THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 15

THE BREADSTUFFS AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Friday evening. The bulk of the wheat offering early in the week was too soft for milling, but lines are now coming -to hand in good order, and are readily taken up by the local millers at full Government prices. Fowl wheat is at present in over-supply, both in the north and in this district, and the market shows some signs of weakening. Merchants in the meantime are buying from hand to mouth. New Milling Wheat.—According to Government price: South Island, 6s 6£d (plus ljd brokerage and Government commission); North Island, approximately equivalent to 6s IOJd (plus l£d brokerage and Government commission).

Prices of miller's lines are as follow: Flour, £l4 10s; bran, £6 10s; pollard, £8 10s; pearl barley, £27; oatmeal, £25. So far as oats are concerned two good days of drying winds early in the week, followed by fine weather, have brought the grain forward into fine condition, and growers are busy either thrashing or stacking. The market may be, described as irregular, and there is still a difference between growers' and merchants' ideas of value, but in some cases the latter have had to give increased prices in order to obtain lines to fill orders. Owing- to the good yields and the quantity still to come on the market, it is considered that growers may later on have to give way, but in the meantime they are holding out for 3s 9d and 4s for A grade Gartons, sacks extra, on trucks. For shipment there is also an irregularity, and some ports decline to pay 4s 3d and 4s 4d, f.0.b.,5.i., for B Gartons, while sales have been made to other ports at 4s 6d. These may have been purchased for forward orders, and the quantity has been small from this port. PHODUCE REPORT. Heavier supplies of chaff have been arriving, but they are finding a good outlet, as feeders hold light stocks. Good quality is to-day worth £6 5s to £6 10s, sacks extra, ex truck, and medium quality £5 to £5 10a per ton. Advices show that; provided the weather permits cutting, a large quantity will probably arrive on the market during this month, and possibly a decline in Values may be expected. The potato market is weak, the value of good quality being £7 103, sacks extra, ex truck. Consignments have been arriving freely from the north and the Taieri, and it is. with difficulty that the above price can be obtained, and in some cases a reduction has been accepted. * Supplies of bacon are now fully equal to the demand. Dairy butter and eggs are still in very short supply. Onions have firmed slightly in price, and local supplies are now quite equal to the demand. It is reported that onions are being exported from Canterbury to Australia. Current wholesale prices are as follow: Fowl wheat, 6s 6d per bushel (sacks extra). Potatoes, £7 15s to £8 for best qxiality. Chaff. —Prime oaten sheaf, £6 to £6 10s. Onions, 9s to 10s per cwt.

Eggs.—Stamped, 2s 5d to 2s 6d; preserved, Is lOd.

Butter.—Milled, bulk, best, Is 4d to Is sd; separator pats, to Is 4Jd. Pigs.—Baconers, 9Jd per lb; porkers, 9Jd. Bacon.—Local rolls, Is 3£d per lb; hams, Is 2d; looal ham rolls, Is 4d to Is 4£d. FRUIT REPORT. Business has been fairly brisk in the fruit markets during the week. Moderately large consignments of apples, mostly dessert, have arrived from Kelson and Blenheim. The market being bare of dessert sorts, these consignments have met with a ready sale. Lines of cookers and desserts have come in from the Taieri district, end the former were quickly disposed of, but the desserts were slow of sale, as the wet weather and lack of sunshine had affected their colour. A small line of pie melons arrived from Nelson. These met with good competition under the hammer.

Small transhipments of Island oranges, ex the • Paloona, were brought on from Wellington by the Putiki. They realised high values, ranging up to 28s and 20s per case. The vegetable market has been better supplied this week with cauliflowers, but owing to the shortage of other vegetables prices fox these were high. Cabbages are still scarce, and meet with keen inquiry. Table carrots and parsnips are wanted. Current wholesale prices are as follow:

Apples.—Dessert, 2£d to Bsd; Cox's Orange, to 10s) Ribstons, 8d; King Davids, 9s 6d

