COMMERCIAL.

Evening Star, Issue 12028, 28 October 1903, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

the outlook in the Indian and Ceylon tea industry lias been gradually improving for some time past, the over-production that ms for several years burdened the markets with excessive supplies having at lermth been brought into a better relation to the demand for the product. The trade reports show that stocks are gradually beiiK” reduced, and the estimates of the world's requirements are in excess of the probable supplies, if a resort to ‘'coarse plucking'’ can be avoided. The prices obtained, nevertheless, indicate that the whole..a.lt* markets have been somewhat sluggish hi ivsp, -aiding to the improved statistical position, and though a number of the companies -ng.i.ged in tea-planting were, able to" secure bettor results last season than for several years previously. Die industry, as a whole, is still m an unsatisfactory condition as regards the average return upon the capital emnloveci in it. 1 ' THE MARKETS. Press Association—By Telctrraph—Copyright, LONDON, October 27 (Received October 23. at 9.2 a.m.) Australian butter sold at 108s. ft is expected that prices will dediim as arrivals increase. The supples of foreign are Iffiriy to be plentdiil. Consols, £BB 2s 6d. CopiXT; Spot. £6O: three months. £AI I2s 6d.

£llß 7s 6;]; ,hr, ' e months i/119 10s.

Silver, 2s 3 l-16d per oz. (Received October 28, at 10.21 a.m.) The quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the Lotted (Kingdom is 1,780,000 quarters anu for the Continent 1,635.000. The .ship! ments from American Atlantic ports are Titers, and from Pacific ports lb,ooo quarters. The Australian ami New Zealand Mortgage Company’s stock is quoted at £36 10s.

SOUTHLAND PRODUCE MARKETS.

[Special to the Stab.]

INVERCARGILL, October 23 —The local grtffn market is, if anything, duller than last week, and both oats and wheat are lower in price, while chaff has suffered a considerable mop. The merchants have refused to buv ail the week, and farmers have sent on their spring-threshed cats to the Bluff for storage. The shipments for the week total about 10,000 sacks, and of these 9,000 were slapped per Somerset for Africa, of which 7,000 sacks were B grade and the rest fair average quality. The remainder went to Australia—about 500 sacks for Western Australia, B grade, sold at Is 6d, f.0.b., less a brokerage, and about 500 sacks of rejects were shipped to Sydney on consign- ■ ent. Prime milling wheat, -though offeronly in small quantities, is easier in . ' : e, and in consequence no business has 1 done during the week. For prime ■ek there is still a good demand, and sales at 5s sd, f.0.b., have been made to both Auckland and Wellington merchants, while 3s 4d, f.0.b., is cm offer from Melbourne iu several places. Chaff has gone back again, and is being delivered in town in ton lots at £2los and £2 12s 6d, netting farmers from £2 to £2 5s at country stations. Sawmillers are the only buyers for the large quantities of discolored chaff that is offer-' mg, and then only in limited quantities. However, the whole chaff market is dull, and the demand is very small when compared with the supply. Farmers finding the telling of discolored oats almost an impossibility, have cub largo quantities of sheaf into chaff, and are finding, if anything, a worse demand forrtheir produce in this form, TLe demand from the North for ryegrass seed has improved, and is st3l hardening. Sales haate been made at 3s-6d and 3a £4

for dressed reed, while farmers’ dressed lias been sold at 3n, and direct from mill at 2s to 2s 6d. according to sample. The grain mid traffic, for the week ended 24th inst. on the. Southland section has been 6.834 sacks, making the total to date 505.491 sacks.

.AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE REPORTS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. ill. craved October 28, at 10.10 a.in.) SiDNEY, October 28.—Wheat ; Chick, O. o:i to 4:- 4 1 ; milling—South. .Australian, 4n bd ; Argtniinc. 4s 7>i. Elmir, £l2; Manitoban, £l2 iss. Oats; Reding, New Zealand, 2s 6d ; milling. 2s 8d to 2s 3d. Barley, feeding, 2s 3d. Maize, 3s to 3s 2d ; Argentine, 2s Bd. Bran, 7jd. Pollard, BUI. Straw. New Zealand. £2 10s. Potatoes: Old. £2 10s to £5 10s; new Early Rose, £5 to £6. Onions to £2 15s. Butter, 9d to 9jd. Bacon. 9d to lid. MELBOURNE, October 28.—Wheat: American, 4s 8d to 4s lOd. Flour, £ll to £ll 10s. Oats; .Algerian, feeding, la 2d to Is 3d ; milling to Is 8d; New Zealand. 2s 3d. Mans-. 2s 6d. Bran 10d. Pollard, 9/,-d. Potatoes. £1 15s to £2 ss. Onions £1 5s to £2. ’

ADELAIDE, October 28—Wheat: Old, 5s ; new, 2s 3d. December delivery flour! £ls. Bran, Bd. Pollard, lOd.

BURNSIDE STOCK SALES

, _ This l)av. Cattle. 107 yarded. Extra line bulbcks, £l2 10s; good. £lO IQs to £ll 7s 6d • medium, £9 to £9 17s 6d ; others, £8 2s 6d t £8 los. Best wars. £9 10s ; medium. £b n> £8 15s; others, £6 10s to £7 7s 6<L Sheep. 1.605 yarded, uuo sold oxcepttonalh well. Best wethers, 295; medium, z.os to 26s 6d ; others, 22s to 24s 9d. Best ewes, 25s od; medium, 2ls to 22s 3d • others, 19s 6d to £1 0s 9d,

Lambs.—3s yarded. Prices firmer. Best iambs, 18s 6d ; medium. 1 'is 9d to 16s 6d : others, 12s to 13s 6d.

Rigs.—s2 yarded. Buckets, 20s to 21s 6d ; none yarded ; stores, 23s to sos ; porkers, 56s to 455; hacoucrs, 53s u> 655. No big pigs yarded.