COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 209, 6 April 1877, Page 12

COMMERCIAL.

Mb. Henry Driver (on behalf of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company) reports for the week ending April 4, as follows : —

Fat Cattle.— Only 125 head were yarded, which were chiefly of good to prime quality, and in consequence a slight improvement in prices may be reported. Best pens of bullocks brought from £9 10s to £12 10s ; do cows, £7 to £10 10s— or equal to 30s per lOOlbs. for prime qunlity. At the yards we sold 30, and placed 40 head privately. ' Fat Calves. — Ten were penned, and readily sold at from 20s to dsp, according to quality. Fat Sheep. - 2500 came forward, and this rather large number, together with the fact that the trade was plentifully surplied, caused sales to be extremely difficult to effect at satisfactory prices, and half the number had to be held over. Best pens of cross-breds brought from 7s 9d to 10s 6d; merinos, from 5s to 7s 9d— or If per lb. for prime quality.

Fat Lambs. — 200 were penned, and all found buyers at late rates —say 5s 6d to Bs.

Store Cittle — There is a fair demand for mixed lots, or for goodconditioned quiet cattle for winter feeding. There are no large transactions to report.

Store Sheep.— The demand for young merinos previously reported etill continues, and during the week we have sold of various descriptions 6500 at quotations— say, merino wethers, two, four, and sixtooth, 5s 6d; do, full-mouthed, 3s; merino ewes, two, four, nnd sixtooth, 6s 6d to 7e ; 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. Woo 1 — London wool sales closed on the 28th ult. Great reduction in price of medium and inferior. Choice fleece and lambs' were scarce, and brought good prices. As we have remarled some weeks ago, the reduced price was principally caused by the faulty condition of the Australian clip, which preponderated at these sales. In this market there is a good demand for combing fleece at a slight reduction on late rates. There is very little coming forward, the bulk of the clip being shipped.

Sheepskins. — At our weekly auction sale yesterday, we had a full catalogue, which was well attended by buyers, who competed freely at full rates: Full wool cross-breds, 5s 4d ; merino, 4s 8d ; butchers* green, inferior, 2s 2d ; cross-breds, 2s 7d ; lambs', Is 6d to 2s 4d • pelte, 9d to Is Id.

Hides were in good demand, every lot selling at improved rates, viz :In light and inferior, -6s to lls 9d ; medium, 14s 9d to 16s 6d ; green slaughters, 21a 6d.

Tallow. — There was good demand for all offered — rough, from 20s 6d ; medium, 27s 6d to 28s 6d.

Grain. — At our grain stores yesterday afternoon we submitted 2000 bags to auction. Wheat brought 4s Id to ss, the latter price being offered for 7000 busliela prime Southland wheat. Inferior and damaged barley sold at 2s 3d to 2s 6d ; medium do, 3s to 3s 6d. Oats, feed, 2s 3d per bushel. The market is fully supplied with wheat. Oata are only in moderate supply, with a good shipping demand at 2s 3d to 2s 4d for good to heavy feed samples. Barley : Prime malting is scarce, and worth 4s 6d to 4s 9d ; second class, 3s 6d to 4s ; inferior, 2s 3d to 3s. Supply principally inferior, which is very unsaleable.

Me. Skexe reports for the week ending April 4, 1577 :— Working people have vow fairly settled down to work for the winter, and it is high time, for the holidays, &c, have seriously hindered work for n good pnrt of March. Orders are coming in fast for ploughmen and all sorts suited for farm. But there are far too many totally uusuited for such hanging about. Neither farmers nor men need dread an overstock of skilled ploughmen during the present generation. The building trade and carpenters are well employed. There is very little life to report in the iron trade. Shepherds are out of season. Female servants for private houses and hotels are in brisk demand. Couples are too plentiful, those without families have the best chance; but if settlers persist in preferring such, where is our supply of ploughmen and shepherds to come from ? Wages — Couples, £65, £70, and £80 ; shepherds, £60 ; day labor, 7s, Bs, and 9s ; dairy hands, 20s and los ; cooks, grooms, waiters, barmen, &c, 20s, 255, and up to 60s per week ; hotel girls, 12s, 15s, and 20s ; house girls, 10s, 12s, and 15s ; c-toremeu and clerks, 30s to 60s ; boys and girls, ss, 6s, and 10s ; carpenters, 10s to 13s ; btuhmen, 8s and 9a.

Mb. A. Merceb reports as follows for the week ending April 4. 1877, retail prices only :• Fresh butter, in \ and lib prints, Is 4d to Is 6d; fresh butter, in lumps, Is 2d to Is 3d; powdered and salt butter. Is 3d Fresh butter for this season of the year is very plentiful, and the most of the shops in town have to salt down their supplies. Cheese, btst quality, lOd to Is; English, unsaleable, Is 4d per lb ; side and rolled bacon, lOd to lid ; C donial hams, Is Id to Is 2d per lb ; English hams, Is 4d to Is 6d ; eggs very scarce, retailing at 2s 3d per dozen.

Mr. M. C. Fxeming reports (wholesale prices) for the week ending April 4, 1877, as follows :— Oats (feed), per bushel, 2s to 2s 3d ; milling, 2s 6d. Wheat (chicks), 3s to 3s 6d. Barley, malting, 4s to 4s 6d ; feed, 2s 6d to 3s. Pollard, scarce. Bran, .£3 15s, bags included. Flour, large bags, £13; small, £13 10s. Oatmeal, £12 10s. Potatoes, new, 4s per cwt. Hay, new, £3 15s ; old hay, £4 per ton Chuff, £4 per ton. Straw, £2 per ton.

Mb. J. Vezey reports for the week ending April 4, 1877 retail :— Roast beef, 6d to Sd per lb ; boiling do., 4d to 5d per lb • stewing do., 4d to 66. per lb ; Bteak, 6d to 9d per lb ; mutton, 3d to 6d per lb ; veal, 4d to 8d per lb ; pork, 6d to 8d per lb : lamb, 2s to 3s 6d per quarter.