THE WEATHER

Otago Witness, Issue 3395, 9 April 1919, Page 12

THE WEATHER

OAMARTJ, April 7.

After a long spell of hot,' dry weather, which made the outlook for winter feed very black, welcome rain began to fall this morning, and a steady fall continues. The rain will have a very beneficial _ effect the parched pasture land, and will help to restore the fast-falling stock market. ORAM, April 5. During March rain fell on five days, the heaviest fall being 18 points on the 28th. The highest shade temperature was 80deg on the 20th, and the lowest was 42deg on the 27th. The total rainfall for 1919 is 6.73 inches. Much-needed rain set in en Thursday afternoon. WAIKOUAITI, April 4.

The following- rainfall was recorded at Waikouaiti during March: —March 2, 3 points; March 10, 4 points; March 12, 4 points; Maroh 13, 29 points; March 25, 14 points; March 26, 4 points; March 28, 5 points; March 29, 7 points ;—total, 70 points. CROMWELL, April 7. After a prolonged spell of dry weather rain set in late this afternoon, and shows signs of continuing. The pastoral country and turnip fields are badly in need of a steady fall, otherwise the outlook for winter feed would be serious.

THE BRE4DSTUFFS AND PROPKODUCE NAKKETS

Friday evening. Cable messages from Liverpool advise that the American wheat crop has wintered in high condition, while spring sowinga are predicted to be the largest on record. The British Government is unable to arrange shipments from Argentina. Conditions in India are unchanged. In regard to the European food situation, the position in the centre and east is reported to be bad. Taieri grown wheat is coming to hand in fair quantities. Some of the samples are very soft, but the bulk Ib of goodl milling quality. Tares spoil the general quality of some of the wheat. No milling wheat is so far on offer from Milton or further south.

The fowl wheat market is easier, there being several lines offering from Canterbury at 63 per bushel, sacks extra, delivered Dunedin.

Reports from Auckland state that the Kauri has just left Australia with another cargo of wheat, part of which is for Auckland and part for Wellington. New Milling Wheat.—According to Government price; South Island, 6s 6d, f.0.b.; North Island, approximately equivalent to 6s lOd.

Price 3 of millers' lines are as follow: Flour £ls; bran, £6 10s; pollard, £8 10s; pearl barley, £29; oatmeal, £27. The majority of the' oats now arriving in Dunedin ar-j. '.ines sold for forward delivery at high money. The market has a better tone, as in a number of instances the forward sellers are offering to cancel the buyers' contracts on the payment of about the difference between tho price at which the oats were sold and! to-day's price. The buyers however, generally speaking, will not concel, but ask for the delivery of their purchases, and as stocks in some oases are apparently not too plentiful, tho sellers are having a little trouble in getting the oats to deliver. A few sales have taken place during the week at 3s 5d and 3s 6d on trucks, but growers are reluctant to sell, and the tendency is either to store in Dunedin or hold the oats in the farmers' barns. So far heavy yields have been obtained, and tha oats average about 411 b to the bushel. The forward shipping market has also a firmer feeling. Quotations of 3s 6d, f.0.b., s.i., were available at the beginning of the week, but these were readily taken up, and! the lowest quotation to-day is 3s 9d, with buyers at 3s Bd, f.0.b., s.i. Saturday. There has been a sharp increase in the price of rice. Local stocks are not very heavy, owing to shipping difficulties. Today's price is about 80s per cwt, according to quantity and quality. The market is bare of sardines, and no advice is to hand of further shipments. Documents havo been received in, connection with lines of Hawaiian pineapples which havo been lying at Sydney for some, weeks past wanting shipment to New Zealand.

Thoir arrival may now be expeoted at any time.

A fairly larg© shipment of Burmah candles arrived during the week. The Westralia is bringing supplies of pearl barley and lib packets of a special agency line of peasemeal (Hooper's). The quotation for the meal is 6s 6d per dozen.

Supplies of large and small nugget have come to hand this week. These lines have been unprocurable for some months. Nugget floor polish is still unprocurable. Sweet slice Golden Eagle; 1J ounce, which has been off the market for some time, came to hand by the War Opal. Golden Eagle plug also arrived in the War Opal. The Athenic and Hororata brought supplies of medium- Capstan tobacco. Foster Clark's custard powder is again available from the Australian branch factory.

