OAMARU STOCK MARKET. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 24

OAMARU STOCK MARKET. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

OAMARU, February 2. The stock market is fairly active, showers of rain having rather improved feed during the week. At Tuesday's sales most of the entry was cleared at late rates. For prime lamb as much as 4|d per lb is at present being paid at the works, while in the paddock 14s to 14s 6d is the ruling rate, and 15a has been given. Wethers ate worth 16s to 17s just now, according to quality. The onl-y demand for stores refers to lambs, for which! lls to 12s is being given. 11s 7d being obtained at the hammer on Tuesday. Prime steer beef is at present worth 20s to 21s; heifer beef. 18s; and cow beef, 15s pec lOOlbs. Forward three to four-year-old steers are quoted at £5 to £5 ss ; two and a-half-year-olds. £3 10s to £4; and two-year-olds up to £3. For good dairy cows there is a fair demand, and on Tuesday up to £7 7s was obtained, while heifers at profit brought up to £5. OAMARU MARKETS. (Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, February 2. The local market for wheat is not expected! to open for another week or two, as little haa so far been threshed. The samples exhibited! in town so far indicate that the grain ia well grown, and of superior quality to lasti year's. Owing to the heat bringing on cropa so fast, and the changeable season and! threatening wind shaking, some of the grain will be all the better for stacking, and it ist the intention of many farmers to take this course instead of threshing from the stoolc One lot of 250 bags, mostly Tuscan, has been taken at 4s Id net, at a South Canterbury siding, the sample being good. A fair quantity of oats has now been threshed, and a number of sales have taken place at Is UJd and 2s net, and 2s and 2a Oid, less commission, at country stations, for good feed. The samples now shown ara generally of good quality and fairly heavy, though light ones are not uncommon. For shipment, north several small lots have been sold at 2s 3d, f 0.b.. s.i. Grass seed is offering, and ib generally/ spoken of a,s of good quality, though no* heavy. A. parcel of cocksfoot changed handsf at 5d during the week. Potatoes are firm at up to 6s per cwt. GRAIN AJtD PRODUCE" KEPOKTS.Mcssr- Dalgety and Co. (Ltd-) report «s follows:— We held our usual weekly auction sp'e of grain and produce at our stores on, Monday when we submitted a medium-sizedj representative catalogue to the usual attendance of buyers. Comt-etition throughout was fairly arimated, with the result that th«r bulk of the rfferings were cleared at auction at prices on a par uith quotations. Oatf.— The market is fairly well supplied. The bulk of the business passing is m unes, for loca' feed purposes. There is fair inquiry for choice milling lines. V\ c quote: — Prine milling, 2s 3£d per bushel; good to best feed 2s 2d to 2s 3d ; inferior to medium, 2s to 2r. lid. ... - •„ Wheat.— The market is quiet as far as millin" quality is concerned- The principal transactions in this market are in fowl wheat?, for which higher prices are obtainable att present than for choice milling qualities-. There is little new season's wheat yet offering Wo quote: — Prim© milling, ss; best, wliole fowl wheat, 4s lOd to ss; medium; fowl vheat to good, 4s 6d to 4s 9d; inferior* and bioken, 3s 6d to 4s 2d per bushel. Chaff— The market is fully supplied. A! good many consignments of new season's chaff ari. now coming to hand, the majority of which are in veTy good order- As, consumers for the most part do not care tot feed oq new chaff alone, there is improved} inquiry for prime old oaten sheaf at ug to £i per ton. We quote: — Prime old oatem sheaf, £3 17s 6d to £4; medium to good^. £3 5s to £? 15s ; beat new, £3 10a to £3 15s ;> medium. £3 to £3 ss; inferior and heated, £2 to £2 15s per ton. Straw. — Oaten, 45s to 50s; wheaten, 40s tcf 45s par ton.

Donald Reid and Co. (Ltd.) report:— Wai hexl our weekly auction sale of grain andj produce at our stores on Monday. There was a full attendance of buyers, and outf catalogue, which was made up cbieffy oi small lots, met «. good clearance at quotations. Values ruleq as under: — Oats. — The auantity of old oats on hand it

fltow -small. Fair inquiry is experienced for Shipment, and to supply orders shippers are turning their attention to the new crop. So far only a few samples have come to hand. These have found buyers at -prices a shade below values for old oats. We quote : Prime milling (old oats). 2s 3Jd; good to beat feed, 2s 2d to 2s 3d ; inferior to medium, 2s to 2s lid per bu«bel, sacks extra. Wheat — Xo samples of new wheat have as yet come forvard- The quantity of old ■wheat on Land is very Hmiteo, and is mostly going o5 as fowl feed at prices fully equal to quotations for milling quality. We quotePrime n'l.lmg, ss; best wKole fowl -wheat, 4s 10s to ss; medium. 4s 6d to 4s 9d; inferior and broken, 3s 6d to 4s 3d per uushel, sacks extra. Potatoes. — Supplies have been coming forward niors sparingly, and all freshly-dug lots have inquiry at improved rates. At our sale goo«L to prime kidneys realised £5 10s to £6, medium are worth £i 10s to £5 5 s per ton, -bags included. Chan. — Supplies of new chafi are now being put on the -market. Thoroughly matured lots meet with ready sale, out lots in doubtful condition are difficult ib deal with. Old oaten sheaf is not so pfentiful, and wi-h good inquiry sells at £3 17s 6d to £i; medium to good, £3 5s to £3 *O3 ; best new, £3 10s to £3 15s; medium, £3 to £3 ss; inferior and heated, £2 to £2 15s per ton, bags extra Straw. — Fair supplies are arriving. We quo*e: Oaten, 45s to 50s; wheaten, 40s to 45s per ton (pressed). SOUTHLAND FROZEN MEAT COMPANY. Anktjal Repobt. Following is the directors' report for the years ended December 31: — "The net profit for the year, after writing off £3580 for depreciation, and transferring £1000 to the accident insurance reserve, is £10,991 5s Bd, and this sum, together with the amount brought forward from last year, leaves £14,760 11s lfld now to be dealt with. This the directors propose should be disposed of as follows:— To payment of a 5 per cent, dividend and 1 per oent. bonus on A and B shares, £2711 6s 2d; to transfer to reserve account., £8000; to carry forward, £4049 5s Bd;— total,, £14,760 11s lOd. The past season was a very favourable one for fattening stock, with the result that about 100,000 more sheep and lambs were put through the company's works than during the previous year. Considerable additions are being made to buildings and plant both at Mataura and Bluff to meet the increasing demands of the company's growing business. A very suitable property has also been acquired at Makarewa Junction, where slaughtering works will be erected to replace those at Wallacetown, the site of which has been found unsuitable through difficult drainage and insufficient area. Since last annual meeting the company and its directors have lost the vary valuable services of the late Mr G-. W. Niohol, who took a very great interest in the conduct of the business, and ■was an active leading member of the board of directors for nearly a quarter of a century. Mr P. L. Gilki6on was appointed to fill the vacancy, and now retires, along with Mi C. Cowan, Whose term of office also expires. Both gentlemen are eligible for re-election, end offer their services to the shareholders. It will be necessary to appoint an auostor, and Mr R. F- Cuthberteon again offers him■elf for re-election."