COMMERCIAL NEWS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 46, 3 December 1938, Page 11

COMMERCIAL NEWS

FRUIT AND PRODUCE. THE ASHBURTON MARKET. As a result of the recent wet weather green peas have ’ become somewhat scarcer, and prices for this commodity showed ail increase at the Ashburton fruit and produce market yesterday. Onions have ceased to come in locally, with a consequent rise in price for imported ones. Walnuts have dropped slightly, while tomatoes .are also becoming a little more plentiful. Strawberries are on the market and sell at Is to Is 3d a pottle. Cherries are bringing 8d and 9d a lb. Prices were as follows : Walnuts —6d to. 8d lb. Cauliflowers —lOd to Is. Carrots, new—3d bunch. Cabbages—New season’s, 4d to Gd. Stunner Apples—Ss Gd to 9s Gd. Chaff—2s Gd to 3s a sack. Potatoes—ls Gd to 2s a sugar-bag or 5s to 6s a sack. Wheat—2os to 21s a sack. Honey—Bd and 9d a lb. Onions—3d and 4d lb. Bacon—lOd to Is alb. Hams—ls to Is 2d a lb. Seed Potatoes —Early. l£d and 2d a lb. Lettuces—2d and 2£d, Rhubarb:—4d and 5d a bundle. Gooseberries—2Jd and 3d lb. Green Peas—sd lb or 2s 9d a peck. Tomatoes —Is 3d and Is Gd lb.

Asparagus—Bd and 9d bundle. Turnips—2d a bundle. Strawberries —Is and Is 3d pottle. Cherries—Bd and 9d lb. GRAIN AND PRODUCE. THE DUNEDIN MARKET. DUNEDIN, December 2. The local price for fowl wheat continues firm at 6s 6d to 6s 9d a bushel, sacks extra. Business continues slack in the oats market. Local supplies ot chaff .are on the light side. The demand is confined to small lots at £6 10s a ton, sacks extra. The market for old season’s potatoes is practically finished. The ruling price is £2 5s to £2 10s a ton ex store, with lines of special quality realising higher money. The low prices for the old potatoes are having an effect on the demand for new potatoes, which are now selling wholesale at per lb.

The retail demand for seeds is quieter and deliveries from the country have fallen away during the last fortnight. Stocks of all seeds are on the short side. Odd sales are still being made to the North Island, and also for shipment overseas, and the Government has recently called for tenders for supply of two large parcels of seed for sowing out in the North Island.

WHEAT MARKET IN BRITAIN. LONDON, December 1. Wheat cargoes are hardening. Parcels are-quiet. Futures are quoted as follow: —London: January, 22s lOd a quarter; March, 22s IOJd. Liverpool: December, 4s s§d per cental; March, 4s 5Jd; May, 4s 6:1 d. The above Liverpool quotations are all old contract. New'contract quotations are: —March, 4s 2^d; May, 4s 3 7-16 d. Liverpool is quoting new con- ! tracts because of the removal of the import duty from January 1, 1939.

LONDON MEAT MARKET. PRODUCERS’ BOARD’S REPORT. WELLINGTON, Dec. 2. The New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board’s report on the Smithfield market covering the period ended December l, states that little interest is^ being taken in the remaining small stocks of old season’s lambs in view of substantial arribals. of new season’s from Australia and South America. Wethers are meeting with better inquiry,, with light-weights' a shade firmer. Ewes are still selling slowly. Frozen beef is in good demand at unchanged prices. Chilled heef is meeting a good demand. Hindquarters are weaker, but fores firmer. New Zealand porker pigs are firmer in anticipation of the Christmas demand. New Zealand baconer pigs are normal. Spot stocks are light. The trade in boneless bobby veal is slow. Quotations are:—

Mutton. Now Zealand Crossbred! wethers and/or maiden ewes: 481 b and under 4’d, 49-561 b 4gd, 57-64 I’d. Ewes: 481 b and under 3d, 49-561 b 2:]d, 57-641 b 2|d. 65-721 b 2£d. Lambs. Canterbury—Second quality : Average about 311 b 6jjd. Other South Island : 37-4 21b 73d. North Island—Second quality : . Average about 311 b 6|d. Australian —Victorian (first quality): 29-361 b 7|d, 37-421 b 7|d. Argentine—First quality (new season’s): 361 b and under 7tl, 37-421 b 6-Jd. Pigs. New Zealand Porker—First quality, 61-801 h 7Jd, 81-1001 b 7<d, 101-1201 b 6|d. New Zealand Raconer —l2l-16016 s*d. Veal. Boneless Bobby (new season’s), ex store, in parcels, 4|d. Chilled Beef. New Zealand —Ox hinds, 145-21016, s|d; ox fores, ]45-21016, 3jjd. Australian Chilled —Ox hinds, 1452101 b, s|d; ox crops, weights corresponding, 31 d. , Union of South Africa —Ox hinds, *

