COMMERCIAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10104, 23 March 1909, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

HOME MARKETS. [By EfCTWC '"stEOEITH HopxillGHT.] {Feb Phess Association.) Received March 23, at 0.40 u.m. London, March 22. The wool sales were postponed owing to fog. The quantity of wheat and flour afloat for the United Kingdom amounts to 4,355,000 quarters, and for the Continent 2.905.000 quarters. Atlantic shipments 137,000 quarters. The total shipments for Europe amount to 1,425,000 quarters including 755,000 from the Argentine and Uruguay. Silver—23|d. DUNEDIN GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARIKKET. Messrs Dalgety and Co. (Limited) report as follows:—We held our usual weekly auction sale of grain and produce at our stores on Monday. Buyers were not in full attendance, and as the offerings were unattractive bidding was dull and few sales were effected. Values ruled as under: — Cats.—The market remains on a par with last week. Offerings of the new crop are now heavier, but as yet no great quantity lias been put on this market. Values are unchanged. Quotations: Prime milling, 3s sd; good to best feed, Is 4d to Is" 4 id; inferior to medium, Is 2d to Is 3-jd per bushel (sacks extra). Wheat.—The latest London advices report a lirmer tendency in this market. .Millers are ready buyers of prime lots at- late values, but many growers have reserved their lines at 4s per bushel. Values to-day are from 6s lOd to 3s lid per bushel on trucks, according to quality and length of rail, a Fowl wheat meets with fair sale at from 3s 9d to 3s lid per bushel ex store/according to quality. Potatoes.—The market is poorly supplied, and values have firmed a little in conscquenco. Quotations : Prime, £d 7s 6d to £3 12s 6d; medium, £5 to £3 ss; inferior, £2 10s upwards (bags,in). Chaff.—There is no improvement to report in the demand, which still continues not over brisk. Values also show no improvement on the week. A number of consignments have arrived of inferior quality, and these are very difficult to pla.ee/even, at low values. _ Quotations : Prime old, £2 17s 6d to £o ; good old, £2 12s 6d to £2 15s; prime new, £2 15s to £2 17s 6d; inferior. £2 upwards (bags extra).

THE WOOL MARKET. (Tkom Our Owx Coitr.nsroxDENT.) London, February 11. On Saturday the first series of colonial wool sali's for the current year came to a. Jinisli, and the final results may be looked upon as satisfactory. At tlio beginning some -expected to see merino values again bound forward, and Ijoeause prices wcro practically on' a par with the close of the previous series some disappointment "was felt. Those in closest touch with consuming markets always thought that if fine wools could hold their own they would •do well, and after three. weeks of continuous sales, merinos finish as firm as when the .■-erics began. When it is remembered what is the actual condition of trade in consuming centres, and the decidedly cheaper and large imports which are pouring daily into all consuming markets" both at Home and. abroad, the final results must be regarded as very good. Scoured descriptions have varied little through the entire series, maintaining a very consistent level, with prices on a par with last December parity. Ordinary descriptions have occasionally hardly reached the final rates of last series, but as a. rule quotations show practically no change. Lambs' wool has ruled generally 5 per cent, dearer, some exceptional prices being paid for greasy parcels of superior merit, up to Is ll£d being paid, which is a world's record for greasy descriptions. Quite a feature of the series has been the active inquiry on American account for crossbreds, light-conditioned medium and coarse descriptions having materially benefited. As far as one can see, newclip wools from Xew Zealand are better grown and somewhat lighter than last season, and all. descriptions of erossbreds leave sold well. Fine halfbreds have shown practically no change, being taken liberally both by the Home and Continental trades. All the lightest parcels of 40"s to 48's quality have found American buyers keen for them, and these have sold at from 5 to 19 per cent, advances. What America has not touched finds values appreciated no more than 5 per cent., but the slight irregularity seen in the ordinary Bradford topniakers' wools during the second week gave way to increased firmness under increasing competition, the final results showing a full recovery to the best rates ruling through the whole scries. Sliprs have sold well at unchanged rates. Good, long-combing, greasy Capes have made prices on about, a par'with Australasian merinos, but short, shabby wools, as well as scouiods, have barelv maintained December rates. American purchases amount to 12,000 bales, inid the carrving forward is only 9000 bales.