COMMERCIAL NEWS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 84, 19 January 1928, Page 7

COMMERCIAL NEWS

GRAIN AND PRODUCE. THE ASHBURTON MARKET. Harvesting has started in the Ashburton district, hut so far it is only a few of the early crops of oats that have been cut, and it is not expected that operations will be in full swing for aibout three weeks’ time. Most of the produce markets are quiet, but there are still inquiries for prompt supplies of fowl wheat, uats are quiet, as also is grass seed. . The weather has improved, and it is to be hoped that there will be a continuance of bright sunshine to aid farmers in thoir work during the next few weeks. The following prices are quoted on trucks at country stations, sacks extra unless otherwise stated: — Milling Wheat.—Tuscan 6s 6d. All prices nominal. Good whole fowl-wheat Gs 6d. i • Oats.—A. Gartens 2s Bd, B Gartons 2s sd; seed Algerian 2s 9d feed 2s 6d; good heavy dark Duns 2s 9a, feed 2s 4d. ■ , n n r Grass Seed.—Perennial 2s 9d, Western Wolths Is 9d, Italian Is 9d to 2s, cocksfoot 6Jd. Chaff—G.B.O.S. to £3.55. Potatoes.—Table (nominal) £5 10s. SOUTH CANTERBURY.

(Per Press Association.) TTMARU, This Day. Very little business is doing in any lines of the grain and produce market at present. Very few sales have been reported, and business has not been brisk since the holiday season. The potato crops are looking very well, and there is every possibility of an excellent yield. There is A lO hie m the market yet, however. The quotation for forward delivery is £3 Ids. Although the market is inclined to be brisk in North Canterbury, it is just the opposite here. The crops on the flat are looking exceptionally well, but it is said that crops on slopes and hollows have had far too much ram, and have in many places gone yellow. There is a certain amount of talk between merchants but no quotations are being made to growers. In Ashburton, 5s 7d has been offered for forward Tuscan. , ~ . The demand for seeds/ is anything but keen, and there is nothing to report as far as prices for ryegrass and clover are concerned. Owing to the fact that a big yield is expected, Partridge peas have come down in price, latest quotations being s's 6d to 5s 9a for May-June delivery.

ASHBURTON HORSE FAIR. 'There was a fair attendance at the Farmers’ Co-operative Horse Sale yesterday afternoon, and many horses changed, hands. Unfortunately the demand was largely for draughts, and there were few horses of that type offering. > Some of the prices were:— Harness geldings £7, £6 10s, £6 os, £3, and £8; bay draught mare, aged, £ls; bay mare, oyrs, £44; mare, 6yrs, £35; geldings, 6yrs, £42; 4yrs, £32, aged, £ls. THE STOCK MARKETS.

