Commercial.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 4597, 19 December 1903, Page 1

Commercial.

Grain Report. Mr F. Pownell, of the New Zealand and Canterbury Farmers’ Co-opera-tive Association, reports as follows, all quotations being f.0.b., truck or wharf, Wellington, sacks extra, unless specified : Oats—Trade is being severely dealt with, space by Home boats being re stricted, and transet cost increased. Shipments leaving are mainly stout, short grain, at growers’ risk, English values being reported as slightly above current ruling colonial. B grade Danish are offering at Is 6d, Duns Is Bd, Carton’s and Rosebery’s Is BJd, Sparrow-bills and Canadians Is 9d, rejects Is sd. Wheat—Stocks of milling are congesting, local requirements causing no appreciative reduction, and inquiries outside lifeless. Top grades have declined to 3s lOd, and hard feed to 3s 5d ; seconds nominally 2s lOd. Potatoes—New kidneys are active at 5s 6d b.i, round 4s 6d b.i. Maize—With better quality showing. Northern is holding at 2s lOd s.i, Argentine 2s lid s.i. Barley.—Values are unchanged at 4s 3d for malting and 2s lid for feed. Pearl barley £l3 10s b.i. Beans.— Hard field beans are scarce, 3s 8d being full value. Peas.—Partridge are in light request at 48 Gd, blue Prussians 6s 3d, split peas £l3 10s b.i., pig meal £7 s.i. Bran has fair consumption at £3 58 s.i. Pollard meets with good business at £3 10b s.i. Oatmeal.—Cost remains at £8 15s s.i. for 25’s, rolled oats £l2 s.i. A fall in sympathy with oats is not unlikely. Chuff.—Variable weather has interrupted cutting, bright crops arriving receiving quick turnover at 70s s.s. Straw chaff unheeded at 47s 6d s.s. Hay.— Pressed straw is readily saleable at 47s 6d. All-clover hay is dull at 978 Gd, rye-clover 67s 6d. Grass seed.—Cocksfoot commands 3|d to 4|d, dressed rye 3s 9d to 4s 9d, cowgrass 77s Gd, white clover 92s 6d.

Produce Markets.

The frozen meat market continues depressed ; mutton and lamb are much weaker, and prices are very much lower than they were a year ago. Last year the average price of Canterbury mutton was s£d, to-day it is 4d; North Island mutton sd, now 3sd ; River Plate 4 jd, now 3d. The price of Canterbury lamb last year was s£d, it is now 4-sd, with a downward tendency ; New Zealand beef, hindquarters sd, now 3§d, forequarters 4d, now 2§d. A variety of causes are operating to depress values ; supplies in excess of demand and the cheapness of chilled beef are the principal causes. Chilled beef has a life of about 56 days, and consequently must be sold promptly. Owing to the slackening demand chilled beef is being forced into consumption by the reduction of prices. The butter market is steady, owing no doubt, to the Christmas demand. The average price for choicest New Zealand is 102 s, as against 114 s a year ago. The cheese market is steady, with the demand running on second grades. This shows that the industrial conditions are beginning to have an effect and the workers are being forced into economies. It seems that the production of cheese in Australia will be much in excess of local requirements, and arrangements are well forward for exporting the surplus.

General Trade.

Merchants have had a busy time handling the usual Christmas orders, and the volume of business is quite up to the past year. There is no break in the prosperity of the country; at all events, the decline in produce values is not yet felt, and there is apparently no call for the curtailment of expenditure. An item of interest in general trade has reference to salt and some interesting developments are expected early next year. It is reported that large quantities of salt are coming forward as ballast in some of the ships which have been chartered for taking away the surplus wheat of Australia. This is practically “ dumping,” and low prices and keen competition are looked for between the dumped salt and the South Australian product.