COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15736, 12 April 1913, Page 8

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Friday evening. Tho London wheat market is cabled as firmer, with sellers of Auatralia and La Plata cargoes asking a further advance. For Australian January shipment 38s 9d is asked, and 38s ljd for March. This time last year Australian cargoes wero bringing 37s lOjd up to 40s lid.

The grand total of shipments of wheat from all countries to Europo since the beginning of August, 1912, is now 46,430,000 quarters, against 36,845,000 quarters for the corresponding period of the 1911-12 season, and 51,160,000 quarters for the corresponding period in 1910-11. The iocal wheat market continues firm, with an advance in price for lines of velvet. Offerings of velvet aro very short, and it appears to be more difficult to obtain consignments as tho season advances. Up to 4s, Dunedin, has been given, and in one or two instances id more. Red sorts rule from 3d to 4d per bushel below the priceof velvet, and may be quoted from 3s 8d to 3s 9d ex rail, Dunedin. There has been considerable activity, with a fair number of sales, in tho North Otago and South Canterbury districts also, velvet.being most sought after. Up to 3s 10jd at country sidings has been paid; other sorts, such as Tuscan, White Winters, and Bordicr, have btcn changing hands from 3s 5d to 3s 6id accordingly to distance from a mill centre. All these prices are less broker's commission. Fowl wheat rules firm at 3s 4d to 3s 5d per bushel, ex store, Dunedin. The tariff of tho Flourmillers' Association for flour and other lines is as follows: Flour-Sacks, £8 15s; 1001b. £9; 501b bags, £9 ss; 251b bags, £9 10s. Bran, £4 15s per ton. Pollard, £6 Oatmeal, £13 10s. Pearl barley, £18 10s.

The recent floods, a shortage of crop, and the disinclination of farmers to part with their holdings aro having their effect on the local oat market, which is now very firm. A grade Gartens have advanced to 2s 6Jd to 2s 7d, f.0.1)., s.i., and B's to 2s 6d. Despite the fact that high values are being offered by merchants, farmers aro very disinclined to sell, and as a result there are only few parcels coming into I>unedin. The position is indeed an iinustai one. At this time- of tho year both wheat and oats should be arriving in quantity at the store?. These cereals, however, aro not coming to hand, as stated before, in any volume, and the stores consequently are wearing quite a different ar.poet from what should be tho case under ordinary circumstances. Prices ranging from 2s '2d to 2s 3d havo _ failed to tempc holders of A Cartons in tho southern districts to part with their oats. A fair amount of speculative buying has taken place during the week, several 'thousand sacks l>eing sold from Dunedin, the oats being held in Lytto.lton, Oamaru, and Bluff. Prices ranged from 2s 6d to 2s 6Jd, f.0.b., B.i. Auckland merchants also came on the market, and sold back forwnrd orders to southern merchants, who found they could do bettor for themselves by xhis modp of business than by trying to got oat's from the farmers. Some 4000 or 5000 sacks, it is' reported, wore thus not taken delivery of

