COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17325, 27 May 1918, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Paily Times Office, Saturday Morning. Orasiotn has advanced 2s per dozen, and Gerfay 6d per dozen. .Several lines of paper and paper bags have Deem advanced m prioc. Supplies continue very short. , J H'Leod's Washing Powders havo been increased in cost by 5s per cwt. Cerebos suit ia now quoted at 123 6d per t10y.63. r .Colroan's mustard has been advanced by about 3u per lb. Burmoh candles are quoted at lljd to Is per lb. Camphor is in short supply. The current Quotation is 8s per lb. 1 The first shipment of Red Jaoket cigarotto tobacco, in li<» and fa? packets, is due to arrive next week. ■ Tortario acid, which is in very short supply on the local market is now quoted at 4s 6d per "lb. Ground rice, cloves, and nutmegs have been advanced in prioe. Many other lines also show an increased cost. t .Reports from Sydney, under date May 9, state that .strychnino and olive oil,- whioh are net conby the Federal Price-fixing Commissioner, commanded phenomenal values in the wholesale chemical markets the previous day. Before the war strycflimne sold ot 3s 6d and 3s 3d per oz, but iw pr^. yioos ib reallsed 31a - Merchants stated that they could not fulfil one quarter of tho ordeTs received, as tho supplies were short. Italian ohve oil realised 40s a gallon, as compared with 12s Cd in August of 1914, and 25s 12 months ago. Other chemicals to attraot record figures were acids. Cream of tartar, in normal periods, was obtainable at Is Cd a lb, less discount, but it is now hard to purchase American branrlg at 4s 3d a lb net. Citrio acid' in four years has jumped from Is 8d to 4s Id a lb net ana tartaric aoid from Is 9d to 4s 4d. ' Messrs Mackinjon, Mackenzie, and Co., ngonts at Calcutta of the British India Steam Navigation Cpmpany, have advised their clients by letter that the steamers had been withdrawn from the Australian route It is stated that the Government had recently diverted to other routes all the company's steamers employed in the Australian trade, and tho agents intimated that as they conld " n >; Prospects of having other vessels allotted to them in the moantimo, thev were reluctantly compelled to exorcise their option of cancelling engagements in accordance with t.ho clause inserted in their shipping orders. These contracts lor January, Febrnary, March, and April were cancelled accordingly.

BRITAIN'S BTJTTER SUPPLY.

ait increased ration. Press Association—By Telegraph— Cnpvright. Australian and Jf.Z. Cablo Association and Heutcr. LONDON, May 24. (Received May 26, at 5.5 p.m.) «,rJL 'Tl ? U l MU , pta , tes that »' of tho surplus of British-mado butter now available, tho weekly ration of butter and margarine will bo increased by ono ounce, making soz per week.

THE OAMARO MARKETS. (From Oub Owh Cobbbspondbnt.)

n _ . ' , , t . OAMAKU Mav 25. Offerings of wheat from the country during the week were exoeptionaJly sjnaJl. Two reasons for this may be presented—the quantity remaining in growers hands is nor limited and with the near approach of June had led holders to refrain from ottering until the authorised advanoe in nrioo comcs into operation with the advent of the month. ™ arke £ ,0r K is P"at a standstill. Thero has been no particular desire to buv the last three weeks or so and there are now practically no sellers of Gartens. A few lota of Algerians have come on tho markot, but have not met with a very cordial reception. A couple of modest lines were taken at country stations at 4s and 4s Id net reepeotively, the higher flgnre being given for an extra good sample *° o' barley have been reported, and very little pf this cereal remains in the district. It is reported that ono lino of Capo barley wns offered, but the pnoe tendered did not mee tho grower s vlea of valnc. There l.as bsen nothing doing in potatoes. There • \ ut th °y for a price abo£ P" nt y , of prevailing in purchasing oentres. There has been no indication of a revival of activity in the stock market, and none is looked for just at present. There has been some innnirv for breeding ewes, and anything of good quality could be placed, bnt very low of that class of sheep arc procurable. Some sales of sheep were made, generally in lots of a few hundreds, and the prices obtained were as follows Two-tooth ewes 38s 6d; mixed four and six-tooth ewes 34s 6d' mixed six and eight-tooth ewes (without cnnranl tee), 28s 3d; sound-mouthed ewes, 27emouthed cm*, 20«; ewe hoggets, 26s for eood class and 34s and 24s Gd for medium nnalifcv-mixed-sex h<as?<*s, from 10e Gd for small up 'to 2Ga 6(1 for first class; fat wethers, from 33s 3d to 445, according to weight and finish; forward Wether 3, ,10s; mixed half and three-quarterbred Itore wethers, 25s Gd. The only transaction reported in cattle was the (ill e( » Uo« gl lat ballooka »t £13.

SOUTHLAND MARKET REPORT. (Fiiom Our Own Corresi'ondext.)

