COMMERCIAL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2460, 5 February 1881, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

S. C. Times Office. Saturday Evening. The farmers continue' busy with the harvest, and as no grain is coming forward yet quotations are'simply nominal. News from all pans of the district confirms the statements that have been made that the yield will be a good average one. As regards the markets the outlook is not. particularly encouraging for the grower. Owing to high freights, seamen’s strikes, and the extreme scaretiy of ships, prices at the beginning of Hie season are likely to be extrcme y low. Those producers who can afford 1o s'ore their grain for a few months till the busy part of the export season is over may calculate on a fair return for t heir crops, but it is to be feared the numb’ r who will be able to take this course is limited. The.co-operative movement which is spreading rapidly southward, will, if it prospers, do a great deal to relieve producers of the hindrances to traffic that peiiodh-ally diminish their profit®, but the movement in South Canterbury is too young to admit of very im portant results being achieved during, the present season. New potatoes are in fair demand, but are mostly watery and inferior. Onions are p'cntiful. Dairy produce is in active request. Cheese, 5d to 6d per lb wholesale. Hams and bacon, 7d to 9J ; for really prime well cured samples as much as lid can be obtained. Butter 7d to Bd. Eggs, Is 3d per doz. DUNEDIN MARKETS. The supply of fat cattle was excessively large, and prices underwent a further reduction of 2s 6d per lOOlbs; prime beef, 20s per lOOlbs. The market for fat sheep is fully supplied; best mutton, If d to 2d. There is a demand for store cattle of good quality and forward condition, and the demand lor store sheep is active. Grain.—Wheat : Millers’ requirements appear for the present satisfied; but there would be no difficulty in disposing of really prime samples, although perhaps a shade under our last quotations would have to be accepted. Oats: Beyond a few transactions for shipment there has been no movement to record. Barley; Nothing doing. Nominal quotations : Wheat— Prime milling, 4s 8d ; ordinary to good, 3a 6d to 4s 3d; fowl’s feed, 2s 6d to 3s 3d. Oats—Milling, Is 7d ; feed, Is 4d to Is 6d. Adelaide, Feb. 4. wheat, 4s 4d to 4544 d, market quiet ; town flour. £lO 10< to £lO 15s ; country brands, £9 5s to £9 7s 6d. Freights to London, steamers, 45s per ton ; sailing vessels, 42s G 1 ; freights to United Kingdom from Adelaide, 42s 6d to 45s ; ditto, from outports, 455. London, Feb. 2,

Australian and New Zealand wheat remain at last quotations, viz., Adelaide, ex warehouse, 50s ; New Zealand, ex ship, 44s ; Adelaide flour, ex warehouse, 445. Australian beef tallow, 35s 6d ; best mutton. 38s.