THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3332, 23 January 1918, Page 16

THE BREAD STUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Friday evening. The British Wheat Commission has raised the price of wheat by 2s per , quatrer. Australian has been sold at 79s 6d per 4801 b, c.i.f., and is now quoted at 83s 6d to 84s 3d per 5041 b, ex quay. The statement in regard to the shortage of tonnage for the transport of wheat and meat from Australia to Europe which was made by Sir Leo Chiozza Money on behalf of the British Shipping Controller ought to give food for thought to all members of the community (says the Australasian). From the'primary industries Australia derives most of her prosperity, provided the means of transporting the produce to oversea markets are available. In this connection Sir Leo says:—“We have had to take ships off the Australian trade in order to feed our-people from nearer markets. The voyage across the North Atlantic takes a third of the time necessary for the voyage to or from Australia. Wo are compelled to get the utmost value out of every ton of shipping.’’ When the current crop is harvested, and after allowing for home consumption, it is estimated that in Victoria alone there will bo approximately 46,000,000 bushels of wheat for sale. Up to the present Groat Britain has helped us out of our difficulties, but in view of the freight position it cannot be expected that any addition will 100 made to the immense quantity of wheat which the British Government already possesses in Australia. The growers hero arc guaranteed 4s f.o.b. by the Federal Government for both this and the 1918-19 crop, so that directly they are assured against loss. Assuming a continuance of the existing lack of transport facilities, it is only a question

of time before a readjustment of our ideas would be forced upon us. Hence full consideration now of the pros and cons of the situation would seem to be opportune. The preliminary official estimates of the 1917 crops in England and Wales, issued in November, show that the yield of wheat was better than generally expected, amounting to 7,154,649 quarters, against 6,835,408 quartern the previous year, and 8,490,6!}2. quarters in 1915, when the acreage sown was larger than last year. The yield per acre is given at 29.88 bushels, which is 1,52 bushels below the average. Allowing for the increased acreage in Scotland ai\d Ireland, and assuming a yield of 35 bushels per acre, the London Grain, Seed, and Oil Reporter states that the outturn in the two countries. for the year would amount to 800,000 quarters, making the total crop , for the whole of the United Kingdom nearly | 8,000,00 C quarters, which compares with 7,569,039 quarters in 1916, 9,265,297 quar- ! ters m 1915, and 7,815,087 quarters in 1914. i There is nothing doing in the local wheat I market. Brokers' permits have been sent i to the different Dunedin agents for signature. These permits have now been returned, with the stipulated deposit of £SOO .and a bond of £IOOO, the amounts being held as guarantees that the regulations will not be broken. The brokers' duties will be to buy from the farmer and sell to the miller, both transactions being on behalf of the Government. The brokers receive a commission for their work. Flour is quoted at £ls a ton. Oatmeal, £2l a ton for 25s's; pearl barlev, £l9 10s; pollard, £7 10s (fixed By Government); bran, £4 5s (fixed by Government). There is rfothinfr doiiu? in the oat market. A very little inquiry is being experienced from the North Island. Buyers there aro hanging off, in anticipation of lower prices when the new oats are available. A Gartons may be quoted at 4s to 4s Id, f.0.b., aA., and B's at about 3s lOd, but these prices are more or less nominal. Canterbury appears to be doing what little business is passing. Algerians from that quarter are on offer very cheap, andl a fair-sized line has been sold to Auckland at 3s 3|d, f.0.b., s.i. A business man who recently travelled through Canterbury states that the Algerian oats are looking very well indeed, and that from all appearances there will be a large crop of good quality offering this season. He says, however, that the crops of white oats ar every patchy. A good many of the wheat crops are absolutely flat, and will never be saved. A few lines of ryegrass that' have been thrashed in Canterbury were sold at 3s 6d to 3s B£d for 261 b undressed, and exceptionally good lines of 271 b seed realised 4s. PRODUCE REPORT Good quality chaff is worth up to £7, and as high as £7 5s has been obtained for an extra heavy lot. There is a good, demand on the local market for prime, but the demand for poor and medium stuff is not too keen. . s The- potato market is very weak. Larger supplies than are wanted are arriving on the market, and: merchants are finding it hard to make sales. There is no outside inquiry, and the local demand is not up to its usual dimensions, a larger number of people relying on their own garden supplies. Taieri potatoes have been offering at as low as £6 per ton, ex truck, Dunedin. It is to be presumed that growers may cease digging for a few weeks in the hope of getting better prices. In the meantime sup-

