COMMERCIAL

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1618, 16 November 1882, Page 2

COMMERCIAL

mn- MuriBOtJRNB Markets. *• ■ ' ! Mkssrs Goldsborougk and Co. report under . date Melbourne, October 25 :— ] Woor..— The wool season of 1832-83 opened on tbe,lBtb,ip»tanj:,.tke inaugural^ale being hold I at 6Ht \varenouscs, before' the largest attendance of buyers bithertp brought together in Australia. InTadditloft to tlic usual lbc.il competition Irom merchants. mill-owners^and scourers, rc,prcschjfJntaiji, Ajncrica, afid the chief manufacturing' countries of 'Europe \vere present in force, and the biddings were chnrnrtcrtsed by great spirit, every Ibt receiving a full share faf attention. . At tho various auctions that have since been held equal eagerness to purchase has been manifest, the tone of the market being very firm. The catalogues submitted up to the present have becH unimpoi tant, and have consisted principally of ordinary to average greasy, k ' consequently \verare 'unable, until sotnrt fairly representative clips arc brought forward, to torm q reliable comparison between present prices and those current at the commencement o( List season. , We shall, .however, be in a position to ri>fcr with confidence in our ne\t report to relative values, as from this forward large catalogue-, will be offered almost daily, thus bringing a wide range of wools under our notice. Since the . issue^of our last monthly summary we have ex's a.minod warehouse ' samples of > numerous clips grown over.a very extended area in this colony x -and Rivnrina ; but, as \yo then stated-, >we prefer waiting until the bulk is opened out tor sale before venturing an opinion pn 'the general condition of this year's growth. We may mention, however, that those great essentials — namely, • length find-soundness of staple — arc somewhat deficient in a large proportion of the brands we have seen. Up t« this date 3537 bales have been . • offered, and 3053 bales sold since the commence-, ment of the season on the 18th instant, and prices have ranged from lO^d 'to 10id for ordinary to good greasy, and from 15d to 22jd per lb for ordinary to good scoured. Two small lots ol superior greasy have realised 13|d and 17d respectively, the latter price being paid for a well got Ip T.ismanian Wool of fine quality and in excellent condition. Shhbvskins. — We quote : — Hutchcrs' green skins, superior, 5s 9d to (5s Od each ; do. do. do , average, 3s to 5s 9d each ; dry skins at prices ranging from 3d to 7d per lb. — Hides : There has been a steady demand, and all offering have been cleared out withoutldifficulty, superior lots— viz., large thick hides, clean, and free from offal (including the ears) being most sought after, as usual. New sZcatand heavy weights, nominally 3{d to 4Jd per lb. — Tallow. There has been a good demand at satisfactory prices. Our sales during the month have comprised 501 casks, and we quote: — Ordinary tallow — Mutton, L 34 10i to L 37 10s per ton : beef, L 33 10s to L3O 10s do. ; m'tved, L 33 to L 37 do. Best shipping brands — Mutton, to LJS 10s pet ton (f.0.b.): beef, to L 37 10s do. (f.0.b.). Monthly Grun Ritokc. — As is usual at this season, business in all descriptions of ccre.iK continues on a very restricted scale. Millers merely purchase to meet immediate requirements; and, as supplies from the country have continued in eveess of the demand, our market has been a languishing one throughout the month, and prices have gradually receded. The export of flour to the adjoining colonies has fallen^ off considerably, and has led to an accumulation of stocks in store, thus causing a very dull feeling, and, although prices have not materially given way it is difficult to plarc any quantity at late ruling quotations. AVithin the last few days we have had a most favourable change in the weather, which we much required jn many of the agricultural districts, and an improvement in the late crops is alrc.idj noticeable. l\ r heaf h-.s gradually c.ised in pru c during the month. Huyers will now give only (is 8d per bushel ; but in most instances holders decline to accept this figure, and very little business results.— Flour, owing to a falling off in export, has gradually cased in value, we now quote j£l3 as the best price obtainable— Oats, on account of large speculative purchases, rose considerably in value during the first part of the month, but larger supplies than were anticipated having come to hand, together with more favourable weather prospects, the market closes dull at from 4s 3d to Is (id per bushel. — Barley, Mm~t , and other feeding grains have been in demand fot immediate consumption, but without any change in former quotations.