AUSTRALIAN MARKETS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17096, 19 February 1916, Page 11

AUSTRALIAN MARKETS.

WOOL. SYDNEY, February 18. Fresh scoured wool reached record prices at the sales. For fleece wool 82Jd was obtained, and for pieces 31Jd, and bellies 21td.

. GRAIN AND PRODUCE. MELBOURNE, February 18. . .Bran, £4 10s; pollard, £6. Barley—English, 3s lOd to 4s Id; choice Chevalier to 4s 3d; Cape, 2s lid to 3s Id. Oats—Milling, Algerians scarce, 2s 2id to 2s-3d; feed, 2s 2Jd. Maize—6s 2d. Potatoes —£11 10s to £ll 15s. Onions—£3 10s to £5.

GRAIN AND PRODUCE. CHRISTCHURCH, February IS. The wheat market continues somewhat dull, and' little business is passing. The Government estimate of crop yields for tho season has upset the, market this week, as it is much, more liberal in quantity than was anticipated, with the result that buyers are holding off. Whether the estimate is correct or not remains to be seen, but. in the meantime the quantity of wheat changing hands is very small- There is practically no quotable change in values, and as .sellers are asking more than buyers are prepared to give, the market is lifeless. ’ •■; • ■ The oat market is still very slow. There is a little more coming on to the market,' the' copious growth after the recent rains, having in Many cases assured a good supply of' autumn feed. Supplies aro still short, however. Values have' in some cases shown a slight decline, but the quotations ruling last week, though sec-sawing a little, may be taken as a fair basis of tho values ruling today. Chaff is still dull. All other lines show no marked change. • The following quotations are for purchases from farmers net cash, sacks extra, delivered at country stations, the figures for the corresponding date' of 1915 being also given for purposes of ' comparison. (Note.— An asterisk indicates that the price is nominal, there being little or no demand): — February 18. February 17. 1916. 1915.

RANGIORA. K considerable' quantity of grain was on offer during the week at Rangiora and a failvolume of business, resulted. Wheat was,, a little easier in price, Tuacan of prime milling quality being quitted at 5s to 5s Id, and Pearl and Hunters at os Id to 5s 2d. Oats were also easier owing to dower quotations in the: North Island and the prospect of the Southland crops coming on-the market ait from 2s 4d to 2s 6d a bushel. Gartons.of A grado changed hands- at 3s 3d to 3s 4d, B grade 35.. 2d, Duns 3s 3d to 3s 4d. and Algerians 3s. 2d to 3.s 4d.. Oatsheaf chaff is in small demand on a basis of £4 10s to £5 p.cr ton, and no improvement isdik'elv for some.considerable time. Perennial ryegrass reed is quoted at 4s Od \o 6s a bushel, and Italian rye at Ss 3d.

general merchandise. , CHRISTCHURCH, February IS. Retailers report good business in all lines, and stocks are coming to hand well. There has been a small advance m the price of wax vestas, coincident with tho rise made by tho tobacconists. Small lines of Greek sultanas are coming to hand, but the price is high owing' to tho war troubles in that quarter. Stocks generally are low.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. CHRISTCHURCH, February IS. ' The market has been well supplied with s tono fruit during tho week, and tomatoes are plentiful. Mushrooms have come in towards the end of the week in large quantities The main crop of Toviot peaches is now ' coming in. There aro no bananas quoted. Quotations are:— a. a. s. n.

PIGS; There was a rapid increase in the price of pigs to-day, owing to tho recent’ rain 3. The sales were the best for the past, three months. Suckers and weaners brought 6s to 10s 6d, and small stores realised up to 17s 6d.

POULTRY. Sales of poultry have been good. High prices rule, and quotations aro as follow: Hens 3s to 5s 4d, ducklings 3s to 7s 3d, small roosters 2s fid to 3s Od, and l larger sorts to 7s id.

RANGIORA HORSE FAIR. At Tattcrsall's Bazaar. Rangtora, yesterday, thirty-four horses, principally draughts, were offered, and a satisfactory amount of business was . done. There was inquiry for good farm horses, and prices ranged from £l9 to £36. Hacks and light harness horses wero hard to quit.

KAIKOURA SHEEP FAIR. [From Our Correspondent.] , KAIKOURA, February 18. Tho annual sheep fair. at Kaikoura was held to-day, when there was an excellent, attendance of prospective buyers and others, tho visitors including representatives from places hundreds of miles apart, Blenheim a,nd mid-Canterbury farmers, being in evidence. Tho attendance, however, was much smaller than at some previous fairs. Overnight the weather had been damp and overcast, but before the sale opened the sky' cleared, the sun shono brightly, and tho fair was carried to a successful close under, adiqirable conditions. During tho last few months, owing to the scarcity of feed in the Kaikoura and surrounding districts, heavy drafts of sheep were sold to North Island buyers, and consequently the entry at to-day’s sale fell considerably below the offerings of some previous years. Tho day’s entries aggregated about 15,000, whilst at some earlier sales as many as 33,000 sheep were offered. • Tho quality of the sheep compared unfavourably with that of past years, old shoep forming tho bulk of the entry.

