COMMERCIAL NEWS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 17, 31 October 1929, Page 7

COMMERCIAL NEWS

GRAIN AND PRODUCE.

THE ASHBURTON MARKET. Very ]ittle interest has been shown in any commodity during the last week. Potatoes have declined _still further and are quoted at £4 15s to £5 on/trucks. Practically no interest has been taken by North Island consumers, and according to latest reports! from Auckland new potatoes are coming on the market in large quantities. As the quality of these is extremely good, it is very liard now to get merchants to use old potatoes. There are still a few holders, and it appears now as if farmers have lost the golden opportunity of getting rid of their lines. It it apparent that a considerable acreacre of potatoes will be planted this year, and at the present time there is a good demand for seed.. Oats.—The market is quiet, with the exception of a slight- demand lor Algerians. Good quality lines are inquired for at 3s to 3s 3d on trucks, while under-grade is bringing from 2s 6d to 2s 9d. Very little business is reported in Gartons. Evidently there are sufficient stocks in hand to carry merchants) over until the new crop is available. A’s are nominally worth 3s on trucks, and B’s 2s 9d to 2s lOd. Duns are inquired for at 3s to 3s 6d on trucks. . Wheat.—Business generally is slack and very few sales are reported. Good milling Tuscan is offering at 5s 9d to 5s lOd on trucks, and good whole fowl wheat at 5s 6d. Seconds are saleable at 4s 6d to 4s 8d on trucks. Chaff—The market is decidedly firmer, and sales are reported at £4 lijs for good bright quality. Large quantities have been disposed of during the last two or three months, and it is quite evident that there will be a very large carry-over. Peas—Peas are practically unsaleable. No. l’s are nominally worth 43 3d, and f a.q.’s 3s 9d on trucks. The following are quotations for produce to be paid to farmers, on trucks, free of commission, sacks extra. except where otherwise stated: - Wheat. —Tuscan, good milling (free), 5s lOd, f.a.q. 5s 6d to 5s 7d, fowlwheat 5s 6d, seconds 4s 6d to 4 s 9d. t Oats—A Gartons 3s, B Gartons 2s 9d to 2s lOd, seed Algerians 3s, feed 2s, good heavy dark Duns 3s to 3s 6d, feed 2s 4d to 2s 6d. Grass Seed—Perennial 4s 6d to ss, Western Wolths 4s to 4s 6d, Italians 4s to 4s 6d, red clover 4d to sd, white gd to lOd per lb, according to quality; cocksfoot 6d to 7£d. Chaff. —Good bright oatsheaf £4 15s, f.a.q. £3 10s. No. 1 Peas —4s for prompt delivery, f.a.q.’s 3s 3d on trucks. Ryegrass.—Undressed 4s 3d to 4s 6ci. Potatoes.—£s for prompt and forward delivery, Dakotas £5.

THE STOCK MARKET.

