COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 207, 23 March 1877, Page 12

COMMERCIAL.

Me. Heney Driver (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company) reports for the week ending March 21, as follows :—: — Fat Cattle. — 150 head were yarded at the market to-day, about one-half being of good to prime quality, tlie remainder only medium. Best pens of bullocks brought from .£l3 10s to .£ls; do cows, from £1 108 to .£ll, or equal to about 27s 6d to 30s per lOOlbs for prime descriptions. Fat Calves. — 20 were penned, which sold readily at from 25s to 55s each. Fat Sheep. — 3000 of all descriptions came forward. Prices may be quoted at about the same as last week. Cross-breds brought from 8s 3d to lls 6d, and a few very prime pens 12s 9d; merinos from 6s to 8s 9d— or 2^d for former, and 2d for latter. Fat Lambs. — 200 were penned, and found buyers at 5s 6d to 9s. Store Cattle. — There is still a fair demand, but a very few lots have changed -hands. Store Sheep. — A good inquiry continues for young sheep, with few offering. We have sold 4000 of all descriptions during the week, at the following rates : — Merino wethers, two, four, and six-tooth, 5s 6d ; do full-mouthed, 3s ; merino ewes, two, four, and six tooth, 6s 6d to 7s ; do full-mouthed, 2s 6d to 3s 6d ; cross-breds, four-tooth and over, 7s to 7s 6d ; do, two-tooth, 6s to 6s 6d. County Sales — On Tuesday, 20th inst., we held a large clearing sale of stock, &c, at Mr. F. Eoberts' Kunwao estate, Clinton. The-e was a large attendance of buyers and almost every lot offered was sold at satisfactory prices. Cattle brought from £4 10s to £10 ; sheep, up to 8s ; horses from £15 to £50. Sheepskins weae in good demand at previous rates. Full-wool merinos, 4s 9d ; shearlings, Is 9d to 2s 3d ; pelts, lOd ; lambs, Is 24 to 2s 2<\ ; station slins, 6^d to 7£d per lb. Hides. — We sold 150, principally light and inferior, at 6s to 12s 9d; medium, 13s 9d to 15s 9d; heavy good condition, 21s 6d — equal to id per lb. Tallow. — Fair to good brought 28s 6d ; no shipping lots offered. Grain — Wheat : Millers are buying cautiously, supplies being more than immediate wants. The price has declined fully 3d for the choicest milling 5s 3d being the highest price paid ; 4s 9d ( o 5s for fair to good sound wheat ; inferior, nominal. Oats fre inquired for, ■but not -many offering; 2s 4d for good new feed; 2s 7d to 2s 9d for fine old samples. Barley : A good fair quantity of malting has been sold during the week, principally of last season's growth, which, if fine, is preferred to the new. Fine samples, 4s 9d to ss ; medium, 4s to 4s 6d ; milling, 2s 9d to 3?. Mb. Skene reports for. the week ending March 21, 1877: — The demand for workpeople is quiet but healthy, and all useful steady people can get work, more especially if suited for country employment. There will be new life in all department b immediately after the race holidays. Hotel people are in large request ; so are females in every line. Couples are very much sought for, but, if possible, without children. Fortunately, a grrat many settlers have built cottages for people with families, and so solve the difficulty, to the benefit of all concerned. Carpenters are busy. The iron trade is still very slack. Tailors are a little briske", but not so busy as usual for the season. Storemen, clerks, tind town-bred men without trades, are worst off. Wa?< s — Con] 1-s, £65 to £80 ; ploughmen, £52 to £60 ; shepherds, £60 ; dairymen, 15s, 20s, and 25s ; boys, 10s to 15s ; carpenters, 10s, 12s, nnd 13s ; hove gir's, 10s, 12s, and 15a 3 hotel girls, 12s, 15s, and I up to 30s ; bushmen, 8s and 9s ; ordinary labor, 7s, Bs, and 9s ; waiters, b.irmen, cooks, grooms, &c, 25s to 50s ; storemen and clerVs, 30s, 50s, and 60s ; miners, 9s and 10s ; coolss and bakers for stations, £55 to £60. Mr. A. Mebcee repor's as follows for the week ending March 21, 1877, retail | rices only : — Fresh butter, in and lib pants, Is 3d to Is 5d ; fresh butter, in lumps, Is 2cl; powdered and salt butter, Is 2d; fresh butter is still very plentiful, and several of the shop? are salting down. Salt butter, in kegs, Is Id per lb ; cheese of the best quality, Is ; English and American cheese. Is 4d ; s'de and rolled bacon, lOd to lid ; C loniul hnms, l-> 2<i ; English hams, Is 6d ; eggs, although not very plentiful, are retailing at Is 9d per dozen. Mb. M. C. Fmsmtsg reports (wholesale prices) for the weelt ending March 21, 1577, as follows : — Oats (feed), per bushel, 2s 3d; milling, 2s 6d. Wheat (chicks), 3a 6d to 4s. Barley, malting, 4s to 4s 66 ; feed, 2s 6d to 3s. Pollard, scarce. Bran, JB4 ss, bags included. Flour, large bags, £15; small, £15 10s. Oatmeal, £12. Potntofs, new, 4s per cwt. Hny, new, £3 15s; old hay, £4 per ton. Chuff, £4 10s per ton. Straw, .£2 per tor.

Mb. J. Vezkt reports for the week ending March 21, 1877 retail :-Roast beef, 6d to 8d per lbjlboiling do*4d to 5d per 1b > toKd^ P ir garter.* 0 "*" *' *°*' MtO M ** lb > lamb ' 2 » «