COMMERCIAL. Waikato Times Office, Monday. MELBOURNE MARKETS.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1497, 7 February 1882, Page 2

COMMERCIAL. Waikato Times Office, Monday. MELBOURNE MARKETS.

Mussks Goldsborough & Co report under date Melbourne, Jan. 17, 1882 :— Wool. — A fair amount of business has been transacted during the month 33,726 bales having' been catalogued and 27,840 bales sold, thus nuking a total of '40,638 bales disposed of since the commencement of the auctions on 12th October. As is usual towards the close of a. season, a large proportion of the lots now offering are of an interior to ordinary description, and tor this class of wool prices are not so firm as they were last month. This decline has been more noticeable on the coarser grades of crossbrecs, and especially on wools of a strong Lincoln type. With this exception, however, tlieic is no alteration to report. Good lightconditioned greasy, both menno and half-bred, of which there are very few clips now offering, is <~till sought after, and full rates continue to be paid, our quotations being fi om ltd to izjd for the former and lod to njd foi the latter sort. We are glad to note that tiade in the manufacturing districts in England continues to improve, and the woollen industry generally is in a more healthy condition than it was .it the beginning of last year. The imports of colonial wool during 1881 have exceeded those of the previous yeai by ' about 100,000 bales, and as we learn the stocks on hind are considerably less than they were twelve months ago, there is a probability of all the old wool passing into consumption before the February sales commence. 1 his should tend to maintain the present level of prices, and we, therefore, anticipate that present rates will continue to rule in this market until the end of the season. Putcs curnnt. — Greasy: Inferior, 6d to 8d; ordinary to a\crage, 8d to iod; good to superior, iod to is 2d. b'leece, washed : Inferior, lid to is id ; ordinary to average, is 2d to is 4d : average to good, is 4d to isgdj superior is gd to 2s. Scoured: inferior, is to is 2d; ordinary, is4dtois6d; middling to good, is 6d to is 9a; superior, is gd to 2s. Shelpskins — This market has been quiet throughout the month ; sales being almost confined to green pelts, which have found ready buyers at prices ranging up to 2s 3d each ; the bulk, however being placed at is_ 3d to is iod eich. Phe intervention of the Christmas holidays had, as usual, a depressing effect on dry station prodiu c, and business was at a standstill during the greater part of the month, ncr have fcllmongers, as jet, shown much desire to operate to any <re.it extent. Supplies, however, have been shoit. Current quotations are I—butcher's1 — butcher's green pelts, is to 2s each, dutcher's dry, 9d to is 6d eich. Lambskins, is to zs 2d each. Dry skins, in bales Bee. — Superior, 5d to 6\d perlb; a\erago, 3d to %d per Ib. Midi's —A steady demand has prevailed for all classes of hides, heavy weights in particular being much sought after. New Zealand heavy weights, 4id to sd per lb ; Sydney and Adelaide dtttoo, ,\kd to \{d per lb : kips, fresh and salted, from id 103 4d per lb ; Calfskins, from 3^d to 4^d per lb. I'ai low, — "We quote ordinal y tallow: — Mutton, 1 C ?' to £i 2i 2 los P er totl " beef, £,2Q to Cio 10s per ton; Mixed, £27 to £31 10s; interior, £21 to £27 ins per ton. Fa\ourite brands for shipment aie in active demand, and lealiso I—Mutton,1 — Mutton, £n to £■)( per ton (f.o.b ); beef, £30 f> £31 10s per ton, (t o b ). Gk m\ —Since our last report the amount of business transacted in giain has been on a \erj extensive sc ile, and large opciations have been iairie'l through at griduallj strengthening prices throughout the month, with .1 strong denund at close lor all shipping parcels of wheat, flic 111 irket has been greath influenced by the eontiacts onti toil into at the < ommencement of the season with e\poiters, who complain of contractors so fir not being foiwaid with their supplies, whu h has resulted in seveial ships being pfneed under demurrage. We believe that the quantify .I'ail.tblc for cvporl will be quite equal tii last season, and the quality much superior, \ery few inferior dimples coming torwaid In ■intK ipation ot higher rates still ruling 1 , farmers ne in many instances storing their produce, though stiongly advised to take advantage of pn sent pi ices, which must be considered satisf ictoij to growers. Freights are still on the de(line, and the rate per sailing vessels for the United Kingdom can now be quoted at 45s per ton We now quote pi ices for all wheat suitable tor shipment up to 5s 2d per bushel, delivered ex railway; and as our advices to-day from the buj ing centres report prices as still rising, we see no probability of lower rates ruling for some time to come, unless unfavourable advices from tiie home markets come to hand. Flour, consequent on the high prices ruling for wheat, has strengthened considerably, and is now worth loi to £10 15s per ton. Mai/.e is in very short supply, and all lots offered arc eagerly purchased for 6s per bushel. Oats have, if anything, improved in value during the month ; but in anticipation of abundant crops from the late districts, buyers are only operating for immediate requirement. Closing quotations today are from 3s to js 3d, according to quality. Barley —An nticxpectcd short yield in this cereal has stiengthened prices considerably, and all offered is cagcily competed foi by the distillers and maltsters at from 3s 6d to 4s 3d per bushel.