to 10s; Delicious, 10s to lis; local cookers, 3s to 4s 6d per case. Grapes.—Hamburgs, t«s 2s 6d per lb; Gros Colmars, to 3s per lb. Hothouse Tomatoes. —Local, to Is 4d per lb; Otago Central, to 9d; crates, to 10£d. Peaches.—Half-cases, 3d to 3£d. Pears.—Central Otago, ljd to 2Ad per lb; Canterbury, 6s to 8s per case; extra choice, to 10s. Plums, 2d to 3d per lb. Oranges.—lslands, 28s to 293 per case. Lemons.—Californian double cases, 40s. Passions.—Auckland grown, 6s to 7a per box. Bananas.—Ripe, 28s to 30s. Cabbages, choice, to 8s per dozen; others, 4s to sb. Cauliflowers: Medium, 4s to 7s per dozen; prime, 8s to 12s per dozen; extra choice, to 14s per dozen; sacks, 7s to 10s. Lettuce: * Choice, to 3s per case; good, to Is 6d. Carrots, Is to Is 4d per dozen bunches; small bags, 3a to 4s per bag; centals, 8s to 10s. Turnips, Is per dozen bunches. Swedes, 2s 6d to 4s per bag; sacks, to 5s 6d. Cucumbers. —Large, to 14s per dozen; medium, 8s to 9s; small, 4s to 6s. Green pea 3: 5Jd per lb for prime; others, 2Jd to 3&d Vegetable Marrows.—Large cases, 10s to lis. Potatoes: Local, 9s to 9s 6d per cwt; Canterbury, £8 to £8 10s. Spinach, lOd to Is 3d per doz. Celery, lOd to Is per bundle. Pie melons, 13s 6d to 14s 6d per cwt. Artichokes, 2s 6d to 2s 9d per box. MERCHANDISE MARKET. Pocket pieces of dark Havelock tobacco are in very short supply, but advice has been received that the market will be replenished within a week or 10 days. Sago and tapioca have firmed in price, and are at present quoted at 32s and 33s per cwt respectively, the latter price being for medium pearl tapioca. Supplies are not over-plentiful. Advice has been received of a small shipment of Solazzi liquorice, which will cost three times the pre-war price to land. Dressed rice will, in future, cost 37s to land, despite the fact that the Board of Trade has recently fixed the merchants' selling price at 30s. Dessicated cocoanut has shown a further advance in price, and is now quoted at 9Jd. Cornflour is now quoted at about 5Jd per lb.

, A parcel of green peas from Tasmania is expected on the market this week. Quotations will approach 30s per cwt. A slight rise in price is reported in the case of Lifebuoy soap. Both seedless and seeded raisins pre showing a tendency to firm in price owing to an advance in California, and also the fact that local supplies are getting in shorter compass. The market is bare of 250's, Royals, and Plaid vestas, but a shipment may "come to hand early this week. DUNEDIN MARKETS. Mr B. J. M'Arthur, George street, reports paying for produce during the week ending the 13th inst., as follows: sttmped tre»n figgg 1 iiouey (J lb pat), 5/6 2/6 do* Honey (bulk), 7a lb Salt Butter, 1/4 lb | Honey (.eetion), 7/6 doi Sep. Butter, 1/3 lb | Honey (Oartoas), Üb,6/Prime Sep. Butter j 21b, 15/- doa wanted, 1/>J lb | Beeswax, 2/6 Bacon Pigs, yd lb | Compressed yeast, 9d packet. Beetle's Rennet, la 3d. f HIGH COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. WELLINGTON, May 11. ' The Department of Agriculture, Industries, and Commerce has received the following cablegram, dated 10th May, from the High Commissioner for New Zealand:

Meat.—The wholesale prices have been reduced in England to: Beef sides, la mutton and lamb, Is ljd; veal, 10£d; pork, la 4cL America and Canada: ,B£d and Is o|d; Africa and Brazil, 81d and ll|d; other countries, 9Jd and Is 0|d —fores and hinds respectively. Imported mutton and lamb, Hid; veal, Bfd; pork, la 2id. All retail prices have been reduced by 2d per pound from the sth May Hemp.—The market is quiet, and there is small business doing. Current spot quotations for New Zealand hemp are: High point fair, £4B; fair, £43 ss; for shipment June to August. Current spot quotation J grade Manila, £45 10s, for shipment May to July. The output for January, February, March, and April was £353,000." OAMARU MARKETS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) OAMARU. May 10. Though millers are said to bo very well stocked with wheat, a fair quantity passed out of growers' hands during the ivcek. The transaction included some substantial lines in mixtures, chief amongst them being 1000 sacks of Velvet and Dreadnought in equal proportions, 800 sacks of \elvet, redchaff, and Dreadnought, and 750 sacks of Velvet, Redchaff, and Marshall's White. Oats have been dealt with only in modest lines, and not many of them, farmers being disinclined to sell at current prices, ard holding firmly for more money. Good heavy A grade Cartons have been acquired at 3s 9d and 3s lOd net, at country stations. Several lots of seed Algerians changed hands at country stations at 8s 6d net, while good feed Algerians have been taken at 3s 3d and 3s 4d, net, at country stations, and lighter feed at 3s Id. Only a small amount of business has been passing in potatoes, which have been sold at £8 10s, net, on trucks, and all the way from £6 to £7, net, delivered in Oaniaru. SOUTHLAND MARKET REPORT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGIXL, May 10. The oat market has still an upward tendency, and merchants' ideas are apparently at the moment based on what perhaps is a nominal value of 4s 6d, f.0.b., s.i., for A grade Gartens, as I hear of offers being made at 8s 9d on trucks at sidings within a 20 mile radius of the city. Farmers are firm holders, and are of the opinion that the market will go still higher. This is owing chiefly to the decided shortage of winter feed in Southland. It is considered that farmers possessing fair stocks oif oaten sheaves will, in view of the low price of lambs, feed them on chaff, and thus reap the benefit for fat stock, which will evidently rule in the early Epring. This belief may bo to somo extent inspired. There is a strong demand for old chaff, which demand, however, cannot be satisfied. It seems evident that there are no old stocks left in growers' hands, and users are averse to new cnaff, the sheaves not being in a fit condition for chaffing; but it will soon become necessary for horse owners to acoept new chaff. Growers are firm in their ideas of value, and it may be that users will have to submit to the inevitable

