CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2511, 30 April 1902, Page 17

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

ChristchuTch grain and produce Teport (Lyttelton Times, 26th inst.) . —The wheat market is not particularly active. There- is abundance of the staple cereal offering, and a large .quantity of it is no doubt very ■prime, grain. The plethora on offer is probably due to tho high prices that were paid last week, but these have considerably eased off within the last few days. It is said that as much as 4s 2d has baen given at country stations, "but that figure can hardly be said to be the ruling one just at the moment, as holders have a faT higher idea of the price value of their wheat than the merchants. As a consequence, but little business is doing. Holders do not apparently fear Ca-lifornian competition in Euch a grain-growing district as Canterbury, and, on the face of it, it doe 3 seem like currying coal to Newcastle. Still, rt is -reported that both wheat and -flour in fair quantities are "being imported to this colony, and with bread at its present high price it can hardly be wondered at that importers should exploit the Californian market cfoi both cheaper wheat and cheaper fiour. The present inflitioii of prices may just supply the margi-n of profit on cost, forwarding charges, and duty on Californian wheat aud flour as against the locally-grown grain. Oats range from 2s 2d to 2s 3d at country stations, but there are not many lines offering. Doubtless with the return of fine weather the farmers will resume oat threshing, for there must be quite a quantity of oats still. in stack, and then the market perhaps will take a. livelier tone. The Agapanthus took away to South Africa (to Durban for orders) 122,283 small bags of oats in execution of a contract for the War Office. Barley ia only nominally in the market. Potatoes are -rather higher in price, and must he quoted at least 5s a ton better thfin lest week at this time. Beajis are worth 3s at country stations, »nd Prussian blue pens 5s fid. The seed market is dull, as is usual at this time of the year. Onions have itnprovefl in demand and in price within the last few (lays. Letters from Melbourne and Sydney received last mail by a firm of grain merchants in Christchurch state that the firm -writing has received considerable inquiry from New Zealand regarding flour. They &uoply Californian flour to New Zealand at £8 I2s 6d peT ton of 22401b, c.i.f and c at Auckland, which was far cheaper than Australian flour, the lowcat quotation for which was £8 IDs to £S 15s for the best brands, and that per ton of 20001b. The foregoing is n summary of the Melbourne letter on the subject of Cahfoiman floor, but quotations for whent are also offered, if required. The Sydney letter quotes CoMnrnian No. 1 mil 'ing wheat at 3^ 4d, c.Lf. and c. New Zealand, for a cargo of 2000 to 2500 tons, May-June shipment, an<? Starr's "b.'kerr>' ex.ra" flour or other good brands at £7 2<3 Gd. C.i f a"d c. New Zealand, for a cargo of 2.»00 to 2500 tons. But beiorr> the despatch of the letter, cables to hand indicated n sharp rise in the rnaTltet foT wheat, v.-hich also raised the pn« for flour to £7 17s Tuna-u markets, for the week cirlpcl Fridrv last — Farmers do cot feal inclined to part wit->. any wheat at all, no matter what the quality, for I'qs than 4s a bushel, and this somewhat retards busine=s "For good nnlhne lines o' wheat 4s Id to 4s lJd has been paid ex store, Tiruaru. or 4s oi trucks at country station" : but anything snrouted has to e;o as fowl wh c at nt about 3s Gd f.o.b. Prices of oat« rema-n tho same as ciur'np; last week, with a bare market, but when the threshing mills start sprain -there will be more offering. Quotations are 2s 2d to 2s 4d for short and 2s to 2s 2d for feed on trucks at Timaru. sacks extra. There is 1.0 bat-ley oftVrin". Feed is worth 2s 6d to 2s 9'l f.o.b ', and malting 3s to 3s 6d according to quality. For Dr-rweni potatoes at cour.trv stntions. sacks extra, j£3 per ton is quoted, but growers ure asking £5, which buyers flpchne to ?nve in the present condition of the outside markets The Ashburton ■•orresDoadfiit of the Christchurch Press reports — The wheat market has gone through an exciting week, and sales at high rates have taken place. Merchants as well as millers have been buying the former, presumably for seed purposes, as high as 4s 3d being given for new wheat, several other lines bringing 4s 2d to 4s 2Xd. The local market was, however, soon satisfied, and sellers had again to fall back on out=idp millers. These, probably moved by the quantity offering, as well as the rumoured offee o f low-price for invnoried flour, dropped their values, ami yesterday 4s war top va.lue for new prime milliitr. There has b"en a litt'e more inquiry for-oats, especially foT any prime heavy lines' -mi-H ing Cnnedian= Fer>cl oats a!=o meet with ready d«mand, but rliscoloured li'ies are hard to quit. Va'ues are —

If you are «.uff°ring from Aoute Brnn c-hiti#. you may safely ldy upon TUSSJ

Milling Canadians 2s 3d, short feed 2s Id to 2s 2d, long feed 2s to 2s id on trucks. Oatihcaf chaff has been 111 good demand, and a>-.-pther 2s 6d added to value, making yesterday's price for prime lines 60s on trucks. , Leeston grain market (Christchurch Press, B6tn inst.):— The state of the wheat market has q\ute overshadowed oats and every other *ort of grain during the past week, and in place of inquiries b«ing made as to the price $>i oats, every inquiry has been about wheat. She southern competition was very keen last Week, as high as 4s 2d at country stations being paid, but already a reaction has set in, and toBay it is difficult to obtain 4s. On Wednesday lines were sold at 4s Id in the morning, put in the evening several farmeis 'failed to tibtain 4s. There, has bee:i quite a large and jinexpected quantity of wheat offered and sold jit about 4s at country stations. The future jtate of tihe market is uncertain. Oats have gardened in value during the week, and any fines aie now readily saleable at current quotations. Other lines in giain remain as previously quoted. The potato market 13 excited ;md uneven, very few iarmerß having sold yet ; £1 per ton is asked, but inquiries by formers in Christchurch on Wednesday failed to draw more than 60s per ton at our countiy stations. The following were the giain and produce *hipments from Lyttelton for the week ended Friday last — For Australia 350 oat=>, 47 sacks barley, 55 sack 3 bran. For South Africa: 60,755 bags (80lb) oats. Coa«twise 7403 sacks wheat, 5018 sacks oats, 13j sacks barley, 482 sacks bran, 2768 sacks and '1815 bags flour, 2182 sacks potatoes, 235 sacks sharps. Total shipments 7409 sacks wheat, 536S sacks ard 60,755 bags (80lb) oats, 180 sacks barley, 537 Backs bran, 2763 sacks and 4815 bags flour, 2182 sacks potatoes, 235 sacks sharps. Total shipments for four weeks 15,275 sacks wheat. 10.G51 sacks and 183,027 bags oats, 1694 sack-, bnriey, 2096 sacks bran, 8946 'ackc and 13,003 barjs flour, 5606 sacks 4SO bag 3;, - 1 5 boxes potatoes bl4 sacks sharp.