INVEUCAHGILTj, May 25. Thcro has been a fair amount of business in oats passing (luring the v.vek, both of sales to tho north auil an occasional jHircluiso from growers, who lutely have seemed nioro disposed to Uuko mcrohanta* ideas of values than iluring the last month or so. Growers have evidently formed tlio opinion at hist that the, price is not likely to go higher. Current rates to growers are is to 4s Id on trucks, ssveks extra, for A grade Gortons, the prico depending uu the distanco from port.

Considerable quantities of ohuff aro offering, and tJio market luia a downward tendency. MerIlow C4iro °® er nioro than .£5 lUs lor primo quality on trucks ut handy sidings. A few growers' lint*; of ryegrass have changed lunula during tho week, most of the linos offered having been good, heavy-weight seed ii*>m 241b to -bil> per bushel from the mill, and though tho prices do not roach values current early in the season, good remunerative rates have been paid, up to in 4d for well-milled 261b seed. A fair average price for good seed from the mill is 4s on trucks, and light seed down to .Is 3d. The conseusus of opinion is that rvograss seed will rule higher in the spring, owing to tho fact that all pasture grasses and clovers, other than aro ,n,lc h higher relative* value so that fanners sowing down will use the dearest sccos to a lesser extent than usuaJ, sowing down ruoro ryegrass.

During the past week very few storo sheep V.? T ® tiecn offered, either at country sales or at Wallactown, so there is a keen, inquiry for anv goo'l sorts. This, of course, is owing to tho smaller yarding and farmers stocking irp to put out on winter feed. The market for store sheep is firmer than for two months past, and lambs and wethers are selling quite on a par with tho prices realised two mouths ugo. The fat beef offering at present is of pretty inferior quality, very few prime oxen are offering, and the yardings of fat sheep at Wallaoetown during tho past few weeks have been of very ordinary quality, indeed the same remarks may be said to apply pretty well to all classes of stock at this time of the year. Prices may be quoted iat Cattle.—Per 1001b. Ox beef, 44s Bd to 46s uji . ft ' r ' 8 i cow, 425; extra primo bullocks, £18 10s to £21 10s; prime, £16 10s to £17 15s; light and inferior, £14 10s to £15 ss; prime heifers, £13 10s to £14 10s; medium and light, £9 10s to £10 15s; extra prime cows, £14 to £16; medium, £11 life to £12 15s; light and inferior, £9 10s. Fat Sheep.—Bxtra heavy prime butchers' wethers, 40s to 4is; primo, 38s to ;i9s Gd; medium, Jos to 34s 6d; extra prime ewes, 33s to 355; primo, 30s to 32i; medium and unfinished sorts, 26s to 26s 6d.

Storo Cattle.—Three to thrco and a-half vear old bullocks, £13 to £14; three years old, ' £12 10s ; two and a-holf year old, £9 10s to , ? j?,?',„ tw °-ye»r-old. £8 to £8 15s; 18 monthsold, £0 10s to £7; oalves, £3 10s to £4 10s; inferior sorts, £1 10s to £2 10s. Store Sheep.—Two-tooth ewes, 30s to 32s for good sorts; medium, 28s 6d to 29s «d; four-tooth, it 1° o- S 6 , d , : , sil - tooth ' - !) s to 31s; eight-tooth, Jss to 2/a; full-mouthed, 16s to 21s, according to condition; two-tooth wethers, 25s 6d to 26s 6d; up to 28s 6d; four and six-tooth, wl to 30s; raixed-scx lamb?, 21s 6d to 235; medium sorts, 18a to IDs.

