COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16675, 22 April 1916, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Friday evening, ■ The sale of another 150,000 tons of wheat to, the Allied Governments has been the most cheering news of the week (says the Australasian of April IS). Taking all things into consideration, the oversea sales of Australian wheat to date aro highly satisfactory. Sales of 67,000,000 bushels, while representing less than one-third of the surplus available for shipment 'this season, aro equal' to about three-quarters of a normal season's exports. Everyone would like to see the total larger, more especially that proportion which refers to flour; but when the f.o.b. prices are compared with those being obtained by other exporting countries, the position must bo regarded as satisfactory. Crop conditions in the United States, according to the official estimate, exe below aormal If maintained, these will give a yield of 495 million bushels of winter wheat, a reduction of 164 millions from the crop gathered last season; but fully equal to the average for the post 10 years.. As the United States has lately been supplying Great Britain with fully half the wheat imported, such_ a set-back would be serious indeed wero it not for the heavy stocks of wheat on hand. The "visible" supply is each that. 100 million bushels are likely to be carried over into the new season, quite apart from reserves held on farms. The world's accumulations do not appear to be .so formidable _ as ihey did a few months ago. The United States crop last year was gathered in poor condition, and that proportion carried over to the 1916-17 season will probably require to be blended with clean, crisp wheat of the quality Australia can supply. Russia cannot be expected to increase her reserves so materially now that the man-power is being used so extensively in the war, while the accumulations of Russian and Siberian grain must deteriorate in quality to an appreciable extent by the time' tho Australian 1916-17 crop is available. There is no animation in tho local wheat jmarkot. A little Bpurt in business took place through the Warrimoo being on the berth for northern ports, a /Considerable quabtity of fowl wheat and a lair quantity of oats being shipped, k>war grade lines of tho latter predominating. Millers havo sufficient wheat on - hand for present requirements, and aro not operating to any extent. A fair amount is oifering, both on trucks, country sidings, and cx storo, lower rates ruling than were being asked last ■week. Velvet, however, is only a little easier in prico, and for any good line of this variety there is no difficulty in finding a buyer. Velvet is worth 5s Id, ex store, and oo trucks, Dunedin, and Tuscan and

velvet ear 4s 4d to 4s sd. Best whole fowl wheat ia quoted at 4s to 4s 2d (sacks extra). Flour is quoted as follows: —Saaks, £12; 1001b bags, £12 10s; 601b bags, £12 15s; 251b bags, £13, ■ Pollard, £7. Bran, £4. Oatmeal, £16 & ton for 25's. Pearl barley, £19. There is not much change in fihe local oats market. There aro not many buyers and not many sellers, and an absence of practically all speculative business. Farmers are not vtjry willing to accept prices on offer, and, on tho other hand, ehippcra are faced with tho difficulty of securing space for any lots they may feel inclined to purchase. Prices to tho farmer vary considerably. About 2s to 2s 2d may bo named as the usual price, on truclf, country sidings, for sound lines, while prime seed lines from the Heriot district fotch as high as 2s 3d. These seed lines aro being booked for Canterbury and North Ota go, and as tho Heriot district is stated to be the very best oat-growing district in the dominion, the reason that they are a penny higher than oats from other districts is easily explained. PRODUCE REPORT. There is not a groat surplus of chaff on tho market at the present time. It is expected, however, that there will bo plenty of consignments forward after the holidays. Both oaten and wheat straw is in full supply. Really good potatoes are not too plentiful When dialing is in full swing again after tho holidays the market should be fully supplied. There is no outlet at present for shipment to the other side. Prices for eggs have now reached about their limit. It is not thought that they will hold up after the holidays. Owing to the small consignments of butter coming forward, stocks have ndw to bo utilised ex the freezer. Current wholesale prices are as follow:-— Chalf.