THE ENGLISH MARKETS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2245, 9 May 1881, Page 4

THE ENGLISH MARKETS.

The following is Mes«rs Milks Beos. and Co.'s colonial produce report, dated London, March 24th : WOOL. Oar Bale room has been well attended during the past fortnight, and a brisker tone has prevailed, the current prices for most wools are now übout equal to opening rateß, the exception being superior fleece, washed, Australian parcels, which are etdl rather low. Crosabreds of the better kinds have been selling well, but, on the other hand, faulty merino lambswool _is neglected. The present series of sales_ will close to-morrow, and up to the present time out of tho 297,000 biles available at these Bales, 233,166 bales have passed the hammer, of which about 19.300 bale 3 have been bought in, and it is estimated that altogether the quantity to be carried over to the next series will amount to 35,000 bales. The fresh arrivals for May-June comprise : Bales. New South "Wales and Queensland 19,447 Victoria 46.100 South Australia 28 552 ■Western Australia 2,199 Tasmania 3,973 New Zealand 21,689 Cape ... ... ... ••• 25,824 Total 147,864 WHEAT AND FLOUB. Stocks of wheat having run rather low, with a fair Continental demand, our markets have become firmer, and some of the recent arrivals of Californian wheat in excellent condition have brought 2s to 2s 6d per qr. over the prices ruling threo wucks ago. Supplies of white wheat on passage to the United Kingdom are, however, liberal, being estimated now at 2,193,000 qrs., and it is, therefore, doubtful whether the advance will be maintained. Australian wheat off coast is now worth 495, and on passage (February - March, b.f 1.), per 480 lbs. cf. and i. for orders. There have been offers of New Zealand wheat at 455, o. f. and i., orders April-May shipment, but we have not heard of any business having been done at that figure. There have been but few transactions in New Zealand wheat on tbe Bpot, stocks being now very small. In oats, owing to co-siderable supplies which are shortly expected from Russia and Sweden, New Zealand have suffered a decline. New Zealand barley is not in very brisk demand just now. We quote ex granary Australian wheat 50s to 51s ; Now Zealand long berried 48s to sls; ordinary, 46s to 51s ; and inferior, 42s to 455, all per 4961 b. Australian flour, puperfine, 34s to 365: and New Zealand, 30s to 33s per 2801 b j New Zealand oats, fine 27s to 30s, and ordinary 21s to 26s per imperiil quarter. New Zealand Barley—Malting, 30s to 38s per 448 lbß. New Zealand beans, 45s to 48s per 504 lbs. New Zealand oatmeal, 190 sto 210 s per ton. TALLOW AND HIDES. There has only been a moderate demand for Australian tallow, and prices have Blightly declined, the value to day of good to fine mutton being 35s to 36s and good to fine beef tallow 32s 6d to 33s 3d per cwt. Imperial sorts are still in request, and command full market rates. The present stock of Australian tallow in first hands is bow about 6250 casks. Hides continue dull of sale, but prices are unaltered. Bank rate, 3 per cent. Beferring to New Zea'and in his circular of March 11, Mr Westgabth says • The right of conversion of the laßt five per cent, loan into four per cents., inscribed at the Bank of England, lapses on tbe 16th inst, and consequently largo nmounts of the original 1889 bonds have of late been converted, and the chief, in fact, almost the only, dealing now is in the new four per cents. Until recently the publio do not seem to have quite fully understood the conversion, but now that the fours are actually in existence to the extent of some millions, they have become better known, and a sudden rush has been made for them. The price has advanced quickly and Bteadily up to nearly 93, and the buying still continues so strong that the stock seems likely soon to re-attain the equality of value which it possessed last year as compared with Queensland fours The latter are now 971. lSlew Zealand stocks, until recently, hd for a good while been avoided by the public, and the reaction, after months of indifference, seems to have come more suddenly than had been anticipated.