New Zealand Grain at Homo.

Otago Witness, Issue 1581, 11 March 1882, Page 7

New Zealand Grain at Homo.

From tho New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company's Brindisi circular of 13th' January we extract the following .with reference to tho English grain market :— '

" It is a matter of congratulation to farmers and others interested in the shipment of frrain from the Australasian Colonies that the high viilues of wheat should have beep so fully shared by such cf their pro-, duee as /found its way to this market. Although the opening rates of the seison did not compare favourably with those secured later on, the average of the season on the whole must have been very satisfactory, more espei ially to continuous ohippera. Some few of the earlier arrivals misled tho top rates of the year ; but even those were placed at pri;es which, as a rule, left no greund for complaint. In this particular consignments from New Zealand wore perhaps more fortuuate than thoso from tho neighbouring Colonies, tho time of tho year at wnich the lavgo bulk of these became available for disposal being the time when prices wore advancing or had attained thoir maximum. It may be well to add in this connection' that the market was I materially strengthened by the improvement in | quality and condition presented by successive | arrivals of New Zealand wheats, as compared with those which came first to hand, and which were scarcely up to the average of the previous year. In our annual reviews of pust seasons we have taken occasion to point out freely the defects of certain classes of farming in New Zealand, as apparent from the condition of the grain on arrival here, and have felt constrained to animadvert upon the want of caie bestowed upon the tillage of the Jand, the selection of the Beed, and the dreuring of the produce. We aie glad to find that in these most important matters a distinct improvement is visible on the shipments of the year; and that although in still far too many cases signs appear of nlovenly cultivation there is a general .tendency towards Amelioration. " With respect to tho oat trade' of New Zealand wa may say that we are to some extent disappointed with the results. It is not only the fact that a large pro- [ portion of this coreal arrives here in inferior condition, but that consumers have not taken so kindly to its use as we had been encouraged to hope they might. The heavy weights, ranging from 45 to 48 or 49 pounds per bushel, are undoubtedly of very 'fine quality and of useful, nutritive properties, but baing- rather thickskinned, owners of valuable hunting and racing stock have beeii somewhat prejudiced against them on that i ground. Purchases were made, by way of trial, for gome of the training stables at Newmarket and else* .where,' but for a time were not repeated. Oi lato, however, some disposition has been shown to buy in moderate quantities when the quality has been very good, the scarcity of fine English and Scotch oats tending chiefly to this result. " New Zealand' barley fit for malting purposes has been well received, especially when clean and regular in size and colour. For these qualities a roady^markofc has been found. For the lower qualities, ill-dressed, foul, or unsound, the trade has been uniformly tlull, and'prices have with difficulty been maintained at a reasonable level. The English' barley harvest, which was expected to be one of the best known 1 for many years, turned out very badly; much of the crop being only fit for feed. With this the inferior qualities of New Zealand produce< have had to compete, arid tlie result,, us may be supposed, hag- i.otf>beon satis.factory." ' ' *.»■■••