MARKET REPORTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11538, 26 March 1898, Page 6

MARKET REPORTS.

GRAIN AND PRODUCE

There is little change to report in the local grain and produce markets. Millers show but little disposition to operate, and only offer from 3s lid to 4s Id at country stations, and even at these prices they profess to be indifferent about operating. The prices offered from Auckland do not allow of speculators buying for that port, and it is reported that already orders have gone from there for Australian wheat. Millers contend that they are not justified in giving more than they are at present offering for wheat, as flour is being offered at .£lO f.o.b. at Sydney, and this, with a 5s freight and the duty of £1 per ton, would allow of its being landed in Auckland at prices below what the Canterbury article could be supplied there. Considerable activity, however, prevails in South Canterbury in the wheat market, and at Ashburton the scarcity of prime lines causes higher prices to rule at the local mills. A correspondent writing from there yesterday says;—“ Very little wheat has been offered during the week, but ready sale has been found tor all lots placed on the market. With very few exceptions the wheat sold is placed on trucks and railed to Otago, but the local mills are buying up any tempting lots of really prime quality. The prices ruling, are on the same basis as those of last week, but the market closes with a firm feeling. Many farmers who have placed their growings in store are to quit, as they hope for still higher prices, but those who are now threshing are in nearly every case selling from the machine.'" Local buyers do not seem inclined to give the prices asked for oats, except where they are compelled to buy for immediate requirements, and holders are very firm in their demands; consequently but little has been done. At Ashburton this cereal is still in good demand, and any good seed sorts offering readily command 2s fid, while feed sorts are bringing 2s 2s to 2s 3d. The market there, however, was slightly affected yesterday by Southland oats being offered at lower rates than the local article. There has been no demand for barley for local consumption, but several lines of malting have been taken at 4s fid f.o.b. for shipment both north and south. The inquiry for oatsheaf chaff has fallen off slightly, but several lines have been taken for export at 80s f.o.b. Holders of potatoes are firming in their demands, and not much business is passing, although from 50s to 52s fid is being given for immediate delivery. Latest quotations are ; Wheat. —Old Pearl 4s 4d to 4s sd, Tuscan 4s 3d to 4s 4d, Hunter’s 4s Id to 4s 2d ; now Pearl, Tuscan and Hunter’s 4s to 4s 2d at country stations. Oats. —Milling Canadians 2s 4d, steut feed 2s 3d to 2s 4d, Duns and Danish 2s 3d to 2s fid.

Barley. —New prime malting 4s to 4s fid, good 4s, feed 2s 3d to 2s fid, scarce. Flour. —Millers quote roller £ll, stone £lO, sharps £4 10s, bran £3 ss.

Oatmeal.—£l2. Oatsheaf Chaff. —65s at country stations for bright clean quality. Beans. — Scarce, 2s 9d to 2s lOd. Peas.— Blue Prussian 4s to 4s 3d, Partridge 3s 3d to. 3s 4d. Potatoes.— -Derwents 50s to 52s 6d at country stations. Onions. —Bos. ■ , Grass Seed.— Ryegrass, farmers’ lots, 2s 3d.to 3s 6d; machine-dressed 3s 9d to 4s 3d, • heavy-weight 4s 6d, ‘ Cocksfoot, farmers’ lines, 'discoloured 2d to 2-id, bright seed 2sd to 3d. Dairy Produce. —-Cheese 35 d to 4d, loaf 4d to sd. Butter; —Fresh factory lOd, ditto in boxes 9d, * best dairy -8d vto '9d ; salt (in boxes) 7d for prime. ■ 'Bacon and hams 6.)d to Bd. ■ The above prices, except where otherwise stated, are those paid to farmers f.o.b. Lyttelton. [Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, March 25. Auckland roller flour is quoted at .£l2 per ton for sacks; southern roller flour do £l2] wheat meal, £l2; bran in 1001 b sacks, £4; sharps in 2001 b sacks, £5 ; new southern wheat, 4s 3d (sacks extra); new local wheat, 4s 3d (sacks extra); fowlwheat, 4s (sacks included). INVERCARGILL, March 25. There are repeated inquiries from Canterbury for oats. Quotations have firmed in this market, and farmers in the Gore district are now asking equal to 2s Id, f.o.b. (sacks in), for new oats. There is no change in wheat to report. The barley market remains firm at last week’s quotations. Very little ryegrass is offering; small shotty seed sells readily at from 2s 3d to 2s 9d for mill-dressed, and up to 3s 3d for machine-dressed (sacks extra, on trucks, Invercargill).

