OAMARU MARKETS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16338, 22 March 1915, Page 4

OAMARU MARKETS.

(FfiOU C)DU UWN (JOKRESt'ONDCHV.) OAMARU, jViaruu 20. 'lho grain market naa ruuier jaugukl during wio weeK, ana buo voiauic oi i>ub.uii>» ivgismi'ixi lias ueou much aauuiOL" tuan lor sovurai wfai.ks past. Wneao lias eikiuu sagnwy, witn tuo result time glowers aro lie./ sj reauy to sell, while on cno otuijinana tn-erc .no koonness to buy. inuec-tl, irio oniy vuriecy tnai soils ,\»itli any loadiliuss ia velvet, millers being a Luc to uo tnimnuts luoi'o advantageously in CSaiitcrDury. .at tuo bogmmjig oi line \,eeK sjju> oi velvcb wero iluuio at country stations at 7s Ojjd to Ys id net; out since tnen tno market, lias slipped back, and tho latest business lias Oujii done at 6a lid and 7s net, which, may bo taJ*en as representing prtsent valuta, 'lho business douo 'was generally in email to modest .lines, tho largeot being 500 sacks, lliarly in the week a mixed lino oi red chart and .Aiaraaairs white cnaaiged hands at Ys net at a country station ; but tho same prico could not now 'be obtained. Sales oi straight lines ol wheat other than velvet have been made at country stations at tho iollowmg prices:—Red chaff, 6s lOd and 5s lid net; red Tuscan, 63 llld : net and Os lOd less commission; Marshall's white, 6s 9d and 6s lOd net; solid straw Tuscan, 6s 9d net. These ligures iully represent present values, with a very slow market

Tho issue 'by tho Government of a proclamation against tho export of oats has had a demoralising influence upon tho market. Buyers do not know exactly where they are, and are operating only sparingly, and on a reduced basis of values. Eariy in the woek 4s Id net at country stations and 4s 2d net, delivered in Oamaru, were given for A grade Gartons; but sinoe then prices havo declined, and business has been booked at 4s and 3s lid net at country stations. B grade Gartons have undergone , an equal drop, and other varieties have suffered in the _ estimation of buyers, though no actual business is 1 reported. Some samples of malting barley have come on tho market, but no sale has yet been made. One sample from a newlythrashed field is remarkably plump, but slightly off colour. A small lot of Cape barley was taken at a oountry station at 5s net. Oaten sheaf chaff is not coming forward at all freely, and the week's sales vvero .i*nited to small lines of heavy quality at £5 10s, and light at £5, both net on trucks. Dunedin still remains the only outlet for potatoes, and as that market—which provides the 'only present basis for values—has slipped 'back, this market has weakened. The general quotation to-day is £4 net on trucks, with a disposition to do business on a limited scale only until orders for coastwise shipping come to hand. ' Tho fact that land is being prepared for sawing wheat on a more liberal scale than for several years past has somewht blunted the keenness hitherto prevailing for sheep. Still, a fair amount of business has been done in lines of modest dimensions, and where the right class of sheep and' young breeding ewee especially aro available, there is an undiminished readiness to buy, and good prices are obtainable. There .was an increased yarding at the weekly sale, including several lines of -breeding- ewes', which brought the following prices: —-Two-tooth, from £1 28 6d to £1 ss; four and six-tooth combined, £1; sound-mouthed, from 17s to 18s 6d. Most of tho store sheep wore culls, and small animals went at low figures; but some ewes fit for putting on rape realised from 13s 9d to 15s Id. Good store lambs (mixed sexes) brought from 12s lOd to 13s 3d, and wether lambs off tho tussocks from ißs lOd to 9s Id. Fat sheep wero fairly represented, and wethers realised ur> to £1 3s 9d and ewes up to £1 3s. while fat lambs ranged from 16s 6d to £1. Sales by private treaty havo constituted the bulk of the week's_ business. A substantial lino of awes of mixed ages was placed at £1, wid other sales of ewes: havo comprised the fol-lowing:—Two-tooth, from 19s to £1 2a 6d; sound-mouthed, 17s to £1; full and failingmouthed. 18s; failing-mouthed, 10s 6d. A line of 600 forward lambs found a purchaser at 17s 6d, -while store lambs have changed hands at from 14s up to 15s Bd, according to size and condition.

Very few cattle have been on offer during the week. At the regular sale some two-year-old steers realised £4 8s 6d; 18-month-old steers, £3 17s; and calves from 18s to £1. Privately a nice lino of two and a,-half to three-vear-old steers (shorthorn cross) realised £9. Other sales by private treaty have included 18-mo.nth to two-year-old steers and heifers at £4 10s and yearlings at from £2 10s to £3 10s.