COMMERCIAL.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 375, 3 December 1898, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The Waikato Argus Office, Friday. MARKET PRICES CURRENT. The following prices for the current week were quoted by the Hamilton tradespeople on Friday : Bacon, per lb Farmers : Wholesale, 6d ; retail, 6d to 7d. Canterbury : 'Wholesale', to 8d ; retail, 9d. Hams, per lb—Farmers : Wholesale, 7d ; retail, 7£d to Sd. Canterbury : Wholesale, 9d ; retail, lOd. Eggs, per dozen : Wholesale, 8d ; retail JOd. Dairy butter, per lb : Wholesale, 5d to 6d; retail, 6d to Sd. Factory butter, per lb—New Zealand Dairy : Wholesale, lOd to lOJd; retail, la. Cheese (farm-made), per lb.—Wholesale, 4}d; retail, 6d. ' Factory cheese, per lb : Wholesale, 4Jd to 5Jd ; retail, 6d to 7d. Onions, per lb: Wholesale, 2]d to 2£d ; retail, 3d. Table Potatoes (local new)—Wholesale, Id to lid lb; retail, l{d to l£d Chaff, per ton—Wholesale : £4 to £4 5s ; retail, £4 5s to £4 10s. Sharps, per 1001 b: Wholesale, 5s 3d to 58 6d ; retail, 6s. Bran, per 1001 b: Wholesale, 4s 6d to 4s 9d ; retail, 5s to 5s 3d. Oats (Southern), per bushel —Feed : Wholesale, 2s 8d to 3s; retail, 2s lid to 3s. Seed : Wholesale, 3s 3d. Oats (local), per bushel—Feed : Wholesale, 2s 9d. Fowl wheat, per bushel: Wholesale, 3s 9d to 4s ; retail, 4s 3d to 4s 6d. Maize, per bushel—Seed: Wholesale, sale, 3s 2d to 3s 3d ; letail, 3s 7d. Feed : Wholesale, 3s to 3s 2d ; retail, 3s 3d to 3s 6d.

HAMILTON STOCK MARKETS. At the monthly sale, held iu the Hamilton Borough Yards, on Thursday, | an average quantity of stock was brought forward, including over 80 head of wellfatted cattle, chiefly steers of good quality, Mr Way, of Tamaherc, Retting the top price ot £6 12s for a pen of useful oxen ; but the majority sold at from £5 5s to £6, Mr Wight, of Paeroa, taking a good number. Fat cows, unless young, were dull of sale, some heavy animals making about 10s per 1001 b., several pens being passed. Young cattle were in full supply and fair demand, nearly all being sold. Dairy cows were in large numbers, but dull of sale, even good sorts being hard to quit. The sheep yards were well filled with a good assortment of fat (shorn) sheep, which sold briskly at late rates. Fat lambs were in ample supply, but were easier in price. The pig pens were filled, and bidding was brisk at better prices than have ruled of late. Prices were: Weaned calves, 4s 6d to 8s ; yearlings, 328 to 15s ; 18 months steers, 23s to 35s ; do. heifers, 19s to 265; empty cows, aged, 25s to 30s; fresh cows, £2 5s to £2 17s ; bulls, 20s to 40s ; fat cows,, small, £2 15s to £3 5s ; best cows, to £4 10s ; fat steers, £5 to £6 12s ; dairy cows, £2 5s to £4. Sheep : Fat wethers (shorn), 8s 3d to 8s 9d ; fat ewes (shorn), 6s Id to 8s 2d ; fat sheep (in wool), 10s 5d ; fat lambs, 5s to 8s 6d ; Shropshire rams, 3s 6d. Pigs : Weaners, 5s 9d to 8s 6d ; slips, 9s" to 12s 6d ; grown pigs, 20s.

AUCKLAND MARKETS. Messrs Hunter and Nolans Report.—Horses : At the Durham Yards, on Friday, horses were again brought forward in large numbers, and met a steady sale. Heavy draughts realised from £l6 17s 6d to £23 10s each ; medium draughts, £lO 10s to £l6 17s 6d ; hacks and light harness draughts, £4 17s 6d to £l2 17s 6d ; a spring-cart mare, £l3 5s ; dog-cart, £l2 17s Cd ; tax-cart, £lO 10s. Wool: The first of the series of wool sales was held on Tuesday. We catalogued 1212 bales, and disposed of 955 bales by auction. The quality of wool, taken all through, was inferior to last year, and showed a decline of from id to lb, more especially on coarse wools. We quote : Crossbred wool at fiom s£d to 6|d ; longwool, 4£d to 6d. Cattle : At the Newmarket *ards, on Tuesday, dairy and store stock were yarded in average numbers and sold at late values. Beef, in average quantities, were at last week's rates. Fat oxen made from 17s to 19s 1001 b ; cows, 16a to 18s. Fat steers sold at from £4 103 to £8 2s 6d each ; cows, £3 2s 6d to £5 15s. Dairy cows improved in prices, and sold at from £3 10s to £6 each ; stores at late rates. Sheep were yarded in full numbers, and met a ready sale at improved prices. Wethers, in wool, sold at from 10s 9d to 15s 9d each ; shorn wethers, 7s 3d to 15s 9d. Mr G. Ballard's first prize ' two-tooth Shropshires made 15s 9d, out of wool. Lambs, plentiful, sold at from 5s 9d to 12s each. Pigs, more numerous • than for some weeks, met a ready sale. Porkers were from £1 3s to £1 lis each ; weaners, 10s to 15s 6d. Messrs Alfred Buckland & Sons' Weekly Report.—On Monday at Pukekohe the largest muster of cattle held since the yards were erected met with a free sale throughout. Dairy cows ranged from £3 to £5 10s ; fat steers, £6 5s to £6 12s 6d ; fat cows, £3 12s 6d to £5 ; calves. 13s to 20s ; yearlings, 26s to 335; empty cows, 275,6 dto 45s each. At the Haymarket auction meadow hay brought Is 9d to 2s cwt; wheat straw, 12s to 19s load ; ex-store maize, 2s lid ; oats, 2s 6d to 2s 7d : wheat, 3s B<l bushel; kaiuit, 4s 6d ; superphosphates, 5s 6d ; guano, 3s 6d ; boneduat, 6s 6d ; bran, 4s 3d; chaff, 4s 9d; pressed meadow hay, 4s 6d cwt; maize on wharf, 2s lOd bushel. On Friday medium to heavy draught stock were fairly represented. . Prices ranged from £ls to £29 each. Riding horses from £6 to £lO ; horse, cart, and harness, £18; gig, £lO 10s'; waggonette, £lB, were the prices ruling. At the wool sale there was a full attendance of buyers, but prices for longwools were seriously lower in price, generally about Id, but in some case 3 lid the lb, and with no present prospect of improved values, as last season's buyers were without exception losers by their venture. For fine wools prices were better. Merinos fully kept last season's values, Shropshire Down about half-penny lower. On Wednesday sheep pelts in full supply kept their values fairly. Woolled skins were from 3s to 4s 9d ; pelts, 7d to Is ; lambskins, lOd to Is 4d each. Wool bags held over until Tuesday liext. Hides: A larger number than usual were sold, and for ox there was an improvement in value, prices ranging from 3Jd to s{-d ; cow hides, 3d to 3fd ; calfskins, 3£d to» 3fd ; inferior calf, lb; fat, Id to l{d lb; tallow, 13s to 15s 3d ; bones, 3s Od cwt; horsehair, Is lb.