TIMARU GRAIN MARKET.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8271, 16 October 1915, Page 7

TIMARU GRAIN MARKET.

(Per Press Association). TIMAKU, October 15. Repenting at leisure is what some South Canterbury'fanners arc doing at present—those who declined to accept 7s for their wheat' when it was offered. There is a. fair number of such farmers in the district." It is said that in one locality throe neighbouring wheat grow-. ■ers each hold 1000 sacks, for which they could have got 7s per bushel early in the season. And those by no means exhaust the list of those who gambled on the. chance of getting a still bigger price than that above quoted. Several grower-s have been seeking bids for. their wheat, from merchants in town this week, but there are practically no buyers except at prices which holders decline to accept. Nominally, trhe value to-day of prime milling wheat is 4s' 3d country .stations. Local millers are well stocked and do not consider that they will be under any necessity to pay abnormally high prices for wheat again in the near future. Satisfaction is ex-, pressed that the Premier now sees the desirableness of permitting a limitedexport of our surplus wheat, and it is hoped that he will act quickly in the matter, otherwise it will be too late for 1 the Dominion to benefit by supplying Australia with the wliea I she at present needs. The misleading official statistics which caused the price of wheat to soar so high, and the Government, to import some wheat unnecessarily, hnvo cost the country some thousands of pounds, but a portion at leas? of this could be [ regained if it were made possible to sell to Australia.

■ A'Chrisicliurch merchant is ■ reported to have dono a good stroke of business for his iirjn.f)v selling the whole of his stock ol' wheat at 7k 2d, some months ar.ro, jviul bnyuio; it since fit 4k. By reason of the rains lately cxperi-

i enced the oat market is easier, as feed is now moro plentiful than formerly. Very few outs are offering/ and the bulk oi' tlie business in this cereal continues to be done from Southland. Potatoes are apparently in short supply. Sales are being made at £7 per ton, though comparatively few tubers are offering. In'sorna eases' Holders are asking as much as £8 10s. but they are not getting it.