COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18198, 19 March 1921, Page 8

COMMERCIAL.

Friday Evening, March 13. Advice by cablegram states that the European and American new crop position was favourable, but peats were prevalent. Spring crops showed good prospects. Supplies from America were running smaller, and importers must take good quantities of Argentine and Australian grain. The International Institute of Agriculture at Rome, in its December bulletin estimates of the world’s cereal crops for 1920, stated that there was no material change in quantity. The quality, of Canadian grain was excellent. The report added: "The wheat crops of Argentina, Australia, and South Africa, new in process of harvesting, were grown on an aggregate area of 102,090,000 hectares, 18 per cent, greater than in 1919, but 10 per cent, below the five years’ average extent. No official estimates of yield are yet available. The grain crops in Northern India are still in want of rain, hut elsewhere in the peninsula prospects are fair. The autumn sown crops in Europe and in the 'United .States have made favourable progress, generally speajdng. In Egypt an increased area will be available for cereals, as it is expected that cotton growing will be reduced owing to the large decline in’ the price. Between November 12 and December 10 all the important rates of ocean freight fot grain declined by 25 per cent, to 30 per cent., while the prices for North American wheat were also rather lower, but exchange quotations were nearly similar to those of the earlier date mentioned.” LOCAL MARKETS.

It is pleasing to note'that the samples of wheat just thrashed in the Milton and Balclutha districts are of good milling quality and show no signs of frost. Millers have no hesitation in accepting this wheat, but they have had) to' reject a number of lines of Taieri-grown wheat, these being frosted. This frosted wheat has been sold to poultry■keepers, but the demand is not keen, poultrymen preferring to purchase oats at the much cheaper figure. The new prices for flour have been fixed as from Tuesday last. In addition to the price charged to the consumer, millers receive a subsidy of £1 10s from the Government for each ton they sell. Millers’ prices .are as follow:—Flour, £2l 10s per ten; 100’s, £23; 60’s, £23 10s; 25’s, £24. Bran, £7 per ton. Pollard, £lO. Pearl barley, nominally £2B. Oatmeal, £23 per ton. The oat market has weakened further, and to-day there are sellers of A Gartens at 2s 9d, fxt.b.s.i., and B's at 2s Bd, These figures represent a return to growers of 2s on trucks, Taieri stations, and less for a longer railage. Reports from ■ Christchurch indicate that the market is weak, even at the above-quoted prices. Values are now down, to pre-war rates, and owing to the increased cost of production farmers are faced with a loss on their output.

Several thousjnd sacks of oats went forward to Auckland this week in the Kanna in execution or orders accepted some time back. Merchants in the North Island are not now very keen operators, as they evidently have sufficient to meet their immediate requirements. . Papers received from London show that the prices received for the oatg shipped from Bluff wih mean a substantial loss to shippers. The freight charges represented a considerable deduction from the prices received. PRODUCE REPORT. Consignments of chaff are heavier, and it is now difficult to 'secure £6 per ton, sacks extra, ex truck, Dunedin, for good quality. Several stacks are now 'being cut in the country, and if this stuff should reach tho market before the holidays a further reduction may have to be recorded. The potato market is weak, business being practically confined to the local demand. Growers in South Canterbury are prepared to accept lower values than those ruling in Dunedin,, and any orders for the North Island .are being filled from Timaru and Lyttelton. The current quotation for ton lots is about £6,. spot delivery. The prices for pigs are very irregular. Eggs have again advanced in price, and the- supply is not equal to the demand. Current wholesole prices are as follow; ’ Chaff: Sound oaten sheaf, £6; medium, £4 to £5 (slow of sale). Eggs: Stamped, 2s 6d; plain, 2s 4d per dozen. Potatoes: Prime quality, £6 to £6 10s; medium, £5 to £5 15s. Dairy butter; Pats, Is 9d; milled, Is lOd. Onions; Canterbury, £7 10s to £8 per ton. Margarine, 114 d per lb. Pigs: Prices easier. Bacon: Rolls, up to Is 5d per lb; sides. Is 4d. Hams, Is sd. FRUIT REPORT. Business has been brisk in the fruit marts during tho week. Supplies of tomatoes from Canterbury eased off towards the end of the , week, but tho quality is not so good as previously, a number of the lines being on the green side. Dessert apples meet with a fair demand, but cookers are neglected. A sharp rise has taken place in the price of pears, ■ in consequence of shorter supplies. Choice stone fruit in crates —nectarines, peaches, and plums—have' advanced in. price, smaller quantities now coming to hand. Imported fruit—'bananas, oranges, and passions—ore quite off the market. A email shipment of passions is expected from Auckland next week. There is not ft grsat demand for vegetables. Peas, and French beans meet with the greater inquiry. Current wholesale prices are as follow: Apples; Cox’s Orange Pippins, to 8a; other dessert sorts, 6s to 7s ; cooking, 8s 6d to ss. Lemons: Californian. 455. Oranges: Very scarce. fe Tomatoes: Christchurch, Id to 2d; local hothouse, 4d to*6d. Grapes, Is to la 6d; extra choice, to Is lOd. Nectarines: Crates, to 8d per lb; cases, to s id per lb. Pears; Beat to B|d; others, 2d to 2Jd. Plums: Choice dessert, to 6Jd; others, 2d to 4d. *l Peaches; Crates, dessert, 4d to 'Bid; cases, 2d to 4d. Potatoes: Sacks, 7s to 8s per cwt; cases, Id t» 3Jd. , Cucumbers: Local hothouse, 3s to 5s j?er dozen; outside-grown, 3s 6d to 5s per halfcase. Table carrots: New season's, Is 6d per dozen bunches; 8a per cwt. Radishes,'6d per dozen bunches. Beet, Is 6d per dozen bunches. Turnips, 6d per dozen hunches. Parsnips, la per dozen bunches. Cabbages; Best, to 4s per dozen; medium, 2s per sack; prime, 8s to 5s per sack. Cauliflowers; Medium, 2s to 4s per dozen; sacks, 8s 6d to 4s 6d; small, Is to 2s. Lettuce, Is to 2a per dozen. Spring onions, 3d per bundle. ) ' „ LONDON METAL MARKET. LONDON, March If. (Received March 19, at 0.10 a.m.) Copper: Spot, £67 2s 6d; forward, £66 12s 6d. • Lead: Spot, £lB 15s;, forward, £l9. Spelter:'Spot, £24 17s 6d; forward, £25105. Tin: Spot, £166 2s 6d; forward, £159 7s6d. Silver, 2s Sid per oz. —A. and N.Z. Cable.

