MARKET REPORTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17251, 19 August 1916, Page 11

MARKET REPORTS.

CHRISTCHURCH, August 18. The Grand National festive spirit has had its pffect upon business in Christchurch during the week. Retailors report a briaknoss in trade, hut the grain and produce market has not refected it at all. , GRAIN AND PRODUCE. Tory little wheat is offering, and practically only Tuscans are coming forward. A few lots have changed hands at last week's quotations for prime milling, but inferior .sorts have been dealt with at about 4s a bushel. On the whole, the market is better, and the rango of prioes given as nominal a fortnight ago are the current market rates tcwlav.

■ Oats are still scarce, but there is little demand, and the prices quoted are purely nominal, the buying being of a hand-to-mouth nature. So long as thero is any pos-

sibility of a fair market for chaff farmers aro not anxious to thresh, and are content to hold for better prices, the prospects for which-are not particularly bright in mercantile circles at present. _ ' The potato market is quiet-, and prices remain about the same as quoted! last Week. Advices from the south do not indicate any RTeat holdings there. In fact, Oamaru and Dunedin aro said to be buying from StudIholme and: Willowbridge. Unless there are big stores of potatoes in unsuspected localities, tlie supplies in the south look likely to become exhausted before the now season’s potatoes axe marketed. But there is an uncertainty in the market, due to the absolutely conflicting reports current. Much ■depends, of course, upon how the local pits open up, and this work has had to take its" share of the general hold-tip produced by the Grand Notional. Thera is a difficulty in obtaining shipping spacer for the north, eo tho Auckland market stands every chance of recovering from the recent" heavy shipment# which caused a slump. Dealing# with merchants in -the northern city have not suffered by reason of the ■ “ circular ” addressed to southern houses a week ago, nor do transactions show the market to be so terribly over-supplied. Many growers seem to have an idea that better prices are to h# had, but careful inquiries amongst the merchants have not disclosed any .keenness to buy, and the farmers’ occasional demand for £7 a ton has left (the potatoes in the pit. Locally transactions have taken place at' rates better for the -buyer, then the published price of £6 10s, on trucks, at country stations. . , • , There is Very little "business m cnaff, and prices are unaltered. ' The seed market Is lifeless, although orders are coming foiWSud for early sowings. The high price of ryegrass will probably have the effect of limiting the amount of regr*s3ing. Peas will probably be mort largely, grown. Tho market for these Js practically bare, and the stocks in hand will only be sufficient to fill contracts. Another month should see more activity. n gl foT from farmers, not cesh, sacks extra, dehviered at country stations, tjie figures forth* corresponding date of 1915 • being also given for purposes of comparison:— ■ August 18, August 20, ,1916. W«. , #. d. d. »• d- «•

hlggs . . . .10 13 Prices quoted for butter ere less discount. POULTRY. Sales of poultry were pood, prices being well maintained. Yesterday’s merkot was very small, but the offering found buyers at ruling rate’s. . The range of prices was as follows: —Table chickens 6s 62 W 9s Sd, hens (soiree) 3s to 7s 4d, pullets 4s to IPs Bd, geese’(scarce) 7s to Us, turkavs (gobblers) 15s to 3-3', hens 7s to 18s, ducks 6s to 93 Id, all at per pair. EGGS. The egg market, after keeping up well with fho Grand National demand) is falling. Listings early in-the week with the Canterbury Egg Circle sold at Is 3d to Is 4d * dozqn. Grocers offer a shilling a dozen. VEGETABLES AND FRUIT. Vegetables and fruit have, bean offered on a firm market this week, duo to the holiday demand and to a slight shortage in. most lines.. Cabbages, onions, swedes, parsnips and vegetables of that kind are bringing good prices in Wellington, and buyers from there and other centres ere taking! some supplies from here, tending to keep up the local prices. Next week the usual Sydney shipment of mandarins, pines, passions, oranges and f-ovillcs will arrive. About Tuesday next there will bo the Talune's -Fiji bananas, and on the same day a small shipment of Mildim lemons from Melbourne. Quotations

RETAIL MEAT PRICES, . Ike foliowius «• the retail prices for

prime quality meat at per lb: —Loin beet 7d, brisket beef Sd, prime ribs '64d. rump steak 9d, topside 6Jd, stewing steak sad, coin silver 7d, corn brisket fid, pork .sjuaeges Bd, leg mutton 6|d, shoulder sjd. loin mutton oJrl, neck 3Jd, chop? %1, pork 9d, pork chops ,10d, tripe Col, beef'sausages id. GROCERIES—RETAIL PRICES. ' CHRISTCHURCH, August 18. The following aro'the latest quotations of j some of the principal .lines, tho prices given, unless otherwise stated, being at per lb: Dried lOd, best new, Is, dried apples 10d, Jordan almonds 2* Bd, Sicily almonds Is lOu, nr rowioot Ba, alum 6d‘, pearl barley 3d. soparr/or butter Is sd, factory butter Is 7d, stearins, candles 7sd, National sperm#-Sd, local sperms 61&, carriage candles lid. currants 6d, cream of tartar-2# fid. plantation coffee 25.. cornflour 5s and 7JJ,'factory cheese lid, d-?*icc:ited coeoanut • 3d, lemon peel 9d, orange peel 9d, citron peel Is 4rl, mixed peel lfri, Epsom salts Du, eul'anaM (n«w) lOd, seeded raisins 7d, seedless raisins Bd, prunes Sd, cooking figs Sd, flour, 231 b bags 3s 9d, oOib bags 7s 4d, I,oolb bags 14s 6d sacks 27a 6d, preserved ginger Is 4d, whole brown ginger lOd, Gerstena (per bag) Is 3d, whole meal 3d, crushed meal linneed 4d, lentils 4d, is.rd (per packet,) ,1s Id, oatmeal (71b bag) Is 6d, white pt*pp«r Is 6d, black pepper Is 4d, pea flour 6d, Japanese rice 2Jd, best ground rice 3Jd, AI Snowdrop sugar 2Jd. washing soda ljrd. carbonate of. soda 3d, Sunlight soap Js -Id per box, split peas Sd, saltpetre 10d, sulphiir 4d, sago 3Jcl, eheep tongues Is 4d, sheep tongues in glass jars Is 9d. sharps (per sock) 12s Bd, bran 6s 3d, tapioca (white flake) 3Jd, tapioca (white pearl) BJd, vermicelli Bd, whiting IJd, whes.imeal (71b .bag) Is Cd, Laurel kerosene I-ts 3d per case, 7s 3d per tin, vinegar 7d, caustic soda. lOd ( end 1* 6d, poultry grit 141 b lj, matches, plaid vestas fid, safeties 6d. haricot beans 4d, coffoo powder (soluble) In,. Saxeo (coal saver) 6c), blue 9d,'black lead 9d, bread Bd.

