COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18293, 9 July 1921, Page 8

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Friday Evening. Tho announcement of the Victorian Premier that the Government had decided definitely to discontinue the wheat-pooling system is in accordance with what Mr Lawson intimated (says the Australasian). As the desired information in regard to assurance of (shippers that they would bo able to finance the coming crop was immediately forthcoming, only one course was open to tho Government, and that was to restore the handling of wheat to pre-war agencies. Despite the growers who favour a continuance of tho pool, tho opinion is expressed that wore all wheat growers to participate in the unofficial ballot the majority would welcome a return to free marketing conditions. Tho decision of the Ministry has been made at an opportune time, for had it been delayed difficulties would have presented themselves in making arrangements for handling the coming crop. Country agencies have to be arranged, shipping facilities provided, and charters made. These matters all take time. Now wheat-handling firms can begin to reorganise thoir staffs for dealing with tho coming harvest. Although a basic price of wheat to meet tho British flour market has been established) by the Australian Wheat Board, few orders for Australian flour lira now being received from London. Export demands from other countries nre relatively insignificant, and the result is that many of the flour nulls in Victoria are forced to curtail gristing. Somo country mills are closed and others are working part time. .The small export business in flour has created a fair demand for both bran and pollard for shipment to Queensland and Now South Woles. LOCAL MARKETS.

Milling Wheat. —According to Government prices: Tuscan, 7s Bid, f.0.b.; Hunters, 7s Hid; Pearl, 8s 2fcd. Several parpels of wheat have changed hands for July delivery, and millers are keen buyers at the full Government rates. A shortage of milling wheat is anticipated, and millers are now taking up lines of a quality which they refused to accept earlier m the season. Fowl wheat is in good demand, and close on the maximum Government price is being realised for lines ox store. Millers' prices are as follow:—Flour, £2l 10s per ton; 100’s, £23; 50’s, £23 IQs; 25’s, £24. Bran, £7 per ton. Pollard, £lO. Poarl barley, £22. Oatmeal, 200’s, £2O; other quantities, £2l. North Island merchants aro showing more interest in oats, and there are several inquiries for July shipment, but eo fa'r no transactions aro reported, as buyers aro not prepared to pay the prices being asked—namely, 3s 7d, f.0.b.5.i., for A Cartons, and 3s 6d for B grade. Merchants hero nr© not keen aellers, as they are unable to buy from growers St equivalent to the above prices, which aro 2s 6d to 3s Bd, sacks extra, on trucks. At present there are no Home shippers operating, owing to the weakening in the London market to the extent of 6d per bushel, and local millers are also off the market, ae they hold sufficient stocks for their immediate requirements. PRODUCE REPORT. During the week very light consignments of chaff have been arriving, and up to £5 7s Gd per ton, sacks extra, ex truck, has been obtained for prime quality.- Good feed is aleo selling at slightly improved prices—namely, £4 15a to £5 2a Gd per ton, sacks extra. Consignments of potatoes have been difficult to sell during the week, and the market is slightly easier. Best quality is to-day worth £4 5s to £1 10s per ton, sacks included, while medium quality are almost unsaleable. Stocks in store aro fairly heavy, and aro sufficient - to meet the demand for the next two months. Thor© is a good demand for oaten straw at £3 10s, delivered Dunedin, but wheaten is slow of ealo at £2 15s, ex truck. The egg market is unchanged!. Melbourne onions are firm in price. Current wholesale prices are as follow: Chaff; Prime, to £5 7s Od; good feed, £1 15s to £5 2s Cd; medium and light, £1 to £1 ss. Potatoes: Prime quality, £4 5s to £4 10s; extra quality, to £4 15s. Eggs; Stamped, 2a; case lots, Is lid; preserved, Is 6d. Dairy butter; Pats, Is lid; milled, Is lid. Onions; Canterbury, £6 per ton; Melbourne, £9 per ton. Margarine, lid per lb. Bacon; Rolls, la 4d per lb; sides, Is 2id. Hams, Is 4d. FRUIT REPOPT. Fair quantities of apples ore arriving from Central Otago and Canterbury. The demand is on the quiet side. Lemons meet an average inquiry. A small shipment of Poorman oranges arrived from tho north. These were in excellent order, and met a ready sale at 22s Gd per case. A line of American oranges is selling at 38s 6d per case. A case holds from 175 to 250.. High prices rule for cauliflowers. Other vegetables meet a moderate inquiry only. Current wholesale prices are as follow’: Apples: Dessert Jonathans, Os to 10s; Scarlet Pearmain, 8a 6d to 9a Gd; Sturmcr, 10s to 11s; Delicious, 14s to 16s; Cleopatra, 10s to 12s Gd; cookers, 7s to 8s -Gd for choice; medium, 5s io 6s; small, 3s to 4s. Lemons; California, 40s to 49s Gd; Adelaide, 15s to IGs; Sydney, 19s Gd. Pears: Extra choice, to 4d per lb; others, 2Jd to 3Jd. * Pines, 22s to 25a per case. Passion fruit, 17s Gd to 295. Oranges; American, 3f« to 4Us; navels, 21s to 21s; Sevilles, 12s 6d to IGs; mandarins, 20s to 22s 6d for beat. Potatoes; Sacks, 5s to Gs per cwt. Table carrots. Is per dozen bunches; 5s Gd to Gs per cwt. Parsnips, Is per dozen bunches; sacks, 5s to 7s. ' '< Beet, Is per dozen bunches. Cabbages; Best, to 3s G;1 per dozen; medium, Is Gd to 2s per sack; prime, 3s to 4s; inferior, Gd io Is per sack. Cauliflowers: Choice, 9s to 14s per dozen; extra choice, to 17s per dozen; medium, 4a to Gs per dozen; small, 2s to 3s Gd per dozen; sacks, to 15s. Lettuce, Is Gd to 2s Gd per case. Spring onions, 3d per bundle. Celery, : 6d to 8d per bundle; choice, lOd to Is. Spinach, Is per dozen bundles. Leeks, 2d to 4d per bundle. THE TALLOW MARKET. LONDON, July 6. Tallow: 1993 casks offered, 1259 sold. Mutton, 36s Gd to 345; beef, 42s to 355; good mixed, 355. THE HIDES MARKET. MELBOURNE, July 8. Tho hides market has declined fully Jd, except Irips and special stouts, which remain unaltered. AUSTRALIAN MARKETS. MELBOURNE, July 8. Barley, 4a Gd to 4s 7Jd; Cape, 3s 4d td 3s Gd. Oats, 2s Cd to 2s Bd. Potatoes, £3 10s to £5. ■Onions, £3 to £3 10s. CANTERBURY MARKETS. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 8. Oats are scarcely so firm as they were a fortnight ago, although values remain practically the same. The explanation of tho lack of inquiry is probably dua to tho breaking of the drought in England. Tho potato market is weaker. Over consigning from Canterbury is depressing the market, in Auckland. Quotations for spread delivery have receded to £3 15s, f.0.b.5.i.. which is practically equal to £2 10s per ton, country stations. Another factor is that later dug crops are turning out better than the early ones. There is a brighter tone in tho seed market. Dressed white clover has been the medium of business at 190 s, equal to Is 2d to Is Sd per lb undressed- Cowgraso seed, dressed, has been sold at 955, equal to about 8d per lb. Undressed linseed has been selling to a alight extent at reduced values. Quotations aro up to £l2 for good average quality, and £l3 fog very good.