COMMERCIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3625, 24 August 1901, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

o THE PRODUCE MARKETS. Business during the week has been fair, the most noticeable change being the rise in the price of oats and the hardening of the market generally. It- is now found that the supply of oats is limited, and that the stocks held are not so large as was anticipated. The all round quotation for oats is now Is 9d to Is lOd, short oats being still worth Id-more. In wheat there is no change, primest samples still being quoted at 2s 6d per bushel, f.o.b. The enquiry for potatoes is slack, and the quotation still remains at £4 10s to £4 15s, little business passing. The week has seen a good deal of shipping, two sailers having left for Home with grain cargoes. Arrangements are about completed for further shipments by steamer and enquiry is also being made for charters by sailing vessel. STUDHOLME STOCK SALE. There was a good entry of between 5000 and 6000 sheep at the Studholme stock sale yesterday. The greater portion comprised aged ewes in lamb which met with a somewhat easier sale. Good young ewes met with keen competition. Quotations were as follows:—2, 4, 6 and 8-tooth three-quarter bred ewes in lamb up to 18s 3d; full-mouthed three-quarter bred ewes in lamb 13s 4d, 14s 3d and 14s lid; store three-quarter bred hoggets 12s 3d; sound mouthed merino ewes in lamb 8s 9d; large framed forward three-quarter bred hoggets 13s 2d; a line of good store three-quarter bred hoggets 12s 7d; cull three-quarter bred ewes in lamb 8s to 10s; wethers and maiden ewes 16s, 17s lOd to 18s. There was a small yarding of cattle. Fat cows sold up to £6 10s; good store bullocks up to £5 10s; good young cows near calving £7 to £7 10s; fair cows in profit £5 to £5 10s; heifers £4. THE ENGLISH MARKETS. "The New Zealand Farmers Co-operative Association of Christchurch, the Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association of Timaru, the Hawke's Bay Farmers' Cooperative Association of Napier, and the Farmers' Co-operative and Marine Insurance Association of Canterbury, report under date London, 20th July, as follows : Wool—The fourth series of Colonial wool sales for the present year commenced on the 2nd inst. " was a large attendance of both home and foreign buyers on the opening night but competition was irregular, and merinos ruled about 5 per cent. lower on the average than at the close of the May auctions, the depreciation being most pronounced on faulty and wasting parcels. Fine crossbreds were also 5 per cent, lower, while medium qualities . fell 10 to 15 per cent., and coarse grades 7£ per cent. Since the commencement, there has been a better undertone in the market, large quantities of superior merino combing wool having been brought forward, and for these, prices for the most part are 5 per cent, higher than on the first day of the series, but medium ?nd inferior grades, although well competed

for, still rule some 5 per cent, below May final rates. The coarsest qualities of crossbreds have recently regained a portion of the initial decline, and now frequently realise id per lb more than at the earlier sittings of the auctions. Prices for the finest growths, however, show no improvement while medium counts sell most irregularly at about 15 per cent, below May parity. Some considerable lines of merino greasy, and a few parcels of crossbred have been secured for America. The trend of business in the manufacturing districts has not been, satisfactory. Consumers find that their requirements are small, and that their customers are not inclined to speculate; but the feeling is now slightly more hopeful. The grrss arrivals for the fifth series having reached the limit fixed by the Merchaats' Association, namely 300,000 bales, on the 10th inst., the list was closed -n that day with a total of 305,595 b?I?s tinclnling 102,043 bales New Zealand), of which 49,500 bales were forwarded direct from ship to Yorkshire and the Continent. The Paparoa and Medea were in time. Woolled Sheep Skins.—The fifth series of sales was held on the 18th inst., the catalogues comprising 2832 bales. There was a full attendance, but neither home nor continental representatives were keen buyers, and values ruled easy though only about 200 bales were taken in. Prices for merino growths showed little alteration from previous quotations, although the more wasting descriptions ruled slightly in buyers' favour,while crossbreds lost ground to the extent of id to £d per lb. Present quotations are:—Merino full-woolled. 4|d to 6id; merino half to three-quarter woolled, 4£d to sid; merino short and shorn 3£d to 4fd; crossbred full-woolled, fine, 4jd to s^d; crossbred full-woolled, coarse, 3d to 4|d; crossbred half to three-quarter woolled, fine, 3jd to 4^d; crossbred half to three-quarter woolled, coarse 2£d to 3£d; crossbred short and shorn. 2£d to 3d. Wheat.—Our grain crops are maturing' quickly owing to the hot brilliant weather, and wheat is well spoken of; harvesting has already commenced in some of the earlier districts. Under these circumftnnre? trade v\ Mirk Lane has continue'? depressed, <isith 6d per qr decline in prices, and as reports from America point to an abundant crop' m that country the prospects of any material improvement in values appears somewhat remote. English wheat is still offered very sparingly on the country markets, but as millers are not in a position to pay the prices asked, values have decbned about 6d per quarter the present value being 27s 2d as compared with 28s 7d in the corresponding week of last year. The stock of wheat in granary here is about 50,OOOqrs in excess of last year's total at this time, .while flour (chiefly American) shows

