COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 176, 11 August 1876, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

Mb. Henry Driteb, on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, reports as follows for the week ending August 9, 1876 :— Fat Cattle. — 220 head were yarded at the sales to-day, the quality ranging from medium to prime. We have to record a reduction in prices, as compared with late quotations, of at least 2s 6d per lOOlbs. Best pens of bullocks brought from £11 to £14, 10s ; cows, £8 to .£lO 10s : or equal to 35s per lOOlbs for prime quality. At the yard we sold 70 head as above. Fat Sheep.— 2ooo came forward, 1500 finding buyers at a fall of Is to Is 6d each below late rates. We quote best cross <breds at lls to 14s ; merinos, 7s 6d to 10s 6d : or 2|d per lb for former, and 2id the latter. We sold 500 at the yards. Fat Calves. — Good vealers are in demand, at from 30s to 70s each. Store Cattle and Sheep. — Nothing of importance has been transacted. Wool. — The latest cablegram quotes the fall in price of wool at 30 per cent, below prices in June sales, 1875, and little probability of a recovery during the present series. By 'Frisco mail, due in Auckland on the 13th inst., price catalogue will be to hand, when values will be better determined. Sheepskins. — At our weekly sale this afternoon, prices show a decided fall of 3d to 4d per skin. Butchers' green cross-breds brought up to 3sJ3d; dry cross-breds, 2s 7d to 3s Id; merinos, 2s 2d to 2s 6d. Hides are lower. Green butchers', 19s to 20s ; wet salted, 3£d per lb. Tallow. — A few lots of inferior sold at £22 103 to £23 10s. Grain. — Wheat : There has scarcely been any transactions in this market since our last report, owing to the absence of supplies both by rail and coastwise. We have not heard of any sales over ss, but expect choice milling would bring more money, as some mills are standing for wheat, and flour has advanced 2us per ton. Oats are wanted for shipment at Is lOd to Is lid for feed, and 2s for milling. Barley continues dull, the only enquiry being for the best malting, which is scarce and firmly held at 4s 6d to 4s 9d ; secondary sorts, at 4s to 43 3d ; milling, 2s 9d to 33 ; feeding barley, 2s to 2s 6d. Mb. Skenk reports for the week ending August 9, 1876, as follows : — Quietness reigns supreme in the labor market, but activity is not expected so soon in the season. Town work and business is languid, but for all that, buildings and improvements are going on in every direction. Ploughmen and all people trained to country work are at once picked up. Couples are in good demand. Female servants, with oidinary experience, nre about extinct. Wages —Couples, £65 to £80; shepherds, £60 to £65; ploughmen, £52, £55, and £60; day labor, 7s, Bs, and 9s ; house girls, 10s, 12s, and 15s ; hotel girU, 15s to 30s ; carpenters, 10s to 13s per day ; storemen and clerks, 36s to 50s ; dairy hands and knockabouts, 15s to 20s ; grooms, gardners, &c, 20s and 25s and found. Mr. A. Mebcee reports as follows for the week ending August 9, 1876, retail prices only : — Fresh butter, in £ and I lb. prints, 2i 2d to 2s 4d; pawdered and salt butter, Is 8d to Is lOd. Fresh butter is much more plentiful than it was, and the prices are not likely to rise any more. Salt butter is very plentiful, and can be bought at any price by ihi keg. Cheese, best quality, Is 2d per lb ;. side and rolled bueon, Is; Colouiul hams, Is 3d ; Jinglish bams, Is 61 to Is Bd. Eggs still sell well at 2* to 2s 3d per doz. Messes. M. an! J. Meenan, George Street, report the following as the latest quotations : — Flour — Largo bags, £11 10* to £12 per ton. Oatmeal — £11 per ton. Pearl barley — £22 per ton. Bran — £5 ss, including bags Pollard— £6 per ton. Ch>ff — £4 per ton. Hay —£3 15s per ton. fotatoos — £3 15* to £4 per ton. Carrot j— £2 10s per ton. Wheat— 3s 3J to 3s Gd pec bushel. Barley— 2s 9J per busiiel. Oats— Is 9d to Is lid per bufhel. Cheese— 9£d to lid per lb. Mb. J. YjcZky reports for the week ending Augvist 9, 1870, retail : Boast beef, 6.1 to 8d per lb. ; boiling d0.,4J to 51 per lb. ; stewing do., 4d to 6d per lb. ; steak, 6i to 9d per lb. ; mutton, 3 J to 6d per lb. ; veal, 4d to 8d per lb. ; pork, 9d to lOd per lb.