SOUTHLAND PRODUCE AND STOCK MARKET.

Otago Witness, Volume 14, Issue 2648, 14 December 1904, Page 22

SOUTHLAND PRODUCE AND STOCK MARKET.

(From Oub Own Correspondent.)

INVEECAEGILL, December 10.

During the week a much better tone has pievailed in the local oat market, and a good deal of business has been done with the North Island arid. Western Australia. F.a.q. has been, selling freely at Is 6Jd (f.0.b.. sacks in), and B grade at Is 7Jd (f.0.b., sacks in), and m Some cases, ifor small lots. Is 7£d lias been paid for the latter quality. Of course these prices carry Ihe usual brokerage. There has been a good inquiry from Sydney for duns, and A grade, but the former a-re very little grown in Southland, and what were available were cleared cut early in the sea-son. A grade have been sold at Is Sd for sparrowbills, and Is 9Jd for Gartons (f.0.b., sacks in). Very few oats have been offering from the country during the weelc, and the r. rices quoted in my last report remain, unchanged. The steanier Wlxangape comes on the berth at the Bluff to-dt\y, and loads for Auckland. She is taking m all 13,000 bags from this port. The greater part of them will bo f.a.q. and the ba.an-oe B grade. This is the last boat loading for Auckland this year, and no doubt that had something to do with the large qi'aniity going, and also with the increased business that has been done with the northern market during the week. There was an inquiry in from Melbourne for 5000 bags of 3 grade. Merchants quoted/ for this at 7od, with the option of f.a.q. at 3d less, but so far no reply has been received, and it is doubtful if the business vill come off.

There has been a fairly good inquiry for fowl wheat- from the North. Island, and a few hundred sacks have been sold at 3s to 3s 2d (f.0.b., sacks in). There is very little of this quality left in Southland, and what odd! lots do come on the local market aie readily used for local requirements, and 3s 3d is easily obtained for small lines.

A good— deal more chaff has been offering during the week, but prices remain unchanged, though as high as £2 5s on trucks has TDeeu. paid for rearDy prime quality. There is not much more_ offering than is sufficient to cover local requirements, but it is expected that within the next month there will be a. big rush, to sell by farmers, who will be then in a position to cut.

The stock market remains the same as at last report, and very little business is passing in either cattle or sheep. " Shearing being pretty general, it is not expected that much business will be passed through before the new year. There is a good inquiry from, the north for lambs for delivery in January "or earuy in February, but farmers aore not inclined to seU at the present time.

During the week another cheese factory — namely, the Matatura- Island Dairy Factory Company — sold its output, the price obtained being 4id' on the trucks. This practically finishes "the Southland factories which intend selling straight out.