MARKET REPORTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15557, 6 March 1911, Page 4

MARKET REPORTS.

NORTH OTAGO. IFhou Our Correspondkht.'j OAMARU, March 4. A fair quantity of wheat has changed hands here, during tho week, but on a •lightly lower basis of values. The nost important transaction was one comprising 2300 sacks of Velvet, for which 3s net at a country station was riven. Other sales of the. same variety ncluded 400 sacks and 300 sacks, both it 3s not, delivered at the mill, 350 •.acks at 3s and 2(30 sacks at 3s Id, ic th less commission, delivered in Tama.ni, and 200 sacks at 2s lid, less •onimission, at a country station, bolides several smaller parcels at the same rates. For a prime line of 500 lacks of Rod Tuscan 3s, reducible by brokerage, was given, while another line of Tuscan of 400 sacks was taken at 2s lid net, delivered at the mill, and other smaller parcels changed 'lands at 2s lid and 2s 11 }<], less commission. at country stations. A mixed line, embracing 300 sacks of Velvet, 75 of Red Chaff and 50 of Tuscan, was taken at 3s, less commission, at a country station, hut a penny less was accepted for another mixed line of 120 sacks, in which the Velvet was slightly smutted. For a line consisting of 300 sacks of Velvet and 200 of'Tuscan 2s 11 Jd net was given at a country station. A number of sales of Garton oats, in .parcels ranging from 100 to 200 sacks each, were made at Is 10}d not and 2s, less commission, at country stations, and is 11 Jd and 2s o}d net, delivered in Oaniani. There has been a. downward movement in potatoes. Early ill the week £3 os and £3 2s (3d not, on trucks, were given, hut since then several transactions have been booked at. £3 net, at country stations, and to-day £2 15s was accepted for a considerable line.

SOUTHLAND. (From Ocr Oorrf.spoxdevt 1 INVERCARGILL, March 3. Fat Sheep.—No business has been passing this week outside of local butchers’ requirements, freezing buyers not being able to operate on anything like the prices growers are asking. The market being thus limited, values have somewhat eased, and now rule from 13s to 17s for prime wethers up to 10s for lighter weights. Fat ewes continue very numerous, and can he acquired at from 10s to 13s. Fat Lambs.—The freezing works have restarted operations, hut a good many of the lambs on offer aro hardly sufficiently forward in condition for expert purposes, tho dry weather having affected the feed, and farmers for tho same reason being desirous to sell sooner than otherwise would he tho case. London p'ices do not allow of operations at anything over id per lb, 12s to 13s (id being present values, according to weights. Store Sheep.—The store sheep market is very unsatisfactory. Feed is drying up everywhere, and farmers are moro eager to sell than to buy. The market accordingly lias suffered a decided fall, and until a change occurs in atmospheric conditions no improvement can take place. Good young owes are, nevertheless, not neglected, two-tooths selling up to l(ss, four-tooths up to 17s and six and eight-tooths up to 15s. Older owes are very hard to quit. Fat Cattle.—Northern buyers are holding off and business is restricted to local butchers, but nevertheless the “fat” market is very firm at 2t3s to 27s (3d per 1001 b for prime ox beef, and 21s to 23s for cow and heifer beef. Holders anticipation gradual rise within the next few weeks.

Oats.--Samples of new season’s oats forwarded are increasing in number, and to-dny several lines will probably ho on offer. The new season’s sample is generally very bright, and the oats are well filled. Stocks of old oats are low, and with a fair inquiry from tho north, merchants would be able to do business at from Is 10}d to Is 11 <1 per bushel lor Gortons and Is lOd to Is 10-}d for A Sparrowbills, with id loss in each case for Ji grades. Farmers’ ideas of values, however, are Us on trucks for either Gartons or Sparrowbills, but those terms appear to be slightly above shipping values. Chaff—This commodity is restricted to local and Otajio demands, and on trucks values for old arc about £3 15s per ton and £3 os to £3 10s for new. Ryegrass—Northern merchants are not buying just now. and the demand lor tho North Island has not realised expectations, southern values not being appreciated in that quarter. Very little business is therefore passing, and in tho absence of inquiries values can only he nominally quoted at from 2s 9d to 3s per bushel. Wheat—The new season’s crop is now coining freely to the local mills, and its quality is more than equal to that of any previous year in Southland. Somo of the bigger growers have not yet been visited by tile threshing mills, but from the reports received it is apparent that wheat has been much more extensively grown in Southland this year than usual. The Southland millers will, however, be able to accommodate all of the locally produced article, and will, accordingly, not be compelled to buy from outside quarters oil so largo a scale as in previous years. Current values are:—Prime velvet 2s lid to 3s, rod straw and Tuscan 2s lOd to 2s lid, M’Callum's 2s P-d to 2s lOd (all on trucks at eountrv stations). Potatoes

--Some inquiries are already being received for shipping orders, but the potatoes are still too much on the green side to reach the north in good condition, and some six or eight weeks will elnpso before shipping becomes general. Some sales are taking place for forward delivery. but it is altogether a matter for speculation what the market will be two months hence. Present Auckland prices are. equivalent to £3 on trucks at country stations in Southland. For local consumption £3 10s on trucks is now fair value.

