COMMERCIAL.

Western Star, 23 October 1917, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

SOUTHLAND STOCK AND PRODUCE MARKETS.

Fat Cattle.—lni view' of the obviously inflated values ruling on the open market during the past week by reason of the paucity of the offering, it is hard to give a standard quote for beef. Graziers'with anything at all up to quality, though, should certainly be assured of a minimum of the following. That is provided that the market remains buoyant, which it gives every indication of doing. Ox beef, 52/G; heifer, 50/-; cow, 47/0. . Fat Sheep. —In the general run of things prime wethers are making up to about 52/0; good, 47/- to 49/-;' medium, 42/- to 44/-, with lighter and unfinished sorts down to as low a.s 39/-. Very few ewes are offering, but from 45/- to 47/- would appear, on the week’s showing, to be a' fair value.

Store Cattle.—Good forward threeyear- old bullocks, for finishing on grass are wanted although not many are offering. Values range about: Three and 34-year-old bullocks; £T4 10/- to £10; two-year-old steers, £lO 10/- to about £l2 10/-; oigbteenmordb stuff, £7 10/- to £9 10/-; calves, £4 10/- to £7 10/-; empty cows, £0 10/- to £9 10/-. - Store Sheep.—Good four and sixtooth wethers, well forward, from 40'/- to 43/-; medium, 38/- to 39/0. Good m.s. hoggets, 34/0 to 30/0; medium, 31/0 to 33/-; poor, down to 29/-. Young ewes, with lambs, about 25/- (all counted); aged, 19/- to 22/G (all counted). Oats.—Tiro market continues quiet, and very few oats are offering from the country. Merchants are not pre-

pared to give more than 3/8 for A grade, 3/8 for B’s, and 3/4 for f.a.q. to farmers, o.t. Some indeed, are not prepared to go even, as far as this. Buyers in the North Island are still operating on a veiy small scale, but it is expected that they will presently have to buy unless shipping is resumed! from Australia. Chaff.—The market continues' firm, and up to £6, o.t-., has been given for prime quality. , Most chaff offering,however, is o'f very ordinary quality, and Worth only about £5 10/-, o'.t.

Potatoes.—The market is very quiet, and there is no- demand worth speaking of, sales being; difficult to effect. There are not, however, many potatoes offering from the country, farmers who still have supplies being quite unwilling to accept current value which is about £2 10/- for table tubers. . >

Hemp. —The market is quiet, with a tendency in favour of buyers owing to the limited shipping, , and to the fact that practically the only market just now is the London market. A Home liner recently called at the Bluff and lifted 300 tons of hemp. This is a considerable', x'elief to the grading store® at the Bluff, but more ■than double that quantity still remains available for shipping. For high-fair the current price is from £52 to £52 10/-, o.t. ToW continues unsaleable', •and merchants will buy only in order to secure hemp supplies. Ryeigrass.—There is a steady retail sale of ryeigrass, but the wholesale enquiry is - hardly so brisk. Tills is mainly due to the wet weather prevailing in the North Island.