COMMERCIAL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10671, 21 January 1911, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

[By Eleoteio TELTso.jis.rß.—Oot-yuighx.] (Pee Pbesb Association.) Received January 21, at 0.50 p.m. London, January 2U. The wool sales were spirited, with more general bidding. There was a tendency in favor of sellers. At the kauri gums sales.4B7 tons were offered and 25 sold. Prices remained unchanged.

TIMARU MARKTS.

(Tinia.ru Herald.) Inactivity again characterised the grain markets in Tirnaru during the past week, and millers and merchants both report that transactions in old wheat have been on the whole very scarce indeed. Only in fowl wheat has business of any volume been passing, several lines having changed hands at from 2s lOd to 2s lid on trucks. Tirnaru. Millers, it seems, are holding adequate stocks, the position being the reverse of that experienced at this time last year. Then a general shortage of milling grain was evident, and prime velvet was particularly sought after. Now millers are standing off and waiting for the new season's samples. The feature of-the Homo market lately has been its unusual steadiness, but South Canterbury authorities are inclined to the opinion that that state of affairs will not influence prices in the Dominion to any appreciable extent, at least not during February and March when freight is difficult to obtain at a profitable rate. It was anticipated yesterday that some of the new season's wheat would be . offering in Timaru today, and it is said that buyers reckon upon it opening out at 3s a bushel. Farmers on the other hand are hardly likely to accept a 3s market. In fact one merchant was shown a sample a few days ago of what appeared to he well-grown Tuscan, and it was put on the market at 3s 6d, but then it seemed hopeless to expect that business would be clone at that price. Threshing has now been commenced in several parts of this district, and estimates as to quantity and quality of the yields are liberal. A shortage of labor is causing some concern, and the mills are pushing ahead as fast as "possible, threshing out of the stook for the most part so that they can take advantage of the present spell of fine weather. A fair quantity of new grain is being sold ahead for shipment, but it is difficult to ascertain at what rate. Oats during the past few days have dropped in prices, white oats by 2d, a bushel, and duns by. Id a bushel. Gaftons are now worth 2s on trucks, Timaru, and duns 2s to 2s Id. A few lines will probably he offering in Timaru to-day, but millers, it is probahle, will be chary about accepting growers' ideas of values. The crops in Southland are fine and big, in the words of one merchant, and will be a strong factor in determining opening prices. In potatoes outside supplies are somewhat scarcer, hut there is a good local off ering, . and the. retail price is still Id per lb. , ' "