COMMERCIAL

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXI, Issue 12507, 20 October 1904, Page 2

COMMERCIAL

GERALDINE FARMERS' YARDS. There was a fair attendance and a good entry at the Geraldine Farmers' \ ard.s yesterday, when the following priecs were realised':—Old cow and calf, £3 3s, springers £4 7s to £4 7s 6d; yearling steers, £2 .9s; steers, £5; fat cows (light weights), £5 9s, £5 lis to £5 12s 6d; aged ewes and lambs (all counted) 10s 3d, 10s to lis; sound mouthed ewes and lambs 12s 6d to 12s 9d. SKIN SALES.

Good catalogues were entered for the fortnightly skin and wool sales which were held -yesterday. The following are representative prices: Crossbred skins, 4s 3d, 4s 6d, 4s 9d, ss, 5s 3d, 5s 6d, 5s lOd, 6s, 6s 6d, 6s Bd, to 7s 7d each; per lb, 6d, Halfbred skins, ss, 5s 3d, ,5s 6d, 5s 9d, 6s, 6s 6d, 7s, to 8s 3d each ; per lb, 6£d, 6id, 6|d, 7d. Tireequarterbred skins, ss, 5s 3d, 5s 6d, 6s, to.6s 6d each; per lb, 6d, 6£d. Merino skins, per lb, 6Jd, 6|d. Pelts, 2s 3d to 2s 8d each. Wool: Trimmings, 43, 4id, 4|d, sd; scoured trimmings, 6d; dead, 4£d, s£d, 6id; 7d, 7id, 7id, 7Jd. Fat, 16s, 16s 3d to 17s per cwt.

THE HOME MARKETS. The Canterbury Farmers' Co-operative Association, Limited, Timaru, New Zealand, report under date, London, 17th September, 1904, as follows: WOOJi—'l'he market has undergone no change since our last report, prices remain steady for both merinos and crossbreds, and, the prospects appear to be favourable J® a firm market during the forthcoming public auctions. In the manufacturing districts rather more business has been doing, with a stronger' demand for the finer wools. In Germany there is more enquiry for merinos, while trade in the north of France continues dull. Business from all accounts appears to be unremunerative, a state of affairs brought about by the limited supplies of the raw mateiial. For coaisa wools prices aie well maintained, owing to the depletion of stocks by an unusually large consumption. For the "nest series, to open on the 20th inst.j the Quantities available are 70,952 baJes.

WHEAT—Harvest is now practically over except in Scotland, and, notwithstanding tie unsettled weather, the various crops have been secured quickly in splendid condition, although the yield is somewhat disappointing. The whsat market has kept quiet, and values declined last week 6d to Is per quarter, but it is now a little steadier owing to renewed reports of damage to the American crops. Homegrown wheat is coming on the market in fair quantity, but farmers have to accept father lower prices.' Xow that the greater portion of the wheat has been safely tarvested, a trustworthy estimate of the crop is possible. One of. these, based on reports from some 300 growers, puts the yield for the United Kingdom at 28 bushels per acre, as compared with 30.15 bushdls last year, 32.91 bushels in 1902. and 30.98 bushels as the ten years' average. As the crop will be reaped from a little over 1,400,000 acres, this will give a total crop of a little over 39,200,000 bushels. which compares with 48.800,000 bushels last year, 58,300,000 bushels in 1902, and 57,100,000 bushels as the ten years' average. Such a crop will be slightlv larger than that of 1895, when 26.33 bush"e!s per acre, grown on 1,454,000 -acres, gave us a total yield of just on 38,300,000 bushels. But a feature of this year's harvest is the fineness and plumpness of the grain, many of the samples already sent into the market showing as high a natural weight as 661b per bushel, while 631b and 641b corn is common. Against this, however, must be placed the shortness of the straw, which is put by a number of correspondents at quite one-half the bulk of the crops of 1902 and 1903. The tone of the cargo market rules steady at unchanged prices, but buyers continue apathetic. In New Zealand wheat, the I/ake Erie, from Lyttelton, off coast, 6500qr5., is held for 31s 6d, and on spot values remain much as they were, the rise of 6d per qr. established s fortnight ago been lost. Long-berried is quoted at dls 6d to 32s 6d, ar.d roundberried 30s 6d to 31s 6d per 4961bs ex store.

OATS —The market has been weak owing to the large supply of English, and some of the commoner sorts have declined 6d to Is per qr. New Zealands have also been affected from, the same cause, fine English having been freely offered at moderate rates. Canadians make 22s to 22s 6d, Gartons 21s to 225, Sparrowbills 213 to 225, Duns 20s to 21s, "Black Tartarian 21s to 225, all per 3841b5. Danish 17s to 18s per 3201b5. Sparrowbills are not much in evidence.

