SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES (From Our Own Correspondent.) December 26.

Otago Witness, Issue 2650, 28 December 1904, Page 47

SOUTHLAND NEWS NOTES (From Our Own Correspondent.) December 26.

During the past week a large amount oi business has been passing in the local oat mar- • ket, principally in B grade and i.a-q. for Auckland. The northern market seems inolined -to buy fairly heavily, but local merchants are'nofc disposed to sell many at present. The prices obtained from, Auckland have been Is 7£d for B grade, Is 6Jd! for f,a..q., and Is 6d for C— all f.0.b.5.e,, less broker's commission. The inquiry for 2000 ton's mentioned last week has not yet resulted in a sale, but merchants are inclined to think that the business will come off. The oats are under firm offer till early next week. Even if the business is brought about it is not expected that the prices to farmers will go up much, as the prices quoted would not admit of an advance of more than Jd per bushel on each of the grades. There is- a good inquiry fiom Western Australia, and B grade has been sold to that market at Is 7id f.o.b.s.e. net, and f.a.q. at Is 7d. There i& a strong demand for A grade, and a few lines have changed hands at Is 9Jd f.o.b.s.e. High prices on the trucks foi this quality have been ruling at Gore and m the surrounding districts, and it is reported that Is 5d has been paid 1 on trucks for really prime A grade Garton's. Practically no oats are offering from the country, and merchants have been content to buy storage lots, and though farmers are not at all eager to sell at ruling, prices, yet the bulk of them are now clearing out what they hoM on storage. Saturday's prices oa-n be put down at Is 3d to Is 3Jd for B grade, Is 3d to js 2|d for f.a.q., and Is Id to Is ISc3 fox C grade. The chaff market has been poorly supplied during ib.o week, and prices locally have gone as high as £S foir good quality. No doubt the high prices ruling^ up north had something to do with this, and it is expected that as soon as the turnip season is over tEe offerings will gei fairly large and prices will go back to about JB2 to £2 2s 6d on truoks. There Ij-as been, a very good inquiry for malting barley, but very little is obtainable f.o.b. Bluff. One or two lines have changed hands at 3s Id and 3s 2d f.o.b.s.e. These sales vere made to go to Auckland. There is also a good demand for barley for pearling, but this quality is also hard to procure. Present values r\in abo\it 2s 6d to 2s Sd f.o.b s.e. No business of any note has been passing in the local stock market, and prices remain the same as quoted last week. Pat cattle were back a good bit at last "Wallacetown sale, as ths entry was much larger than local butchers' re* quired. Stors cattle were very plentiful, but 1 the bulk of the yarding turned out unsold. ■ A large number of lambs are changing hands | for delivery in February at tho prices quotedi last week— viz., 11s to 12s 6d. I Wool is conning in fairly well, though it is j not expected' that the first sale will show so 1 large a catalogue as* last year's. A largo m.mber of farmers are selling privately, but ■ tho general opinion is that the local sales will be even better than what has been ruling ; &£d! - to lO.Jd is about thi? ;average oi what .is going, but it is reported that lid ha,» been paid for nice clean crossbred. For some time past there has been considerable difference of opinion among the borough, councillors regarding the question of whether the names of councillors should bs engraved on the foundation stone of the new Town Hall or not. One section, led by Councillor Lillierap, were strongly of opinion that it was a mode of self-advertisement, -which should not be encouraged; the others thinking the prac- } tiee followed! with regaid to -other niunioipai ' structures unobjectionable. At last meeting ( the views of Messrs Ldllicrap and) party were adopted, and thp only names to appear on the foundation stone are those of His Excellency i the Governor (Lord Plunket) and the Mayor (Mr W. B. Scandiett). The difference of opinion between the Bhiffi Regatta Committee and the local Rowing Association, referred to in last week's notes, has not been removed, the Bluff Committee sticking to their programme. As a result no cluba affiliated to the N.Z. Rowing Association oaa 1 compete. Another suiail railway accident occurred la**