ADDINGTON. (Special to the “Guardian.”) CHRISTCHURCH, October 30. Store sheep entries were larger at Addington to-day, and; those itt most other sections smaller. Beef values declined still further, but fat sheep and spring lambs sold soundly. _ Store Sheep.—A much heavier entry, mostly of hoggets and wethers, sold slowlv, values being down by about is 6d a" head. Ewes and lambs showed little change. Passings of dry beef were numerous. Good halfbred ewe hoggets made- 22s 6d to 26s sd; good halfbred wether hoggets to 22s lid, shorn do. 15s 9d to 16s 9d: medium halfbred wether hoggets (shorn) 13s to 14s 6d, good mixed sex hoggets 20s to 23s 6d, good three-quarterbred ewe hoggets to 34s 6d, good tliree-quarter-bred wether -hoggets to 23s Id; soundmouthed halfbred ewes (shorn) with lambs, to 18s 3d; good four-tooth halfbred wethers to 27s 3d, good four and six-tooth halfbred wethers to 2os 8d good four and six-tooth halfbred wethers (shorn) to 21s 4d Spring Lambs.—Four hundred and ninety tgrere yarded, and met a brisk sale, values averaging about lOd a m. The bulk of lambs averaged from 2/s to 31s, with, specially good up to 34s Fat Sheep—The entry was 4ood, compared with 6000 last week. Though prices were irregular, the market showed a slight recovery on last week. Extra prime heavy wethers made up to 49s Id, prime heavy 39s to 44s medium prime 34s to 38s; best shorn wethers 32s 6d to 35s lOd, ordinary 2os 6d to 28s; extra prime heavy ewes to 41 s lOd. prime heavy 35s to 395, prime 32s to 395; prime shorn ewes to 2/s 10d, ordinary'22s to 24s ' Fat Cattle—36o were yarded, mer IUO coming from the North Island There was a further et sing of from 2Us to 30s on big cattle, and about 20s on other sorts. Best beef made 48s to ols, heavy 41s to 445, medium quality 43s to 465, best cow to 455, and secondary down to 35s per 1001 b. Extra prime heavy steers fetched. up to £2* 2s 60, heavy prime steers £lB 10s to £2l 10s, medium prime £ C 15 to £2O; extra prime heifers to £l7 1/s 6d, prime to £l7 ss; extra- prime cows to £it> 17s 6d, prime £l4 15s to £l6 10s. Vealert—Best sorts brought up to £8 6s; good calves to £3, others 14s t 0 Store Cattle—A few good-coloured lines were forward. Well-grown bu llocks made up to £l3 16s 6u; -6 months 'to 2-year l.eifers to £8 6s, yearlings to £4 Is; fresh cows £S ss to £lO 15s. . , „ , Dairv cattle met an easier sale. Best second to fourth calves brought £ll to £l3 10s, good £9 to £l6 10s; best heifers to £ll 10s, others £8 to £lO. Fat Pigs —There was a slightly sale Choppers made £3 to £7 11s, haconers £3 los to £5 6s (average «cr ]b 7d to 8d); poruors 48s to -)oS 6ti (average Sd to 9sd). Store Pigs—A brisk sale was recorded with hardening puces. Large store fetched 40s to 525, others 28s to 29s (Jd; slips 25s to 295; weaners 18s to 20s.

BURNSIDE. DUNEDIN, October 30. To-day’s stock sale at Burnside was bv no means in favour or the producer. Fat cattle and fat lambs slumped rather badly, and fat sheep held thenown with difficulty. Store cattle were rot in very keen demand, but pigs ex--I)eThe < fat cattle yarding numbered 190 head, comprising fair quality and a lar"e proportion of medium-weight steers Tt was an extraordinary sale, particularly in view of the short supplv. Opening values were fully los in advance of last week’s, but as the sale progressed the brisk inquiry disappeared until some of the final offerings were bringing from 30s to oOs per head below par. Instead of a hardening of price there was a slump, feeveial

races were passed in. The best prime heavy bullocks made from £23 to £2o, prime to £2l, medium to £lB, and light to £l6. The best heifers were worth £l6, medium from £l2 to £l3 10s, and prime cows to £ls. The present dry spcdl made graziers extremely cautious when the store cattle ivere put. up. Butchers’ sorts sold well, but all other line- were distinctly easier. " There were only 1600 fat sheep penned, this fact probably saving the market. The quality was good, but heavy sorts were not plentiful. _ Mediumweight wethers and ewes with a few shorn sheep made up the penning. Good prices were expected, but the opening races dashed such hopes to the ground. Early values were up to 2s below late rates, but there was a later recovering which kept the average price up tc last week’s level. Prime heavy wethers made from 50s to 545, 2U ime 46s to 48s, handy-weights to 425, and light and medium from 28s to 38s. The- best owes made up to 38s, a few extra heavies bringing 435. Prime made 32s 6d and light from 2Ss to 30s Shorn wethers were worth 33s 3d, light and medium shorn 24s to 28s. Shorn ewes made to 2/s, light sorts going at from 22s to 25 s. . A larger entry of fat lambs, lou m all, was greatly in excess of requirements with the result that values-fell early by from 3s to 4s. Closing quotations were fully 5s below par. ’llio best prime heavies made only 35s 9d, and light and medium wore worth from 23s The pig market was the one bright spot in the sale, fats being dearer by from 5s to 10s a head, and store.-, remaining firm at late rates.

SYDNEY WOOL SALES. SYDNEY, October 30. At the wool sales to-day, 9409 bales were sold. There was a firm market with prices at the best point of the series. There was special inquiry for superfine wool and competition was animated, excellent clearances being made. - Greasy merino brought up to 241 d.