SOUTHLAND MARKETS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15827, 28 July 1913, Page 4

SOUTHLAND MARKETS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) INVERCAIUJILL, July 27. ■' The oats market continues quiet although holders are very firm. Farmers arc not sellinjr at present; in foot, there is not a great deal left in farmers' hands eo far as can be judged. The current quotation here is on the basis of 2s bid for A grade Gartons. To farmers the best price offered today is Is lljd on trucks, sacks extra. A certain quantity of weathered and damaged oats are still finding their way to Auckland, and arc tending to keep the market down, but these will be cleaned out of the Bluff stores in a few weeks;

Chaff supplies are fairly plentiful, but the price is being well maintained, and merchants will readily give £3 5s net to farmers on trucks for prime quality. The potato market continues very dull, and reports from Auckland arc to the effect that potatoes can be bought freely in Canterbury at £3 10.;, f.0.b., while Wellington agents report that sales arc being made at £4 rx wharf. These prices cannot bo looked at by Invercargill merchants. Growers here continue surprisingly firm, and although merchants are not an>ious to buy at more than £2 15s on trucks, very few sales are being effected. There is a fair inquiry for seed potatoes—Scotias, etc., and many tnuck loads have been sent forward for Taieri and South Canterbury. There is nothing doing in rye grass, though there is aeliglvt demand for machine dressed for spring sowing. The hemp market continues dull, and an offer received yesterday for high point fair was only at £26 c.i.f.e., London, equal to about £20 on trucks at country sidings net to (he miller. There is very littlo lieniii procurable, however, as most of the mills have now closed down, and a number of them will not reopen in the spring unless prices are higher. Tow is in better demand, the London price to-day being equal to £3 10s on trucks, for No. 3 grade, and about £5 5s for No. 2 jrrade. There is, however, no tow available at these low figures, and millers will not bother about getting up their tow for shipment unless higher prices are obtainable.

The business pawing in the stock market during the past week has not been of the game dimensions as during the previous few week?. There is still a very keen demand for store slock of all descriptions. Several nerthern buyers on the look out for stock hiivo been scouring the district in all directions, while a good number of local buyers have also come on tho market. Store sheep is very hard to get hold of, and there is sure to. be a great scarcity until next season. The weather at tho time of writing is again broken, and should it continue wot and cokl for two or three weeks it will cert:iinlv "have a bad effect on prices, but if it lakes up and wc get an curly spring valurs of fiock of all descriptions will certainly harden and advance beyond the present prices. Store sheep arc bringing such high prices for July—tho highest for this time of the year for many years—that if they continue to advance for the next few months and the (trass comes away freely they will go so «s to raiifie a largo mimbrr who would rather buy sheep to go in for cattle. Fat stock still hold firm, both sheen and ca.ttlo being in strong demand at last week's prices. At tho next Wallawtown sale on Tuesday there is likelv to be a good yjirdins. and good prices will cc'rtainly continue. The store cittle market li!i,« taken a rise of Into, and still continues to advance steadily, and by October they should be quite, 30s per head dearer than at, present, Prices mav be quoted:—Fat cattle, prim© ox beef, 30s to 32e 6d; un-

finished, 28s to 295; prime heifer beef, 28s to 30b; unfinished, 26s to 275; cow beef, 22s to 265„ Fat eheep: Extra prime heavy butchers' wethers, 22s 6d to 235; lighter 20s to 21s; iirimo heavy ewes, 17s 6d to 18s 6d; unfinished, 15s. 6d to 15s 9d; freezins ewes, 14s 6d to ISs 3d. Store sheep: Two-tooth ewes, 21s to 2?s 6d; four-tooths, 23s to 245; six-tooths, 22s to 23s 6d; eighttooth paddock ewes. 18s 6d to 19s; sound mouthed tus=ock ewes. 17s 6d to 17s; mixed ages tussock ewes. 18s to IBs 6d; mixed arcs paddook owes, equal proportions. 19s to 20s; good fresh full mouthed ewes, 14s to 14s 6d; older ewes, 10s to 12s; ewe hogpets, 17s to 18s; mixed sexes, good sorts, 16s to 16? 6d; wether hoggets, 14s 6d to 14s 9d; two-tooth wethers, 17b 6d to 18s od; four and six-tooths. 18s to 19s. Store cattle: Three-year-old bullocks. £7 10s to £3 10s; two-and-a-bilf-yoar-olds. £5 10s to £5 15s; two-vcar-olds, £4 to £4 10s: 18months, £3 5s to £3 10s; yearlings, £2 10s to £2 15s; calves, 305..