COMMERCIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13957, 17 July 1909, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

SALE OF LAND. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, report Laving sold a block of 323 acres of the Aliandale estate, to Mr J as. Cameron, at a satisfactory price.

TIMAJEIU GRAIN MARKETS.

Grain merchants report that the past week has heen ja. very quiet one in their line. Very few sales of wheat have been made, those farmers who have held their grain so long being for the most part determined to hold a little longer in the expectation that better prices will rule as the season advances. Moreover, no further freights are offering now, and there is little or no buying for exwrt purposes. Added to this, local millers are not operating at all -freely. They are fairly well stocked; and are only buying odd lines when offered them at what they consider a fair price. An all-round quotation for wheat to-day is 4s 2d at country stations, sacks sid. This is for prime lines of milling Velvet, Tuscan and Red Chaff.

Despite the fact that earlier in the season there was said to be a great surplus of oats, very little of this cereal is now on offer, and there is no demand within the colony. Really good A "rade Gartons are worth ]s 8d- delivered Timaru, B grade Is 7d. Danish and Duns Is Gd. delivered Timaru, sacks 5Jd. North Island buyers are looking for oats at lower prices than these. It is a debatable point ps to whether there is any quantity held for spring threshing; if any quantity is so held and the oats come on to the market here at the same time as the Southland oats will come on in the spring, prices will ease-back, and in the nlp:"••time North Island buyers are only buying from hand to month. The potato market is in a bad way. There Las been a drop of 5s per ion during the week, merchants fixing £'•'s Ss now as their limit, and even at this figure they are not at all anxious to do business. There is so much djscase amon;r the tubers this season that they are looked upon as very dangerous goods to handle. Moreover, it appears now that there are more potatoes in the' district- than was supposed some few weeks ago.

CHRLSTCtIURCH MARKETS. ' Per Press Association. , CIIRrSTCHURCn, .Tulv Jfi. The renewed operations oE Mr Patten in the American wheat market will probably Lave tho effect of hardening ■orices in the European markets. There has been no time for any influence to have been felt at this end. though wheat is no doubt rather firmer this, week than it was last week. Farmers are holding so firmly that little is changing hands bnt 4s 2d lias been paid during the week and for an extra nrime lino -Id morn was given. 2100 hnshels of Tuscan changed hands at 4:< 2d, and a specially good line of Hunters at tho same figure at country stations.

Oats are still difficult to obtain and buyers, have had to give above what they consider tho present market value to receive snpph'ps for immediate shiivrnonts. A mixed lino of ;"iOOO bushel* was sold at "fs 6d and primo Cartons at Is 6UI to Is 7icl at country stations. The "notato market is' weaker and bnvers at £3 this week decline to purchase further at this figure.