AUSTRALIAN MARKETS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2283, 26 February 1887, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN MARKETS.

SYDNEY STOCK REPORT.

Messsh Wn. Ingli.s & Son Report for the week ending Feb. 11th Fat Cattlk.—The supply on Monday was scarcely sufficient fur ordinary requirements, only (550 head being forward, principally from medium to prime quality. The sale was brisk throughout with an advance in prices for be.st lots. Tho highest average for bullocks was £7 115s 4d for a draft of 03 head from Tinenboro, a lot of '100 from Lammermoor bringing £'7 os (id. .A lot of 148 cows from Bourke averaged £4 Us Bd. To-day (Thursday) 840 were yarded, includ- . ing some of excellent quality,, and the market was again firm, with an advance of about 10s per head. A prime lot of 54 bullocks from Sutton Forest niado £8 14s 7dv the highest average of the day, another lot from Bourke, making £8 (is, and a draft of 125 from Queensland, £7 lis Gd; At our * Sydney sale yards this afternoon the improvement in prices was noticeable competition being much brisker than of late. We quoteBest Beef ... 22s per 100 lbs. Fair 19s ~ Middling Ills ~ , We sold— 7 Cows £ 110s to £669 8 cows £4 Is to £6 11 cows ... £3125t0£514s 14 cows £3 (is to £0 7s Sheep.—l2,4oo were penned at Homebush on Monday when previous: rates for prime quality were maintained, but medium and inferior went slightly lower. : To-day (Thursday) 18,000 were forward and the market showed no alteration in values, competition for prime still being brisk. The best lot of Merino Wethers was from ifomeroy, and sold from 10s to lis lid, a very large lot of over 4000 from Hay selling from 8s to 9s sd. The best lot of crossbred Wethers was from Warrana and sold from lis to lis 3d. A lot Merino Ewes from Gundagai made 7s 6d, and the remaining Sheep sold at prices ranging from 5s Gd up. Wo quoteBest Wethers 9s Od to lis 6d Goed... 7s 0d to 8s 6d Others from 5s Gd up Milch Cows,—About the usual number v/ere forwarded at our sale yards this morning ; for any Cows of superior quality the < 'competition was brisk, but for others sales were duller than las week. We quoteBest cows £11 03 to £15 G00d... ... ... ... £8 0s to £10 Others from £3 0s up Lambs.—A good number , were forward this week, but mostly of indifferent quality that were sold with difficulty; really good ones were scarce and sold a little higher than last week. We quote— Best ••• 9s to 10s Gd Good ... ... ... .'. 6s Gd to 8s Others ... ... ••• from 4s up

MELBOURNE MARKETS. Messhs Gomwbohough and Co. report under date, Melbourne, February 10: — Wool.—Since the issue of our last sum- . Mary, on the 12th ultimo, there has been the usual want of regularity in the order of the sales, foretelling the wind-up of the selling season, which this year is closing somewhat abruptly. In fact, the season may bo almdst said to have ended with the old year, so small, comparatively, has been the quantity of wool handled since the Ist of January. During tho period under review, 14,517 bales have been catalogued, and 11,095 bales sold, makinsr a total of 207,538 bales offered ; and 108,990 bales sold since the opening of the season on the 22nd September. However, small as the quantity brought forwawl has been, a strong

demand for all sorts prevailed up to within a week ago, when faulty and inferior qualities became slightly easier. The range ' of prices is now from s|d to lOi per lb. for inferior to medium greasy, and from 13d to 18i perlb. for ordinary to good scoured, the latter price having been paid at our sale of the Ist instant for 150 bales of good shafty wool from the Lower Darling. At this level prices remain firm, and as a strong inquiry exists, ali parcels coming forward can be readily placed. Growers who still have remnants on hand should therefore use all despatch in sending them to market. By cablegram we learn of the opening of the first series of London-colonial wool sales oh the 25th January with an available total of 240,000 bales. The auction room was crowded, and under brisk competition prices advauced from to Id per lb. on greasy, and from id to per lb. on scoured on last sales' closing rates. Subsequent telegrams report increasing firmness on the sales' progress, and should the political horizon assume a more peaceful > aspect before the close of the series a substantial advance in values will doubtless take place. In the summary of wool sales given below the figures represent the total quantity offered and sold in Melbourne and Geelong from February, 1880, to February, 1887, including the sales during the winter months. Had there been more -stability in the trade throughout tho sellii. t , ** ""ason a much larger quantity would have u.an disposed of locally; nevertheless, the result plainly shows the increasing popularity of the colonial markets, which apparently must in due course become the leading centres of the wool trade. As regards this com- " pany's transactions this year's business

surpasses .all previous records, its sales for thß season here and in Sydney amounting to 80,000.' Exchange on London may be quoted at 1 per cent, discount for drafts at sixty days' sight, and £ per cent, extra for each thirty days additional. Freights to .London per sailing vessel are -Jd for greasy .and |{d for washed. The rates per steamer ' via' Suiz Canal are $d and for greasy and washed respactively. MJNTHLY GHAIN KEPORT. During the last month a large amount of business'has been done in wheat, both for export and to meet local demands. Notwithstanding the unfavourable news for shippers of the dull and falling market in the United Kingdom, prices have kept' firm. Freights are easier than previously reported, and some difficulty js experienced in securing the rates , asked at the commencement of the season. At present ruling prices here, with equivalent' Values in Europe, there is no margin left for shippers to operate, and little fresh business is likely to be entertained "till holders accept more moderate prices than now rule. The latest reports of the "outturn of the yield of wheat in South Australia are now so encouraging, and' although . the quantity available for 'export from that colony will largely exceed that of last season; it is not expected to be •-in l of our own exportable surplus, whilst New Zealand is expected to be able to spare about f>o,ooo tons, making an available supply for the year from the three colonies of about 350,000 tons. A large proportion of this will, however, be wanted to meet the requirements of both New South Wales arid (Queensland, thus greatly reducing the exportable surplus available for shipment to the United Kingdom. Sevpral vessels are now loading cargoes for parts outside Australia, and almost all the vessels on the London berths are taking shipments at very low rates of freight. Notwithstanding the large supplies which have come to hand from the country during the past fortnight, prices have kept firm, and all good parcels fit for shipment have been readily taken up at current quotations. Feed grain of all descriptions, with the single exception of maize, are dull of sale at lower prices, and as large quantities are now coming forward from the country, prices are not likely to improve at present. Wheat: All coming forward fit for shipment and milling realises 3s lOd, f.0.b., or (ex rail) inferior and medium, from 3s 7d to 3s 9d. Oats are rather dull of sale, selling from 2s 7d to 2s 9d for inferior to medium, up to 3s for milling and seed descriptions. Barley : All malting parcels in great request, up to 4s Gd; feed descriptions, 2s !Jd to 3s. Maize sells at 4s Gd ; peas, 3s 2d; and bran, lid per bushel.