PRODUCE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 21, 26 May 1904, Page 13

PRODUCE.

London, May 20.— An experimental shipment of Queensland barley averaged 30s a quarlei. Butter, unchanged. The demand is, eiiliiely confined to choicest brands. Consignors are storing largely all other sorts. The ' lonic's ' shipment was in good condition. There is a slight improvement in cheese. New Zealand, 38s to 40s. Rabbits, flat. Large, 6£d to 7d ; young, s£d to 6d. Wellington, May 23.— The Department of Industries and Commerce has received tftie following cablegram from the Agent-General, dated London, May 21 :— ' The mutton market is weak and the output unsatisfactory, owing to the demand being chiefly for prime light carcases, which are scarce. The average price to-day for Canterbury mutton, light-weights, is 4^d per ft, and 4£d per lb for heavy-weights. The average price to-day for other brands of North Island mutton is 4d per lb. The lamb market is steady, owing to the demand having been stimulated by the fine weather that has set in. The average price for Canterbury brands is s£d per ft, and for brands other than Canterbury s|d per ft. The beef market is quiet. The average price for hindquarters of New Zealand beef is 3^d per ft; fores, 2^d per ft. There is a better demand for butter. Buyers are chiefly speculators, but the supplies on hand are very heavy. The average price of choicest New Zealand butter to-day is 88s per cwt ; Danish, 965. The cheese market is steady The reduction in price has caused more business to be done. The average price of finest New Zealand cheese to-day is 40s per cwt. The wool sale has concluded. The market is firm, with a hardening tendency. Many buyers are operating heavily. There is general confidence in the maintenance of present prices. The estimated values are : Fine crossbred, lid to Is : medium, 9d to lO£d ; coarse, 8d to lOd ; superior merino?, 11 £d to Is l^d ; medium, 9d to lid, inferior, 7d to B^d.' Invercargill prices current.— Wholesale — Butter farm, 6d ; separator, 8d ; butter, factory, pats, lOJd. Eggs, Is 3d per dozen. Cheese, (factory), 6}d,' H/ama, -9vd. Potatoes, £2 p|er ton (bafe^ weighed m). Barley, 2s to 2s 6d. Chaff, £2 per ton. Flour, £10 to £11. Oatmeal, £9 to £9 10s. Bran, £3. Pollard, £5. Retail.— Farm butter, 8d ; separator, lOd, butter (factory), pats, Is. Eggs, Is 6d per dozen Cheese, Bd. Hams, lOd. Bacon, lOd. Potatoes, 3s 6d per cwt. Flour, 200 ft, 22s ; 50ft, 6s 6d. Oatmeal, 50ft, 5s 6d ; 25ft, 3s. Pollard, 8s 6d per bag. Bran, 4s. Chaß, Is 6d. Mr. F. Meenan, King street, Dunedin, reports :— Wholesale, prices only— Oats : Milling, Is 5d to Is 6d ; feed, lid to Is sd. Wheat : Milling, 2s 64 to 3s, fowls, 2s to 2s 4d. Potatoes : Kidneys, 30s ; Derwents, £2. Chaff, 35s to 50s. Clover hay, £2 10s to £3. Straw: Pressed wheat, 25s ; oaten, 27s 6d ; loose, 355. Flour : Sacks, £9 ; 100 ft, £9 10s ; 50ft, £9 15s ; 251 b, £10. Oatmeal, £9 10s. Pollard, £4 10s. Bran, £2 10s. Butter : dairy, 8d to lOd ; factory, lid. Cheese : factory, 5d ; dairy, l^d. Eggs, Is Bd. Onions : Melbourne, £5. Messrs. Donald Reid and Co. (Limited) report :— We held our weekly auction sale of grain and produce at en stores to-day There was only a small attendance of buyers, and as compctitaon was slack, a large proportion of the offering had to be passed in. Present \ allies are as under .—. — Oats — A limited export business has been done during the past week in 'B ' grade quality. 'A ' grade has fair inquiry, but few of the lines coming forward are sufhciently bright to be included in this class. Prime bright Gartons are also wanted for shipment, •but holders of this class of oats evince little disposition to accept current values. Medium and inferior qualities are without much attention. We quote : Prime milling, Is 4^d to Is 5d ; good to best feed, Is 3d to Is 4d ; inferior to medium, Is to Is 2d per bushel (sacks extra). Wheat.— ln milling quality only the best samples find favor with millers. Medium lines are almost neglected. Fowl wheat, which is not offering quite so freely, still has good demand for export at late values. We quote : Prime milling, 2s lOd to 3s ; medium to good, 2s 5d to 2s 9d ; best whole fowl wheat, 2s 3d to 2s 3£d ; bro-

kentind damaged, 2s to 2s 2d per bushel (sacks extra) Potatoes.— The market is more heavily supplied, and values have again suffered a slight decline. We quote • Best Derwents, £2 to £2 2s 6d ; medium, £Mss to £1 17s 6d ; kidneys, up-to-dates, etc., £l 10s to £2 per ton (sacks in). * Chaff.— ln the face of supplies coming forward during the past week, it has been impossible to maintain late values, and in order to effect a clearance some reduction in price has to be made. We quote : Prime oaten jhcaf, £2 7s 6d to £2 12s 15 d choice to £2 Jssmedium to good, £2 to £2 5s ; inferior, light, and discolored, £1 10 ft, to £1 17s 6d per ton (bags extra). Hay.— The market is glutted, and consignments are extremely difficu.lt to clear. We quote : Best clover and ryegrass hay, £2 10s to £2 15s ; medium to good, £2 to £2 7s 6d per ton (pressed). Turnips.— The low values reported last week have haid the effect of retarding consignments, and slightly better values could now be obtained We quote : Best Swedes, 14s per ton (loose, ex truck). Messrs. Stronach, Morris, and Co. report :— Wheat and Oats.— There is no change to report in cither cereal, and last week's quotations hold good, although there is very little doing in either. Cliaff.— Prices are somewhat easier and only prime lines still are easily sold Prime oaten sheaf brings £2 7s f,d to £2 15s ; medium is nominally worth £1 17s 6d to £2 ss, and inferior £1 10s to £1 15s. Potatoes —Best Derwents, £2 to £2 2s 6d • others £1 10s to £1 17s 6d.