactions to report. Store Sheep. — The demand for young sheep still continnes in excess of the supply, full-mouthed merino ewes and wethers being plentiful. We have sold during the week 4,600 merino wethers, full, none broken, at 5s ; 2,000 cull ewes four, six, and eight-tooth, at 5s 9d to 6s 6d ; full-mouthed, 5s ; crossbred ewes, two, four, and six-tooth, 10s to 12s ; do. wethers, two and four-tooth, 8s to 9s ; do. lambs, 7s 6d to Bs. Rams. — We have sold on account of John M'Kellar, Esq., Tapanui, 220 2-tooth merino rams at 60s. each ; and on account of W. A. Tolmie, Esq., 50 2-tooth merino lambs, at £4 4s. each; aud have placed several other lots (from, some of the best flocks in the province) under offer. Station Property. — There has been a better demand lately for really good station -Wo -have sold on account of John M'Lean, Esq., RedcastleV the Morren Hills Station, with 140,000 mixed sheep, 200 head of cattle, including 40 working bullocks, and 50 horses, to the Hon. Colonel Whitmore, for the sum of £128,000. Sheepskins and Tallow. — We have had no sales this week, but will offer on Monday next a large- quantity of sheepskins, hides, and tallow, &c. Hides. — We have during the week placed several lots of medium weights at full rates. G-rain. — The wheat market shows a slight improvement on late quotations, prime samples being worth 4s. 9d.; medium and inferior, 4s. to 4s. 3d. Good old oats are inquired for, and fetch 45., at which figure we have sold Beveral parcels during tho week.