CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2528, 27 August 1902, Page 18

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Clmstchurch grain and produce report (L>tlelton Times, 23rd ingt.) —There has been quite a spurt m the local grain and produce markets during the week, and everything shows a firmer tendency. There is still a steady doinand for wheat from both North Island and southern mills, and local millers aie now in the market for suitable hues. Pearl and Hunter's meet the greatest demand, (uid the latter shows an increase of fully Id per bushel. Very little wheat, however, ib oficiing. Dunns the week alxmt 17,000 bushels have left Lyttelton, the bulk of which went to Auckland. "Local millers are now pretty well stocked with flour, as most of them have sold up to the hunt allowed by the New Zealand Millers' Association, and Chnstchuich oiders are, consequently, being filled from elsewhere. The stiong demand experienced for oat 3 both for Auckland and Australia has caused the markets to firm considerably, both here and in the south. Veiy fe^v axe offering lieie, awl as stocks held by merchants are i ot large, it is doubtful if there are many left in Canterbury. Dining the week over 20,000 buihola have been exported from Lyttelton. nearly half of vihidi v, out to Sydney. A Chri&tchurch merchant who has just returned from a. tour of Otiigo and Southland states that about 30,000 tacks of oats have been sold at the Bluff for Sydney, while about 20,000 sacks have been taken m Dunedin for the same port. He s.tya that tins will about clear the. stocks in sto'-e at these places, vr. 1 that it is estimat-ed that the quantity stili available in Otago a:.d f"<u ( h!and cannot bo nioia than 75,000 f-^cks. If th.s is so, taken in conjunction with the small a.ttWiiit£ ifeii is CedttkbtUJ* & vviU be

seen that the heavy exports to South Africa during the earlier portion of the season and the more recent demand from Australia have meant a very good thing for the growers of this cereal m tho colony last season. The few wLo hold oats are now disinclined to sell at the prices offered, feeling confident that higher values must rule before the new crop comes in. Feed bailey has seen a little better inquiry, doubtless owing to the scaicity of oats. There is a fair inquiry for oatsheaf chaff, hay, and fodder of all kinds, both for the Norfolk, which leaves for South Africa next we^k, aud for Australia. Blue pea 9 pre exceedingly scarce, and aie keenly inquired for for shipment to AustiaJia. 'lucre has been good business passing in all kinds of grass s-eeds, and it is evident that a much larger area than usual will be sown down this seaeon. The placing l? orders in the colony for about 1100 tons i f potatoes for South Africa, of which 850 tons j will be sent from Lytteiton, the balance toining from Blenheim and Otago, ha 1 ? had the effect of strengthening the local market by fully 10s to 15s per ton, and pnees close firm at from £2 15s to £3 per ton, with very few offering. Although there does nob appeal to be much improvement in the Sydney market, about 4000 bags have been shipped to that port from Lyttelton during the week. There has been a, fair demand for Axickland and othci coastal ports, and about 4000 bugs ha\e been shipped from Lyttelton to other New Zealand ports duung the week. Dairy pioduce of all kinds continues very fnm, although no alterations can ba made m quotations at present. Ash burton markets for the week ended Fiiday la3t. — A batter feeling prevails in the local wheat market, millers buying all prime offering at full market rates. The quantity on offer, however, is not large, the bulk of those holding prime parcels preferring to hold off in hope of higher rates ruling. Fearl or velvet i 3 worth 3a lOd to 3s 10id; Tuscan, 3s 9d to 3s 9id; Hunter's, 3s 9d, on trucks at stations. Milling Canadian oats are in good demand, but they are difficult to find in any quantity. Short feed meets a leady sale. Theie is inquiry for bright Duns and Danish, but 1 discoloured samples aie difficult to sell. Milling Canadians, 23 id to 2s 6d; Sparrowbills, I 2, 2d to 2s 3d; Duns and Danish, 2s 2d to 2s 3d. Oatsheaf chaff remains at last week's quotations— viz., £3 5s to £'J 10a (sacks extra), according to station. Timaru produce markets (Herald, 23rd inst.): The advance noted in the wheat market last week still holds good, and the market closes firm. Not a great quantity is on offer, but all coming fonvaid is readily placed at 4s to 4a Id, f.0.b., the higher piico being given for lines of prime velvet. For secondary wheats and lines suitable for the poultry farmers aud fancier, quotations are unchanged, but ready sales are rmade. The oat market is fairly firm, but it is not yet known what effect the rams in Australia aud break-up of the drought will have ou this maiket. At present quotations are nominal and unchanged from those given U,st week. Feed barley finds a ready sale at 2? 9d, and buyers could do with more. There 13 ro deniaitd for malting-. Potatoes show a sharp rise on the week, the Sydney demand btum keen, %&& £g £«£ &g i&.££SjUi. j&fc.;

Strangely enough, very few lines are offering. Growers who want to sell &hould now open, their pits.

At the skin sales on Thursday (reports last Saturday's Christchurch Press) there was a> good demand, especially for halfbreds anti merinos. The entry was only modeiate, and Luyers were keen to obtain supplies. Beat half bred 3 made 4s 9d to 5s 3d ; extra, 6b Id ; medium, 4s to 4s 8d ; best longwools, 3s 6d tq ■Is 4d ; medium, 2s 9d to 3s 3d; best merinos, ) 4s Gd to 5s Cd ; medium, 3s 9d to 4s 3d ; dry i halfbreds, 31d to ijd per lb; dry crossbred?, 2Jd to 3d per Ib , dry merinos, 5d tar 6Jd per lb ; rough fat \dry country), 2Jcl to 2Jd; do (butchers), ljd to 2d per lb, hides and calf skins at quotations. Tho exports of grain and produce from Lyt« telton for last we.sk included the following lines: —4237 sacks wheat, 1151 sacks and 391 j bags flour, 3250 sacks aud 3643 baga oats, 65 I sacks meal, 705 sacks bailey, 47 sacks ma.it, i 214 sacks brau, 235 sacks sharps, 432 sacks ' pollard, 4966 sacks chaff, 163 sacks pea?, 22 sacks beans, 7770 sacks potatoes, 19 s-acks, 37 bags and 171 gunnies onions, 42S sacks seed, 95<? bales hay, and 599 bales straw. The exports for Australia sere 10G8 sacks ftnd 2543 bags oat 3, 638 sacks barley, 10 sacks malt, 362 sacks pollard, 111 sacks peas, 3916 sacks potatoes, 772 bales hay and 499 bales stiaw. Tho balance was for N-ew Zealand ports.