COMMERCIAL NEWS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 144, 29 March 1928, Page 7

COMMERCIAL NEWS

GRAIN AND PRODUCE. THE ASHBUPTON MARKET. Daring the week the wheat offering from growers eased off. Practically all the wheat in .the County is in stack, and it will be a week or two before stack threshing becomes general. A good quantity which went into stack before the rain will soon be fit to thresh, but there is no) doubt that a, good bit of wheat still in stack will have to be left from eight to twelve weeks before it is fit to thresh. Good condition Tuscan is readily saleable at present. Soft and sprouted lines are neglected by millers, but although this quality is saleable as fowl wheat, there seems to be a good quantity offering at present. A few days ago the oat market was very firm, and jprices hardened slightly, but yesterday a weakening tendency developed, and values have dropped about Id a bushel. White oats have been offering freely lately, and the quality generally is still good. Few Algerians are offering, but at the same time the demand from the North Island is not large. Good Duns are wanted, but the market for those dark in colour and light in weight are hard Tlie ryegrass and cocksfoot markets are steady, there not being much offering from growers. Peas are now being threshed more freely, and the quality varies considerably. ■ . The following are quotations for produce, to be paid to farmers, sacks extra, except where otherwise stated:—

Wheat—Tuscan 5s 5d to 5s 6d, Hunters 5s 9d, Pearl and Velvet 6s 3d to 6s d 6 (all prices nominal). Oats—"A" Gartons 3s, "B" Gartons 2s 8d; seed Algerians 2s 7d to 2s 8d; feed 2s 5d to 2s 6d; good heavy dark Duns 2s 9d to 3s, feed 2s 4d to 2s 6d. Grass Seed—Perennial 3s to 3s 3d, Western Wolths 2s, Italian 2s 3d, red and white clover 8d to 9d per lb, according to quality. Cocksfoot 7d. Chaff.—Good bright oatsheaf to £3 10s per ton. f No. 1 Peas—ss 6d to 5s 9d for prompt delivery

THE TIMARU MARKETS. iPer Press Association.) TIMARU. This Day. There has been a considerable amount of business done in potatoes during the past fortnight, prompt delivery lines having been asked for from the North Island, particularly at Auckland. Shipments during the past fortnight to that centre have now reached a> total of about 18,000 sacks, and it is feared that this is an over-supply, and that prices will recede. Fresh orders in the meantime are difficult to secure, and the market is being further weakened by comparatively heavy offerings by farmers. Although the main crop in South Canterbury is not yet quite fit to dig, there are quite a number of fields in which the tops have gone off, and now that the harvest is practically over, farmers have more time to devote to the digging of potatoes. The normal quotation for prompt delivery is £4 10s per ton, sacks in, on trucks at handy stations, but at tins price few merchants are buying. The wheat market during the past week has been somwhat firmer for lines of good milling quality, and up to 5s fid for Tuscan, 5s 9d for Hunters, and 6s 9d for Velvet has been, paid. Fowl wheat, on the other hand, appears to be in over-supply, and is inclined to weaken. It is? worth. 5s 2d per bushel on trucks, sacks extra. The oat market remains firm at recent rates, although at the increased prices offering, are heavier. A-grade Gartons are worth 3s Id per bushel, and B's 2s 9d to 2s lOd, on trucks, sacks extra. The market for coloured oats is quiet. For Algerians 2s 6d to 2s 9d is offered, and for Duns 2s 6d to 3s, according to quality. Partridge peas of No. 1= grade quality are saleable at 5s 9d a bushel, and average quality at 5s 3d. There is a fair percentage of peas, out of condition, and these are not in demand. The grass seed market remains fairly firm at late rates, good) farmers' dressed lines of perennial ryegrass are worth 3s to 3s 6d and Italian and Western Wolths 2s 3d per bushel. THE STOCK MARKET. ADDINCiTON.

