OAMARU MARKETS. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2811, 26 August 1908, Page 25

OAMARU MARKETS. (From Our Own Correspondent.)

OAMARU, August 22. ? A certain amount of business ,is being 'done locally in wheat,, though the parcels are mostly small. For 450 sacks of Queen and red chaff 4s. less commission, at a country station was paid, but the bulk of the sales nave been on the basis of 4s net, while in , two cases 4s o^d was also 'ob tamed. .An offer of 4s Id, less commission, for 1000 sacks of velvet at a country siding wae refused. For a paroal pf 220 sacks of velvet 4e 2d was accepted. ex store. pats aTe only in request for local feed purposes. Purchases from farmers are limited, and the only line specially reported was one of milling Gartons for which Is lid. less commission, was accepted. The market !has eased a trifle since then, and the shippine business been limited to the handling of lines previously -sold. There. is a demand, for seed oats, which iare being put out in fair quantity at 2s 3d to 2s 4d for undressed, and 2s 6d to Ss. 7d for "good dressed and screened Gartons. Potatoes are a trifle easier locally, purchases from farmers beincr on a basis of £3 15s to £3 L7s 6d for Up-to-Dates. and '£4 for Dements". For lines intended for shipment £4 10s to £4 153 f.0.b., eacks in, 5s .obtained for Derwents and Up-10-Dates. Chaff ' is being bought at country sidsnps at £3 -56 net. The Wanaka this week takes a large cargo of produce to Auckland, and the Otterburn is loading for Sydney, her cargo including .not far short of 1000 tons, an -aociimula-tion of the sales of weeks oast, ■which is being hurried forward probably in ■view of the operation of the new Australian tariff in five weeks time. The turnips are now getting pretty well done, and grass has not yet begun to

spring owing to continuous frosts. Thii has had the effect of rather weakening tint stock market, though accurate quotations are difficulty, owing to the fact thai there has been no sale " for about a fortnight, For two and four tooth ewes the present value is 21s to 22s 6d, and for six an<3 eight tooth 6to 235. Hoggets are quoted at 14s to 15s, and ewe hoggets at 15s tc 16s. Fat cattle axe in demand at 26s to 27a 6d per lOOlbs for prime ox beef, and other descriptions are relatively high. Store cattle and dairy cows are somewhat neglected. GRAIN AND PRODUCE REPORTS. Messrs Dalgety and Co. report as follows: — "We held our usual weekly auction sale of grain and produce at our stores on Monday, when we submitted a large catalogue to a fair attendance of buyers. Competition throughout was not over keen, "and a number of lines had to be passed in pending private sale. Values ruled as under : — Oats. — The market is depressed. The business passing at present is chiefly confined to forced sales on account of vendors, whose terms of _ storage have expired. Merchants carry fair stocks, and are disinclined to purchase at quotations. Quotations: Seed lines, 2s 6d to 2s 8d; prime milling, 2s l£d to 2s 2d; good to beet feed, 2s to 2s Id; inferior to medium, ls'9d to Is lid per bushel (sacks extra). Wheat. — The market\ is brighter, and more business is doing in milling quality. There is. fair inquiry for fowl wheat at quotations, which remain unchanged. Quotations: Prime milling, 4s 2d to 4s 3d; medir.m to good; 4e Id to 4s lid; fowl w-heat, 4s to 4s Id ; broken and damaged, 3s ,4d to 3s Bd' per bushel (sacks extra). Potatoes. — Prices in this market remain steady at late rates for prime tables, but medium jasnd inferior sorts lack inquiry, and are 'not as readily saleable at quotations. Quotations: Prime Derwente, £4 5s to £4 7s 6d; medium to {rood, £3 17s 6d to £4 2s 6d; prime Up-to-Dates w £4 to £4 2s 6d; medium to good, £3 7s 6d to £3 17s 6d; small and inferior, £2 10s and upwards per ton (bags in). Ohaff. — The market is firm for all choice lots, -which have preference for buyers both for Jsliipmemt and local consumption. Our offerings were chiefly of inferior and medium quality, which were not keenly competed for at quotations. Quotations: Extra choice, £4- ss; prime oaten sheaf, £4 to £4 2s 6d ; medium to good, £3 10s to £3 15s; inferior and light, £3 per ton (bags extra-). Turnips. — Quotations: Best ewedes, 21s per ton (loose, ex truck). Messrs Donald -Reid and Co. report: We held our weekly auction sale of grain and .produce at ouis stores on Monday.There was a full attendance of buyers, and as most of the , Jines catalogued were in good demand locally a fair clearance was --effected at quotations. "Values ruled as under :— . Oats!— There is. little new business to report.- Considerable shipmenis have been made during the week; tut in most cases these are to supply forward orders for which the oats were purchased in stores some time ago. Prime clean seed lines are now in better demand,' but in feed lines generally the market is dull, and sales are not readily effected. Quoteitions: Prime milling, 2s l£d ; good to best feed, 2s to 23 Id : inferior to medium, Is 9d to Is lid per bushel (sacks extra). Wheat. — Prime milling velvet and red chaff have some inquiry, but other sorts are not in request with millers. Medium milling quality is only saleable as fowl wheat, for which there is fair demand. Quotations: Prime milling, 4s 2d to 4s 3d ; medium, 4s Id to 4s l£d ; whole fowl wheat, 4e to 4s Id ; - broken and damaged, 3s 3d to 3s 9d per bushel (sacks extra). Potatoes. — The market is quiet. Mo6t of the consignments coming forward are freely placed and in good condition. These are saleable at late values, but without much competition. Inferior and medium sorts axe not co easily dealt with. Choice seed lines have more inquiry. Quotations: Primo Derwents, £4 5e to £4 7s 6d ; medium to good, £3 15s to £4 ; beet Up-to-Dates, £4 to £4 2s 6d ; ohoice, to £4' ss; medium to good, £3 10s to £3 15s; inferior to medium, £2 15s to £3 5s per ton (bags included). Chaff. — Consignments have been coming forward freely, brrfc wrfch fail- 6XT)Ort demand for prime quality late values are well maintained. Prime bright oaten sh-aaf is the only class wanted for shipment, and as "local buyers have a strong preference for the same class, inferior and medium lines are out of favour. Quotations: Best oaten sheaf, £4 to £4 2s 6d ; choice, to £4 ss; medium to_ good. £3 10s to £3 15s; light and inferior, £3 to £3 5s per ton (bags extra). Straw. — Quotatiois: Oaten, 453 to 47s 6d ; wheaten, 37<3 6d per ton (pressed). Turnips.— Quotations: Best swedes, 20s to 21s per ton (loose, ,ex truck).