by the Aueklandere, the parcels simply "being transferred to southern merchants. It is interesting to note that Algerian milling oats are worth 2s to-day in Melbourne, and feed 2s to 2s 2d; last Friday the quotation_ was: Algerian feeding, 2s 2d to 2s 4d; milling, 2s 5Jd. In Sydney oats are quoted: Sparrows and Algerians, 3s to 3s Id; giants, 3s Id; last week—Tasmanian Whito Sparrows, 3s to 3s Id; Algerian, 2s lOd to 3s; Giants, 3s to 3s Id. If the domand doos not in from Australia, it is hard to say what will bo the future trend of the market. Farmers, however, eeem to hold a dominating position as matters stand at present. PRODUCE REPORT. The chaff market is fairly well supplied, and all consignments are readily taken up. Inferior quality meets with but littlo inquiry. _ Consignments of po'tatoes are about equal to the demand, and prices remain unchanged. How far the recent .flood in Southland will affect the return remains to be seen. Should Sydney keep off the Now Zealand market there should bo amplo supplies to last us over to next season. By to-day's cablegram from Sydney it will he seen that Tasmanians are quoted there at £7 10s to £8 10s; last week the price cf tubers was given as £8 to £9 10s. In Melbourne potatoes aro priced at £5 10s to £6^ios. Eggs show another sharp increase in price. Tne price of dairy butter shows an upward tendency. The onion markot is firm, with a fairly good outside inquiry. The market is fully supplied with straw. Consignments of pigs aro keenly inquired for. Current wholesale prices ars as follow: — Chaff.—Prime heavy oaten shoaf, £3 15s to £4; medium to good, £2 Ss to £3; inferior, £1 10s and upwards. Straw.—Oaten, to 355; wheaten, to 30s. I Potatoes.—Primo Oamaru, freshly dug, £5 5s to £5 10s for extra choioe; medium £4 5s to £4 10s per ton, bags in. Hay.-£2 10s to £2 15s. Onions—Primo Canterbury, £7 10s to £8. Eggs—Freeh, Is 9d; stamped, Is lOd; preserved, Is 3d per dozen. Butter—Dairy, per lb; milled, 10d per lb; separator, in lib pats, lid. Pigs.—Baconers, per lb; porkers, s|<l to 6d. Bacon.—Rolls (in quantities), lljd; sides, 10d; hams, under 201b, Is per lb. FRUIT REPORT. Close on 1700 cases of Rarotongan oranges arrived yesterday, and the local market is now fully supplied. A fair shipment of dessert apples came to hand from Nelson during the week. Owing, however, to their large size—the smaller fruit having evidently been picked out for export-' to South America—they aro not meeting with a very keen demand. Cookers are having a ready inquiry, and aro disposed of immediately on arrival. Prices are firm at 2d per lb. Most of the lines aro being sent forward from Canterbury and the Taieri, A parcel of Nekon grown cookers is expected here within a day or two, and this supply may tend to case the market a little.

Plums and, in fact, all stone fruits aro just about finished, only small lots now coining forward. Pears have been arriving very freely from Canterbury, and most of the lines have been disposed of, but. at prices which are a little lower than growers expected. A cargo of about 3050 cases of Suvan bananas will arrive on- Monday. The following are the current wholesale prices: — Lemons.—ltalian, 12a 6d to 14s. Oranges.—Fresh shipment arrived on Friday, selling at 6s 6d to 7s 6d. Bananas.—Ripe, to per lb. Plums.—ln good demand; very few offering. Coe'6 lato red and others, to 2d. Peaches.—Nelson and Auckland, done. Alexandra, 3£d to in crates; cases, 2|d to 3d; small, 2d. Apples.—Canterbury cookers, 5s to 6s; dessert, 7s to 8s 6d; choice Cox's. orange, 10s; locally grown, to 2d; ribstones, 7s 6d to Bs. Quinces, 2d; good demand. Tomatoes.—Very heavy supply'. Christchurch, best quality, to 2s: medium, lad to l£d; rough, Is to Is 6d per case. Pears.—Alexandra grown, cooking, to 2d; dessert, l|d to 2id per lb; Canterbury, choice, 6s to 7s; medium, 3s to 4s 6d per bushel case. . Grapes—Choice local hothouse, 8d to 9d per lb; medium quality, 6d'to 7d; Oamaru, 4£d to 6^d. Cucumbers.—Canterbury, outside, 4s to 6s per half-case, wanted; hothouse, 2s 6d to 3s 6d per dozen. Vegetable Marrows.—Canterbury, 7s to 8s 3d per sack; local, 4s to 5s per dozen. Peas.—Choice, to 3d; medium, Is to 2s per bag. Honey.—New season's, in 101b tins, 3s 6d to 3s 9d per tin; lib glass jars, 9s per dozen. Vegetables.—Cabbages up to 4s per dozen; Is to 2s. a sack. Lettuce, 6d to 9d per case. Cauliflowers, less plentiful, 2s to 5s per dozen. Table carrots, 6d to 8d per dozen bunches; from 4s 3d to 5s per cental bag. Turnips, 4d to 6d per dozen. Beet, Is to Is 3d. Parsnips, 6d to 8d per dozen bunches. Celery, 4d to (3d per bundle of six stalks; extra choice, Is per buudle. Potatoes.—Oamaru and others, £6 per ton (in small lots); lower prices for truck lots.