ADDINGTON. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 18. At Addington to-day there were, increased entries forward in all sections of stock, except fat cattle. Generally prices showed little change, except that beef was dearer and mutton slightly easier. . , Store Sheep.—A very heavy entrj of store lambs totalled over 10,000. A big proportion of them were backward. There was a keen sale for forward rape lambs, prices being only a shade weaker than last week. Good ewes also sold briskly, but average sorts were inclined to- be easier. Good mixed sex crossbred lambs brought u-p to 255. 2d, forward rape lambs 23s to 24s sd, medium 20s 5d to 22s 6d, backward sorts 15s to 19s 9d; good 4, 6 and 8-tooth ewes 26s lOd to 29s sd, medium 4 6 and 8-tooth ewes 22s Id to 24s lid; extra good 2-tooth 3,-bred ewes 31s 3d to 33s Id 1 , medium to good do. 26s to 29s Bd, inferior ewes 14s to 16s 4d; forward 4, 6 and 8-tooth wethers to 24s 10d, medium do. 19s to 225, 2tooth wethers 19s 3d to 20s 9d. backward wethers to 14s 9d. Fat Lambs—The yarding numbered 3150. Prices were on a level with last week, though competition was not so free. Extra prime lambs brought from 32s 6d to 34s lOd, prime 28s to 325, medium 25s 6d to 27s 6d, light 23s to 255. Fat Sheep.—There was a much increased entry of 11 races, compared with eight last week. The quality was mediocre. Best sheep- eased slightly, and all others down by Is to Is 3d a head, nevertheless only odd lots came within exporters’ schedule. Extra prime wethers fetched up to 35s 4d, prime 3Cs to 32s 6d, medium 27s to 29s 6d • extra prime ewes 29s to 34s Id, prime 24s to 27s 6d, medium 19s to 235. Fat Cattle.—A very small entry of 364 head was offered, compared with recent averages of 500. There was keen demand, and an advance in prites of up to 25s a. head for prime light cattle, and from 10s to 20s for other classes. A few pens of light prime beef made 44s per lOOlbs, prime 40s to 435, medium quality 37s 6d to 39s 6d, heavy weight 34s to 37s 6d, and- rough from 27s"to 295. Prime heavy steers made £l6 15s to £l9 7s 6d, medium-weight £l4 to £l6 10s; extra- prime heifers to £l4 17s 6d, prime £l2 to £l3 ss, medium £9 10s to £ll 15s; extra prime cows to £l4 7s 6d, prime £ll to £l3, medium £8 to £lO 10s. Vealers.—A small entry met a good sale Twelve to 18 months sorts brought to £B, vealers £3 10s to £5 10s, others 21s to £2 10s: small calves 5s to 15s^ Dairy Cattle. —The yarding was very small, and good demand resulted. Best second to fourth calvers realised £8 10s to £ll 10s, medium £6 10s to £8: best heifers £7 10s to £lO 10s, medium £5 10s to £7. . , , Store Cattle—The entry included a good sized line of mixed steers, from two to four years, and they made from £8 7s 6d to £lO 12s 6d, according to age and quality. Cows made up to £5

10s and all decent stuff sold well. Fat Pigs. —Prices were about on.a par with last week’s rates, though big baconers were again practically unsaleable. Choppers were sold at 30s to £4 86 6d, baconers £2 10s to £2 15s, heavy baconers £2 17s 6d to £3 2s 6d, extra heavy to £3 5s (average per lb 3£d to 52d); porkers 32s to 40s, heavy porkers 42s to 47s 6d (average 5Jd to 7d). Store pigs met a surprisingly brisk sale, considering the market for fats. Small weaners brought from 10s to los, good weaners 16s to 19s, slips 14s to 18s; email stores 19s to 245, medium 25s to 28s, large 30s to 345.

BURNSIDE. DUNEDIN, January 18. Prices for heavy wethers receded from 2s 6d to 3s on the Burnside stock sales to-day, and there was an eas.ng tendency for pigs. , , OQn Fat Cattle—A large yarding of 280 showed only medium quality. Not a great many pens of prime heavy bullocks were forward, but there was a nice consignment of prime bullocks from the south. Prices :—Prime heavy bullocks £ls to £l7 ss, prime £l4 to £ls ss, medium £ll 10s to £l3, best heifers £8 5s to £9 ss, light £6 10s to £7 15s, best cows £8 5s to £9 15s, medium £7 to £B. Extra prime ox beet made 37s 6d to 40s per 1001 b, medium-, weisrht prime 355, prime heifers 3os, li«ht heifers and cows 22s 6d to 27s 6u. Store Cattle—There was a large entry of 270 forward, comprising wellconditioned! cows. Included in the yardino- were about ninety 3 and 4-yr-old station bullocks, including a consignment from the Greenstone Station, the Lakes district. The sale was keen. Fat cows were easier, but other sorts were unchanged. Three and four-yr-old bullocks brought from £7 8s to £ll. Fat Sheep-1953 fat sheep were penned. The quality was considerably better than last week’s, but the number forward appeared to be in excess of requirements aiid values for heavy wethers from 2s 6d to 3s below last rates. The same depreciatian was not shown in ewes, as freezing buyers were operating for all ewes, especially the light-weight §ortSj and light wethers. Prices-Extra prime wethers 5M per lb, prime ewes 4|d, aged ewes 4d, lambs 9id. Lambs.—There was a small entry, ail exporters operating keenly at late rates. The quality on the whole was good, but barely up to the standard shown last week. Pigs—22o fats and 80 stores were penned. Prices were about 5s easier all round.