Sapolio powder—a new agency line—is quoted at 6s 3d per dozen. PRODUCE REPORT. ' Consignments of chaff have eased off a little, growers being too busy harvesting. Good, old quality is worth to-day £6 10s to £7 per ton, sacks extra. The potato market is also firmer. Once digging commences, however, prives are expected to ease, as good yields are promised. Sales of good quality have been mad© at £7 10s per ton, sacks in. The forward shipping market is easier, as Auckland buyers are to-day prepared to sell back to Dunedin at a loss of about 103 per ton on parcels bought a few days ago. Eggs are in very short supply. Supplies of dairy butter are not equal to the demiand.

Current wholesale prices are as follow: Fowl wheat, 6s per bushel (sacks extra). Potatoes, £7 to £7 10e. Chaff.—Prime oaten sheaf, £6 10s to £7.

Oaten straw, JB3; wheaten, £2 10s. Eggs.—Stamped, 2a 6d. Butter.—Milled, bulk, best, Is 8d to la 3£d; separator pats, Is Bd. Pigs.—Baconers, 9£d per lb; porkers, 9&d Bacon.—Local rolls, Is B£d per lb; hams. Is 2£d; local bam rolls, Is 4d. - FRUIT" REPORT. Supplies, of stone fruit have fallen off considerably. Fairly large quantities of pears and apples are reaching the market, and these meet with a ready demand. Lines of apples from Nelson are bringing good prices The Tarawera brought the first lot of Island oranges for the season, and these were eagerly competed for. Small lots of bananas "have alse reached the market, being transhipped at Auckland and Wellington. Vegetables are in abort eupply. Cabbages and cauliflowers are bringing up to 16s per dozen. Swede turnips are dear, sugar bag lots realising 4s per bag. Peas and French beams are about done, and realise high prices. Current wholesale prices are as follow: Apples.—Dessert, 2|d to 3Jd; Cox's Orange, 10s to lis 6d; Ribstones, 9s to 10s; Delicious, 4f d per- lb; local cookers, l£d to 2d per lb for choice; others, 8s to 4s 6d per case. Grapes.—Best, to Is 2d to Is 6d per lb; others, lOd to Is. Hothouse Tomatoes.—Local, 7Jd to B|d per lb; Chrifltchurch, 3Jd to 4|d: Otago Central —cases, 4Jd te 6dj crates, 4d to 6d. Peaches.—Half-cases, 3d to 4d per lb; orates, to 7d. Pears.—Oentral Otago, ljd to 2|d per lb; Canterbury, 4s to 7s per case; extra choice, to 99. Apricots.—About finished; cases, to 4|d. Plums.—'Cooking, ljd to 2£d; dessert, 2|d to B£d; extra choice, in crates, to 4£d. Oranges.—Califomian, double cases, to 60s; Islands, 29s Gd.

Bananas. —27s to 84s. Nectarines, 3&d to 6d; extra choice, in crates, to 9d per lb. Loinonfs. —Calif ornian double oases, 42s*. Adelaides, to arrive. Raspberries, 6d to 7d. Cabbages, choice, to 15s per dozen. Cauliflowers, medium, 8s to 5s per dozen; extra choice, to lis per dozen. Lettuce: Choice, to 8s per case; good, to Is 6d. Rhubarb, in cases, is 6d to 2s 6d per case. Carrots., Is to Is 4d per dozen bunches; small bags, 3s to 4s per bag; centals, 8s to 10s; turnips, Is per dozen bunches. Swedes, 3s 6d to 4s- per bag. Cucumbers, 10s to 12s for large; medium, 7s to 9s; small, 3s to 5s per dozen; outside grown, 4s to 5s per box. Green peas, 4£d for prime; others, 3d to Potatoes. —New potatoes: Local, Id per lb; sacks, 7s to 8s 6dl per owt. Vegetable Marrows. —Large cases, 10s to lis. French beans, to 5d per lb.

