OTAGO MARKETS.

Southland Times, Issue 1240, 22 April 1870, Page 2

OTAGO MARKETS.

The Daily Times of the 18tli inst., reports : — Durrne the week just dosed but a moderate "business has gone forward, and notwithstanding the expectation of a material improTement in the import market, operations have not been marked by anything special, and only a fair trade demand has been experienced for_ most of the -staple items, transactions of size being few and far between. Scarcely tray alterations _ have occurred in general quotations, and advices to Tiand during the week have not in any essential respect altered the markets.. The demand for most of tie liquids continues light. In spirits tlie sales made have, with one or two exceptions, been s»mall, genevas and whiskies commanding litfle attention. Hennessy's and some second brands have been placed at prices equal to our last noted rates. Malt liquors have been in xather better request. The sales, however, show nothing very considerable carried through. Nothing very considerable has been done in sugars; the last advices to hand have strengthened the value of all the better descriptions, and as stocks in first bands are not now large, firmness will characterise the market for the present. For teas there has not been any better demand, but the state of stocks of fine sorts, and the tone of latest advices, are also, with respect to this article, encouraging. English hams and cheese, and colonial provisions, have been moved in moderate parcels at maintained prices. Northern butter is quoted at 9£d, and cheese at 7d to lid. Candles are firmer, the demand not increasing sufficiently to alter the value. An increase in the value of kerosene in the Melbourne market has reacted upon this, and'holders now seek 3s in bond. In the produce market more animation has been witnessed, and speculative operations are now reported as going forward in the new grain. Fine wheats have been in better request for milling purposes. Transactions occurring have ranged in price at from 4s to 4s 3d. Barley has been in light enquiry, the value standing at from 4s to 4- 2d. Oats continue worth 2s 3i to 2s 4d, at which rates parcels for delivery a short time hence have been taken up. The demand for flour has been small, and only for local wants. The town made brands stand at £10 10s to £11; bran is quoted at £4 lOa; oatmeal, at £16 10s to £17; and pearl barley, £2710 a. The business done in the auction marts during the week has not been of any account. Messrs Weight, Stephensok, and Co. report, for the week ending 16th April, as follows : — Fat Cattle. —There has been a full market this week, and prices have receded a little. 91 head were yarded, of which we sold 66, fair to prime quality. We quote prime beef, 22s 6d per lOOlbs ; inferior, 15s to 17s 6d. Fat Sheep. —The market continues well supplied. We sold privately a draft of 500 halfbred wethers at 2d per lb, which is their current value. Merinos may be quoted at l|d to If d per lb. Store Cattle. —No transactions. Store Sheep. —We still have enquiries for large lots of half-bred and merino wethers and lambs, but other descriptions are neglected. There is no alteration to report in market value. Horses. —Good draught are still in active request. Gram. —There is a good enquiry for large parcels of oats, but prices offered are not high enough to induce holders to quit. Barley, except for first-class samples, meets with little support. For wheat, the demand is very limited. We quote, for good samples —-Oats, old, 3s to 3s 3d, new, 2s 5d to 2s 6d; barley, best samples, 4s 6d, inferior do, 4s j wheat, old, 4s 6d, new, 4s to 4s 3d. The Oamaru Times of the 15th inst. reports: —■ Oats are in good demand, at improved rates, 2s being present quotation- First-class sample foi immediate delivery would command perhaps a trifle more, as there are now two vessels loading for the North, and a third expected to-morrow foi the same destination. Wheat still remains dull of Bale, and we are sorry to report that samples from this district are in worse condition than we anticipated. Present value is from 3s 4d to 3s 9d, according to sample. Barley is inactive, though we have heard of one transaction in -which a large line (first-class sample) changed hands at 4s 3d. Potatoes are at £2 per ton, ai which price sales have been effected. Flour £1010s to £11 lls.