COMMERCIAL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2678, 10 September 1889, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

The Waikato Timei Office, Monday. AUCKLAND PRODUCE MARKETS. Mr Alex. Aitken's Market Report for the week ending September 7.—Sale of fruit, ox Arawata, largely attended, and fair prices obtained. Tuesday's and r riday's produce sales were well attended, with very satisfactory results. In P°t''tocs a large business has been done in both fcablo and seed sorts at late values; supplies from Waikato have been shorten but supplies from Taranaki and Last Coast ports have been large; there is also a strong demand for prime local table sorts. Onions aro dull of sale, and vegetables generally are in good supply at fair values ; horse carrots, none received, but in good demand; grain generally unchanged. Bacon and hams have been in larger supply than usual, upwards of a ton having been sold at fair values; cheese, only inferior received, but good quality in demand; honey is still quiet; eggs, a very largo quantity came to hand, which averaged considerably over market rates ; fresh butter, although received in fair quantity, was far short of requirements, and prices were higher ; corned butter, there is only second-class and inferior in the market; a few small lots have been quitted at low prices. In the poultiy department the supply was again large ; tho quality generally was poorer than usual. Prices ruled satisfactory. Pigs in fair supply ; prices ruled high for guod sorts. Apples in shorter supply ; prices have not been any higher. Poor fowls, Is 2d to Is 4d ; in good condition Is 3d to 2s; roosters in condition. Is Sd to 2s Gd ; ducks, Is 9d to 2s Gd ; turkeys, poor, 2s to 2s 9d—no good birds received ; Spanish fowls, 3s to ss; other sorts, 2s Od to 5s each. Pigs, Gs to 13s Gd. Potatoes : Waikato table, £4 to £4 10s ; seed, £3 16s to £4 10s ; kidney seed, £4 to £410s. Local oiuons, 3d; cabbages, 2s to 5s Gd; chaff, £3; maize 2s Id ; bran, 4s Gd ; wheat, 3s 6d ; potatoes, gd to ljd per lb.; bacon, local, Bides, 5d to 7d ; hams, (Hd to ; cheese, inferior, 2d to 3'sd ; loaf, sizes, Gd; butter, prime fresh, 8d "to OAd ; eggs, hen, G.\d to 7Vd ; duck eggs, 7Ad to Sjd ; corned butter, 2.jd to 4d for all kinds; honey, 3d to 4d. Apples: Nickajacks, 4jd to 4id; Sturmers, 3id to ; Stone Pippin, 3d to 4d ; Simmons' Winter, 3M to 4}d; Norfolk Beefing, 3d to 3,[d; Shockley, 4d. Oranges: Local, 7d to lOd per dozen ; Island, bs per case. Cocoanuts, 7s per sack; limes, l>s Jd por case. ___

MELBOURNE MARKETS. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency report, under date Melbourne, 21st August The past month has been a quiet one in the grain market, the uncertainty of how anticipated tariff changes would affect prices having more or less an influence on operations. This latter applies more to feed grains, upon which it was expected that an immediate increased duty would be placed. Speculators in oats, however, were disappointed when tho Treasurer announced that it was not his intention to raise the duty until the Ist of December next, after which date tho rate would be on both oats and barloy 3s per cental, instead of 2s per cental as at present. The reason for the delay proposed was that the failuro of the oat crop of 1888-9, and the exhaustion of locallygrown supplies, would simply mean a gift of the extra duty to speculators, without affording any benefit to the farmer. Tho question, however, has not as yet been finally decided, and it may be that an alteration may be made in period at which tho increased duty is to come into force. An effort is also being made by a section of the farming interests to have wheat and maize included under the increased rate. It may be pointed out that if the duty is raised on the former, those on flour, bran, and pollard will also require changes. The wheat market has been quiet up to the last week, since which some holders, having to clear their stocks out of store, have had to soil. This for the time has supplied town millers' immediate wants, and had the effect for delaying that advance which large holders regard as certain, if the statistics of the wheat yield of ISBB-9 are correct. In the meantime deliveries from the country by rail are falling off, and should this continue it is fair to infer that town prices must again harden. The crop prospects, both in Victoria and South Australia, so far are all that could be desired. In some districts tho wheat plant is a little rank, but vegetation has been checked somewhat of late by colder weather. r-Wheat: A weak market until a week since, when more demand was experienced, and some fair sales made 5s Gd for good average quality. Buyers at this price still unsnpplied.