THE OAMARU MARKETS'. (From Our Own Correspondent.') OAMARU, April 5. An increased quantity of wheat has come forward during the week, and the total that has changed hands has been the largest since the season opened. The transactions included several lines of substantial dimensions, these including a mixed line of 1200 sacks, the major part being velvet and the balance red chaff, 1100 sacks of mixed red chaff and dreadnought, 900 sacks of dreadnought, and half a dozen others ranging from 600 to 750 sacks in straight and mixed lines. Besides these, qiiite a large number of smaller lines have changed hands. Though some business has been done in dreadnought wheat, the objection to take it by miillers is still operative, and a large quantity has baen offered without finding buyers. A considerable amount is going into store on account of growers, who are satisfied that it will find a market later on in the year. Fowl wheat is somewhat but a line changed hands during the week at the full Government rates.

Oats have further receded in values, but very little busiiness is reported. There is a total absence of speculative buying, and growers do not show any disposition to sell at current prices. A few sales have been made at country stations at from 3s to 3s 3d net for A grade Gartens and from 2s 9d to 2s lid net for good feed Algerians.

SOUTHLAND MARKETS. IFrom Our Own Corresponded.) INVERCARGILL, April 6. There is practically no new crop of oats offering as yet, but it is anticipated that within the next two or three weeks there will be a fair quantity available. A considerable portion of the crop is safe in stack, but the greater part of it is still in the stock or standing uncut. Local merchants are disinclined to operate unlil they secure supplies. Meantime, prices to growers are nominally 2s lOd to 83 on trucks, according to distance from port. There is little business doing in chaff, as, of course, there is no now stuff on - the ' market. Really prime quality is worth to-day £6 10s on trucks, but no one would caro about buying largely at this figure, as it is realised that, owing to the difficulty of securing freight from our port and the splendid crops further north, the outlook for espotation is by no means bright. The offerings of ryegrass continue to be limited, and, as has already been mentioned

in this column, the samples are very unsatißfactory. Buyers consequently are not anxious to make purchases excepting when they see an opportunity of securing a line of heavyweight seed. Prices are running from 3s 6d to 'ls 3d on trucks.

There is very littlo business doing in hemp owing to the freight obstacle. High fair is quoted to-day at £32 on trucks, while low fair is w worth £2 per ton less. These prices in many instances axe not remunerative from the point of view of the flaxmillers, and unless a substantial improvement takes place shortly it is more than likely a number of millers will be forced to discontinue operations. GRMN AND PRODUCE SALES. Messrs Dalgety and Co. report: —Oats: Business is dull. Buyers are only prepared to operate at lower values than growers are inclined to accept, with the result that very few sales are being effected. The quality of the grain offering eo far is above that of last season. Values nominally can be quoted as follows:—Prime milling, 4s 3d to 4s 6d; good to beet feed, is to 4s 2d; medium to good, 3s 6d to 8s 9d; inferior, from 3s per bushel (sacks extra). Wheat: This is now offering in larger quantities. The bulk of the grain already thrashed is in good condition, and is readily taken up by millers at full Government rates. Fowl wheat is also offering more freely, and meeting ready sale on arrival. Potatoes: Owing to harvesting operation* being in hill swing digging has slackened off, with the result that the market show* a firmer tendency, more particularly does this apply to choice freshly-dug lines, which axe not so plentiful, which are in most request, Faulty and out-of-condition Ibts are not eo keenly sought aitier. Best freshly-lifted! lines, £7 10s to £8; medium to good, £6 _los to £7; others, from £5 10s per tori (sacks in). Chaff: Supplies of choice quality old season s chaff have not been coming forward quite so freely of late, and this being the description receiving most attention from buyers, all such consignments meet ready ©ale on arrival. A fair quantity of new season's chaff has been arriving from the north of late. Sound-conditioned, bright, heavy samples have been meeting fair sale at quotations. Best old season, £6 10a to £7j best new season, £5 10s to £6; medium to good, £4 103 to £5 per ton (sacks extra).

