MARKET REPORTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14611, 19 February 1908, Page 9

MARKET REPORTS.

GRAIN AND PRODUCE. . Since last report little* business has ' been done in wheat, and on the whole the tone of the market' shows a weakening tendency. , Increased quantities are now coming on to the market, but holders, particularly those who have accommodation for storage, show littlo disposition to' accept current prices, being satisfied to await the better prices which, in view of the threatened shortnge, they are convinced will rule before many months, j During the week few sales have been made, the principal causo being that buyers were not proEared to concede the prices asked by olders. A few lines have been sold ' as low as 4s per bushel at country stations, but the majority of the sales made were on a, basis .'of from 4s Id to 4s 3d at country stations. Oats are coming forward freely, but . the market is somewhat easier. In s)ost cases, as with wheat, growers are Hot _ particularly anxious to sell, preferring to await developments. The ' sales made have been unimportant, and included 500 sacks Gartons at 2s 2d - end 200 sacks Sparrowbills at 2s, both et country stations. News'has been received that 5000 tons of oats are now fen''the way from Durban to Australia, 2000 tons being consigned to Perth, 2000 tons to Melbourne, and 1000 tons to Sydney. Next month shipments aggregating 10,000 tons are expected to reach the Commonwealth from South Africa. It is not known whether this grain. was grown in South Africa (considerable quantities of oats are now grown in the Orango River .Colony), or whether it has been transhipped at Durban from the Argentine, where the present year’s harvest has been an unusually: prolific one. Should theso shipments continue, it is feared that they will seriously' affect the local market-. i The greater part, of the season’s barley has ; now passed out of growers’ hands, aHd consequently little business is' passing in that cereal. Quotations are unchanged. Cocksfoot continues very firm, and prices ranging from 53d to 6d have been paid for 131 b seed during the week. The quantity offering has been limited, and in most cases holders are firm in hheir demands. The offerings of ryegrass since last . report have been almost nil. The prices ruling in Southland are about on a par with those current in Canterbury. ' Potatoes are obtainable in fair quantities at £5 per ton at country stations, and onions, which are now comingon to the market freely, realise £’s 5s per ton. The price of fresh eggs has advanced to Is* 2d per dozen, t The following quotations are for purchases from farmers, net cash, sacks extra, except wnere otherwise specified : “Wheat New season’s 4s Id to 4s 2d at country stations, sacks extra. Oats —New season’s Duns 2s, Gartons 2s Id to 2s 2d/ Sparrowbills 2s to 2s IS, Canadians 2s Id to 2s 2d, at country stations. Barley—Extra prime os to os 3d, second quality 4s to ss. / Chaff—Oatsheaf, new season's, £3, at coun- . try stations. Potatoes —New season’s £5 per ton. X Onions—£s os at country stations. Peas—Partridge and Prussian Blue nominial Oatmeal—£l4. Flour—The New Zealand Flourmillers’ Cooperative Association, Limited, quotes the following prices per ton, local or shipping: Sack 3 £ll, 1001 b bags £ll 10s, 50lb bags £ll 15s, 251 b bags £l2. Bran £5 ss, pollard £6. Seeds—New season’s ryegrass 23 9d to 3s 6d, old to 5Jd per lb; cocksfoot s£d to 6d. -Dairy Produce'—Cheese, dairy, large 6d, loaf eld; factory, large 6}d to GJd. Butter, fresh: local factory prints -Is 2d. bulk 13d, second grade Hid; farm separator lid, farm dairy Cd. Hams BJd. Bacon, rolled sides 9d, sides ?id. Fresh eggs, Is 2d per doz. , FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. The quotations for yesterday’s sales of fruit and vegetables were as follow: ■ —Apples, prime dessert se, cooking 3s per case; peans, 2s to 3s; plums, local 2s to 3s; peaches 4d to 63d; nectarines, 8d per lb; mushrooms, 8d; grapes, local hothouse 9d; mulberries, 4d; oranges-, • San Francisco 12s to 16s, Italian 200’s 17s to 18s; lemons, Italian 300’s 20s, ISO’s and 180’s 9s to 10s; tomatoes, Id to Ijd per lb; cucumbers, Is to 2s per box; onions, local strings 8s per cwt; ; potatoes, id per lb; cabbage, Sd to Is Dd per dozen;'cauliflower, Is 6d to 3s ' per dozen; peas, 6d to Sd per peck; marrows (plentiful), Is Cd to 2s 6d per dozen; rhubarb., Is 6d per dozen. RANGIORA. The Rangiora market was well attended yesterday. There was a yard--ing of about 3500 sheep, 50 cattle and 60 pigs. Fat lambs—Prime made 14s 3d to 17s 9d, and medium 11s to 13s 7d. The principal sales were:— For T. Pulley, 177 at 14s 2d to 17s 9d; F. M’Giffert, 76 at 14s 4d; W. M’lntosh, 80 at 13s; George iDuncan, 61 at 14s 4d; Joseph Barker, 99 at 12s lOd; M. Rienahan, 71 at 16s Sd; R. and C. M’lntosh, 40 at 13s Bd, and ,71 at 14s 4d; M. Fitzgibbin, 31 at 13s lOd; Mrs Bennett. 23 at 12s 8d; George Pearson, 43 at 10s lid to 14s lOd; W. Cunningham, 32 at 13s 9d, and-,35 at 14s 3d; A. White, 11 at 13s sd; J. White, 10 at 13s; P. Kennedy, 15 at 13s; C. J. Willis. 16 at 13s 7d; J. Read. 19 at 13s 6d; R,/Peach, 60 at- 12s lOd ; T. Bnrgin, 285 at-13s Sd; W. Plaskett, 99 at 16s 2d;' W. Stringer, 129 at 13s; T. Leech, 116 at 14s 4d ; C. M. Williams, 19 at 13s 7d; T. Wyllie, 32 at 14s Id. Fat wethers made 15s to 16e sd, fat ewes 9s 6d, 11s 6d to 14s, store lambs 9s to IQs 6d Cattle —Fat steers realised £6 10s to £7 10s, fat cows £4 15s to £6, fat heifers £4 10s to £5 -10 s, springers £6 to £B, two-year-olds £2 5s to £3, yearlings 20s to 275. Pigs—Baconers made 48s to 635, porkers 36s to 425, forward-stores 32s to 475, stubblers 28s to 30s, small pigs 9s, 12s 6d to 17s. In the produce yards:—Lambskins told at 2«, pelts le 6d to 2s, hides 3Jd a lb. calfskins Is 6d, fat lid, half-bred wool Bd, cross-bred 6d, pieces 3d,, locks 2d ; roosters 5s 6d a couple, hens 2s. pullets 3® 6d, geese 3s 6d, ducks 2s; chick-wheat 4s a bushel, oats 2s 6d, barley 3s 6d, pig-meal 8s a sack, potatoes |d per lb; . plums id per, lb, peaches 3d, : apricots 3d, apples 2s a case. TIN WALD, V There was a good attendance at the atock sale held at. Tinwald yards yesterday, and the entry showed a marked