LEE3TOX HORSE FAIR. A horse fair was held at Leeston on Thursday. There was a large attendance and bidding was very brisk, particularly for draughts, which wore practically all disposed of at satisfactory prices. Good young draughts brought from £35 to £44, one exceptionally nice mare being sold for £63. Good useful aged draughts made £25 to £3O, and best hacks and harness horses from £1(1 to £l6. An attractive-looking three-year-old gelding realised £l9 10s.

SHEFFIELD. At the Sheffield market on Friday the yarding of sheep and lambs totalled MOO, of which 2200 were in the fat pens, lambs numbering 1700, chiefly of a light class, only about iOO being prime freezers. About 200 wethers and 300 ewes made up the balance oi fats, mostly in small odd lots. Ewes formed the majority of tho stores, there 1-ing 1700 merinoes and 1400 cross-breds, the bulk being dealers' travelled lots and mixed ages sorts. The balance ol the yarding was made up of about 1900 lambs, chiefly good healthy sorts, with a few lines in good forward condition, small lots of wethers and a few ewes with lambs. There was a good attendance, and competition for fats was brisk, avid although a few lines were withdrawn, the prices given for most lines sold was fully equal to Addington rates. Taking into consideration the qualtiy of the bulk of the stores, this class met with a demand equal to other markets, and a fair number of the lots changed hands. Prices were:—Fat cross-bred wethers. 15s Id to 17s lid, fat lambs 13s Id to 15s Id. light and unfinished, 12s 7d to 12s lOd. fat cross-bred ewes 10s 2d to 14s 9d, fat merino owes 4s !)d to 7s l)d, two-tooth cross-bred wethers 13s to 13s Gd. two-tooth cross-bred ewes 13s to I ts 2d, four and six-tooth Pis 3d to 14s Id, mixed ages 9s 8d to 10s 8c!. full to failing-mouth 10s 3d, aged 5s 5d to 7s. aged merino ewes 3s 9d to 4s 7d. culls 2s Id. A line of 754 sound-mouth was withdraw at 8s 3d. Rapa lambs

brought 11s Gd to 12s, store lambs 8s to 10s 3d, small culls Gs Gd. Fifty liead of mixed cattle were penned. Sales were as follows:—Springers £6 12s Gd to £B, fifteen to eighteen-months cattle £2 7s to £2 14s, two-year-olds to £4 2s Gd. The noticeable sales were : —Fat Lambs—For E. Butler, 41 at 15s Id; T. Inn is, 92 at 18s Id to los; A Henry, 84 at 14s lid: J. Cullen, 90 at 14s 10(1; W. and G. Gray, 187 at 14s; H. W. Carter, IG2 at 18s 3d; A Dorman. 127 at 12s 9d. CRADDOCK, M’CJtOSTIE COMPANY. WEEKLY SALE REPORT. Messrs Craddock, M’Crostio Company report having sold during the past week the following properties: On account Mr W. 11. Marsh, residential property, Vogel Street, Richmond, to Mr Lancaster; account trustees estate of R. H. Sparkes (deceased) residential property No 70, Ferry Road, to Mr Alexander; account trustees, residential property, Wellington Street, Linwood, to Mr R. Beattie; account Public Trustee in the estate J. B. Mansfield (deceased), residential property, Eaton Place, City, to Mr Traynor. Also, by public auction, on account of the mortgagees, residential property Norwich Street, Linwood, to Mr Matthews; on account mortgagees, about five acres with dwelling and outbuildings, Upper lticcarton, to Air R. H. Jackson; on account of the owners, Lot 7, to W. A. Maun ; lots 1 and 2 to Mr M. F. Delacour; lot 8 to Mr Sinclair. Woodchester subdivision, North Richmond; also having let several houses in various localities, and held a successful clearing sale of contractor’s plant at the hospital on account of trustees in the estate of W. W. Smith (deceased). 339