and pay not less than £6 on trucks for chaff of good quality. During the last two weeks a considerablo quantity of ryegrass of rather better description has bean offering, the average weight being about 221 b. This is certainlyhelped by a large percentage of sorrel, 'ine remarkably low weights that were so prevalent in the early part of the season are not now being offered. It is rarely that such a low weight as 20lb is now offered. For really well dressed lines from the mill, 231 b weight, 3-3 9d is about market value. There is an entire absence of business in hemp, and the prospects ahead for both, merchants and millers are so poor that the market can only be described as absolutely dead, nothing whatever transpiring in the way of business. GRAIN AND PRODUCE SALES. Messrs Dalgety and Co. report:—Oats:"! Although there has been good inquiry of late, there 13 no volume of business going through, which is mainly attributable to the fact that farmers are displaying a preference: fox holding their grain r>ather than accept present values. Quotations nominally are: Prime milling, 4s 3d to 4s 4d; good to best feed, 4s to 4s 2d; inferior to medium, 3s 3d to 8s 9d per bushel (sacks extra). "Wheat :i All lines in milling condition have been readily taken by millers at maximum Government rates. Samples in soft or doubtful condition are being refused by millers. Mora particularly does this apply -to lines of longberried wheats thrashed out of stook. Fowl wheat meets fair demand. Potatoes: Dig--ging has become more general, and heavier supplies have come forward during the past week, with the result that late rates ere not obtainable. The demand is strongest for choice freshly-lifted lines, medium and inferior samples being more difficult to quit on arrival. Best tables, £7 5s to £7 * 15s ( others, £6 to £7 per ton (sacks in). Chaff: Although increased supplies have been coming forward since our last report, there haa not been an over-supply of _good, bright, heavy oaten sheaf, which is in most demand, and is readily placed on arrival at quotations. Medium quality and inferior lines arv> not so readily quitted on arrival. Best oaten sheaf, £6 5s to £6 10s; medium to good, £5 10s to £6; light and inferior, £4 10s per ton (sacks extra). Messrs Donald Raid arid Co. report:—Oats! l , There is nothing fresh to report. Millers and shippers are not operating to any ex-' tent. A fair number of samples have com* to hand during the past week, but in the majority of cases growers are not disposed to accept the prices offering, preferring to. hold in the meantime. Prime milling, 4s 3d to 4s 4d; good to best feed, 4s to 4s 2d; inferior to medium, 3s 3d to 3s 9d per bushel (sacks extra). Wheat: This has been coming forward freely, and in most cases has been accepted by millers. Fowl wheat is scarce, and any lots coming to hand meet with ready sale. Potatoes: Supplies aro; arriving more freely, both from the north and from the Taicri, and any lots of well' graded table lines meet with prompt clear • ance. Best tables, £7 10s to £7 15s; others, £6 to £7 5s per ton (bags included). Chaff: There is good demand for prime- oaten sheaf, which has not boon arriving so freely of late. Any lots of this description coming to hand are saleable ex truck. Medium and inferior are not in request, and it is difficult to make sales. Best oaten sheaf, £6 as to £6 10s; medium to good, £5 15s to £6; inferior, £4 5s to £5 per ton (bags extra). PROPERTY SALES. • At their rooms on the 16th Messrs John Raid and Sons, in conjunction with Mtessrs Dalgety and Co., submitted to auction on account of Mrs J. H. Mee, her l.i.p farm of 780 acres 1 rood! 12 poles, being section 2, block XII, Lauder district, situated closa to Becks. The attendance was very large. Bidding commenced at £4 per acre, and at £5 per acre the lease was knocked down to Mrs M. Hamilton. E. L. Macassey and Co. offered at auction on the 16th a property situated on the Anderson's Bay road, consisting of a five-roomed modern house and a large freehold section. Bidding commenced at £6OO, and advanced to £675, at which figure it was passed in. Immediately after the sale it was sold at an increased price to Mrs M. A. Todd.

Messrs James Samson and Co. held a sale by auction at their rooms on the Bth, when they offeredl in the estate of the late Mr H. Dudfield his freehold property, nearly a quarter acre, with a sic-roomed dwelling; situated in Douglas terrace, North-East Valley, which wa<s secured- by Mr R. Gunn. They also sold on behalf of Mr B. Wilson his freehold property, No. 12 Queensberry street, North-East Valley, on which is erected a six-roomed dwelling. This property realised a satisfactory price. Messrs Soiirr and Co. offered by auction on the Bth a five-roomed bungalow, No. 6 Scott street, St. Kilda. There, was a good! attendance, and bidding, which commenced at £6OO, was quite spirited .until £770 was reached, at which figure Mrs Roberts became the owner.

Messrs Park, Reynolds (Ltd.) offered by auction on the 9th part of sections, 73 and 74, block 5, Lower Kaikorai district, and sections 1 and 24, block 7, township of West Mosgiel. After keen competition both properties were disposed of, the former for £4OO and the latter for £450.