The Sydney Potato Trade.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVII, Issue 5306, 21 June 1892, Page 1

The Sydney Potato Trade.

(Napier Telegraph.)

Messrs Cranby and Prebble have received a letter from their Sydney agents, Messrs Davidson Bros., in reference to the potato market in New South Wales, and to the condition in which potatoes are shipped in New Zealand. Referring to a recent shipment fiom Napier by the schooner Pendleliill, Messrs Davidson say This vessel arrived and discharged her cargo at Russell's wharf. The market was as bad as bad could be ; the price was only 455, and a few days later they were selling at 42s 6d. Under the circumstances, we thought it advisable to sell part of them in Newcastle, and quitted 30 tons to Earp, Gillam, and Co., at L2 10s at Newcastle, and 25 tons to Ireland at 45s here, which with the current rate of freight would bring it up to about 50s. We have held on to about half the cargo in the hope of better prices ; but unfortunately there is no sign of that coming for some time. There is another cargo on the way from New Zealand, about 10,000 sacks, which will further swamp the market. We are, therefore, keeping oil selling at the present rates, one incentive to do so being that in the potatoes there is a- quantity of dirt, which has damaged a good many sacks. This plan of filling in dirt is strongly to be deprecated, as it not only deters buyers from operating on those potatoes so filled, but owing to the moisture they have rotted a great many other sacks that they were lying against. We should like you to point out the detrimental effects of this practice on the part of shippers, as when buyers can get clean Circulars, they will not go for New Zealand potatoes full of dirt. We have to put on men and pick about 2300 sacks, which are bad, not from any fault of the ship, which carried them beautifully, but from the cause stated above. We shall do the best we can with the shipment, and save charges as much as possible.