COMMERCIAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2893, 8 May 1888, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Lowes & loms 1 Stock and Produce Report for April. Stock of every description with the exception of cattle has been active, a fact mostly clue to the favorable sea-; soil for grass and turnip crops. Sheep \ have been in constant enquiry both ■J for this and' Other districts, several 1 V largo drafts having been sent to other markets and in each case the result has been a ready sale at remunerative prices to the vendors. The very.large death rate amongst sheep last winter • lias reduced the numbers considerably, and the abundance of grass has left the district understocked as against its being overstocked last steady rise in prices has, in rofiseguence, been the result in all stores and breeding sheep. Fat stock have not made any very appreciable rise, but the continued low price of frozen meat in London will account for that, Our sales in various parts of the Wairarapa for the month totalled some 16,000 representing all classes. In fait wethers, the highest price obtained was 9s for an extra heavy lot, while several well-iurnished lots made 8s Cd, but for ordinary good erossbreds the average price has been about 7s 6d, or .

nearly Ud per lb. Fat ewes made an improvement of fully Is per head,Q as high as 7s being obtained for really good ones, but for cross-breds weighing 051b from 6s to. 6s 6d was the general figure, Dry ewes sold freely,and good framed in forward condition ranged from 5s 6d to6sßd. The supply of store wethers did not meet the demand and their prices in consequencyyere eery little behind those of fat wsprs. Breeding ewes of any description have been in great demand, all yarded finding purchasers at much improved values,-good young ewes ranging from 4s 9d to 5s 6d and 6s, medium ewes ran from 3s to 4s, culled ewes ranging from Is lOdto 2s lOd, while the much despised merinos made from Is Id to 2s Gd, Lambs have made figures much iu excess oi last season, good woolled making 5s to 5s Cd, medium 4s, culls 2s to Bs. In rams our sales ■ by auction and privately totalled some 250, but the buyers were mostly low priced. Coming after the two fairs, very lew Lincolns came forward, those making from 10s for old to £8 for 2 and 4 tooth. Buyers had to be satisfied with the Romney Marsh type, theM ranging from 5s to 15s. In Cattle, we have not much business to report. With fat and stores we got through about 400 head.

Holders this season were in hope that the new settlements in the Forty Mile Bush would take a quantity of the surplus stock, but that was noiflbe case, as many new settlers vised to stock with sheep, and cattle have been more neglected of late than ever. By auction ' and privately wo sold a few lines of beef, bullocks making from L 4 10s to L 5 and ranging from lis to 12s Gd per lOOlbs, while cows and heifers did not go beyond L3to L 3 ss. A few forward bullocks made L 3 to LB ss, medinni quiet steers 40s to 50s,store cows 20s to 30s, yearlings, according to quality and sex, 17s Gel to 255. Dairy stock have improved slightly of late, L4toLs being obtained for good cows, springing. All classes of horses have remained very low in figure, there being no outside market, the supply being far in excess of the demand, Good farm sorts moved off slowly, prices ranging from Lls to LlB, ordinary, Lll to Ll2los, while all of old horses have been a completw drug. In pigs the sales have been very active, all yarded selling atttary sale, the prices being good. StM'rs made from 4s to Gs, slips. 8s to 12s, small baconers and good stores ran from 16s to ,30s. Grain-In wheat our sales have been limited to a few wholesale parcels for milliner rabbit poisoning, the prices being 3s Gd to 3s Od. Fowls' wheat, according to quality, 2s Gd to 8s 3d. In oats, the

market has been glutted, and being . early in the winter not a great many sales have been effected. In Canadians the figure obtained was 2s, best black 2s, greys and ordinary feed sorts Is 9d to Is lOd, with a prospect of a rise, Peas ranged from 8s to 8s (3d. Chaff has been at a discount, the low figure offered, namely 85s, causing owners of stacks to hesitate about cutting, In grass seeds, the trade has been tolerably active, the demand being principally for Cocksfoot, on account of its hardy nature, best dressed' samples making 3|d, mediumJUd inferior, 2Ad to 3d." Rye lias been neglected, Is Cd to 2s per bushel, and sales dull. Potatoes are coming into the market freely, but we hear the crops are light, wholesale rates being A and £3 10s being obtained for small parcels, In Babbit Slrins, \yq

have fow transactions to report, the fall in the European market causing buyers to be very chary, and Gel per lb is all that can be obtained at present for decently furred skins, With the fr&tl season, and.grass and root crops bfSrg so well established, wo predict that prices for all stool; will remain firm, and that generally there will be a revival in trado.