CO-OPEEATIYE FRUITGROWERS,

Tho Co-operative Fruitgrowers of Otago (Ltd.) report:—-Business in all lines has been satisfactory during the week. Pigs: Large consignments forward; we secured Bid per lb for our lines. Our sale of potatoes, held on Monday, excited keen competition, a full attendance of the public ,"" e Present, good values were secured, the i , . bags being cleared under the hammer, booking apples and desserts have been in keen demand, and high prioes ruling. A very fine yarding of poultry for our sale on Wednesduv; prioes being higher than thoso ruling the previous week. All stock foods are meeting a keen inquiry. We received and sold Apples: Oox's Orange Pippins, 6s to 8s 6d; Jonathans, 9s to lis 3d; Delicious, 10s Gd to 12s 3d; Cleopntras, is 6d to ,3s; Wolseleys, 7s Gd; Stunners, 7s 6d to 10s; other varieties, 6s 6d to 9s; cooking, ljd, JJd per lb. Quinces, lid, ljd, 2d. Bananas: •Kipe, .'2a 6d, 355. Lemons: Adelaides, 20s; Americans, 50s for 300. Oranges: Choioe Ilarotonga, 14s. Peanuts, 5d per lb in sacks lots, walnuts, to Is Id. Tomatoes: Hothouse locals, 10id to Is 3Jd; Oamaru, 3d. Pears: Nelis, 10s to 13s 6d; Cole's, 9s; Beurre Diel, 8s Gd; Josephines, 9s; Easter Beurre, 8s; Yioars, Ss to 7s Gd; Keiffers, 3s Gd to Gs per dump case. Cabbage, Is 6d to 2s 6d per dozen. Cauliflower: Choice, to 6s Gd per dozen. Onions, 8s 6d to !)s per cwt, for choioe. Pumpkins, 4s Gd to lis 6d. Potatoes, £8 10s to £9 per ton, ex rail; 9s to 10s per cwt, ex store. Bacon: Extra prime rolls, to Is 4d. Pigs: Heavy consignments forward. Bacon, prime, BJd; porker, BJdchoppers, 3£d, 4sd. Butter: Bulk, Is 3d; separator pats, Is 4d; extra prime separator, Is 7d. Eggs: Stamped and guaranteed, 2s 6d, 2s 7d; preserved, Is Bd. Honey: New season's prime, 93; second-grade, BJd; sections, 8s Gd per dozen for choice; 101b tins, 7s Gd; pats, 10} d. Tea: First tips Broken Orange Pekoe, Is !)d. Bran, 6s 3d per 1001b. Capo barley, 6s 9d. Peas : Best Partridge, 7s 3d. Maize: Market bare. Lime sulphur: "Giraffe" brand, Is lOd per gallon in casks, ex store; 2s 6d in tins. Linseed meal: For oalves, poultry, cattle, or horses, 18s per cwt. Meat meal: "Cross Keys," 18s per 1001b. Molasses: In barrels, 7s 9d per cwt; tins, 14s per c\yt. Oaten pollard, 16s per bag. Oats: Best short oats, to 4s Gd. Oatsheaf chaff, £7 to £7 10s for choice. Oaten dust, 5s 6d per sack. Wheat: A splendid line at 6s Od per bushel. Wheat pollard, 13s 4d per bag. Beeswax, 2s. Wood wool, 355. Wrapping paper: Pure sulphate, 7s 9d per ream. Egg crates: "Economic," lis each. Rabbitekins: Market dead owing to embargo. Tallow: Realised 25s 6d, 26s 3d, 27s 9d, 30s 6d. Sale on Wednesday, the 2!) th. Poultry: Hens—ss at Is 6(1, 37 at Is 7d, 5G at Is Bd, 125 at la 9d, 35 at Is lid, 5 at 2fi t 22 at 2s Id, 12 at 2s 3d, 9 at 2s 4d; ooekcrels—G at Is Bd, 3 at Is 7d, 3 at 2s, 7 at 2s 3d, 47 at 2s 6d, 7 at 2s Bd, 24 at 2s 9d, 29 at 2s lid, 33 at 3s, 15 at 3s 3d, 11 at'3s 6d, Bat 3s 7d, 3at 3s Bd, 3at 3s 9d; drakes— 1 at 3s 6d; ducks—2B at 2s 9d. THE CO-OPERATIVE FRUITGROWERS OF OTAGO (LIMITED), Moray Place, Dunedin. , IS. OSWALD ItEILLY, Manager.

Messrs Fraser and Co., '146 Crawford street, Dunedin, agents lor the Otago Egg Circle, report:—Eggs: Market a shade easier; fresh, 2s 2d; stamped, 2s 3d. Butter: Separator, lib pats, Is 3d; separator, bulk, Is 4d, is in good demand. Pigs: Market slightly easier. Up to 1101b to 1201b, 8d to BJd; 1201b to 1601b, 8Ail; overweights, 4d to Gd. Tallow, 25s to 30s per cwt. lfoney: First grade bulk, 9d per lb; second grade, BJd (we guarantee this price). Beeswax: Wanted urgently, 2s per lb. Bacon rolls: Best factorv, Is 3d. Onions: Trimo Oajnterburys, 9s per cwt. Ponltry: At our auotion sale on Wednesday at 1.30 there was a keen demand for all classes. Good table ducks realised up to 4s 9d each; good, big cockerels, up to 3s 9d oach. Turkeys made another rise, and we secured IOJd per lb for hens and lljd per lb for gobblers. We recommend consignments for next week. The following are detailsHens—4o at Is sd; 25 at Is Gd; 18 at Is 8d; 25 at Is lid; 10 at 2s; pullets 6 at 5s Gd; 24 at Gs; 5 at 5s 9d; cockerels— 6 at 2s; 25 at 2s 6d; 25 at 2s 9d; 8 at 3s; 8 at 3s 7d; 4 at 3s 9d; ducks—B at 4s; 8 at 4s 9rl; geese, 3s 6fl to 4s (all at per head); turkeys—2o hen, at IOJd per lb; 15 gobblers at lljd (live weight). Write for poultry crates.