The palo was opened ~by Mr H. D. M’Donald, who, after mentioning that the present was the twenty-fifth annual fair, delivered an eulogium on the fate Mr F. H. Pyne, his statements being warmly endorsed, by all those present. Tho sale was an animated one for all classes, and values were above the parity of (Addington rates. A notablo line was ono o» 1706 two, four and six-tooth merino ewes from tho Kekcrangu Estate, which realised 15s. The stock offered represented all tho leading sheep farmers in the district, including Messrs J. W. Trolove, J. H. Goss, P. Acton Adams, It. A. Kennedy, G. D. Smith, .E. Parsons, A. Keenan, J. Peoples, J. Gallagher. J. Eaton, J. G. Garrett, F. Parsons, "F. Evans, ,T. , Campbell,. G. Eaton, I). Boyd, E. S. Palmer, Swyncombe Estate, Ludstone Estate, and Kekcrangu Estate.

tooth merino owes . lo 0 Lambs 3 10 to 16 9 Messrs Pyne and Co. sold '2O fat ewes and wethers at 235, 84 merino wethers 5s 6d, 57 two-tooth ewes 18s sd, 75 sound-mouthed ewes 133 3d, 2 fat ewes 17s, 19 cull merino ewes 3s 6d, 80 sound-mouthed ewes 10s Bd, 60 four-year merino ewes 6s lid, 80 soundmouthed owes 16s 4d, 14 failing-mouthed ewes 9s 4d, 57 fair-mouthed ewes, 7s 3d, 72 sound-mouthed ewes 10s 3d, 34 sound-mouthed ewes 10s, 11 fat ewes 18s 3d, 100 lambs 10s, 13 cull lambs 8 S 10d, 17 soundmouthed ewes 6s 3d, 55 aged owes 7s 6d, 40 lambs Ss 2d, 35 two-tooth ewes 16s, 22 twotooth wethers 14s 6d, 75 two-tooth ewes 14s 4d, 15 fat ewes :20s, 60 sound-mouthed ewes 9s 2d, 113: lambs (small) 6s sd, 104 sound,mouthed ewes 9s . 7d, 8 ewes (various ages) 133 3d,. 16 sound-mouthed .ewes Bs, 45 soundmouthec! ewes 11s 4<J, 18 lambs 11s,- 89 sound-mouthed ewes 9s, 103 lambs 8s 3d, o*2 lambs 9s 4d. 106 four, six and eight-tooth ewes 19s 7d, 69 sound-mouthed ewes 14s lOd, 105 sound-mouthed ewes 9s 9d, 182 four-year ewes 15s 9d, 123 sound-mouthed ewes 14s Bd, 158 sound-mouthed half-bred ewes 15s Bd, 494 sound-mouthed merino ewes 9s, 141 sound-mouthed ewes 16s 101. 120 two-tooth to sound-mouthed ewes 16s, 160 four, six and eight-tooth ewes 16s, 140 sound-mouthed ewes 13s 9cl, 114 sound-memthed three-quarter-bred ewes 13s 10d, 75 week-mouthed ewes 8s Id, 126 lambs 9s Id, 164 four, six and eighttooth ewes 15s Id, 146 sound-mouthed ewes 8s 9d, 138 t-two and four-tooth .wethers . 14s lid, 127 four-tooth ewes 14s 6d, 107 soundmouthed half-bred ewes 14s 7d, 473 lambs 7s 2d, 200 sound-mouthed ewes 14s 4d, 43 wethers 14s 3d, GO lambs 7s lOd, 143 soundmouthed ewes 11s, 31 lambs 11s 6d, 153 sound-mouthed ewes 20s 6d, 511 four, six and eight-tooth ewes 21s 2d, 311 four, six and sound-mouthed ewes 14s 6d; 540 soundmouthed merino ewes 5s Id, 206 two, four, six and eight-tooth merino ewes 15s. Messrs Dalgety and Co. sold 73 four, six and eight-tooth ewe s 15s 10d, 136 soundmouthed .ewes 14s 7d, 29 four nnd five-year merino wethers 3s 6d, 64 aged ewes 13s .3d, 27 Jambs. (forward) 13s 3d. 25 two, four, six and eight-tooth ewes 13s 7(1. 141 two, four, six. and eight-tooth 19s 6d. 55 lambs 12s lOd, 77 fair-mouthed cwe s 11s, 77 sound-mouthed ewes 17s, 148 two and four-tooth ewes 19s lid, 22 two-tooth ewes 17s Id, 4 four-tooth ewes 235, 21 sound-mouthed owes 12s, 42 sound-mouthed ewes 13s lOd, 56 lambs 9s Id. 200 two and four-tooth wethers 16s. 9d, 100 sound-mouthed ewes (Romney cross) 17s 2d, 185 lambs 10s sd, 300 owe lambs (small) 10s lOd, 219 owe lambs (small), 10s Od. . v Tho New Zealand Farmers’ Co-operative

Association sold 44 sound-mouthed ewes 13s Bd, 49 lambs 8s 4d, 8 fat merino wethers 16s 7d.