HOME CHEESE AND BUTTER MARKETS. Mr J. R. Scott, secretary of the South Island Dairy Association, is in receipt of the following London cablegram:—" Danish butter, 119s; New Zealand, unsalted 116s to 118s, salted 114s to 115s. Good demand for best qualities; little demand for secondary. White cheese, 59s to 60s; coloured, 58s to 60s. Market easier." o—: MELBOURNE MARKETS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, MELBOURNE, April 11. Wheat, 3s Bid to 3s 9d. Flour, £8 15s. Bran and pollard, £5 10s. Barley: English malting' (nominal), 3s 9d to 4s 3d; Cape, 2s 9d to 3s 3d. Oats: Algerian milling, 2s 4Jd; feed, 2,8 to 2s 2d. Maize, 4s 3d. Potatoes are firmer; £5 10s to £6 10s. Onions, £6. . , CHRISTCHURCH MARKETS. (Pee Unitep Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 11. There is no change to note in the wheat market. There is a good demand for Hunters and Pearl, but Tuscan alone is difficult to dispose of, and the best price offered for it is 3s 6d, while Hun-tors is worth 3s to 3s 7d, and Pearl 3s 7d to 3s fid, at country stations. Offerings of tho two latter varieties are not being made very freely.

Oats aro very firm, and few are coming farward. The demand is chiefly for Gartons, and A grade aro now selling at 2s Id to 2s 2d at country stations. There is no quotable chango of prices in chaff, £3 being paid at near stations, and £2 17s 6d further out, primo quality only commanding these figures, _ Potatoes aro easier in consequence of the difficulty of malting remunerative) sales with Auckland or Wellington. A number of lots changed hands during tho week at £4. Somo buyers aro not offering more than. £3 15s at country stations. Beans are said to be scarce this season, as tho crop was not a very large or good one, and they aro quoted at 3s 4d to 3s 6d. ; «s» HIDE SALES. Messrs Waters. Ritchie, and Co. 'report as follows:—Wo held our fortnightly sale of hides yesterday morning. There was the usual attendance of buyers, and competition was again active, though prices rul-d somewhat erratic, and may, in sympathy with the Melbourno market, be quoted from id to id per lb lower. Wo were again fortunate _in having Lome very stout l!ides included in our offerings, and' with one of those wo secured the exceptional price of per lb. Other high prices obtained wero llgd and Ugd. Oiir offerings wero 786 hides and 312 calf skins. In money value ox brought up to £3 3s Bd, and cows to £2 5s 4d each Wo quote:—Ox: Extra stout, heavy, lOjjd to 12Jd; stout, heavy, 9|d to IQU}; heavy 9d to 9 ; '. d; medium, Bfd to 9Jd; light, 8d to 83d. Cow: Extra stout, to 9jd; stout, heavy, Bjd to 8?d; heavy and medium, to BJd. light, Btl to S.id. Damaged and bailconditioned ox and cow. from 5d to ?ld ; bull and stag, sgd to 6?tl. Calf skins, lCjtd to lid for best; medium, 10id to lOgd; d.imaged and inferior, 3id to 9d per lb. Tho Dunedin Woolbrokers' Association (Messrs Dalgcty and Co., A. Moritzson and Co., National Mortgage and Agency Company, New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Otago Farmers' Cooperative Association, Donald Rcid and Co., Stronach, Morris and Co., and Wright, Stephenson, and Co.) report as follow*: The fortnightly sales wero held on Thursday, V,ien medium-sized catalogues wero submitted to a representative gathering of buyers., Bidding was again very spirited, and all tho offterings wero cleared at prioes which couiparo very favourably .with previous sale's extremo rates. Calf skins may bo quoted a shade easier. Quotations:—Extra stout heavy ox to 12d, stout hoavy ox to IOJd, heavy 9d to 9id, modmm-BJd to B|d, light 8d to B£d;