VICTORIAN MARKETS. Press Association—Bv ’•’elegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE, March 18. Barley; English, 4s to 4s 8d; Cape, 3s 2d to 8s 3d. , Oats, 2s .7d te fis B|d. Potatoes, £5 iSs- to £6, Oniony £S UMb ' . 1 . -

LONDON MARKETS. LONDON, March 17. "Wheat: Quiet and unchanged. Flour; Market alow; Australian, spot, 70a. Barley: Market quiet; Australian Chevalier, 66s to 755. ■ ■ . Oats: Tending easier. . ‘ Beans: Market quiet. Peas: Market dull. Sugar: Firm; granulated, 68s. _ ' Cheese: Market quiet; New Zealand white, 144 s to 1465; coloured, 160 s to 162 s and N.Z. Cable.

THE HIDE MARKET. ‘ Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. MELBOURNE. March 18. Large catalogues of hides were offered, Pickled stouts and heavies are unchanged, Lower show id decline.

CANTERBURY MARKETS. (Pub Ukited Huess association.) CHRISTCHURCH, March la Millers have steadied down in their wheat purchases, and apparently they are not going to stook up again for some time to come. Most of them have already, a month or six weeks’ supply on hand, and as there is plenty of wheat in sight for ten or eleven monthe, at the fixed price, they are not likely to buy except on a hand-to-mouth basis. Oats.—The market ia, if anything, weaker than was the cose during the past few weeks, due to Southland farmers accepting low prices for new season’s oats. Generally dpeaking\ Southland oafs are better in colour and heavier than locally-grown. Most of the oata offered here are under grade, and the quality is poor. . The outside value of chaff is now given at about £3, some of it £2 10s. White clover is quoted from lOd to Is 2d. The demand for linseed in the dominion is small, hnd there is no export trade in view at present. A few sales have been effected at £lO per ton. Ryegrass is being at lower rates in Southland, consequently prices here are effected.

RABBITSKINS. Messrs Dalgety and Co. (Ltd.) report , haying received the following cable from their head office, dated London, March 18:—"8100 bales rabbitskins offered; 1300 bales sold. Furriers unchanged, hatters 10 per cent, dearer, on the average, as compared with last sales.”

Fraser and Go., auctioneers, produce merchants, commission agents, and agents for the Otago Egg ' Circle, 146 Crawford street, Dunedin, report:—Eggs: Market easier; prices realised by us this week were —plain, 2a 4d; Otago Egg Circle, 3s 6d. Butter; Dairy pats, Is 9d;- milled bulk, Is lOd. Pigs; Prices easier; good bacon weights, 8d to 9d; porkers, 9d; overweights, 6d. Tallow: Market very wcalc, from 10s to 20s per cwt, according to Quality. Honey: Practically no new season’s offering, and prices are nominal; prime bulk, ’to 8d per lb; sections, Is to Is 3d; 10lb tins, 7s to 7s 6d. Beeswax, 2s per lb. Maize, 10s per bushel. Potatoes: Owing to larger supplies arriving from Taieri, Oamaru, and Canterbury, prices have eased considerably; prices realised this week, £7 to £7 10s. Canterbury onions, 7s to 7s 6d per cwt. Hulled‘S oats, 7s per bushel. Fowl wheat, 8s 6d per bushel, we have the Otago agency for the Champion. eg£ crates, price 17s 6d eaeji. Poultry leg rings, in assorted colours, Is Gd per dozen; special quotes for largo quantities. Pettey’s toe punches, 2s 6d each. Poultry: We hold our usual weekly sale on Wednesday, when the following prices were realised:—Hens—43 at 6s 2d, 17 at Ss 4d, 19 at 5s Bd, 23 at £s lid, 17 at 6s, 13 at 6s 2d, 14 at 6s 4d, 15 at 6s Gd; cockerels—l 3at 6s, 11 at 7s 6d; ducks—2o at 8s lOd, 14 at 9s 2d, 16 at 10s, 17 at 10s 8d; turkeys,/’from Is 4d to Is 6d per lb, live weight.

Formerly a marriage dowry of £IOOO was given to the Queen’s maids of honour on their weddings, but this has been discontinued for some time. Messrs Baldwin and Raywaxd (district managers, Mirams Bros., 21 Crawford street, Dunedin), head,, office, Wellington, report that recently they acted as agents in filing the following applications for letters patent: Stapleton Pty., Ltd. (Richmond), chair; A. Soper (Athol), agricultural implement; G. Luokman (Auckland), range; W. Saunders (Te Aroha), milking machine; H. Cederholme (Wellinripn), gas igniter; R. Prichard (London), llbre washing; T. Poynder (England), account books; Fidler (Hayes), concrete walls: Concrete Dwellings lLondon), moulds ;-C. Barnett (London), brushes. Send for “Inventors’ Guide,” post free.— Advt.