COMMERCIAL. The Waikato Times Office,

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1525, 13 April 1882, Page 2

COMMERCIAL. The Waikato Times Office,

NEW ZEALAND GRAIN AT^QMB^ From the New Zealand Loan SnjttTMercantile Agency Company's Brinchai circular of 13th January we extract the following with reference to the English grain market : — It is a matter of congratulation to farmers and others interested in the shipmcut of crr.iin from the Australian Colonies that the high vilu-s of wheat should have been so fully shared by such of their produce as found its way to this market. Although the- opening rates of,th,c season did not compare favdilriibly'wlth those 'secured later on, the average of the season on the whotajnustiiavc becn*var*j»tUfactory,,»jnorc especially.. to continuous shippers. Some few ot the earlior arrivals missed thq top rAtes of the year,; but eien those were placed at pncei which, "asSa rule, lest no ground for complaints. In thi< particular consignments from New Zealand were perhaps mo»*ftntttnate than thoserfrom thfc Colonies, the time of the year . it which the. large bulk of those became available for dispos.il being the time when prices were advuncing or had attained theii maximum." It may be well to add in this connection that the -market was materially strengthened by the improvement ill (iitalitv and condition presented by successive ai rivals of New Zealand wheats, as compared with those which cime first to hand, and which were scaiccly up to the average of the previous year. In our annual reviews, of post seasons wo have taken occasion to point out freely the defects of certain classes of farming in Npw Zealand, as appirent from the condition of tlfc grain cm arrival licic, and have felt constrained to animadvert upon the want of care*bestowed upon thefillagp of the land, the selection of the feoed, and the dressing of the produce. We are glad to find that in these most important matters a distinct improvement is visible on the shipments of the year, and that althoujrhr in still far 100 many bases signs appear of slovenly cultivation there is <i general tendency towards amelioration. iWith respect to the oat tiade of New Zealand we may say that' we are to some extent disappointed with tho results. It is not only the fact tb.it a large proportion of this cereal arrives licretanunfcriQr ,conrdition, bufr;tliat consumers h.tvd'not taken so "kindly to its' use as we had been encouraged to hope they might. Hie heavy weights, (ranging fiom .|S to 48 or .jo ponds per bashcl, are undoubtedly ol very ftnc quality and of useful, nuliitive properties, but bcinfj rather tki(.k->kjniied, owners of valuable hunting or racing stock lia\c been soniewh.it prejudiced against them on that gicund I'mchases were made/ bv way of trial, for sonic of training stables at Newmarket and elsewhere, but for a time were not repeated. Of late, however, some disposition has been shown to buy in moderate quantities when tho quality has been gpodj the: search) of good .English and Scotch oats tending chiefly to this icsult New Zealand barley lit for malting purposes haS been well received, especially when clean and regular in si/c and coloui. ]'"or these qualities a ready market has been found. For the lower qualities, ill-dressed, foul, 01 unsound, the trade has been uniformy dull, and prices have with difficulty been mainlaiml at .1 reasonable level. The Jinglish baric) harvest, which was expected to be one of the best known for many years, turned out very badh, much of the 11 op being only fit for feed. "W ith this the interior qualities of New Zealand produce h.ne had to compete, and the result, as may be supposed has not been satisfactory."