COMMERCIAL NEWS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 128, 12 March 1936, Page 11

COMMERCIAL NEWS

GRAIN AND PRODUCE. THE ASHBURTON MARKET. Ashburton grain, seed and produce merchants report a quiet week following the further interruption in threshing. Millers are still buyers of all lines of wheat in suitable condition for milling, but lines of this description are difficult to procure. It will be about two months before stack threshing commences, and it is anticipated that better lines will then be available. Fowl wheat is stil] inquired for, but it is difficult to secure lines that will pass the-grader. Tho market for oats is a shade firmer, and offerings are light. Potatoes have firmed further, but this has been due to a weather market. Odd lines of Partridge peas are still coming forward, and any lines that will grade are in demand. Both cocksfoot and, ryegrass have maintained their firmness, but few sales have been recorded during the week. Tire following are prices to be paid to growers, free of commission, on trucks at country stations, sacks extra:— Wheat Milling Tuscan 4s sd, Hunters 4s 7d, Pearl and Velvet 4s 9d (all f.0.b.); good, whole fowl wheat 4s Oats—“A” grade Gartons 2s, "B” grade Is 9d, Algerians Is 7d, Duns Is 9d to 2s 6d, according to quality. Grass Seeds—-Perennial, Italian and Western Wolths Is 9d a bushel, cocksfoot 7d to 8d a lb. Oatsheaf Chaff—Good, bright oatsheaf, £2 5s a ton. Partridge Peas —No. 1 grade, 4s 3d a bushel. Potatoes —Whites and Dakotas, £3 12s 6d a ton, April-May-June delivery. STOCK MARKETS, / ADDINGTON. (Per Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, March 11. Heavy entries were forward at today’s weekly market, particularly of breeding ewes and fat sheep. Store Lambs—The entry was not of the same quality as at recent markets, few rape lambs being penned. Values were down on last week by Is-a head. Store Sheep About- 15,000 were penned, including ewes from the Cliathams, Marlborough and Otago. The bulk were failing-mouthed and these sold at the high rates operating at the fairs. Best five-year ewes made to 23s 6d, four-year to 30s, 2-tooths to 36s 9d, and 4-tooth Corriedale to 38s. A feature of the market was the high price for 4 and 5-year ewes. Fat Lambs —The lamb export schedule has eased a farthing a pound, and the sale to-day was on an easier basis. The wet weather, is seriously retarding the fattening of lambs. Fat Sheep—There was an entry of 4700 head, including heavy Chatham Island consignments. The market was a steady one with little change on last week’s values, except for freezing ewes and wethers, which were a fraction easier. Best wethers made to 33s 4d and average sorts 2os to 295. Best ewes sold at 24s to 275, and average sorts 19s to 225. Freezing sorts sold up to 15s. Fat Cattle—ln the 415 penned cows predominated. The market opened wc.l but slipped back to last week’s values. Best steers made £ll to £l4 2s od, and good average £8 10s to £lO 10s. Fat Pigs—There was a small entry and a good sale, with an improvement for porkers. Choppers made 50s to £3 18s 6d, baconers 46s 6d to £3 os 6d (average 4|d to od lb), porkers 30s to 44s 6d (s§d to 6sd).

BURNSIDE. DUNEDIN, March 11. A yarding of 262 fat cattle came torward at to-day’s Burnside market the bulk of the entry comprising medium quality cattle, with only a few pens at prime heavy bullocks and a fan* proportion of unfinished sorts. Tho sale opened with prices firm, but over the last two races values appreciated fully 15s and 20s a head, and the sale closed firm. There was an average entry of store cattle. There was a steady demand from graziers for any cattle in forward condition. Boner cows were firm at late rates. Dairy cows met with a firm sale. Any young cows close to profit were in keen demand. In the fat sheep section 1230 were offered, comprising chiefly medium quality ewes and wethers, with only a small proportion of prime wethers. Butchers competed freely throughout, and prime quality sheep sold at an advance of Is a head. In the fat lamb section 462 were forward, the entry showing a decrease on recent yardings. Only a few pens of prime quality lambs were offered, and these met with keen competition from butchers. Medium quality lambs met a quieter market, and prices showed a decline of fully Is a head. There was an entry of 108 fat pigs, comprising baconers and porkers in fairly even proportions. Both classes met with a grm demand, and values showed a finning tendency. The yarding of 126 store pigs met with a quiet sale, prices showing a sharp decline. STOCK MARKETS STEADY. LONDON, March 10. The stock markets are generally steady, but inactive. British funds are harder. The German funding loan 4 per cent, bonds have recovered half a French 4 per cent, is at £22 los. BEATH AND COMPANY, LTD. INTERIM DIVIDENDS. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. At a meeting of the directors of Beath and Company yesterday it was decided to pay an interim dividend of 2>- per cent, on preference shares and 3 per cent, on ordinary shares. Dividends will he posted on April 3. Interim dividends of 2| per cent, on

preference shares and 4 per cent, on ordinary shares were paid last March, dividends for the full year being 5 per cent and 8 per cent.

THE SHARE MARKET. The following sales were made on the Christchurch Stock Exchange yes terday:— LISTED STOCKS.

Sales on ’Change £ s d. £900 N.Z. Govt. 4 p.c. Ins., 1937-40 102 0 0 100 Com. Bank of Aust. 1 0 O 100 Natl. Bank of A/asia. (£5 paid) 30 Bank of N.S.W. (I) 7 12 34 12 0 6 6 15 Union Bank of Aust. y LO 50 Dalgety and Co. (2) 9 o 10 12 12 O 5 350 N.Z. Breweries (3) o 7 100 Dunlop Perdriau Bubber ••• 0 14 4 100 Howard Smith (cum div.) 0 16 8 100 Hume Pipe (Aust. 0 1Y cum div.) u 120 Mount. Morgan 1600 Skippers (3) 0 0 16 0 2| Sales Reported. £ s. d. 25 E., S., and A. Bank... 6 4 0 50 N.Z. Breweries 2 12 6 200 Mount- Lyell 1 4 7 200 Mount Morgan 0 16 1 500 Mahakipawas 0 0 1 UNLISTED STOCKS. Sales on ’Change d. £ s. 325 Woolworths (Sydney( 6 ord. (2) 6 15 (2) 6 14 6 (3) G 15 0 (3) 6 3.6 0