MARKET REPORTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13934, 16 December 1905, Page 2

MARKET REPORTS.

GRAIN AND PRODUCE. No business of importance has transpired since last report. Holders of wheat have raised their demands, but | there is ,at present no inquiry. The demand for oats has also ceased. It is estimated that the area of the growing wheat crop is 30,000 to 40,000 acres below that of last season, when the area was returned as 258,015 acres, and the actual yield was computed at 9,123,673 bushels, being at the rate of 35.36 bushels per acre. Besides the present crop being smaller in extent it is unlikely to reach the high average yield of last season; taking the area at 220,000 acres, and the yield at 32 bushels per acre a prod fiction of 7.040.000 bushels is arrived at. The estimated consumption in the colony for food and seed will be about 6.250.000 bushels, leaving an apparent surplus ofi under 800,000 bushels. There must, however, be larger stocks of wheat and flour on hand at present than there were at this time last year (when the stock at October 31 was returned at 2,912,583 bushels), so that given an average harvest there is no danger of any shortage in the supply for the ensuing year. On the other band the margin, of samples is not so large as to cause any anxiety regarding its disposal. The area in oate will probably prove to be slightly larger than last year’s. The following quotations are for purchases from farmers net cash, sacks extra: — Wheat.—Prime milling, mixed lines, 3s 2df to 3s 3d; slightly weathered, dry 2s lid to 3s, at country stations. Oats.—Prime heavy: Canadian's and Duns 2s, other descriptions Is lid; discoloured' and light samples Id to 2d less; all at country stations. Flour.—The New Zealand Flour Millers Co-operative Association, Limited, quotes the following prices, per ton, local or shipping; 1 Flour, sacks £9, 1001 b bags £9 10s, 601 b bags £9 15s, 251 b bags £10; pollard £5; bran £4, f.o.b. Oatmeal.—£ll Chaff. —Oatsheaf, prime bright 60s, second quality 565, at country stations. Peas.—Partridge 3s 3d, Prussian Blue 2s 6d to 2s Od, extra prime to 3s, Blue Imperial (boilers) 3s Cd, Ivory White 4s, at country stations. Beans.—2s lOd to 3s per bushel, at country si ations. Seeds.—Eyegrass, farmers’ linos, good Bs, medium 2s 6d to 2s 9d, Italian 2s 6d to 8s per bushel at Addington. Cocksfoot, fair to bright 131 b seed 32d, 141 b 4d, light and discoloured Sd per lb. Cowgrass, good 7d to 7Jd, fair quality 6d to 6Jd per lb. White clover, ordinary 6d to 7d per lb. Potatoes.—Derwents £l2 at country star tions. Dairy Produce.—Cheese, dairy 4Jd to sd, factory, large aid to 5Jd, medium 5Jd, .loaf 6d Butler, fresh, local factory prints IOJd, bulk lOd, dairy butter 7d to Bd, farm separator 8d to 9d. Hams and bacon, local factory 7d to 7Jd. Fresh eggs lid per- dozen. NORTH OTAGO. [From Oun Correspondent.] OAMARU, December 15. The wheat market is quieter than at the end of last week, millers having apparently satisfied immediate requirements. There is still a limited inquiry, particularly from the North Island, but the best price offering is 3s 6d at sidings, and millers seem indisposed to pay so much. Sales have taken place at 3s 5d at sidings for Tuscan and Velvet, and 3s 4d for Red-' chaff, but holders are not inclined to accept these prices as a rule. Fowl wheat is worth up to 3s 2|d f.0.b., but the supply us limited. Oats are very scarce, the supply being /only sufficient for local requirements. Current quotations are Is lid to 2s for prim© milling, or bright feed, and if anything the market shows an easier tendency. Potatoes are not being handled in wholesale quantities. Small lots of Derwents are still picked up occasionally, and' sales; were effected during the week at £l4 f.o.b. Kidneys' are only in retail parcels at present at 2d to 2id per lb. DUNEDIN. [Per Press Association.] DUNEDIN, December 15. 'Wheat.—Very little is to hand, and of this only the best is taken up by millers. There is still a considerable d eta and for medium' and fowl wheat. Prime milling 3s 5d to 3s 7d, medium 3s 3d to 3s 4d, best fowl feed 3s Id to 3s 2d, broken 2s lOd to Bs, sacks extra. Oats.—Prices show no change. Very little exporting seems to have been done, most of the lines coming forward being taken for local consumption. Prime milling 2s 2d to 2s 3d, good to best feed 2s Id to 2s lid, medium le lOd to 2s, sacks extra., CLEARING SALE. Messrs H. Matson and Co. report having held a successful clearing sale on Tuesday, at Heslerton, Duiusandel, on behalf of Mr W. A. Nixon,- who has sold his property. The principal feature of the sale was the sheep, about 2000 of which were penned, mostly comprising woolly ewes, with 1500 lambs at’foot. Those sold at from 13s 5d to _l3s Bd, all counted. A line of 160 six-tooth woolly ewes (dry) made 21s, 330 woolly hoggets 17e 6d, "50 fat ewes 19s Bd, 25 do 18e. Draught horses realised from £4O to £6O 10s; and a Berlin mar© and foal brought 37-Jgs. Cattle and sundries also sold well. FISH. Owing to an abundant supply and a very limited demand during the hot weather, the markets have been thoroughly disorganised, fish having to he sacrificed at rates that would not pay the fishermen for catching, and in some cases net even the carriage. Prices are *— G*rop , BT 6<l to 5s -oacli, soles Is to 12s par dozen, flounders Is 3d to 10s 6d per dozen, red cod 4s 6d to 7d per dozen, moki 2s 6d to 7s per dozen, tarakihi 6d to 3s per dozen, ling Is to 2s 3d each, barraoouta 3s to 5s 6d per dozen, kingfish 7s 6d to 15s per dozen, trevalli Is to 4s 9d per dozen, eels Is 6d to 2s 3d per dozen, conger Is to Is 3d each, herrings 3s to 7s per case, crayfish 12s per sack, whitebait Is to Is 6d per lb.