—Prime oaten sheaf, £3 5s to £3 10s; medium to good, £2 10s to £3 (sacks extra). Straw. —Oaten, to £2 ss; wheaten, to 355. Potatoes. —Prime, to £5 ss; medium lots, £4 10s to £4 15b. Onions, to £5. Eggs.—Fresh, j-b lOd; stamped, 2s; preserved, Is 6d. Butter.—Milled, Is 2d per lb; dairy, in lib packets, Is Id to Is 2d; separator (bulk), Is 3d. Pigs.—Baconers, 6|d per lb; porkers, 6£d. Baoon.—Rolls (in quantities), Is Id;, sides, Is; hams, Is Id per lb; boneless hams, Is 2d. FRUIT REPORT. Large supplies of apples and pears camo forward during the week in anticipation of an extra -demand for Easter.. The prices offered, however, have been disappointing, trade amongst the retailers apparently not being as brisk as was thought would be the case. The only fruit which is meeting with full competition is tomatoes, of which fair quantities are available. Prices during tho week have sprung up to 3d per lb for Canterbury-grown, and 3id per lb for Central Otago, while local hothouse have realised up to 6d. Some nice samples of Jonathan apples have come into the market from Roxburgh and Nelson. These have sold at equal to 7s 6d to 8s 6d per bushel. A small shipment of oranges arrived on Monday from Rarotonga. These met with a prompt sale at from 13s to 15s 6d per case. A quantity of the had to be repacked owing to it being in bad condition, Tho market is now bare of bananas, tho only supplies being in retail hands. The following are the current wholesale prices:— v Apples are in better supply. Dessert, Central and Christchurch, lid tq 3^d; cookers, & M to 4s 6d per bushel; Kelson Jonathans, 8s; Alexandra, 10s-to lis 3d. .Lemons. American. 30s. None offering. Bananas. —Market bare Oranges.—Rarotongan, 13s to 15s 6d. .Peaches. —Jam, Id to 2d; dessert, to s|d. Nearly finished. Pears. —Cooking, Id to lid; desserts. l|d to 2d. Tomatoes. —Supplies are falling off. Local hothouse, s|d; Christchurch, lid to 3d; Alexandra, 2d to 3icL Ouincee, Id to lid. Grapes.—-Local, 9d to Is; inferior, 4id to 6£d. Cucumbers. —Outside, 3a to 4s per box; hothouse, 2s to 3s 6d per dozen, small. None offering. Vegetables.—Poor supply. Cabbage: Good, Is to 3s per dozen; sacks. 2s to 4s. Table carrots. 5d to 9d per dozen; 2s 6d per ba<r. Rhubarb, 3s 6d per ewt. Swedes, 2s to 2s 6d T>er cental. Cauliflowers: Scarce, 2s to 2s 6d per dozen for small; large. 4a to 5s per dozen. French beans, Id to l£d; broad beans, Is per bag. BUTTER AND u-EESE MARKETS. Messrs A. S. Paterson and Co. have received the following cablegram from Messrs J. and J. Lonsdale and Co., London: — "Butter: Quiet; 162s to 1645. Cheese: Very firm; 104s to 106s " . LONDON MARKETS. Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, April 19. Copper: Spot, £IoQ to £131; three months, £124 to £125; electrolytic, £136 to £140. Tin: Oash, £197 15s to £198; three months, £196 to £196 ss. Silver, 30fd per ounce. Anning's report states that at the rabbitskiii sales 765 bales were offered on a strong market, and New Zealand skins advanced by an average of 2^d. At the tallow sales 826 casks were offered, and 470 were sold. Prices: Best beef, 545; medium, 48s 6d; best mutton, 52s 6d; medium, 475. MELBOURNE MARKETS. | Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE, April 20. Bran, £5. Pollard, £6. Barley: Chevalier, 4s 6d to 4s 9d; Duckbill, 4s 2d; Cape, 3s 1 to 3s Id. Oats: Milling Algerian, 2s Id; feed, Is lid to 2s. Potatoes, £5 10s to £6. Onions, £3 10s to £3 15s. CENTRAL PRODUCE MARKET. Messrs Reiliy Gill and Co. report for the week ending Thursday:—As usual, previous to the holidays, our staff has been taxed to its utmost to cope with the heavy lines oi! lruit and produce coming on to the market. It is umortunate that at this time consignors should hold all their supplies until