BARLEY—In malting very little business lias passed, only a few samples of New English having been brotiglt to "market. In grinding, trade is slow, but values are steady to 3d per qr. advance. TALLOW—-The demand for tallow has shown considerable activity, and values have advanced Is 3d to Is 6d per cwt. We quote finest mutton 28s to 28s 6d, fair to. good 26s 6d to 27s 6d, fair to good beef 25s 9d to 26s 6d, and low sorts of mixed, etc., tabow 24s to 25s 6d : per cwt, according to quality. FROZEN MEAT—There is no improvement to report in the market for frozen meat, the complaints being general of a slow dragging trade. The prices for mutton have been fairly maintained, and as supplies must be limited for some time, it is scarcely probable t.hat they will recede much. Choicest light Canterburys make 3s, which is about Id per stone lower, but medium weights make 2s lOd to 2s lid, and heavy sheep 2s 8d to 2s 9d Second quality 2s 8d to 2s 9d 'per stone cx market. North Island carcases of average weights make 2s 7d to 2s 8d and lighter sheep 2s 9d per stone at Smithfield. Of Dunedin and Southland sheep there are practically no stocks, but the quotation is about 2s Bid ex market. Of Australian sheep' the market is still ba're. Plate sheep are not in large supply, while the demand is fairly good. Values have, however, declined 3d to 2s 5d to 2s 7d ex market. We quote to-day's values at Smithfield as follows :—New Zealand mutton (best) 2s 9d to 3s, ditto [second) 2s_Bd to 2s 9d, New Zealand lamb C I to 3s lid. For frozen lambs tha lemniid is falling off, as the season is now somewhat advanced, and values are scarcely so steady as they were, although they show no great decline. "Stocks in ° n there is now generp LI T "il den } a , nd throughout the winter, t T f"7 ' Canterburys make up Tegs 3,iifn x 3s 9d to 3s 10d - TUTTtpt; V 3s er mfu 'ket BUTTERS ew Zealand: There is some business posing at 96s to 100s but the greater portion of the butt*™ in' store are hardly choicest, Danish is fetching extreme pnces, and for next week's d e livery there is an advance officially of fbon?7w>. making prices at tf,e moLntabout 120s. Australian— There is some business passing at 84s to 945, according to

quality and. condition, ex cold store. Irish —Creameries are quoted- 102s to 104s, factories 80s to 88s. Russian—Arrivals are light, and moving steadily into consumption at 86s to 925. We quote to-day's values:—Danish 120s, Australian 84s to 945, Irish 102s to 104s, Russian 86s to 925, New Zealand 96s to 100s. ADDINGTON STOCK MARKET. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, October 19. Cattle—23o head of fat cattle were yarded, of very fair quality. Tie sale opened well but weakened, closing prices being lower than last week's. Steers sold at £6 12s 6d to £ll 10s, heifers £5 17s 6d to £8 17s 6d, cows £5 15s to £8 2s 6d, calves 7s 6d to 495. Sheep—There was a moderate supply of sheep of good quality, consisting almost entirely of wethers. Competition was keen and the recent high values were fully maintained. Crossbred wethers (prime) fetched 25s to 28s lOd, others 21s to 24s 6d, shorn 17s 6d to 21s, crossbred ewes 22s to 25s 7d, merino wethers (prime) 22s to 26s fid, others 17s to 21s. About 150 lambs were penned. The supply was rather too large for butchers and prices weakened towards the close. Good made 16s to 18s 6d, a few to 19s 6d, others from 14s. Pigs—The yarding was very large. Baconers were- steady at last week's rates; porkers were easier; weaners were in demand, but- large stores suffered a sharp decline. Baconers made 40s to 57g 6d, porkers .27s to 38s, stores (extra) 30s to 365, large 25s to 295, medium 18s to 235, weaners 10s 6d to 14s.

BURNSIDE STOCK MARKET. DUNEDIN, October 19. Cattle—l 29 head of fat cattle were yarded, mainly medium bullocks. Tie demand was good and prices were slightly higher. Best sold at £ll 15s to £lo, good £lO 10s to £ll 10s, medium £9 2s 6d to £lO 2s 6d, light £.7 to £8 10s, best heifers £8 12s 6d to £9 ss, good £6 10s to £7 15s, light £5 5s to £6 ss. Sheep—27B9 fat sKeep were penned, principally good to prime,wethers. The sale opened with prices from Is to Is 6d below last 'week's rates, but as it progressed the demand improved tand towards the end prices were on a par with last Wednesday. Best wethers sold at 26s 3d to 27s 9d. good 24s 6d to 25s 9d, medium 22s 6d to 245, light 18s 9d to 21s, best' ewes 25s to 28s, medium 22s 6d to 245, light 19s 3d to 21s. Fiftynine lambs were yarded, a great percent-* age of poor to medium quality. Prices, except- for very primest lambs were considerably easier. 'Best sold at 17s to 20s 6d, medium 14s to 16s, light lis to 13s 6d, inferior 6s to 8s 6d. Pigs—3l4 pigs were penned. For all forward prices, except for suckers and stores, were very firm and quite equal to last week's rates. Suckers fetched 12s to 16s, slips 17s to 20s 6d, stores 21s to 25s 6d, porkers 28s to 355, light baconers 42s to "465. heavy ditto 48s to'sss 6d. THE DUNEDIN GRAIN MARKET. Wheat—The market is steady, but very liitle business is doing. Prime milling Is quoted at 3s 9d to 3s lOd, medium 3s to 3s 6d, whole fowls' wheat 3s to 3s 2d; sacks extra. Oats—There is not a large quantity of prime in store, but there is not much demand. Prime milling grades Is 7d to Is Bd, good to. best feed Is 5d to Is 6d, medium and inferior Is 4d; sacks extra.