COMMERCIAL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 209, 15 May 1915, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

WEEKLY MARKET REPORT. | POTATOES STILL CHEAP, Th e market is very well supplied wit£ potatoes at the present time, and prices continue weak. The quotation stands at £6 per ton for best southern; A,ssgg, amount of local poejre also tfei§jp&&&fein, and sell at £5 per ton. To all appearances there are ample supplies of potatoes in New Zealand until next crop is ready;. Of course, iff a big dieniand set in from Australia the position would be soon altered, but the fact that according to recent advice potatoes were quoted at £4 15/ to £5 per ton in Melbourne does not point to any §/reat shortage on the other side, especially as the season is now getting! well advaneedy . Undfer th« circumstances it does not appear probable there will be a demand from Australia this winter, and apart from that contingency prices are likely to continue reasonable.

A little inquiry is already setting in fcjr early seed potatoes. A few southern are offering, also selected autumn grown seed from Pukekohe, for which 7/ to 8/ is the quotation. ONIONS FIRMER. A slightly firmer tone is reported in th e market for onions in the south. As far as the local market is concerned supplies are ample for present requirements, therefore prices are unaltered. MAIZE STEADY. Ample stocks of maize are held in store, and prices rae unchanged this week. Arrivals from the coast have not been heavy since last report. No Java maize came to hand by Monday's steamer,but shipments are not on the way, and it is not considered likely that maize will further advance in price. - OATS HOLDING FIRM. The last day or two there has been a tendency for oats to firm on the local market. Thi s is due to tjhe fact that a fair quantity of oats have been taken for the New Zealand Govdrnment and th e transports. Under such conditions it is reasonable to suppose that the bottom of the oat market has been touched for the present. It is a fortunate thing that the oat crop in Southland is a heavy one, as in other districts the yield undoubtedly lght. A heavy export on account- of the war would soon cause prices to advance again. Advic e flrom Melbourne is to the effect that oats are being imported from Chile and the Argentine. Algerian seed oats still rule firm at 7/9 per bushel. As supplies are sjhort it is not likely that seed oats will ease in price this planting season. • WHEAT MARKET QUIETER. Th e position is undoubtedly a little easier as regards milling wheat, due to supplies having been secured by the mills for some time ahead. Melbourne is importing wheat from the Argentine and also Portland; Millers over there report that the Argentine wheat while not equal in size to that grown in Australia, makes a very good flour.

Fowl wjheat shows no change this week, and still rules high in ijrice.

BARLEY. Feed barley is still quoted at 6/6 per bushel. A little demand exists for Cape seed barley for sowing for winter green feed CHAFF The Wanaka brought large supplies of chaff since last report, and another 1 shipment is now on the way up. For forward business slightly higher rates are being asked. Lmal chaff is being as usual held up for- want of tjhe machine. BRAN AND SHARPS. Both these lines are in short supply and hold prices well. A good demand exists for these lines for Australia. GRASS AND CLOVER SEEDS. With the continued mild weather, there are still a few order B being sent in for grass and clovef seeds. Farmers report a very good growth of grass thi s autumn, North of Auckland good rains have now fallen, which have proved very beneficial. A little demand has set in for seed wheat, the inquiry being for white sflraw Tuscan and solid straw Tuscan. The latter variety is in favour, as it does not lie down so easily when rough weather prevails. Seed wheat is quoted 8/6 to 9/ per bushel. JOHNSONVILLE. .TOHNSONVILLE, May 14. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report on their Johnsonville sale as follows: A good yarding of bullocks and sheep cam e forward, also a line of good vealers, and everything sold well at lat e rates. Prime bullocks £ls; lighter £l3 7/6 to £l4 2/6; light £l3 7/6; heavy vealers £2 2/ to £2 9/; lighter 32/ to 38/; others 25/ to 26/; prime wethers 28/; prime light wethers 24/; medium wethers 22/6 to 22/7; prime heavy ewe s 28/5; p>'im e ew.es 23/1, lighter £1 0/6"to £1 0/7; light 18/6; prime woolly lambs 17/4; shorn, 14/ to 14/7.

ADDINGTON. (By Telegraph.—Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, May 13 At th e Addington live stock market th e yarding of stock were again moderate, and there wa s a good attendance. Fat cattlle sold rather better, as did fat lambs and fat sheep. Store sheep were in a little betteSr demand, and fat pigs showed an improvement. Quotations : Store Sheep.—Good forward lambs 10/4 to 12/8; fairly good lamb s 8/3 to 9/3; inferior lambs 4/ to 6/4; good ewe alrobs 10/3 to 12/1; inferior ewe lambs 6/7 to 8/; cull lambs 3/ to 3/9; aged ewes 3/6 to 7/; sound-mouth ewes 8/ to 9/7; good two-tooth ewes, 14/0; forward four and six tooth wethers 13/3 to 15/10; good two tooth wethers 12/9. Fat. Lambs.—Rest lambs 17/ to 19/9; Gthff-'s- 11/ to 16/6. Fat ftheon.—Prime wethers. 20/ to 23/6; ether wethers 15/9 to 19/6; extra prime ewes, to 246; prime e-w(?3 17/6 to -21/9; medium ewes 13/6 to 17/; inferior ewes 7/ to 13/.; merino 'ewes 9/4.

Fat Cattle.—Extra steers £ls 17/6; ordinary steers, £9 2/6 to £ll 10/; heifers to £l2 12/6; ordinary heifers £5 to £8; extra cows to £lO 15/; ordinary cows, £4 17/6 to £7 10/. Price of beef per iOOlb, 26/ to 40/. ' ' ':) '..' '"'■'. \'X'\ .' ' ' Store Cattle. —Fifteen to 18-month sorts, 35/; two-year heifers £3 12/ tc £3 15/; dry cows, 21/ to £4 15/; dairy cows, £3 10/ to £lO. 10/. Pigs.—Choppers 60/ to 92/6; extra heavy baconers to 78/; heavy baconefrs, 62/6 to 70/; light baconers, 52/6 to 60/. Price per lb, 5M to 6d. Heavy porkers 25/ to 28/. Price per lb, s£d to 53d. Medium stores, 9/ to 17/; smaller, 5/ to 8/; weaners 1/6 to 4/.