a few days beiore the holidays, 'lhe result is a congestion of truit, poultry, and produce; and, ivith only a limited time at our disposal, sales have to be effected at the best prices offering. Consignors ol produce would do well to consider this in future, and make their arrangements to market their produce immediately alter or well before a recognised holiday, when all traffio is normal. Jiggs, have been in demand at 2s and 2s Id for stamped and guaranteed. Preserved egg 3 are moving Ireeiy. Heavy consignments of poultry came forward, 'fhe detaded list given below explains tho position and prices ruling: — Fruit: Our market has been over-supplied with pears; we have handled at least 14<J0 cases during the week, j*. quantity oi the fruit was in overripe condition, with tho result tuat low "rices are ruling. AH other lines oi fruit have sold remarkably well. Local grapes have been short of requirements, and have. realised Is. We had 80 CBfies of grapes consigned from Australia. These reached us in fair condition, and realised as be-low: —Grapes: Local grapes realised! Is lb; Australians, 8s 6d case. Tea: First tips, broken orange pekoe tea, 51b and 101b boxes, Is 6d per lb. Peaches, l£d, ljd, 2d; dessert, crates, 2|d, 3d. Lemons: We landed 100 cases; 300's realised 30s to 31s 6d; 100's, 17s 6d to 18s 6d. Tomatoes: Local hothouse, 4d, 4id; Alexandras, ljd to 3d; Christchurch, 2s 6d, 3s 9d, 5s per case. Quinces, 2d, 2id. Pears: Market glutted, realising 2s to 5s per ease. Hazel nuts, 7d. Walnuts, per lb. Flowers, 2s 6d to 3s dozen bunches. Celery, 3s to 4s dozen. Cabbage, 2s 6d dozen. Cauliflower, 2s 6d to 4s 6d per dozen. Cucumbers, 6s 6d to 9s 6d dozen; outside, 53 6d to 7s box. Eggs, 2s, 2s Id for stamped and guaranteed; preserved, Is 4d, Is sd, Is 6d. Beeswax, Is 3d, Is 4d. - Honey: Choice, sjd for bulk; packages, 7s per dozen. Butter: Farmers' bulk, Is Id, Is 2d; pats, Is 2d; Defiance factory, pats, Is 4id. Bacon: Choice, Is other lines, from 3d to Bd. Pigs: Baconers, 7d; porkers, 7d; sid. Horsehair, 18|4 Apples: Dessert Scarlets, 7s fad, Bs, 8s 6d; Ribstons, 6s 9d, Cox's Orange Pippins, 5s to 8s 6d; Jonathans, ss, 6s, 6s 6d, ,7s 6d per case; cooking, 4s 6d to 5s 6d for bushel cases; sack apples, no sale. Pie melons, 4s to 5s 6d per cvvt. Pines, 16s 3d. Onions: Prime, 4s 6d; pickling onions, 8s I cwt. Potatoes: Heavy consignments forward; slow sale, froir. £4 15s to £7. Molasses, 9s in tins; barrels, 6s per cwt. Oat pollard, £7 10s. Wheat pollard, £7 per ton. Bran, £4. Oat sheaf chaff: Primo quality old chaff, -84 10s to £5 10s; good bright chaff, £4- to £4 ss; medium to good, £3 5s to £3 7s 6d; new chaff, £3 10s to £4 for primo quality; other lines, £3 to £3 7s 6d. Straw: Pressed wheaten, 355; oaten, 37s 6d. Fat, 235, 245, 24s 6d, 26s 6d, 27s 3d. Fowl wheat, _4s 4d, 4s 6d, 4s Bd, 4s 9d for prime. Milling wheat: Prime velvet. 5s 3d to 5s 4J,-d; Tuscan, 4s 6d to 4s B^d; velvet-ear and red chaff, 4s 7d to 4s 9id. Meat meal, 17s. Oats, 2s 3d, 2s sd, 2s 7d, 2s 9d, 3s for A grade lines; 2s, 2s 2d, 2s for B grado lines; seed, 4s 3d, 4s 6d, ss. Maize: Best Suva we quote 5s 6d to land. Rice meal, 10s 6d per sack. Rabbitskins: Winter does, 22d'to 27d; winter bucks, lßd to 22d; early winters, 18& d;

iucomir.gs, 17id: auticaws, 13d lo 16d; summers, 8d to lOd; Primo Winter blacks, to 42d: fiuTiis, to J9J; hawked nntl milky, according to quality. Rides; Good ox hides, to lOd; good cow hides, 7Jd to cut r.Tid 6lippy, Sd to 6u. Calfskins, to lid; for best mediums, to lOd. damaged and inferior, from Sid to 9d per lb. Poultry: Heavy consignments forward on Wednesday; hens realised—l 9ls Id, 96 Is 2d, 159 Is 3d, 40 Is Id, 16 Is sd, 21 Is 6d, 9 Is Bd, 3ls 9di, 4- 2s; ducks—l 6 Is Bd, 25 Is 9d, 16 Is lOd, 17 Is lid, 35 2s, 22 2s 3d, 1 2s 4d; cockerels—2l Is, 1.3 Is 3d, 6la 6d, 14 Is 9d, 4 Is lOd, 14 la lid, 16 as, 7 2fl Id, 17 2s 2d, 23 2s 3d, 17 2s 4d. 42 2s 6d, 8 2s Bd, 8 3s; cock birds, from Is to Is 6d; pullets— 1 2s 6d, 6 2s 9d; geese—6 3s, 22 3s 3d, 5 3a 6d; turkeys*—old joclcs—2 7d lb, 1 lb; hens—9 7Jd. REILLT, Gn,I s & CO., Auctioneers and' Commission Agents, Moray place, Dunedin.