MARKETS.

Patea Mail, 31 March 1881, Page 4

MARKETS.

CANTERBURY CORN EXCHANGE. The following is the report for the week ending Friday, March 25 : —The past week has not developed any material change in the grain trade, the unprecedented long spell of dry weather has enabled the proprietors of threshing machines to keep them steadily at woik, the consequence is, very heavy arrivals at all country stations. Tonnage is stiil scarce, but the recent arrivals and others overdue, will doubtless relieve the pressure now being felt at Lyttelton and other ports. It is announced by the railway authorities that it will bo advisable for farmers to withhold deliveries pending the clearance of the out-stations. Farmers will, it is presumed, see the necessity of seconding the efforts of the traffic manager in this direction. Wheat. —Good, long-berried, sound parcels in large lines will command 3s 8d to 3s 9d, f.o.b. in Lyttelton. Hunters, white Essex, pearl, and other descriptions of white wheat, 3s 6d to 3s 7d. Chick wheat varies so much in quality that a wide margin must be given, viz., from Is 9d to 2s 9d per bushel. Oats are coming to hand very slow; the demand is good ; growers, however, appear to be indifferent for the prices offered. Good stout milling are worth from Is 7d to Is 9d ; feed samples, Is 4d to Is Gd per bushel. Barley. —The bulk of the samples coming to hand are of inferior quality, and for these the demand is heavy. Sales are taking place of fair to medium ; malting, at from 2s Gd to 2s 9d per bushel ; really first-class malting will command 3s 4d to 3s 5d per bushel. Grass Seed. —The demand continues steady, at last week’s quotations. Well cleaned farmers’ parcels are saleable at from 3s Gd to 3s 9d per bushel ; indifferently cleaned, according to sample. Potatoes. —Business in the trade has not yet assumed definite proportion. A few sales have taken place for forward delivery at 35s per ton, at up country stations. Cheese and Butter. —The former is exceedingly unsaleable. Really good quality is only worth 3d to 3£d per lb. The latter is worth G4d to 7d per lb. Hay.—£2 10s per ton, with a slightly jtnproved demand.