improvement on late markets. A better tone prevailed throughout, though no improvement was noticeable in the prices. The total yarding comprised 30 cattle and 6500 sheep. The yarding,of fat sheep consisted of ewes with a large percentage of lambs. Ewes were in excess of the demand, but for lambs good competition resulted, export buyers operating freely. The following were the prices obtained :—Best butchers’ ewes from 12s 3d to 13s 6d, medium 10s 3d to 11s 3d, inferior 7s to 9s 9d; best wethers, to 16s 9d, medium 12s 6d to 13s lid, others 10s 9d to 11s; best freezing lambs 14s 4d to 15s lOd, medium 11s 7d to 13s lOd, inferior 9s 9d to 10s. Sales were:—Lambs—so at 11s 7d, 53 at 12s, 28 at 13s Id, 28 at 13s lOd, 33 at 14s Id, 43 at 15s 10(1, 135 at 15s lOd. The yarding of store sheep' was the largest for some months past, and a good clearance was effected, butprices were far from encouraging. Sales were:—Ewes—l74 two, four and eight-tooth cross-breds at Bs, 400 four-year-old cross- bred ewes at 10s 9d, 200 do at 10s .-7d, 200 do _at 10s Bd, 576 do at 10s 3d, 558 three-year-old do at 10s 9d, 750 failing-mouth half-breds at 5s 9d, 101 fair-mouth merino ewes and 121 lambs (all counted) at 7s, 61 six and eight-tooth cross-breds at 13s 7dj boilers made from lid to 3s 6d; 137 two-tooth half-bred wethers sold at 9s. Sales of lambs were:—64s half-breds (mixed sexes) at 6s. Bd, 80 do at Ss 3d, 50 do at 8s lid, 96 do at 10s lid, 58 do at ‘lls. Store cattle showed little improvement. Prices were: —Small stores 12s 6d, springers £2, cows in

profit £2 12s 6d, dry cows £1 5s to £2 2s 6d. Fat cattle were in demand. Heifers made £3 12s 6d to £7 10s, steers £5 10s to £6 10s, cows £5 to £6 12s 6d. '