piios that are arriving arc not ripe, and cannot be held for any length of time. Wheaten straw is in very short supply. The- market is being supplied from the north. Honey is practically unprocurable. The egg market has weakened during tho week. A large quantity of dairy pats butter is arriving in a very unsatisfactory condition. The quality is poor, and most of the pats aro spotted. A good yarding of nigs was offered at tho Burnsido yards on Wednesday, among the number boing some very fine quality baconers. AH were sold at prices equal to • late rates. Best porkers made up to B£d per lb, and best baconers from 8d to Bid! per lb. ■ <-- t Current wholesale prices are as follow: — Fowl wheat.—Australian, 7s 6d a bushel; New Zealand-grown, unprocurable. Chaff.—Prime oaten sheaf, about £7; medium to good, £4 to £4 15s (sacks extra). Potatoes.—£s 10s to £6 per ton. Straw.—Oaten, £3 10s; wheaten, £3 ss. Eggs, Is 3d. Butter.—Milled bulk, Is Id to Is 2d per 3b; second quality, Is; dairy separator, in lib packages, Is to Is Id. . Honey.—Bulk, 6d; 101 b tins, 5s 6d. Pigs.—Baconers, 7£d to per lb; porkers, B£d. Bacon.—Rolls, local. Is 3d; Christchuroh rolls, Is 3d; sides, Is 2d; hams, Is 3d; ham rolls, Is 3d. FRUIT REPORT. Business in the fruit marts has been pretty brisk during the week. Plums and cooking apples are now coming forward from Canterbury in fairly large qantities. Larger consignments of apricots are commencing to come forward from Otago Central. Consignments of peaches have slackened off a little. Those arriving are mostly in crates, and these are realising fairly high prices—extra choice up to 7d per lb. Prices should remain firm until the arrival of the main crop. A few pears are coming forward, but these aro of the small variety. No choice pears are yet available. Growers arc reminded that they must see that all their packed fruits are "clean." A few small lines of pears have had to be destroyed during the week because the fruit was infected: with codlin moth. Hothouse tomatoes are still coming forward from Christchurch, and meet with a ready sale. A few Christchurch outsidegrown aro also available, A small lino of Nelson outside-grown arrived on the market to-day, and, being a good sample, met with a keen demand at 13s per half-case. Owing to tho wet weather locally-grown raspberries hi<ve not been in such good order, and prices have therefore dropped a , little. 1 The demand for vegetables has not been so great. Peas are more plentiful, and are meeting with a keen demand. Practically all the peas are coming from North Otago and South Canterbury. Cabbages have been hard to quit, except extra large samples, which have been readily at 3s per dozen. Current wholesale prices are as follow: Apples.—American, agenis' stocks about finished. Clearing - sales made at from 5s to 12s per case. Other kinds, 14s to 15s; now season's, dessert, 2^d; cookers, 2d. Oranges. —California, slow of sale at 27s 6d to 30s. j Lemons. —None available. I Cucumbers. —Local, 5s to 9s; small, 3s to ss. - : _ | Hobart cherries to arrive Monday next. Cherry plums, 2d to 2£d. | Plums. —Dessert, in orates, to 4d; others, ' 2£d to 3d; jam, to 2d. Apricots.—Cases, 2|d to 3£d; for jam, I 2£d to 2fd;-crates. 4d to 6d. | Peaches. —Cases, 3d to 4d ; crates, to 6d. j Tomatoes.—Local, to 10gd : Christchurch, 8d to 9d; outside. to 6^d; Nelson, to 13s per case of 241 b. Raspberries, 6gd to 7d : pottles, to 9gd. Crapes, Is 4d fo Is 6d. Green peas, 2d to 3^d. New Potatoes. —Peninsula, and Christchurch, 6s to 7s per cwt. , Cabbages'.—Choice, up to 2s per dozen; ■ inferior, Is to 2s per sack. Cauliflowers, up to 9s per dozen; medium, 2s 6d to 4s. Lettuce, Is to Is 9cl per case; choice, Is 6d per dozen. Parsnips, Is to Is 6d per dozen, i Carrots, new-, Is 3d to Is 6d per dozen. ! Spring onions, 2d to 3d per bundle. Radishes, 4d to 6d per dozen bunches. French beans. 3d to 3Ad ; butter beans, 2fd to 3d; broad beans, l^d. MERCHANDISE MARKET. There is nothing to report in the merchandise market, apart from the fact that certain commodities continue to advance in price and that supplies aro not too plentiful. ! Muscatels and figs which should have come to hand before Christmas have now arrived. The fruit has come to hand in first-class condition. Further supplies of tinned fruits have comet to hand. It is understood that shipments of coarse salt are likely to arrive from America. j C and B. anchovy sauce has advanced in price. The quotation is 18s 6d per dozen. There has been a substantial advance in the price of haricot beans.. Its exportation has now been prohibited from Home. Stocks in Dunedin are light, and 6d to 6£d ) per lb is the ruling price. I Hudson's extract of soap shows a further advance in price in consequence of increased freight and extra Home cost. The price ! to-day is 9s per box. Tea paper is in very short supply. The current price is 7£d per lb. C.M.C. jars of tongues have been reduced ,to 25s per dozen. Shipments of green Three Castle cigarettes (20's cartons) due will come to a bare market. Benzine has been advanced by Is 4d per case. COMMERCIAL CABLEGRAMS. LONDON, January 14. Tin: Spot, £295 ss;-three months, £2BB 15s. Other metals unchanged. January 17. Bank of England returns: Gold, coin, and bullion in stock, £57,626,000; reserve, £31,893,000; proportion of reserve to liabilities, 19.56 per cent.; notes in circulation, £45,325,000; Government deposits, £41,416,000;- other deposits, £121,589,000; Government securities, £56,768,000; other securities, £92,278,000. Discount on short loans, 3 5-Bths per cent.; three months' bills, 4 per cent. ' Consols, £55. War loans, 35 per cent., 1 £B6 15s; 4 per cent., £93 12s fid. ' j Following are the quotations for colonial

stocks, as compared with those for the previous week:

