CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 17

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Cm i-trluircli grju. and piotluce iepoit (Lj t Ulttn 'ian^, 12th ;nst ) - Locally the broken weather is mteifenng con-si-derjijly with all classes of grain and produce, and the markets i>re very unsettled. The wheat market has become \ery excited during the past few days, and it :s stated that several parcels of milling have changed honds on the bas's of 4s per bushel, f.o.b. This Btate of things has natur.*']y caused a further rise in the prir-e of four, which has now atlv need to £10 per ton, while at Tiuiaru it has r:3en to X'lo ss, and an Auckland telegram yesterday announced that the pr cc there had gone up to £11. Very little wheat is * offering, and Curistchurch holders of parcels in store at Oamaru ore now regretting that they sold a few days ago <U ;)a 9d. It is now certain that a large quantity of wheat wa-? damaged by the late floods, more especially in the South Canterbury and North Otago districts, and this materially mc*eases the shortage which was previously apparent in the colony's supply. Judging from the cables received from Australia there is not nuich prospect of any wheat coming >n from there, as the yields have beei very disappointing. Indeed, so acute is the position in Sydney that caigoes which were being loaded for shipment to Gieat Britain have been taken out of the ships again to satisfy local requirements. The manner in winch flour has gone up in New Zealand lately has caused speculatois to look into the question of importing Ca.liforman flour, vud it is stated that an experimental shipment has already been cabled for by a southern firm. It is understood that with the number of vessels now lyiug idle plenty of cheap freights can be secured, and that the Califorruan article can be sokl in New Zealand at £3 per ton and leave a profit to the importer With regard to oa<s, there is very little change locally, although the maiket shows a slightly harder tendency This is due in p great measure to the laige quantities lejected in the fulfilment of contracts for South Africa There is little or nothing doing in barley. Blue Prussian peas arc veiy scarce, and are much in demand. There are strong inquiries for Derwent potatoes foi coastal ?hipm"nt, but cables from Australia- do not give much hope of business in that quartet, the Tasmaman crop being good, and prices too low to allow of shipments from New Zealand A very large aiea of the crop has been ruined in South Canterbury and North OUgo, and the North Canterbury crop is fully a month late Very few are offering, and to fill local ai tl coastwise requirements from £2 5s to £2 10a is being given at country stations. Timaru markets, tor the week en-ded Friday last. — Ike market im extremely bate of wliea.4-

owing to the large quantity damaged by the recent {floods, and holders of reaJly prime parcels of rnil'ing are disinclined to sell at less than 4s, whuo, on the other hand, millers are not disposed to ppy more than 3s 7d to 3s Sd, ond this, of course, has stood in the way of business. The recent wet weathei, in addition to destroying a large quantity of oats m this district, has considerably interfered with thrcshirg operations, and very few are offering. The prices offered by buyers are 2s 2d in sacks on trucks Timaiu for good sound parcels, lines in centals commanding about a halfpenny more. There is virtually no barley offering, gocd malting being worth 3s to 3s 6d, while teed sorts are saleable at 2s 6d, both f.0.b., Tiruaru, sacks s^d. In most of the low-lying portions of the district the crop of Derwent potatoes has been virtually ruined, and although very few have yet come to hand, it is expected that high prices will rule for any parcels coming forward from good, dry lands. Ashbuiton markets, foi the week ended Friday l?st — The recent cables from Australia have caused prices of wheat to firm tip, and farmers, further excited with rumours of reported sales at high rates, are plniost afraid to offer their gia<n. Several really prmo lines have changed hands at 3s 4d to 3s IJd, while 3s 5d has been paid for a line for seed purposes, otherwise no highei rates have yet been reported in this district. Farmers are, however, for the most part, asking 3s 6d now, and seem disinclined to sell under. Ihe grain is all in stack, but the tops are green, showing the great waste there must be in stripping the tops off for threshing. Wheat being delivered is turning out frr from satisfactory, and rejections must consequently take place. Many lines show plainly the effect of the wet season, others being simply cold and out of condition. To-day's quotptions are —Tuscan 3s sd, Hunter's and pearl 3s 4d to 3s 5d for prime milling lots There has been s. little more inquiry for o".ts, but pTices continue the same. Deliveries are now being made for shipment per s.s. Agapanthus, and the departure of this boat will leave stores again fairly empty, s>nd the bulk of the crop delivered from the Plains land. A large quantity of oats from heavy and high lard will not be threshed until spring time, and this will consist manly of diocolouied foed, which will have a tendency to hold the local m?rket steady. To-day's quotatio-.a are — Canadians 2s 2d, sparrowbills 2s Id, loriq feed 2s to "2s id at port. Oatsheaf chaff is scarce, ai.d none on sale at present. Quotations are j7s 6d, but buyers have to pay higher rates to secure prime quality. The export of grain and produce from Lyttelton for the week ended 11th inst. included the following lines • — 1851 sacks wheat, 1714 sacks and 1934 bags flour, 1702 sacks and 122,272 bags oats, 92 sacks meal, 10 sacks barley, 156 sacks malt, 91 sacks and BO bng3 bian, 174 sacks sharp", 70 sacks pollard, 1819 sacks chaff, 855 sacks peas, 933 sacks potatoes, 67 s«cks, 119 bags and 417 gunmea onions, 493 sacks seed, ai.d 160 trusses hay. Out of the above 303 sacks of peas were for the United Kingdom and 122,272 bags oats for South Africa. All the other lines were for Xew Zealand ports.