Messrs Donald Reid and Co. report:— Oats: Thera is nothing fre»h to report. Buyers are not anxious to make offers at present, but any offers mad© for samples coming to hand growers are not willing to accept. Prime milling, 4s 3d to 4s 6d; beet feed, 4s to 4s 2d; medium to good, 3s 6d to 3s 9d; inferior, 3s to 8s 3d per bushel (sack* extra). Wheat: The bulk of tho wheat so far thrashed has arrived in good condition. Fowl wheat is coming to hand more freely, and meets ready sale. Potatoes: There 1» good demand for prime freshly-dug potatoes, supplies of which have not. been arriv ing so freely during the past week. Best table potatoes, £7 10s to £8; medium to good, £6 10s to £7: others, £5 10s to £6 per ton (sacks included). Chaff: Inquiry is confined exclusively to the local trade, there being no export demand at present. A quantity of new season's northern chaff has come on tho market, and is in very fair condition. Any lots of prime old chaff are readily quitted at prices much above the rates ruling for new season's chaff. Best oaten sheaf (old), £6 10s to £7; (new), £6 10s to £6; medium to good, £4 103 to «S per ton (bags extra). RABBITSKIN SALE, The Dunedin Woolbrokers' Association (Messrs Dalgety and Co., A. Mortizson and Co., .National Mortgage and) Agency Company, New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Otago Palmers' .Co-opera-tive Association, Donald Reid and Co., Stronach, Morris, and Co., and Wright, Stephenson, and Co.) report:—The fortnightly sale was held on Monday, when small catalogues were offered to a full attendance of buyers. Outgoing, 20d; autumn. 26d to 30£d; spring, 16d to 17|d; racks, 17d to 18|d; light racks, 15dl to 16Jd; summer, 14£d to 18id; runners, Hid; weevily, lOd to 12d; "broken, 9d to lOd; fawn, 14|d to 18d; block, 48£d to GOd; sprink black, 16Jd to 18d; hareskins, B£d to 9Jd; horsehair, 15&d to 16|d. ' CLEARING- SALES. Messrs Stronach, Morris andl Co. report having held a clearing sale at Waikouaiti on. account of Mr Thos. Thorburn, on March 27. Buyers from all parts of the distriot were present, and everything offered was sold at satisfactory prices. Dairy cows brought from £7 to £l2; pigs, to £6 15s 5 working draught horses, to £l9 10s; and implements and sundries, current market rates. Messrs Stronach, Morris and Co. report: Wo held a clearing sale ofjpattle, horses anq implements on account Messrs Roberts and Co., Gladbrook Estate, on the 3rd inet. There were fully 400 people present, comingffrom the Maniototo, Waikouaiti, TaierL Clutha, Bruce, and surrounding district*. Pour hunderd and forty-fivo heed of cattle were sold, and very favourable comment* were made on their breeding and condition. Special mention was made of the one and two years old Polled Aberdeen Angus steers and heifers. Owing to the late harvest only 10 of the horses were offered, and these brought market rates. Implements, harness, etc., sold at full current values. Some of the prices obtained for the cattle were: three-year-old steers, £l2 15s to £ls; 2J-year-oldl steers, £9 ss; two-year-old steers, £7 17s to £8 ss; yearling steers, £6 17s; steer oalves, £3 7s 6d; breeding cows, £9 to £10; two-year-old heifers, £8 3s; yearling heifers, £5 17s; heifer oalves, £3 lis. PROPERTY SALES. Messrs —lex. Harris and Co. on the lfct offered for sale part section 21, block -vXU, Dunedin, fronting Frederick and Grange streets, together with a four-roomed dwelling. There was a good attendance, and bidding was keen. Mr E. A. Aslin secured the property (as agent) at £320. Messrs E. L. Macassey and Co. offered at auction on the Ist at their rooms, on behalf ot the Public Trustee in the estate of the late Mr W. S. Baird, a property situated m King Edward street, South Dunedin, consisting of five-roomed house and sectionBidding commenced at £2OO, and advanced to £340, at which price the property was passed in.

Taranaki's total output for butter and cheese was roughly estimated by the chairman of a meeting held at Hawera on Thursday to be 3000 tons to 3500 tons of butter, and from 20,000 tons to 22,000 tons of cheese. There are between 70 and 80 dairy factories in the province. A farmer residing at Lower Hutt informed the River Board at its meeting that for the past three years he had employed female labour on his farm, wita highly satisfactory results. The womeji took an Interest in the work, were reliable, and he would not consider making a change.-