COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16873, 9 December 1916, Page 8

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Friday evening. The London market remains very lirrn. Parcels of Australian wheat recently shipped have realised 77s per 4801b, c.i.f. In Chicago, however, values have fluctuated daily, wheat there being now almost a purely domestic proposition, owing to the small margin between production and consumption. This fact makes wheat more of a gambling counter than ever, and the position is further aggravated by the immense aniount'of money in the United States available for almost any purpose. The rapidity with which the mercantile marino ot the world is bcine destroyed by enemy submarines renders tho transport of our wheat to Europe an increasingly difficult proilem (says the Australasian). The length ' of the voyage from Australia to British ports, of course, adds greatly to the dangers of attack ifrom hostile craft, and any method which is calculated to lessen this risk is worthy of consideration. Failing the re- ' lease of Russia's large surplus of wheat, it is contended that the relatively small production in America last season compels Great Britain to draw heavily on tho more remote sources of supply, such as India and Australia. On present indications, it looks as if, between old and new wheat, Australia may have an exportable surplus of 20,000.000 quarters. It is suggested that it should bo for Great Britain to arrange for Canada to export wheat to Europe to the full extent of her stocks and replenish by shipments from_ Australia. If such an exchange were practicable, it would reduce to a minimum the risk of supplying tho Allies with a very large quantity of brcadstuffs, and would greatly accelerate Sie process of turning 'our wheat into money. The information that came to hand to-day stating that the Government has removed the dutif of £1 »er ton on flour has paralysed

j the wheat market in tlio meantime. Earlier in the week several small lines changed hands at the following prices:—Velvet, 6s : 6d; red sorts, 6s 3d. , Oatmeal is quoted at £16 a ton for 25's; . pearl barley, £19; poiinrd, £6 to £6 10s; bran, £4. Flour was further advanced during the week by 10s a ton. The current quotation is now £15. The market is rather bare of stocks of oats, add not much business has to be recorded. North Island buyers ar© confining their orders to "hand-to-mouth" business. AVhat oats aro in store are held for higher prices than thoso named by local merchants. Merchants aro quoting about 3s Id to os 2d (f.0.b., sacks in) tor A Uartons—equal to 2s lid to 3s (ex store). Round about tho Gore district holders aro asking 2s 10gd to 3s (country sidings). In Invercargili tlio ; market is also very quiet. A Gartons aro ■ nominally ouoted there, at 3s 3d, and 3s j 2d for B's (f.0.b., sacks in). PRODUCE REPORT. ! Chaff is quoted at up to £4 12s 6d for 1 prime quality. Consignments aro not equal to tho demand, farmers being too busy at the present time' to pay mucli attention to cutting. . | There is very little demand for either j oaten or wheaten straw. Old potatoes are now being sold at about £6 a ton. The increasing supplies of new tubers liavo practically killed tho demand for old, which, however, are now pretty well finished. There aro not many onions available _at present. A further supply is duo to arrive , troin Melbourne next week. Eggs are unchanged in price. Dairy and separator butter, in lib packets, has advanced Id jier lb during the week. Current wholesale priccs are as follow Chaff.—Prime oaten-sheaf, to £4 12s 6(i; medium to good, £3 to £3 15s (sacks extra), ijtraw.—Oaten, to £3; wheateii, £2 10s. Melbourno onions.—Prime, £12. Hay, £4 to £4 10s. Eggs.—Fresh, Is 2d; stamped, Is 3d. Butter.—Milled bulk, Is 2d per lb; dairy and separator, in lib packcts, Is Id to Is j 2d f separator (btdk), Is Id to Is 2d. ! Pigs.—Baconers, 7d per lb; porkers, 7d. Bacon. —Rolls (in quantities), local, Is; Christchurch, Is; sides, lid; liarns, Is per lb; ham rolls, Is Id. ! FRUIT REPORT. Owing to the irregular shipping service between Auckland and tho sour.il, ttie Jt! ij i bananas t-x 'ialuno had to be railed from Auckland to Wellington, thus add.ng greatly to the cost. Iho bananas that came forward were quickly sold at prices ranging from 22s 6d to 255. 'lhese prices worlc out at close on Id per banana. Strawberries irom tho Otago Central aro practically finished. The lew lines now coming forward are from Waimate, and these realise from ]0d to lb per pottle of , about lloz. Fairly good uipplics of Bhiatoos have readied the market from Ctiristchureii. One consignor sent forward no lower than 40 cases in the'onc >.lay. Cherries arc arriving from the Otago Central district, and are being sold at fair prices under a good demand. New potatoes and peas arc meeting with a very keen demand, and prices show an upward tendency. It is stated that supplies of both these vegetables may not bo sufficient to meet all tho orders. A parcel of Californiaii apples came to hand by the Moana, The fruit reached the ,f market in splendid order, and as the shipment will be tho last to arrive before Christmas, prices are ruling fairly firm. The demand for Sydney fruit nas gone right olf. Mandarins and second crop oranges aro now almost unsaleable, the quality not being up to the standard demanded by tho public. Tho following aro tho currcnt wholesale priccs:— Apples.—Good eu-pply. Oalifornian, 16s to a.-- (xi for prime Oranges.—\nioricai: Navels, 27s 6d per double ca.se; Sydney, 5s to 7s; mandarins, : 4s to 6s. I Lemons. —Auckland, 5s to ,9s; Californian doubles, 40s per double case. j Bananas.—Market bare; Fiji, 22s 6d to ' 255; Raratongan, 20s. Strawberries.—9d to lOd per pottle; choice, Is to Is 4d. Cherries.—7>>d to 9dchoice, lOd to Is 2d \ Tomatoes.—Christchurch hothouse, Is to Is 2d; local hothouse, Is 4d. Cucumbers. —10s to 14s per dozen. Cabbages, Is 6d, to 2s per dozen; Is to 3s 6d pef sack. Cauliflowers, new spring, 4s 6d to 6s 6d per sack, 5s to 6s per dozen. | Carrots, new season's. Is to Is 6d per dozen ! bunches. Turnips, 6d to 8d per dozen. Rhubarb, Id to lid per lb for choice red; I others, 6s to 7s per c"\vt. Lettuce, 4d to Is per dozen. New Potatoes.—Local. 2d to 2ia; Auckland. l|d. Green peas.—2fd to 3jd for choice; medium, to 2^d. Gooseberries.—l-Ji to 2d for largo; medium, to lid.