145-2101 b, 6id ;ox fores, 145-2101 b 3|d. South Rhodesian —Ox hinds, 1452101 b, s£d; ox fores, 140-2101. b, 3§d. Argentine Ox hinds, 145-21011), 6jd; ox fores,- 145-21011), 4id. Uruguayan—Ox hinds, 145*2101b, 6id ; ox fores, 145-21011), 4d. Frozen Beef. New Zealand Frozen Beef—Second quality, ox hinds,,4|d; ox fores, 3d. Australian Second quality, ox hinds, 4f d; ox crops, 3Jd.', The Bank of Australasia has received the following cablegram, dated Lon don, December 1: —■ Frozen Lambs: During the month supplies of both Australia and New Zealand light-weights, prime quality, have been very scarce and prices firm. Supplies of secondary lambs rather more plentiful and at the of the month prices declined. Latterly, however, market improved Giving to shortage of prime quality. Frozen mutton: Owing to large stocks mar- ! ket dull and depressedewes especially. There has been rather better feeling recently, but not sufficient to affect values. Frozen beef: Supplies limited, prices firm. The Bank of New Zealand has received the following advice from its London office as at close of business this Week: —

Wethers —There is a. better inquiry, -Ewes —The market- is quiet and unchanged. Lambs—The market is steady.

Wethers—Light, 4fd to 4jfd; heavy, 33d to 4£d. Ewes: 2£d to 3d. Lambs: 2’s, not quoted; B’s, 7|-d to 7fd; 4’s, 7£d to 7.id; seconds, 6£d to 6§d.

t OVERSEAS TRADE. f - LOWER excess of exports. ) . WELLINGTON, December 2. Overseas trade figures for New Zealand, excluding specie, are as follow: Month of October. ; , ' 1938. 1937. : £ £ 1 Exports 2,165,000 2,903,000 Imports 4,270,000 4.623,000 Excess of imports 2,105,000 1,720,000 Ten Months Ended October. 1938. 1937. £ £ Exports 50,262,000 58,187,000 Imports 45,874,000 46,605,000 Excess of exports 4,338,000 11,582,000 The returns of specie, excluded from the above, recorded at its face value, are: Month of October —Exports £BOO, imports £1765. 1 Ten Months Ended October—Ex„porths £1550, imports £29,317. NATIONAL BANK OF N.Z. INTERIM DIVIDEND. WELLINGTON, December 2. The Board of Directors of the National, Bank of New Zealand, Ltd., announces an interim dividend of 2J

per Cent., less United Kingdom income tax at 3s 7d in the £ in respect of the year endidg March 31, 1939. The dividend will be payable in New Zealand on January 4, 1939. This distribution is equivalent to £5 Is 9d per cent, per annum in New Zealand currency. THE SHARE MARKET. The following sales were made 4 on the Cnristchurch Stock Exchange yesterday LISTED STOCKS. Sales on ’Change.

£ 8. d. £200 N.Z. Govt. 4 per cent. Inscr., 1955 ... 98 15 0 100 Com. Bank of Australia 0 15 11 150 Bank of New Zealand (cum div.) (2) 2 0 9 100 Dunlop Rubber 1 0 4 100 Macduffs (ord.) 0 3 0 700 Taranaki Oilfields (6} 0 12 6 ; 0 11 7 50 Woolworths (Sydney) (ord.) (2) 1 0 10 50 Broken Hill South' (cum div.) 1 8 8 50 Mount Lyell (cum div.) 1 8 8 v Sales Reported. £505 N.Z. Govt. 4 per cent. (1949-52) 97 2 6 £400 N.Z. Govt. 4 pert cent. Inscr.. 1946 98 10 0 5 Colonial Sugar (ex div.) , • ... 46 10 0 150 Bank of New Zealand (cum div.) 2 0 9 200 Bank of New Zealand (Mort shares) (cum div.) 1 6 0 UNLISTED STOCK Sales Reported. 500 Woolworths Properties (cum div.) (3) 1 5 6