extra stout heavy cow to 9id, stout heavy B|d to BJd, hoavy B|d to Bfd, medium B£d to Bfd, light Bid to Bjd; yearlings: best B£d to 81d, medium, 8d to Bid; ealf skins: Best to lid, medium lOd to 10£ d; bull hides: Best to 6Jd, medium s£d to 6d; horso hides to 12s 6d. Anything damaged or inferior at lower rates. CLEARING SALE AT WALLACETOWN. Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. report having conducted on Wednesday last a most successful clearing sale of stock at Mr F. A. Price's Waitori property. Tho 5000 glieep looked extremely well in tlie yards specially erected by Mr Prico for the 6ale. A line of 1000 two-tooth wethers was knocked down 'to Mr John Begg (Balclutha) at 18s 9d; 400 two-tooth ewes wore sold for 21s 2d, while 200 realised 20s 6d; and 750 four and six-tooth ewes realised 19s 9d A lino of 200 broken-mouthed ewes, in very good condition, brought 16s Bd, while 400 sound-mouthed ewee made 17s 3d. A nice lino of 585 owe lambs made 15s sd, and 100 of the 6ame type went for 14s 3d, and 130 fat old owes realised 15s 7d. Mr Prico offered 200 primo and forward bullocks, but, owing to the absence of buyers for this class of stock, these were paescd in. Mr Prico offered 40 horses, and included in tho number wore several exceptionally nice two and three-year-old fillies. A fair number of good horse buyers were present, and the prices received wore very fair. Tho top price realised was 73 guineas for a four-year-old grey maro in foal Tih-is was closely followed by a Uhireo-ycar-old bay filly, Flower 11, at 71 guineas, while another bay filly, Miss Hector, went for 50 guineas. A three-year-old bay filly, Phyllis 111, was sold for 65 guineas, while- a three-year-old bay filly, Miss Hector, went for 50 guineas. A three-year-old filly by Agitator went for 48 guineas. An aged black maxo and foal was knocked down for 39 guineas. Mr Prico's working horses sold very well, and tho top prico received was £45 10s for a six-year-old bay gelding. A six-year-old bay gelding went for £38, and a three-year-old gelding went for £30 10s. Two eight-year-old gelding's realised £30 each, and for aged geldings £28 down to £17 was given,. Mr Price offered about 15 young draught and light horses, and these sold at exceptionally good prices, young draughts being eagerly sought after. Twc-year-old fillies realised £32, £32 10s, £35, £23; and two-year-old geldings went at £21, £24 10s, £26 10s, and £32. The top price in the light horse section was £37 for a mare and foa.l (mother of Top Note), while a yearling filly by Bellman realised £35 10s. A three-year-old filly by Bellman sold at £23; a cream gelding by Sir Hector was knocked down for £14 10s; a two-year-old gelding by Zeccino went for £9 10s. <a — PROPERTY AND STOCK SALE. Messrs Stronach, Morris, and Co. report having offered at -the AVaikouaiti saleyards the 21 years' lease of tho grazing run belonging to tho Waikouaiti Borough Council, and .known as tho Mount Watkin Endowment. The property comprises 2119 acres, and was offered with an upset of! £100 per annum. Bidding started at this figure, and rapidly advanced to £242, at which price the run was knocked down, Mr Townsend,' jtin., being tho purchaser. At the same time they, offered 2366 sihecp and lambs, also a few iiead of fat and store cattle. They sold on. account of Messrs Gcorgo Fry, Alcook Bros., H. Ball, A. Rollins, James Townsendi, the trustees of tho late F. H. Ward, John Aitchc£o»i Archibald Aitchcson. W. Hallum, C. Connolly, G. Maxwell, W. Bunten, W. Dempster, A. HeckleT, and G. Gunp, full-mouthed ewes to 16a 8d; wcthera to 17s; hill lambs to Us 2d; eteers to £9 15s; cows to £7.