CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2524, 30 July 1902, Page 16

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Christchurch grain and produce report (Lyttflton Times, 26th inst ) —There is a slightly better tone in the local wheat market, owing to steady orders coming in from North Island mills, while several parcels have a'so been taken for Otago. A fair amount of business has been passing on the basis of 4s f.o.b. Although local millers have not purchased much, they are making inquiries for any suitable lines, evidently with the idea of replenishing stocks. Very few oats are offering, and bej'ond a little inquiry from Australia, there is no demand. There being no orders foi South Africa and no indication of further inquiries from there this season, the local market closes with an easier tone. With reference to the statements which.

have been made that farmers are suffering a serious loss through beivg unable to get their produce away to South Africa, on account of the de'ay in the starting of the Blue Star line of steamers u"doi contract to the Government, it may be mentioned that although facilities have been offered for shipment, they have not been taken p.dva-ntage of. The Tyacr line put on a boat "lor South African ports, with the result that the vessel left New Zealand barely half full ot cargo, and the owners lost about £6000 on the trip The same firm afterwards spent a considerable sum in advertising another steamer for South Africa for .over two months with the result that they werp offered about 60 tons of cargo. Lately a Christchurch merchant nub a sailing vessel on the berth at Lyttelton, but the only cargo offering was 25 tons of pollard, and so she had to be withdrawn, and loaded produce for Sydney. Tlie Federal line, for v/hom Messrs Kins°y, Barns, and Co. are agents, ha-s now decided 1o give the trade a trial, and the Suss«x is loading in Lytte'ton. and if sufficient inducement offers, she will be followed by the Norfolk in August, ?nd the Kent in September. These steamers receive no subsidy whatever, and are taking freight at the aame rates as those under which the Blue Star lines tender was accepted by the New Zealand C n~ vernment. All the boats have rpfngeratmg chambers and space for pbout 30.000 card>=<"s of mutton ha-s already been secured in the Sussex. Her space for other cargo, hovvev. r, is not being taken advantage of to any extent, and she will leave with room in her holds for fully 2000 tons cf cargo. In order to endea : your to save themselves from loss, the owners have arranged to call at the Bluff, and take in 2000 live sheep for the Sydney market, and at that port the Sussex will coal, but she will not take in any cargo from Australia. So far, experimental shipments of pro luce to ftonlb. African ports have no* proved lucrative (■> shippers, and it is doub'ful whether farmers will be hkely to ven'ure consignments on thenown account until a permanent market is established. There is virtually no business being done in barley, but beans and oeis ar*> scarce and wanted. The heavy offerings of oatsheaf chaff are meeting with very little demand, and the market is easier. The Government has row amended the conditions upen which tenders will bp received for 500 tons o£ potatoes for the Pretoria Government on the lines suggested in thi<» column on Wednesday, and there is every probability that severa-t Chri=tchurrh firms will tender under the altered conditions. The orobnbility of the contiact falVg to Canterbury has caused the market for Derwents to harden considerably, and growers are firmer in their demands. It must be remembered, however, that the fulfilment of such a contract will not be a very difHwill leave many thousands of tons more than will be required for home consumption. The shipments to Sydney this week have been the largest for the season, and orders are now coming in freely from Auckland. The shipments to Sydney this week have been the largest for the season, and orders nre now coming in freely from Auckland. The shipments from L/yttelton from January 1 to July 25 for this season have totalled 83.154 bags, as against 146.482 bags for the same f>erio.'l last year. Dairy nroduce and bacon and Hauis continue very firm Ashburton markets, for the week ended Friday last —For wheat a better feeling prevails throughout, a.nd millers and farmers aie more, inclined to agree with regard to values Hence several lines have changed hands, including a large line of 3600 sacks Tuscan on account of {he Lagmhor estate. Trices to-day are- Hunter'p and pearl 3? BJd to 3s 9d on trucks at A «=!•• burton. The oat im»V<»t continues very dull, and no business of importance has been reported. A few luiea continue tfi move off for

Seed purposes, but little is being sold for export. Quotations are: Canadians 2s 6d, sparxowbills 2s 3d, duns and Danish 2s 2d to 2s 3d, or discoloured feed 2s on trucks. The offerings "of oatsheaf chaff have' fallen off, and- a slightly better feeling prevails. Prices remain about 'the same, £3 10s to £3 los foi prime quality on trucks. Timaru produce markets (Herald, 26th inst.) - The markets still rule quiet-. Wheat is moving off slowly, 4s per bushel f.o.b. still being demanded by growers. To fill requirements, this price is given, and during the week several small and prime line 3 have gone south. In oats there is no animation, and no change from last week to report. Barley is still off the list, and there are very few inquiries for potatoes.

At the Christchurch sheepskin sales, held on Thursday last, there was a larger entry than for 60 me time past, and the skins came to hand in much better condition than usual. There was a large attendance of buyers, and keen competition was experienced for all classes, especially ior merinos, balfbreds, and fine-wools. Butchers' best halfbreds made 3=> Bd, 3s lid, 4s, to Ih. SA; medium clc, 2s lOd, 3s, to 3s 4d ; Lest merinos, 4s, 4s 2d, 4s 4d, to 4s 7d ; medium do, 3s, 3s 2d. 3s sd, to 3s 8d ; best crossbreds, 3s 6d, Ss Bd, to 3s lOd ; medium do. 2s sd. 2s 7d, 2s 9d, to 3s. Dry station merinos, well saved, biought from ojcl to 5Jd per lb , secondary sorts making 4Jd to 5d per Lb. Best dry halfbreds up to 4id, and crossbreds and coarser wools 2^d to 3£d per ]b. In rough fat. well-saved country lots made 18s to 22a- per cwt. and butchers' cuttings and inferior sorts 14s to 17s 6d per cwt. The exports of grain and produce from Lyttelton last week included the following lines — 3050 sacks wheat, 328 sacks and 917 bags flour, C 33 sacks and 1125 bags oats, 53 sacks meal, 253 sacks barley, 65 sacks malt, 905 sacks bran, 10 sacks sharps, 125 sacks pollard, 1657 sacks chaff, 123 sacks peas, 9451 sacks and 100 bags potatoes 108 sacks, 189 bags, and 530 gunnies onions, 101 sacks seed, 554 bales and 105 trusses hay, and 1313 bales straw. Of the foregoing, COO sacks and 1000 bags oats, 40 sacks meal, CBO sacks bran, 102 sacks peas 6338 sacks and 305 bags potatoes, 66 eaek9, 100 bags and 259 gunnies onions, ami 300 bales hay were for Australia. The balance was for New Zealand forts.