LEESTON. A good yarding and a fair attendance of the public characterised this market yesterday." A nor’-west, w.ind made things decidedly unpleasant during the forenoon, but calmed down during the afternoon. Sheep sold fairly well, one line—some wellfinished wethers from Meadowbank — making 13s 2d. Pigs showed no sign of receding in values, one line of prime baconers topping the market at 60s each. Cattle showed but little alteration in recent quotations, but a little more spirit was evinced for good fat stock. Appended are a few quotations : —Sheep— Butchers’ ewes, 4s 6d to 6s, one line of wethers, however, realising 13s 2d; breeding ewes, 45.6 d to 5s 6dstore wethers*fis, to 7s 9d; boilers, Is 3d’to2sld. Prime baconers, 40s to 60s;-..stores, 23s' to. 30s; weaners, 6s 3d to 12s 6d. Cattle—A few; good yopng springers made from <£4 to IOsV, store cattle, unsaleable: . V ' WAIKAEI. , ' ,i; ' There was' an entry of about 8000 sheep at the Waikari, monthly market yesterday. The prices - obtained were':—Forward, wethers 9s to 9s 6d, backward do 7s 2d to 8s 6d, young cross-bred breeding .ewes 6s 6d to 7s 6d, older sorts 3s 6d to ss, merino ewes (sound mouth) 2s 2d to 2s 6d, store lambs 2s 6d to ss, boilers at full' current values. / ' BARFIELD. Close upon twenty thousand sheep were yarded at the usual weekly sale at Barfield yesterday, and the attendance was larg-e. The heavy north-westers which have passed pver the district during the past week or so have completely parched up the feed, and in many instances have damaged very much what at one time promised to be good turnip crops. This fact has forced many holders to place their sheep on the market, and accounts in some measure for the heavy yarding of sheep yesterday. The bulk of the sheep were stores, but there were also some very good lines of fat wethers and lambs, and a couple of large station of soundmouthed merino ewes. Freezing wethers of good duality showed an advance on the prices ruling at Addington on Wednesday, and, if anything, fat lambs were also better. Best turnip wethers were in good demand, and showed an improvement on late prices, but buyers exhibited a decided disinclination bid for anything backward, recognising that the scarcity of feed would not allow their being got into condition for finishing off this season. Merino ewes were very much easier, and did not bring within 2s of the prices ruling at the Culverden sale, and boilers were not much sought after, the market being in the hands of one 1 buyer. Fat cross-bred wethers brought from 12s to 14s 6d, fat lambs Ss 6d to 10s Bd, store do 5s 6d to 7s 6d, and culls 2s 6d to 4s 6d; good mixed two-tooth 6s to Bs, backward do 5s 9d to 7s; sound-mouthed cross-bred breeding ewes from 2s to 5s 6d, and up to 7s for an extra good lino, sound-mouthed

merino ewes from Is 4d to 2s 9d; crossbred boilers from Is to 2s 4d, according to condition and fleece, and merino do from 8d to Is. Amongst the principal sales were:—Pat lambs for Mr A. Beatty at 10s Bd, for Mr J. Warren at 10s fid, and Messrs Reid Brothers at 10s5d; two-tooth forward wethers from Mr D. Pinkney, at 10s 8d and do half-bred ewes at 9s fid: Mr James Rudd, turnip wethers up to 10s fid; Swincombe, two-tooth wethers at Ss 3d to 8s 5d and do ewes at 7s fid; and Messrs Matheson and Sons 5 four-tooth turnip wethers at 9s 3d.