MELBOURNE MARKETS.

Press Association—By Telegraph.—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. MELBOURNE, Dcember 8. Oats: Milling Algerians, 2s 24 d to 3s 3d; feed. Is lid to 2s. Potatoes, £5 to £6. j Onions, £5 10s to £6 15s.

CHRISTCHURCI-I MARKETS.

(Peb United Pbess Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, December 8. There has been a little more wheat changing hands during the week at a further advance in prices. Sales have been made at 6s _ for Tuscan at country stations, and a prime lino of pearl, held in a city store on the grower's account, was disposed of at 6s 6d. The announcement that the Government has decided to take the duty off imported flour alters the whole situation, as it will enable Australian flour to be landed at nearly 30s per ton below the present local price. Whether it will be possible tp obtain shipping space for any quantity of flour from Australia is another matter. There is nothing doing of any consequence in other lines of grain and produce. There should be a much larger crop of grass seed this season than during the previous two years. Grass has grown well

in spite of the dry weather, and, owing lo | tho shortage of stock in Canterbury, a, ! larger area is beine reserved for seed. I I

! PROI'ER'iY SALES. j

Messrs Tiunblyn, M'Ke.ny.k>, and Win ton report having recently elt'eeted tile following sale of properties by private treaty: — On account ot Mr Sutherland, part sections 33 and 14, block 4, Regent; Park, St. Kildi, with now bungalow; part section 6, block 31, St. Kilda; section o, resubilivision of section 11, block 14, Royal Crescent, Musselburgh. with bungalow res.dence; sections 35 and 36, Extension No. 2, St. Clair; section 13, block 6, Regent Park, St. Kilda, with new bungalow residence; part sections G and 9, bioek 7, Ri.gent: Park, St. Kilda, with new bungalow residence; sections 27, j 47, 55, 84, 85, 09, and 100, township of ; Wharfdale, Macandrew's Bay, to various j buyers; section 29. township of Macandrew's, North-East Harbour: on account of J Mr Viokcry, 14 acres freehold at Flagstaff; 1 on account of Mr Fairbairn, 107 acres freehold, Tnieri Beach, with crops and improvements, also his freehold farm of 358 acres, Fcrndale, Taieri Besioh, 'with improvements, [ coops, etc.; on acount of Mr llawke, his j freehold farm of 236 acres, Morton Mains, ! with crops and improvements; on account of Mr Macdonald, his leasehold dairy farm of 50 acres at Henley, with crops, stock, etc.; on account of Mr Anderson, section 1, block 7, Wylie's Crossing; part sections 8 and 11, Henley Estate, with improvements; leasehold dairy farm of 36 acres at ! Henley, with improvements, live stock, implements, etc., as a going conocrn; 10 acres freehold, being section 14, Deborah Bay, Port Chalmers, with improvements; section 19, block VII. Portobcllo district, containing 10 acres at Broad Bay, with irn- . provements.