COMMERCIAL.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 245, 10 February 1898, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

TnK Waikato Argus Office, Wedncsd >yMR W. J. HUNTER'S STOCK SALE. At Mr \V. J. Hunter's Ohaupo sale on Tuesday, there was but a small muster of cattle, about L">o head. Very few dairy cows, for which there was Utile demand ; not many grown steers offered. A few pens of dry cows were sold at fair prices, but the tone of the market was dull and bidding was languid. The following prices weic realised :—Backward springing heifers, from £2 os to £2 16s ; 18-months old heifers, 21s ; empty cows, in low condition, 30s ; cows and calves, £2 3s Gd ; ficsh empty cows, from £2 to £2 10s ; three-year-old steers, £3 6s 6d.—(Ohaupo Correspondent). AUCKLAND MARKETS. (BY TKLEGKAPM— OWN CORRESPONDENT). Auckland, Last Night.—Messrs Hunter and Nohin icport : -There was u good muster of horses on Friday, with fair prices. Heavy draughts, £lO to £2o ; medium do., £lO to i'lo 10s ; light harite.s, £4 5s to £l2 ; hacks, £3 to £lO ; weedy horses, £1 to £2. Hides: Extra stout ox sold from '.V}d to yd ; stout ox, 2gd to 4jtd ; steer and cow hides, 2Jd to 3gd ; calfskins, 3id to -C,d ; sheepskins. 2s to us ; pelt 3, -Id to Is Gil : lambskins, 9d to Is lid ; wool in 1 ags, 5d to (j.'i'l ; locks and pieces, Iyd to Id ; tal low, - 10s to 12s 6d per cwt ; bot.es, £3 os per ton. An average snpp'y of be t Wis entered. Ox bud' brought 10' pci 1001 b, and cow ditto 12s to 14s; steers, £5 2i 6d to £7 ss; dairy cow?, £3 17s Oil to £5 12s. Sheep: Larjje numbers yarded. Wethers, 7s 9d to lis ; ewes, 7s to 0s ; mixed sexe?, 7s 9d to 10s 6d ; l.n.bs, 6s to 8s Go. Pigs were scarce. HAW ERA MARKETS. The Egmont Farmers' Union (Limited), report under date— Hawcra, February 3ul, 1898.—At Stratford on the 2Sth ult., the entries were about equal to those advertised, but on acjount of bush tires raying the attendance of people from a distance was very small. Ridding was dragging and very little business was done. We quote:—Fat cows, £2 to £2 lCs ; two to two-and-a-half year steers, £2 to £2 7s Gd ; yearlings and 18 month steer. 0 , £1 to £l 7s 6d ; sprucing cows and heifers, £3 to £4 ; ~rs, 7s Gd to 15s. On the 29th ult., at our horse far, wc submitted a large entry, n any of which wire useful c'asses, but reserves being than would-be purchasers wcie prepared to give, a large portion of b tier class horses returned home unsold. We quote : Draughts, £ls to £22 10s ; light do., £7 to £l2; upstanding hacks r-r.d trap horses, £5 to £lO ; packers, 7s Gd to 30; ; . We held our Hawera sale on the 2nd inst., when there was a shortage in the advertised entry. The attendance Viis small and cattle weie practically neglected. No fat bullocks came forward. We quote : Fat cows, £2 10s to £2 15s ; daiiy cows and heifers, £2 2s fid to £4; wtaners, mixed, 7s Gd to 15s; two year steers, £2 7s Gd to £2 12s. Sheep: Lambs, 3s to 4s lid; ewes, mixed ages, 3s Gd to 4s lOd. Pigs : Slips, 16s Gil. FROZEN MEAT AND DAIRY PRODUCE. Tub New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Comfany (Limit* i>), leport under date : —Loudon, 24th December, JS97-—Frcz'ii Meat : The weather has continued mild until within the last few days, w lieu a change to a more seasonabe temperature has been experienced. Supplies of poultry and game, as is usual at this period of the year, are large, and this has militated against the sale of frcz.n mutton. Small Canterbury sheep of prime quality, however, sell readily at from 2s 4d to 2s Gd per stone, an advance of Ad per lb. on the month, while other sorts are firmer, Australian being now quoted at Is 9d p*r ston\ Frozen beef, in common with other descriptions, has met a good demand, and though less brisk this week than was anticipated, it has material y advanced in price, fores now ruling at Is 7d to Is 10c 1 per stone, and hinds Is !0d to 2s 4d, up to 2-i Sd per stone for some exceptionally fine New Z-alar.d hinds. To-day's quotations at Smilhlield arc : Prime"selected New Zealand mutton, 2s 2d and 2s Gd per Sib ; average do., Is lOd to 2s 2d ; Australian mutton, 1« Sd to Is 91; prime New Zealand lamb (nominal), 3s to 3s 4d ; Austral an beef, fores Is 7d to Is lOd, hinds Is lodto2i4d. Butter : The mild tempeiature, together with the dullness in trade consequent upon the prolotiged strike in the ruj;inecring industiy, has caused the market lo f.di away, pries generally having leceded. Finest Australasian has met a steady demand, but owing to increased arrivals it has nut been possible to niainta:n prices, which mirk a c'ecliue of about 4s per cwt on the month. Complaints still continue 'o ba made of the fishy flavour noticeable in many of the marks, and it cannot t'-o siroaply be urged upon factories totakotviry precaution to remedy this defect. To-day's (piotations are:—Finest, 100-; to lUls per cwt; fine, 04s to 03s ; good, 80s to 90s, ___ > _