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New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 177, 18 August 1876, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

Me. Henbt Dbtveb, on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, reports as follows for the week ending August 16, 1876 : — Fat Cattle. — 140 head were y»rded this morning. The quality was only medium, but prices shjwed a slight improvement on our late quotations, which we hope will continue. Best bullocks brought from £12 103 to £15; do cows, £7 10s to £10 10s— or equal to 35s per 1001 b for prime quality. We sold 50, at yards, on account of Mr. Thos" Christie and others. Fat Sheep — 1,500 came forward, and the whole found buyers at an advance on last week's rates of at least Is. Best cross-bredi brought 13s to 15s 9d ; merinos, 7s 6d to 10s— or equal to 3d per lb former, and 2Jd latter. We sold 800 at the yards. Store Cattle and Sheep. — Nothing has been doing in this class of stock. Wool.— We have cablegram from our London Office, August sth, close of the sales :—": — " The principal decline has been in scoured. Nearly all descriptions have advanced id to Id. The principal advance has been in cross.bred, medium, and inferior greasy." The bottom of the fall apparently having been reached, the slight advance advised may be maintained, and the market resume a more healthy tone. Sheepskins. — There was a full supply at our auction sale thii afternoon ; last week's rates barely maintained. Butchers' green cross-breds, 3s 3d to 3s 9d ; merinos, 2s 4d to 2s lid Grain — The wheat market continues quite bare of supplies, either by rail or coastwise. Sound milling samples are ready sale at 5s ; " the need of some millers' might cause even a c higlier rale to be paid. Oats are temporarily exceedingly scaree — any good feed samples picked up at Is lid; milling, 2s. Barley is still dull— prices unaltered. Malting samples, 4s to 4s 6d ; milling, 2s 9d to 3s ; feed, 2s to 2s 6d. Mr. Scene reports for the week ending August 16, as follows :— The labor market is very quiet, and animation need nut be looked for for a good while yet. Most of the unemployed are those who know no work in particular. As to farm people the demand is always good, wages in most cases are feeling the fall in wool, and none but reasonable men give into it with a good grace. Couples are in good demand. The building trade is wonderfully busy for the season. It is very difficult to secure really experienced female servants. Only an odd btoreman or clerk is needed. Shepherds will not be in demand for a month. Wages— Couples, £65, .£7O, and £80 ; ploughmen, £52, £55, and £60 ; cooks, waiters, grooms, gardeners, &c, 20s, 30s, and 50s ; carpenters, 10s to 133 per day ; day labor, bush, road, and rail, 7s, Bs, and 9s ; dairy, 15s and 20s ; boys and girls, 6s to 10s ; storemen and clerks, 35s to 50s. Air. A. Mercer reports as follows for the week ending August 16, 1876, retail prices only : — Fresh butter, in i- and 1 lb. prints, 2s 2i to Cs 4d ; powdered and salt butter, Is 8d to Is lOd. Fresh butter is mnch. 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 the keg. Cheese, best quality, Is 2J per lb ; side and rolled bacon, 1?; Colonial hams, Is 3J ; Jingli-h bams, Is Gl to Is Bd. Eggs slill sell well at 2s to 2s 3d per doz. Messrs. M. and J. Mckxax, George Street, report the following as the latett quotations : — Flour — Large bags, £11 10a ; small do, £12 jer ton. Oatmeal — £11 per ton. Peail barley — £22 per ton. Urau — £5 5s per ton, including bjgs. Pollard — £6 per ton. Chaff— £4. per ton. Hay — £'3 Ids to £1 per ton. Potatojs — £3 15a to £1 per tjn. Carrot? — £2 10s per ton. SVlieat— ls Gd to 4* 9J per bushel. Bailey—2s 9d to 3s Gd per bushel. Oats— ls 3d to Is lid per bushel. Cheese— lOd to lid per lb. *