GENERAL MERCHANDISE. CHRISTCHURCH, Augutt 18. Business during the week has been quiet, owing to the holidays. . * ,

In regard to San. Francisco fruits, packers advise that grower* in most districts have practically finished harvesting. apricots. The crop is about, two weeks earlier, and the quality very fine, hut the output will be considerably less than originally expected. The prunes crop is not showing up any too well. France is a heavy buyer this year, and prices therefore will be maintained at present figures. The entire crop of seedier* raisins is practically edld by the growers, and packers state that there is only a limited tonnage; left in the outside districts, and on. account of the . firm condition of the currant market, and the demand which is now coming in from abroad for seedless raisins, matoriai advances may be looked 'for. It is reported that France has bought practically the whole of the remaining stock of last year's Greek ourrants at from 40s to 42s 6cl cwt f.o.b. Greece, for wine making. The new crop is progressing favourably, but prices have not yet been named. Great difficulty is. being experienced in arranging freight. • Dates will come forward to Australia by direct steamer from Bussorah in time lor Christmas. In regard to herrings, the prospects are distinctly bettor than last year, as there has . been a . Scotch season as' well as Lowestoft, hut packers cannot yet state the quantities available for export. Owing to the difficulty in arranging freight for salmon, the prices have not yet been manned. It is understood that t.he shipping companies are demanding payment o£ freight at Vancouver. This will mean a further increase in cost. The IVaiwera has now. discharged part of the Bangatira’s salved - cargo. Hudson's extract ha* advanced 4s 6d cwt. Visser’a rennet has advanced 4»*3d a down, and is now Quoted ex warehouse at 18s a dozen. It is understood that further exports are prohibited.

Wheat-— - Tuscan fS to 1 « 6 3 to 6 9 Hunters 1 7 .t« 4 9 6 9 to 6 10 Pearl 4 11 to S 0 6 10 to 6 11 Oats (nominal)— Gartons 9 fl to 2 9 3 10 to 4 2 Algerians a 10 to 3 0 4 3 Duns 2 8 to 2 9 4 2 to i 6 Danish. Kona offering. Barley 5 0 to 5 4 S S to 6 3 Peas — Partridge Kona offering. None offering. Bran 90 0 to 95 0 186 0 Chaff 90 0 to 95 0 140 0 Oatmeal 3.10 0 <60 0 Pollaid 190 0 '160 0 Potatoes 125 0 to 130 O' HO 0 Flour 250 0 S00 0 Beads— Ryegrass 5 8 6 6 to fl 0 Cocksfoot (121b) 0 8 to 6 11 0 tj to V J W. Clover (farm ' dr’ss’d 1 « to 1 8 1 0 Cowgrass 0 S to 0 9 0 6J to 0 7 Dairy Produce. T 1916. 1916. Aug. 16, Aug. 30, s d. s. d. Dairy factory cheese . 0 11 o 104 Butter— Local factory (1st-grade) 1 1 1 Local factory (2nd grade) 1 fi 1 64 Farm separator . .13 1 3 ' Farm dairy . . 12 1 1 H ams • 1 1 0 10 Sides . • . . 0 11 0 94 . Rolls . . . .12 o 104 Roll Hams ■ . . . 1 < o 104 Lard Pats • . ■ . .11 0 10J

are: — s. cl. fi. d. Apple", dessert, per lb 0 2* to 0 3 Apples, conking-, per lb . . Oransses,. island, per case . 0 12 2J 6 „ 13 0 Oranjte?. Sydney, per ca*e . 10 0 „ 11 0 Svdncy Snvillee, per care . 17 s „ 13 fl Mandarin?. per ease IS 0 ,, 17 0 Bananas. Cook Isl.erl. por esc 9 0 in 0 Pineapples, per ease . Toma-foes, Cook .Island, per 14 0 ” 15 0 2*21 b case 6 0 Potatoes, per cwt . in 0 14 0 Cabbages, per dozen 4 ft ,, 4 R Cauliflowers, n?r dozen (> 11 r fi 'Carrots, per dozen bd!s. 0 7 0 p Turnip*, white, per bd> Pbubf-b. p»r dozen Mis. . 0 7 0 9 s 0 ,, 0 0 Bnrr'vn?. per dozes bd.l*. . 0 7 0 a On'/v.is. per cwt' • • fi 0 Beet, per dozen , . . • 0 4 .1 n Jfarrows, . per dozen 0 -3 V 0 6 Pwerles, per sugsrbts . 2 0 Onions, pet Mijarba-g . 2 O' .2 fi