Tin.—Spot, £295 ss; three months, £291. Silver, 44§cl per ounce. *- Other metals unchanged. There was no butter or margarine distribution this week. Wheat. —Cargo parcels not offering and little offered on spot. Flour.—Firm. None from overseas offering. . Oats, and beans in short supply at full rates. Sugar is unchanged. January 20. Rubber: Para, 2s 7|d; plantation, 2s 4id; smoked, 2s 4d. Hemp: Market quiet. Frozen Moat: Unchanged. MOSSBANK TREATMENT. TO THE EDITOR. Sin, —I would suggest or recommend for mossbank treatment pumping and spraying liberally with sea-water. This would also kill blackberry and weed growth. With a power pump, and squirting for half an hour daily, would clean up a large area. ■ It 'takes about a month, or less, according I to strength of growth and weather condii tions, to kill blackberry and furze. It I would be interesting and, I hope, profitable I to know how my sea-water discovery for clearing lands applies to mossbanks. Theoretically it does not seem so difficult as weed and plant pest destruction. —I am, etc., Tom Vivian. Auckland, January 10, 1918. DUNEDIN MARKETS JTAKJi AND DAISY PBODtTC*. Mr B. J. M'Aethub (successor to Messrs M'llroy Bros.), George street, reports paying for produce during the week ending th« 22nd inst., as follows: Stamped fresh Eggs Hor ey (} lb pat), 3/6 1/4 doz Honey (bulk), sid lb Salt Butter, 1/1 lb Honey (section), 7/6 dos Sep. Butter, 1/-lb | Honey (Cartons), lib, 6/I alb, 15/- do* I Beeswax, 1/8. Compressed yeast, 8d packet. SOUTHLAND MARKETS. (Fbom Oob Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, January 19. Since the departure of the boat which loaded at Bluff recently for northern ports the oat market has been at a standstill, but, I in view of quotations received from Australia the market is decidedly firm at late I rates. If anything, merchants' ideas are. I in the direction of an improvement in price. The general opinion is that A grade i Gartons are worth to-day not less than j 3s f.o.b.s.c, B's 3s lOjd, and f.o.q. J3s 9d. As the acreage ia crop is very . and a considerable portion of it. | must be reserved for chaffing, it is generally ' thought that prices are not. likelv to recede ' to any appreciable extent. j The demand for chaff is still entirely local, and merchants are not anxious to do business at the prices asked by growers, many of whom think that the price merchants are willing to pay—viz., £6 ss—must be. exceeded before long. Supplies in the country are undoubtedly now in small compass. I Reports from farmers who are busy with the binder are to the effect that ryegrass - crops are decidedly heavier than they anticipated, and if the present weather holds . for another week or two the bulk of the j ryegrass crop will be in stack in good coni dition. As to price, both north and south seem to be waiting for a lead from each other. Tho flaxmills have now resumed work after the holiday adjournment, but nothing of any moment in the way of business has occurred since then. Buyers' ideas of value are still in the region of £4O on trucks for jhigh fair. OAMARU MARKETS. (From Oor Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, January 19. The weather this week has been broken and unreliable, and consequently the very opposite of what is needed for the safe and successful prosecution of harvest work. Most of the early-sown oats haVe been cut, and a considerable part has been standing in stook waiting for thrashing, but the weather has prevented much being done in that direction for the past 10 days. As a consequence, few samples have yet reached the market. No cutting of wheat has been done, and if the present weather continues ifc will be some* time before the wheatfields will be ready for the reapers. A few days' bright sunshine would, however, bring a lot of wheat to the reaping condition, and never has a spell of that kind of'weather been needed more urgently than at_ present, for upon 'the early climate conditions will largely depend the character _ of • the harvest. A few samples of Algerian oats have come forward, and that may generally be classed as good, though one sample cannot be pronounced of better quality than fair. Another sample of malting barley has reached the market, but. as with oats, no sale has yet been made to set a standard of values. A very good sample of raps seed has also been submitted, but no chance of placing it has yet been found.

Jan. 10. Jan. 17 Victorian 4's 9G 96J Victorian 3£'s 84J 85 Victorian 3$'s * 70 70$ Victorian 3's 62 62J New South Wales 4's ... 81$ 82 New South Waales 3£'s 100 100J New South Wales 3i's f 692 70 New South Wales 3's ... 70i 70i Queensland 4's SO • 91 Queensland 3J's 87i 88J Queensland 3's fill 71? 611 South Australian SJ's ... 71j South Australian 3 r s ... 5GJ 5G4 New Zealand 4's 86i 8Sj New Zealand Si's New Zealand 3's 72 72J 61* 63g I'asmanian 3J's 71J 711 Tasmanian 3's 64 64 West Australian 3J's .., 73J 74J West Australian 3's 69J 69 • 1929-40 currency. t 1920-30 curi -en or.