COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 173, 21 July 1876, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

Mb. Henby Dbiveb, on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, reports as follows for the week ending July 19, 1876 :— Fat Cattle.— l2o head came forward at the market to-day, only 50 being of good quality, and the balance little better than stores. Bidding was very languid, and prices did not come up to last week's quotations. Only about 80 head changed hands. We quote best bullocks at £12 and £15 10s ; cows, £9 to £14— or equal to 35s to 37s 6d per lOOlbs. for prime quality. We have sold 40 head during the week. Fat Sheep. — 2000 were penned, 1500 being sold, and the balance turned out. There was not a spirited demand for sheep, and prices showed a slight decline. We quote best cross-breds at from 12s 6d to 15s ; merinos from 7s to 10s 6d — or equal to 3d per Ib. for former, and 2-a- for the latter. At yards and privately we have sold 400. Fat Calves. — None penned. Store Cattle. — Considering the scarcity of grass at this season of the year, there 19 a fair demand for grown bullocks and cowb, the former at from £6 10s to £8 10s, and latter at J65 to £6 10i — size and condition governing price. During the week we have sold 350 head at these prices. Fat Sheep. — Very little business has been done in this description of stock. With the exception of a few odd lots there are no transactions to report. Wool. — The cable has furnished the unwelcome intelligence that at the opening sales of the June and July series of London wool sales prices suffered a decline of 3d per lb on washed and 2d on greasy. Cross-breds having suffered proportionable greater decline previously, did not participate to the same extent. More definite results will be to hand shortly ; meantime, the Press cablegram being confirmed by private ones, we have to adopt the advices as authentic. Sheepskins. — At our auction sale this afternoon, we catalogued about 1000 ; buyers were well represented. The quoted fall in wool had, however, a marked effect on values — green cross-breds selling at 3s Id to 3s 9d each ; merinos, 2a 9d to 2s lOd, being a decline of 3d to id per skin from last week. Hides. — Small supply ; late rates fully supported. Green butchers', 20s to 21s ; wet-salted, 3|d per lb. Tallow. — Of butchers' mixed, rendered, we sold some small parcels it £26 to £29 per ton. Grain. — Wheat is in good demand. For medium qualities of milling higher rates are paid, but in the absenoe of any choice samples offering, we cannot quote any advarce on best qualities. Oats have been dealt in to some extent during the week at Is 8d to Is 9d for feed samples : milling, Is lOd to Is lid. Barley, both for malting md other purposes, has been more inquired for, and sales have been made at 4s to 4s 3d for fair malting ; 2s 6d to 2s 9d for milling. Me. Skenb reports for the week ending July 19, 1876, as follows : — The labor market is quiet but healthy for the season. The demand s reviving fast for station and iarm couples ; ordinary laborers are, >f course, getting broken time, but that is expected. There are a few unemployed, but as a rule good men, who are really auxious and able to work, soon get something, as a by-put for the winter. Female servants, trined to plain house duties, are very much needed. The lemacd for Clerks and storemen is very flat. Couples are in good demand. Wages — Shepherds, £60 to £70 ; ploughmen, £52 to £60 ; couples, £60 to £70, and £75 ; dairy hands and knockabouts, 15s and 20s ; carpenters, 10s to 13s ; house girls, 10s, 1 2s, 15s, and 20s ; hotel girls, 15s, 20s, and up to 30s per week ; day labor, 7s, Bs, and 9s ; boys and girh, 6s to 10s; storemen and clerks, 30s to 50s per week. Mr. A. Mbbcee reports as follows for the week ending July 19, 1876, retail prices only : — Fresh butter, in and 1 lb. prints, 2s 2d to 2s 3d; powdered and salt butter, Is 8d to Is 10J. Freßh butter is now very scarce, and the market at present is barely supplied. Salt butter is selling well, and very plentiful. Cheese, best quality, Is 2d per lb ; side and rolled bacon, Is to Is Id ; Colonial hams, Is 3d ; English bams, Is 6J to Is Bd. Eggs very scarce, and selling at 2s 6d Messes. M. and J. Meexan, G-eorge Street, report the following as the latest quotations :— Flour— Large bags, £11; small do., £11 10s per ton. Oatmeal— £ll per ton. Peai 1 barley— £23 per ton. Bran £3 —5s to £4, including bags. Pollard— £6 per ton. Chaff— £l per ton. fl ay £3 15s per ton. Potatoes— £4 per ton. Carrote — £2 10s per ton. Wheat— 4s to 4s 6d per bushel. Barley— 4s per bushel. Oats — Is 8d to Is lOd per bushel. Cheese— 9sd to lid per lb. Mb. J. Vezhy reports for the week ending July 19 1876, retail Roast beef, 6d to 8d per lb. ; boiling d0.,4d to 5d yer lv. ; stewing do., 4d to 6d per lb. ; steak, 6i to 9d per lb. ; muttoD, 31 to 6d per lb. ; veal, 4d to 8d per lb. ; pork, 9d to lOd per lb.