an enormous increase for the same periods, [viz., 669,442 sacks comparing with 362,769 sacks. There is still a demand for . the Continent, and several cargoes which ' have arrived off coast recently have been : purchased and despatched thither. Australian cargoes which, have arrived have found buyers at 28s down to 275, while on passage the "Lota," to Geelong, 12,1 955qrs has changed hands at 27a 10jd ! c.i.f. to United Kingdom f.o. For ahip- ' ment in iron ship in July and August, j Victorian has been sold at 27s 3d c.Lf. [London. On spot, the present value is : 29s to 29s 6d per 4961bs ex store. In j New Zealand wheat, there is nothing doing ' in cargoes, while on spot the demand is slow, notwithstanding tie scarcity of English. Long berried has declined 63, the present value being 29s to 29s 6d, but I short berried has maintained its value, the 'present quotation being 28s 6d to 29s per 14961bs ex store. Oats are in better request owing to the drought in America and Russia, while the yield here is likely to be light from the same cause. Values all round have improved 6d to 9d per qr, New Zealand ordinary Bluff and Sparrowbill bringing 24s 6d to 255, and Canadians 25s to 26s per 3841bs ex store. Barley.—Grinding sorts are in request at 6d to Is advance; but in malting no business is passing. Cocksfoot.—There is nothing doing in this seed at present, as buyers are awaiting samples and offers of the new crop seed from New Zealand. Tallow.—The market has been steady since our last, values- remaining unaltered. On the 3rd inst., 918 casks were sold out of 1803 casks offered. On the 10th inst., 1005 casks were catalogued, of which 710 found buyers, and on the 17th inst, with a somewhat limited demand, only 511 casks were disposed of out of 1557 casks, put up. Fair to finest mutton is still worth 27s to 28s 6d, *nd fair to good beef tallow 26s 3d to 27s 6d per cwfc Salted Sheep's Pelts, have been in good request. ■ At auction on the 4th inst., 11,988 pelts were offered and all sold. Super realised 23s to 255, large 16s 6d to 17s 9d, medium lis 6d to 14s, lamb 12s 6d to 16s 3d, and merino and seconds 6s to 8s per dozen. Frozen Meat.—Trade at Smithfield has been very quiet and unsatisfactory during the last three weeks, and prices have had a downward tendency all round. Owing to the very hot weather, the consumption has decreased ,and the retail trade are acting very cautiously, being afraid of overstocking themselves. Canterbury carcases of mutton have declined 2d per stone, but this refers principally to the heavier weights which are not wanted. Small sheep have fairly maintained their value, but even • these are not quite so firm as they were, notwithstanding that there are not many offering. Present values are 2s 2d to 2s 8d up to 2s 9d for anything very choice per stone of 81bs ex market. Secondary New Zealands are in poor request at Is 9d to 2s 2d. Australian and Plate carcases have been steady, only an occasional Id per stone having been lost. Present values are Is 8d to Is 9d per stone on the market. Lambs have been more saleable than any other descriptions, especially when not too large, but with heavier supplies these have recently given way to the extent of 5d per stone, Canterbury's being worth 3s to 3s .6d at Smithfield. Heavy lambs, viz., over 421bs are in excessive supply, and are worth not more than 3s to 3s 3d 1 per stone. Lighter weights under 381bs command in some cases as much as 3s : 6d, but these weights are very scarce. The majority of lambs now arriving are very heavy, and tegs are a drug in the 1 markets, not being worth more than 2s lOd to 2s. lid per stone. Beef is not much wanted, and as chilled American has receded 2d per stone, frozen has declined to a like extent. New Zealand fores are now worth Is 4d and hinds 2s 5d to 2s 6d ex market.