CHRISTCHURCH, March 2S. ' Tho yardings of stock in the ehiei sections at Addington to-day were smaller, except in :he case of fat lambs. There were fewer lambs offered! in the store pens, and a smaller number of ewes, the offerings of which were, ■ .however, added to by consignments from the North and the Chatham Islands, and from Marlborough, Nelson and the West Coast. The ewes were mostly crossbreds, either falmgmouth or aged, young sheep not being numerous The demand for good ewes was steady, and lambs showed no change except in the case of medium wether lambs, which were easier. Fat lambs i met with tho best salo of the season, export buyers operating at late rates. The demand was very satisfactory for two-tooth ewes. The best of the North Island ewes of this age sold up to 37s 6d, and for two-tooth halfbreds buyers bid very freely. Fat sheep sold well at late rate rate, until towards the end of the sale, and exporters were then able to secure more, of light-weight ewes. Fat cattle were in short supply, and in view of the Easter trade met with a sharp rise of £1 to £2 per head. Store Sheep.—There was again a heavy yarding of store sheep, though not equal in number to the previous week's offerings. There were fewer lambs than has been the case for some time, and the demand for them was not as keen as a week before. Ewe lambs sold firmly. Prices ranged from 35s tc 38s 6d for best halfbreds, with fair mouths and some condition sold well, but a number of lots of low-conditioned sheep were passed. The range ot prices was .-—Two-toothed halfbred iewes 34s to 38s 6d, inferior 2-toothed i-bred ewes 31s to 33s 6d, good 2toothed crossbred ewes 35s to 37s bd, ordinary 2-toothed crossbred ewes 30s to 34s 6d, 4,6, and 8-toother crossbred ewes 25s to 2Ss, do. to 24s 6d, sound and failing-racuthed crossbred ewes 19s to 245, failing-mouthed do. 18s od 18s to 245 ; 4 and 6-toothed |-bred

wethers 24s 6d to 27s 7d, 2-toothed jbred wethers 23s to 24s 3d, forward lambs 22s to 2os 3d, medium wether lambs 19s to 21s 6d, small and inferior do. 15s to 17s 6d, 2-bred ewe lambs 24s to 26s 2d, i-bred ewe lambs 27s 3d. Fat Lambs—The yarding totalled 2850 against 2650 in the previous week. The bulk of the lambs were well grown, and a fair proportion were in prime condition. Included in the offerings were some lines from the West Coast. The sale was about the best of the season. As compared with the previous week, there was a rise of Is to Is 6d per head on the average. Top price was 36s Id for a pen of ten from the West Coast and an excellent line of 70 from Southbridge averaged 33s 10s. Prime heavy lambs made up to 36s Id, prime 31s to 345, medium 28s to 36s 6d.

Fat Sheep.—The yarding was sufficient to fill ten races only, as against 12 races the week before. The offerings were of good average quality, and rather better than in the previous week. Values were: —Extra prime wethers to 40s lOd, prime 32s 6d to 355, medium 29s to 325, extra, prime ewes to 32s lOd, prime 25s to 295, medium 21s to 245.

Fat Cattle. —The yarding of fat cattle totalled 384. against 420 in the previous week. There was a very keen demand, and among the buyers were country butchers. On account of the shorter supply, the market firmed at the cutest, and prices as a general rule avdanced £1 to £1 10s per head, and in some instances beyond the latter figure. Some of the best steers sold at about £2 per head better than the week before. Best medium weight beef was worth up to 43s per 1001 b, prime 38s to 41s, medium 35s to 37e 6dy heavy 34s to 375; good cow beef 33s 6d to 375, medium 29s to 325, and rough down to 265. The extra prime heavy steers fetched up to £l9 12s 661, prime heavy £l6 10s to £l7 17s 6d, medium weight prime £l4 to £16,, ordinary £ll 10s to £l3 10s; extra prime heifers to £l6 12s 6d, prime £ll 10s to £l3 10s, medium £9 10s to £11; extra prime cows to £l4 17s 6d, prime £lO 10s to £l2 17s 6d; medium £8 to £lO. There was a full penning of vealers, ranging from young calves to twelve to eighteen months sorts, the latter forming the largest proportion. Small handy weights were in short supply, and there was a keen sale at late rates. Twelve to eighteen months sorts brought up to £B, good vealers £5 to £6 10s, medium £3 10a to £4 los, others 25s to £2 15s; small calves 5s to 15s.

