COMMERCIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1919, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

SOUTHERN MARKETS. Chrlstchurch, Dec. 19. Business in grain and produce lines has been stagnant during the week. There has been a distinct easing In the demand (or chaff, the limit of offers now being £7 at country stations, with little business doing.. Tho new season's chaff in the north will be Available In a few weeks, and the demand for Canterbury supplies may be expected to slacken to very small proportions. Oats are also easier. Tip to 4s 9d for A grade Gartons and Algerians is offering at country stations, with little business doing. There are still quantities of old potatoes about, but outside markets are over. The Sydney demand is nil. 1. AND M. WEEKLY REPORT. On Monday, at Opunake, there was an average yarding of cattle, which imet with good demand. Prices were: Store pigs £2 lis to £2 15s, weaner pigs 30s, fat cows £ll 10s to £l2 18s, extra prime fat cows £lB, store tows £8 5s to £lO ss, light cows £8 to £? 10s, 15-month steers to £4, yearling heifers £5 2s 6d, dairy cows £O, heifers £5 2b $d to £9 10s. On Tuesday, at Manala, there was a further Increase In the number of cattle yarded. Prices were on a par with late sales. We dttote: Weaner pigs good 355, small store pigs £2 18s 6d, store lambs lis sd, bulls £6 17a 6d to £8 15s, fat heifers £lO 8s 6d, forward cows £ll to £ll ss, store cows £8 12s 8d to £8 lis. On Friday, at Palmer Road, there wis s small yarding of cattle, which sold at late rates. Store cows £7 10s to £lO 13s. On the same day it Waventey, we had a small yarding. Prices were: Store cows £7 Is to £lO. WOOL MARKET WEAKER, London, Dec. 19. The wool sales closed with prices slightly below the best rates of the series, and competition rather less keen. Good combing greasy merinos were about 5 per cent, below the opening overage, faulty slightly weaker, and scoureds ditto, carbonising sorts were unchanged, finer crossbreds a shade easier, medium and coarse, having been irregular throughout, closed about 10 to 15 per cent below the highest level touched in November. Slipes and scoured were about a penny below, merinos iambs maintained the opening rates, crossbreds went in buyers' favor, the weaker .crossbreds went in buyers' favor, the weak tone being attributed to buyers' apprehension regarding the future also the vagaries of foreign exchanges and the vast quantities being i marked, which exceed the capacity of the machinery for the home trade. OTAGO WOOL VALUATION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedln, Yesterday. The second valuation of about 8000 bales of Otago wool have just finished. Owing to the severity of the winter it. is much shorter In staple, but not lighter in condition. Mud) of the hogget wool is tender. The highest price Is 21% d, for half-bred. PARMERS' CO-OP. REPORT. At Okalawa, on Monday, we held our usual fortnightly sale, when a fair entry of cattle cams forward. There was a. large attendance of export buyers and a good sale resulted, everything being sold under the hammer. Cull two-tooths 15s 6d, fat and forward cows £lO to £l2 10s, others £6 to £9, bulls £ll, dairy heifers to £l2 ss. At Eltham, on Wednesday, there was a medium entry of cattle and sheep There was I a large attendance of the public, who seemed I to be more lnterestd in the election than i In the business, consequently a dragging sale resulted. Shorn ewes and lambs (good) 40s, woolly ewes 345, shorn 18s 3d, forward cows £lO, others to £9, bulls to £ll. dairy heifers to £l2 ss. At Hawera, on Thursday, wa had a large yarding of both sheep and cattle. The public - were in attendance in full force but owing to continued spell of dry weather few were buyers and even although the prices were tempting there was only one or two game to speculate. Vendors seemed to realise that . if this weather continues prices will be lower, consequently they have made up their minds to sell and although bidding was slow and dragging a large proportion of the offering was sold under the hammer. Quotations: Cull two-tooth wethers 12s lOd, fat and forward two-tooth wotheTs 2Bs 3d, fat lambs 22s 6d, forward wethers 233 lOd to 26s 7d, 2-tooth wethers 15s to 21s, forward cows £lO. to £l2, others £8 to £B, dairy cows to £l2 10s, bulls to £lB ss, Jersey cross heifers £7, store pigs £2 10s, weaners 32a Bd. At Waverley on Friday w« had a medium *ni»* at bath utile and iheio. ftiddtnc

(Jul! and dragging but we managed to sell a fair proportion of the offerings. jPat cows £l4 19s, best store cows from £9 15s to £lO 7s 6d, others to £9, heifers, 2 years, low condition £4 15s, calves to 20s, bulls to £l2 15s, dairy heifers £lO, sows to £5, weaner pigs to 31s. On Saturday, at Opunake, there was a small offering. Prices were as follows: Store rigs £3 ss, best cows £lO 10s, others £6 to S9, Jersey heifers £B, others £5 7s, bulls (light) £7, dairy heifers to £9.