COMMERCIAL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 2744, 13 February 1890, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

Th» Waikato Times OJice, Wednesday, MARKET REPORTS. Du.S'liDIN, January 30.—Tho New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, report as follows:—Grain: Wheat. Business in this cereal has not increased during the past week. Milling wheat is now offered at less than market quotations to induce business, but there are no buyers. The tone of the Home market is anything but satisfactory, and while this state of things continues, and tho absence of suitable rates, thooutlork can hardly be considered bright. We quote prime milling Tuscan, 3s to 3s Id; best red straw and velvet, 2s 9d to 2s lid ; medium to good, 2s Od to 2s 9d ; inferior to medium, 2a to 2a Gd (ex store).—Oats : The market is still oversupplied, and being weekly supplemented by fresh deliveries. A few sales were effected last week, but since then the demand has been less active, and the market now almost void of any animation, and whilo shippers can get their requirements put free on board at the Bluff at Is 6d (sacks weighed in), it will be hardly possible for holders here to maintain lata current quotations, which we give again this week. For prime milling, Is SJd to Is 6d ; best short bright feed, la fid to Is 5. 1 d ; medium to good, Is 4d to Is 3d ; musty and discoloured, 9d to Is 3d (ex store, sacks extra). —Potatoes: The market has been oversupplied during the past week by heavy deliveries from the North, and in consequence sales are difficult to effect (especially if the quality is not extra prime) at satisfactory prices. Best kidneys are sold for 50s to 60s. while others realise from 30s to 45* per ton.—Chaff : Since our last report deliveries have been on a more extensive scale, and prices easier ; at the same time there is a market for all offering. We quote best, £217s Gd to £35s ; inferior to medium and good, 20s to 50s per ton.—Dairy produce: We have no improvement to note in the position of the market, which still continues extremely dull. We quote butter (nominal) fid to Gd; factory cheese (large), 4d to 4Ad ; mall, 3d ; Akaroa, 3d to'ld per lb. Adelaide, January 24.—Wheat: Large quantities of wheat are now reaching the ports for shipment. There is good demand and prices remain firm at 3s Gd to 3s GJd on trucks, Port Adelaide, for prime samples. Flour : Tho market is quiet but stoady at £9 to £9 10s for best roller ; country superfine £8 to£Blos.—Oats (duty 2s per cental): There is only a small demand, prices remaining unchanged at from 2s 3d to 2s Gd in bond, Port Adelaide, bags included.— Cheese (duty 4d lb): Increased supplies of local make are now reaching the market. Imported cheese is selling at about 4d per lb in boud.—Butter (duty 2d lb): There is more enquiry for imported butter, which is worth 8d to 9d per Hi. Rookhampton, January 17.—Oats (duty, 8d per bushel) are in full supply, with little or no inquiry. We quote nominally 4s for bright heavy feed. Potatoes (duty, 15s per ton) have come to hand freely. Several shipments have arrived in very faulty condition, and have been quitted at priceß hardly covering expenses. For any lots in really tip-top condition we have a ready sale at £7 per ton. Cheese (duty, 3d per lb.) is in full supply, at loaf sizes 9d, larger sizes unsaleable. Butter (duty, 3d per lb.): Local fresh in abundant supply, at Is. Flour : A mere hand to mouth business is passing, and the market is receding daily. Agents are to-day quoting at £11 15s for leading brands of Victorian and South Australian makes.

Sydney, January 29.— Wheat (free): Harvesting operations in this colony are now almost completed, but it will be a few weeks before sufficient information is to hand to enable anything like a reliable estimate to be formed of what the total yield of sound wheat fit for milling really is. Accounts from the different wheat-growing contres as to the damage caused to the crops by rust and wet vary very much, but there is unfortunately no douut that in somo districts the damage has heen great, and the quantity of sound wheat really bagged will be found to be far short of the estimates that hud been formed. Opinions differ as to whether we shall have to import wheat this year, and, if so, to what extent, or whether we shall have sufficient from the home crops to keep all our milling power employed, the balance of breadstutts required tor our consumption being imported tn the shape of flour. Wo are inclined to think that wheat as well as flour will have to be imported, but to what extent it would be unsafe to hazard an opinion at present. Prime milling New South Wales samples are worth 3s Gd iu Sydney, and sell freely at this figure. In New Zealand there is practically nothing doing. Oats (free): The oat market since last writing has exhihibited a weaker tendency, supplies having come forward more freely, aud we cannot to-day quote prime, bright, stout feed oats at above 2s 2d the bushel. —Butter (duty Id per lb.): Since last writing this market has shown signs of improvement, and within the past few days, best local factory made has advanced to Bd, and prime dairy made sorts to 7d per lb. Reports from most of the dairy districts are by no means encouraging, and ns advices from the neighbouring colonies chroniclo advancing rates, wo anticipate a further improvement iu this market almost immediately.—Cheese (duty ad per lb, : But little can be added to our remarks when writing under this heading on the loth inst., the market continuing unaltered. Wo quote: Best Now South Wales at up to 4.\d ; best New Zealand at up to o.UI. Melbourne, January 27.— An improved demand for wheat sineo the data of our last report, and fair s ilea of b'tl) old nod new are reported on export as w.:ll ns lucul ooniuiinptioij account. Nothing, however, as yet reported iu cargoes for shipment, but as the coming month opens stocks will be more available, and henci Ims'ncsj may then bo looked for. The oailitirshipments, however, :iro ii',<t!ly to bo restricted to parcels, the difficulty of ensuring an entire cargo of equal sample being adverse to business in cargoes. The spe'l of dry, hot weather has enabled farmers to get all their grain off the land in good order, but the rust damage which threshing-out shows proves that the harvest of 1889-90 will give a ret.irn much below first estimates. Under such conditions a dragging market is likely to be experienced for some months, unless some outside influences should induce unexpected briskness in the export demand. Latest cable messages do not warrant the expectatation that cargoes of Now Victorian wheat will be worth over 34s Gd c.i.f. in London, Febrtiary-March loading, and this would mean about 3s 5d f.o.b. here, with freight at 27s 6d.—Wheat: Market for prime lots better. At our sale to-day we placed only off qualities at 3s 4Ad ; old we quote at 3s Bd. About 10,000 bags quitted, and good to prime new, 3s G^d.—-Flour: Although some, quotations for flour are relatively high, as a rule such prices are not obtainable. We quote : Stone, £7 15s to £8 ss, and roller from £8 15s.— Oats : Demand hardly so brisk. To-day we sold Calcuttas at 2s Id to 2* 2d, Tartanans at 2s Gid, and short stout at 3s. New Zealand quoted at 3s 2d.