Store Cattle.—An average yarding of store cattle was made irp chiefly of cows of very moderate class: Best cows made £4 to £5, potters 30s to £3 15s, bulls £2 12s 6d to £5 12s 6d. Dairy Cows.—There were 70 dairy cattle penned, among them was a fair proportion of good young cows and heifers, springing to calf. There was free demand for better sorts. Values were:—Best heifers £9 to £ll 10s, good second and third calvers £lO to £ls os, fourth and fifth calvers £7 to £l2.

Fat Pigs.—There was a small entry or baconers and porkers, with a firm demand for all classes. Choppers made £2 to £4 10s, light baconers £2 los to £3 ss. medium baconers £3 7s 6d, to £3 12s 6d, heavy baconers £3 15s to £4 ss, extra heavy baconers to £4 17s 6d (average, 5d to 6£d per lb); light porkers 35s to 425, heavy porkers 45s to 55s (average, 6£d to 7Jd). Store Pigs.—There was a small entry of store pigs, and prices showed an improvement all round, especially for larger stores. The range of prices was:—.Small weaner 67s to 9s, good weaners 10s to 13s, slips 15s to 17s, medium stores 18s to 20s, good stores 23s to 28s, extra large stores to 335.

BURNSTDE. DUNEDIN, March 28. Lambs were firm at Burnside to-day, but fat cattle and sheep were easier and pigs showed no advance, the market being very slow. The yarding of fat cattle consisted of about 225 head of mixed stuff, including some prime bullocks and good cows, heifers and a small percentage of very plain sorts. Fat Cattle. —The market opened badly, being fully 20s per head below last week's rates, and at the close of ' the sale the improvement was found to be very slight. However, prices came back ' a little and it can be said that 1.5 s per head would cover the extent of the week's decline. Best bullocks- made £l6 17s 6d, prime £l3 Is to £l6 ss, and medium £lO 10s to £l2 10s. Extra heavy bullock beef made 33s per 1001 b prime, light 355, prime heifers 32s od, and cows and light heifers 20s to 235. Fat Sheep.—There was only a fair yarding of fat sheep from the point of view of numbers and ewes were .in heavy supply, but heavy wethers and prime sorts were few. The sale was irregular from the outset. The opening demand was easier than last week's, but it firmed to par, later slipning back to 10s per head below ruling rates. Extra-heavy wethers made 41s to 425, prime 35s to 375, heavy ewes 32s to 34s 3d, prime 22s to 265, and medium and light stuff from 16s to 265. Extra heavy wethers made od per pound, light 5Jd, prime ewes 4d, aged ewes 3*d. Lambs. —There was an entry of about 250 lambs. The quality was mixed, but well finished sorts were plentiful. The demand was good and values remained firm, and special lines reached 40s. The price per pound was 9d to Bsd.

Store Cattle.—About 300 store cattle met with a slow saJe. Mixed quality cows and medium steers made up the bulk of the entry and passings were frequent. Pigs.—There were 114 fat pigs and 62 stores, which experienced an unchanged market, prices still being below northern rates.

THE WOOL SALES.

AUCKLAND RETURNS. AUCKLAND, March 28. For the season just closed, receipts for wool sold under the hammer in Auckland were nearly 40 per cent, greater than last season's. The figures for 1927-28, with those for 1926-27, are as follow:

1927-28. 1926-27.; Bales offered ... 47,070 46,546 Bales sold ,. ... 46,861 ; 45,590 Total value £1,045,590 £748,063 Average per bale £22 6 3 £16 8 2 Average per lb 15.43d 11.59d