CULVERDEN. At the Culverden sale yesterday tho entry included about 1200 fat sheep, which found a ready sale. Amongst tho principal l° ts were:—For J. Hoban, 80 fat lambs at 20s; P. and \V. Hamilton, 217 at 19s fid; D. Thomson, 80 at 173 Gd ; ,T. Swancy, 40' at 18s 4d; IV. A. Scaifc, 64 at 18s 6d; D. u,. Rutherford, 68 at 17s; J. Butler, 70 at 17s 1 Ocl. Fat ewes—For T. and G. Thomson, 72 at 17s 4d, S at 17s fid; P. and W. Hamilton, GO at 17s 8d; J. Swaney, 70 at 17s 3d; J. Butler, 115 at 11s 9d. .

a. d. ». d. s. d. s. d, Wheat' . . 5 0 to 5 1 Oats — 6 6 to 6 9J 3 4 to 3 7 Gartons . 3 3 to 3 6 Algerians ' • , ?. ~ Duns . 3 9 to 4 0 3 6 to 4 0 2 9 to 3 0 Danish • -3 9 to 4 , 0 2 3 to 2 10 Barley . . 6 .3 to 5 6 5 0 to 5 Peas — Partridge . * 9 4 0 Blue Prussians • 6 ® None offering Bran . . 100 0 145 0 Chaff • , . 90 0 to 95 95 0 to 100 0 Pollard .180 0 160 0 Oatmeal • 400 0 Flour • 2 6D 0 Seeds — 380 0 310 0 9 0 to 2 3 Ryegrass .46 Cocksfoot 0 4J to 0 4} (131b) ■ ■ 0 7 to 0 7* White Clorer (farm dressed) 1 0 to 1 2 0 7 to'O 10 Cowgrass . 0 7 to 0 8 Dairy Produce0 62 to 0 7j Dairy factory j . cheese , • 0 10J —: Dairy . cheese 0 8J Local factory 0 £2 butter (1st grade • 4 _ ' . Local faciory butter (2nd grado) . — 1 1 Farm separator butter 0 11 Firm dairy 0 10 0 9 • butter . 0 9 Hams . . 1 ? 1 0 Bides . . 0 11 0 9J Rolls . .1» 0 10J Rolled hams 1 1 0 11 Lard pats . 0 H Eggs i 1 4 0 84 to 0 9 1 4

Apples (dessert), per lb 0 1J to 0 2 Apples (cooking), per lb 0 1 to 0 H Poaches, per lb . . 0 2 to 0 d~ Oranges, per case . • 13 0 Pears, per lb 0 1 to 0 u Pineapples,' per case . 6 0 to 6 0 Plums, per lb . . 0 1 Nectarines, per lb • 0 So Apricots, per lb • 0 2 to 0 3 Tomatoes, per lb . * 0 O to 0 4.J Mushrooms, per lb • n 5 to il t)i Grapes, per lb . • 0 7 to 0 lo” Chcumbers, per lb . . 0 1 Potatoes, per cwt , 7 n to R 0 Cabbages, per dozen , 2 0 to 3 f> Cauliflowers, per dozen 3 0 to ■i 0 Carrots, per dozen bundles 0 6 Turnips, per dozen bundles . 0 4 Bhubarb . • • 2 0 Parsnips . • • 0 6 Onions, per cwt . , ■i 0 to 5 0

The range of prices was; s. s. d. Merino ewes > i » 12 6 to .15 0 Two-tboth' ewes ■ • . 16 0 to 38 o Four-tooth ewes 15 6

Two, four, six and eighttooth ewes ’ 13 to 19 6 Four, six and eight-tooth ' . ewes . . , 21 o Four-year merino ewes . 6 11 Scund-mou'thed merino ewes 9 0 Sound-mouthed ewes , 6 3 to 12 6 Failing-mouthed ewes . 5 9 to 9 4 Fair-mouthed ewes , • 11 0 Weak-mouthed ewes , • S 1 Fat merino wether# . » 16 7 Fat ewes . . . • IS 3 Two-tootli wethers 11 6 Two, four, six and eight.is n