COMMERCIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1921, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

DECLINE IN FREIGHTS. By Telegraph.—Press AsSn.—Copyright. Received Jan. 30, 5.5 p.m. Loidon, Jan. 29. Freights continue weakening. Tlteamer fixtures for Austraian wheat at 72s Gd are now obtainable at 70s.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. THE WOOL MARKET. Tie New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., have received the following cablegram from their London house, under date 27th instant:—Wool sales closed. More attractive competition by French, Belgium and American. As compared with December 18 merino wool 5 per cent, lower. Quotations for greasy crossbred are:—s6’s, Is 5%d; 50’s, Is 3d; 44’s-46’s, Is; 36’s40’s, By a d to 9d. CANTERBURY MARKETS. DECREASED WHEAT YIELD. Christchurch, Jan. 28. tfho unsettled weather is delaying thrashing, and few samples are coming in. The last, thrashing was done about tie beginning of last week. Crops were ripening more rapidly than the binders could keep pace wltt, and the wet weather has resulted in large areas of dead ripe corn. A drying win'd or two has allowed cutting to be carried on Intermittently. Fortunately, the winds have not been of a character to cause much of a “shake.” It is generally conceded that the wheat, yield will be about four to five bus! - els per acre lower than last season on the area sown. This, in the aggregate, represents about one million bushels. Farmers are casually inquiring ;:s to the oat prospects, and are so impressed with the present hopeless position that a big proportion of theim purpose delayin ’, thrashing in the hope that a chaff demand may later ensue. It is practically certain that fee yield will be substantially short of last season. Merchants at present are not prepared to offer more than 2s Id at country stations. Some few lines of barley were thrashed before the break In the weather, and a particularly well-filled sample sold at 8s a bushel, and inferior at 7s 6d. Cocksfoot harvesting has suffered more on the Peninsular through the weather than ordinary grain crops elsewhere. Much >t ! t has been lying out, and the lo.?s may be ex pected when it is gathered. The crop Is expected to be near the average. Potatoes have been doing ••ledium business at £4 to £4 10,i f.o.b. S.T., k'lt the recent mixture of rain and heat Is conducive to bllgl't, snd sellers are not. firm at this value.