COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 202, 16 February 1877, Page 12

COMMERCIAL.

Mb. Henry Dbiveb (od behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co.) reports for the week ending February 14. as follows :—: — '

Fat Cattle.— A large supply of 300 head were yarded to-day, which was greatly in excess of trade requirements, consequently prices had to give way. This large number of cattle coming for ward is more attributable to the destruction of grass in the Taieri, owing to the late floods, than to an excess of fat cattle fit for the butcher. To day, best pens of bullocks brought £9 10s to £13 ; do cows, £7 5s to £10 —or equal to an average of something less than 27s por lOOIbs. At the yards and privately we have disposed of 60 head at above rates. Fat Calves.— About 20 were penned, all of which were sold at from 208 to 60s, according to weight and quality. Fat Sheep.— About 2500 were penned, most of which were sold at about late quotations, viz , for best croas-breds, 9s to 12s 6d • merinos, up to 10s 6d. These latter, however, were of very prime quality. We quote best mutton at 2id per lb. Fat lambs.— 2oo were penned, and sold at prices equal to about late quotations.

Store Cattle —We have not heard of any transactions of importance during the week, but there is still a fair demand for good quiet cattle, at up to £8 for bullocks, and to £6 for cows. Store Sheep. — We have numerous enquiries for young merino sheep of both sexes, with but few offering; while on the other hand large nurab-rs of old sheep are for sale, without any demand. We quote the following as approximate market prices : Merino wethers, two, four, and six-tooth, 5s to 5s 6d ; do fuJl-mouthed, 3s to 4s • merino ewes, two, four, and six-tooth, 6s to 7s ; do, full-mouthed', 2s 6d to 3s 6d j cross-breJs, four-tooth and over, 7s to 8s j two-tooth' 6s to 7s. '

Merino Rams. —We have to advise having sold, on account of George L. Sise, Ee»q , from his Hampden flock of American merino rams, 150 two-tooth rams, at £2 15s each.

Wool. — Since our last week's report no further advices from the London market have reached us. Those interested in the market are anxiously waiting the cablegram with news of the opening of the London February sales on the 20th instant. We shall have some good clips to offer next week, after which sale the bulk of the wool for sale in this market will have passed the hammer. Sheepskins.— We had only a small catalogue on Monday last, some 500, pelts and shearlings principally, which were in very active demand at 6d to 9d por skin, bare pelts bringing 4d to Is ; shearlings Is 7d to 2s. Lambs sold at Is 6d to 2s 2dj full-woolled cross-breds' os 7d. '

Hides. — We have a good demand, shipping and local. We have sold 300 green butchers' at 14s 6d to 21s 6d ; wet-salted, equal to from 3£d to 4d per lb, the latter price for good-conditioned shipping lots. Tallow is much inquired for. Fair to good brings 28s to 31s. Grain — The market for wheat is stagnant, waiting supplies, which have been retarded by the unfavorable harvest weather, there being no old grain. Another favorable week will no doubt bring in supplies, for which there is a firm market to take considerable quantities. Oats : For old corn there is a great demand, but no supply in stores. Farmers are too busy to attend to deliveries per rail. Value 2s 3d to 2s 6d for good to heavy feed. Barley : Uld malting is now inquired for at 4s to 4s 6d ; grinding, 2s 9d to 3s.

Mb. Skene reports for the week ending February 14, 1877 : The labor market is slowly recovering from the check received b> the floods. Many farmers are so disheartened, that they will not take on additional labor. It will take a good while ere things resume their wonted buoyancy. Town work and trade is also suffering. Blacksmiths and the general iron trade is very dull. There is good demand for female servants of all sorts — both for private houses and hotels. Male hotel servants are slack. There is aa increase of road and railway labor, and woik caused by the floods. Couples are very slow to move. Wages — Day labor, Sa and 9s ; couples, £65 to £10; harvest hand, 40s and upwards, according to experience ; carpenters, 10s to las; plougi.men, £55 and £60 ; shepherds, £60; house girls, 10s to 15s ; nurse girls, 6s to 10s ; hotel girls, 12s, 15s, and 20s ; cooks, waiters, b»rmen, &c, from 25s to 50s ; gardeners, nil j stoiemen and clerks 30s to 60s per week. '

Air. A. Mehcee reports as follows for (he week ending Februnry 14, 1877, retail prices only : — Fresh butter, in £ and lib prints, Is 3d to Is 4d ; fresh butter, in lump?, lid to Is; powdered and salt butter le ; fresh butter is uot so plentiful, and prices are expected to advance. Cueese, new prime, Is ; old cheese, good, lOd to Is. Side and rolled bacon, lOd ; Colonial hams, Is 2d ; English hams, Is 6d eggs are now scarce, and retailing at 2s 3d per dozen. Mb. M. C. Fleming reports (wholesale prices) for the week ending Fe bruury 14, 1877, as follows : — Oats (feed), per bushel, 2s 2d ; milling, 2s 3d. Wheat (chicks) 4s to 4s 6d. Burley, malting, 4s to 44 6d ; feed, 2s 6,1 to 3s. Pollard, £6 10s. Bran, £5, bags included. Flour, largebags, £15 j email, £15 10. Oatmeal,' £11. Potatoes, new, 5s 6d to 6s per cwt. Hay (new), £3 10s ; old hay, <£! per ton. Chan", £4 10s per ton. Straw, ±2 per ton. Mb. J. Vezey reports for the week ending February 14, 1877:— Retail : Roast beef, 6d to 8d per lb. ; boiling do., 4d to 5d pur lb ; stewing do., 4d to 6d per lb.; steak, 6d to 9d per lb.; mutton, 3d to 6d per lb.; veal, 4d to SJ per lb.; pork, 9d to lOd per lb.; lamb, 2s 6d to 3i 6d per quarter.

There are 12,000 parish priests in France, whose salary is only 180 dols each a year. The Plains of Abraham at Quebec, have been leased by the Corporation to Mr. Dobell and other gentlemen, residents of the neighborhood who are now enclosing them with a view of turning them into a private driving park. England bas now an efficisnt volunteer army of over 170,000 men. This is independent of her regular army and militia.

The visitor is next conducted to the church, but of this more anon. And then the schools are gone over. There are found there 238 Catholic children, for whom the Government pays ss. a head per week, requiring, however, that the nuns show a set-off against each crown amounting to 7s. 6d. Everything still continues to give satisfaction. " Nuns are working in every place, and cleanliness and order are visible everywhere. " " The Sisters' quarters " are described, and the foundation and design of the Order are glanced at. Again the "Vagatond" dwells upon the possibility of escape if it be so desired, and again we are amazed that any one should iv sincerity think sucli an allusion necessary " Their only bonds are moral ones, for any one wanting to leave could walk out of the front gate at any hour of the day. The whole question of conventual seclusion has been argued," he continues, "so often, that I doubt if I can say anything new on the subject. Of course I object to it. I object to anyone making or incurring solemn and binding obligations in their youth, which in after years they might think fit to break. Such a course infringes that personal freedom, which, so long as it does not interfere with any one else, I hold is the right of every one. I would not object to any ladies, and especially in the old world, where there is such a disproportion in the sexes, shutting themselves up and praying or working — it is the sacrifice of youth which I dislike. Qwien sabe? Perhaps many of them, both for here and hereafter, are doing better work than if out in the world following the devices of their vain sisters." Perhaps/ "1 take the! convent at Abbotsford as it is, and I am bound to say that all the sisters I met seemed cheerful, happy, and contented." But where shall we find that unique phenomenon— a doleful nun? This most interesting paper and most valuable testimony is concluded with a pleasant sketch of the impression produced upon the writer by the rev. Mother and her companion sister. He finds these ladies, as it invariably happens to those who come in contact with the denizens of a convent, cultured gentlewomen, of cheerful mind, chastened further in thought and manner by the influences of religion, interested by all that is of interest in the topics of the day, and totally void of all prudish stiffness or affectation of a superior goodness, and he comes away evidently charmed by what he has witnessed. _W? 'have, however, reserved certain sentences of the ' V agabond's" article, wherewith to conclude this imperfect sketch which we have given of it. They are taken from those in which he describes the convent church, with his remarks on what he finds there. "Itis a pretty little church, nothing, however, very striking about it. A nun i is praying, kneeling on the bare stone, and in the vestry ! we find another sister. Here, framed, is a diploma or certificate from the Collegia Romano della Propaganda Fede, the headquarters of the Catholic missions, where men are taught all living tongues, and from whence they sally forth and spread over the face of all the earth, preaching a kingdom not of this world, and carrying the Cross of Christ where the soldiers of the flesh dare not penetrate. I admit this fact, although as a scoffer I say cvi bono ?" Has not the acute become involved in the obtuse to an extent that is marvellous ? " Cvi bono ?" Even for that upon which your eyes have looked, O, widely errant man. Do not such institutions afford you already a full answer ?

" Non ragionam' di lor, ma guarda c passa." There is no need to further dwell upon their excellencies, they are apparent to the superficial glance. But these things, and all their connection, are fruits of the Catholic faith, and a potent plea in favor of its propagation. Deal with the tree according to its fruits, and no longer oppose oy your abundant talents the growth of those branches whereon are to be found grapes and figs, lest, hereafter, to your confusion, you be found to have promoted the too plenteous crop of briers and thistles.