COMMERCIAL NEWS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 183, 18 May 1939, Page 9

COMMERCIAL NEWS

GRAIN AND PRODUCE. THE ASHBURTON MARKET. Digging of the potato crop is proceeding rapidly owing to the favourable weather conditions. According to reports from local merchants, yields are for the most part disappointing. The North Island markets are at present well supplied and deliveries of several forward contracts will be made at the end of this month. The market is consequently a shade easier and no improvement is anticipated until the stocks on hand are consumed. Algerian oats are still in strong demand with limited supplies offering. Other varieties of oats are not inquired for to any great extent. Odd samples of new season’s cowgrass have been offered during the week and the quality is exceptionally

good. The North Island demand for grass seeds has eased off in the meantime. There is no quotable change to report in ail other lines of grain and seeds. The following are prices quoted to farmers, on trucks at country stations unless otherwise indicated, sacks extra, free ©f commission:— Wheat—Tuscan 5s Bd, Hunters 5s lOd, Velvet or Pearl 6s (all f.0.b.). Oats—A grade Gartons 2s 6d, B grade 2s 3d, Algerians 2s 8d to 3s, Duns 3s 6d to 4s 6d (according to quality). Grass Seed—Perennial 4s 3d, Western Wolths and Italian 4s to 4s 6d, cocksfoot 5d to 6d lb, white clover 8d to lOd, red cloyer 6d to 7d lb. O.S. Chaff—£4 a ton. Partridge Peas—No. 1 grade 7s. Potatoes—Dakotas and whites prompt delivery £6.

SOUTH CANTERBURY MARKET. TIMAKU, This Day. The South Canterbury grain, seed and produce markets are experiencing a quiet time. There is a definite shortage of milling wheat and it appears that largo quantities will have to be imported. The wheat crop in South Canterbury has been the smallest for years, including drought periods, and it is anticipated that quantities of wheat will have to be imported into Timaru. Prices are: Tuscan 5s 8d a bushel f.o.b. Hunters 5s lOd a bushel f.o.b. Velvet 6s a bushel f.o.b.

There is practically no inquiry for fowl wheat, which is quoted at 5s 8d a bushel 1'.0.b. _ There is a fair demand for A and B Gartons, but prices are not very attractive. Owing to the dry season there is a good demand for Algerians throughout the Island. There was a good inquiry from this district for some time for Duns, but as soon as Southland came on to the markettheir prices were more attractive and, at present they are doing most of the business. A Gartons 2s 7d a bushel on trucks; B Gartons 2s 3d- to 2s 4d a bushel on trucks; Algerians 3s 3d a bushel on trucks; Duns 4s 6d, to 4s 8d a bushel on trucks. > There has been a good demand! for chaff, but there have been ample supplies. The nominal quotation is £4. a ton on trucks. Partridge peas are in short compass and are meeting with a good demand for shipment. No. I’s are worth 7s 6d a bushel on trucks. • There is l very little inquiry for potatoes and with further heavy shipments at the end of the month, prices are expected to recede. Whites £6 15s a ton on trucks; Suttons <£7 5s a ton on trucks.

With the exception of white clover there is very little demand for grassseed, although all lines remain firm. Commercial ryegrass (F.D. 90 per cent.), is worth 9s a bushel on trucks; Canterbury ryegrass 4s Od a bushel on trucks; Italian 4s a bushel on trucks; cocksfoot 6d per lb; cowgrass 7d per lb; white clover (M.D.), is Gd per lb. THE STOCK MARKETS.

ADDINGTON. CHRISTCHURCH, May 17. There were larger entries in the main section of fat stock at Addington to-day and prices tended to weaken except for fat sheep. The entry of about 2500 store sheep was one of the smallest of the season. There was not a wide selection, hut the quality of the older sorts was better than usual, a draft of 410 s.m. and f.m. Corriedale ewes sold at 10s 6d to 10s lid, a line of young ewes at 12s 7d, a truck of five-year ewes at Bs, and a line of two-tooth wethers at 11s 6d.

The penning of fat lambs totalled about 730. It was an end-of-season offering, and the poorest-londitioned lot of the season to come forward. Butchers’ soi'ts were limited to a few small pens and sold at a slight improvement on last week. Lighter lambs had a dull sale at export schedule rates. The entry of fat sheep comprised about 4500, about 100 more than last week. In the middle stages values were about on a level with those of a week ago, but in the closing stages there was a sharp recovery of about Is or more a head. Values were: Extra prime wethers to 29s lOd, prime heavy 22s 6d to 255, prime medium 20s 6d to 22s 3d, light to 15s; extra prime ewes to 22s lOd, prime 17s 6d to 19s 6d, prime medium 13s 6d to 17s, light to 7s Cd.

The entry of fat cattle was 575. The market qon,die,tied draggingly and there were more passings than usual. Good steers and heifers were easier by about 10s a head, and inferior steers and cows by up to 20s. Values were: Extra prime steers to £l7 2s Gd, prime heavy £l3 to £l4, prime medium £ll 5s to £l3, light to £8 10s; extra prime heifers to £ll 7s Gd, prime £9 to £lO ss, medium £6 to £B, light to £5 15s; extra prime cows to £ll 2s Gd, prime

£7 to £B, medium £5 to £6 10s, light to £4 10s. Quality in the store cattlo section was improved by the entry of a line of station steers and heifers from North Canterbury. Well-conditioned young Herefords sold in the one line at £7 3s 6d. Heifers made £5 13s Cd. The entry of porkers was fairly large and values hardened in the middle of the sale but slipped over the last two races. Choppers were forward in medium numbers and sold at unchanged rates. Baconers were in heavy supply, five-truck lots from the West Coast making the total one of the largest of the season. Values for best classes, though a shade easier, maintained a satisfactory level, but plain and unfinished were 3s to 4s a head easier. Values were: Porkers 36s to 57s 6d (average o,‘ d to 7d),- baconers 54 Gd to £4 9s 6d (6fd to Gad). There was a. medium entry of store pigs. Sows in ipig sold to £3 10s. Values were: Weatiers, small 3s Gd to 6s, best to 11s; slips 10s to 14s, small stores 14s to 16s, medium 18s to 21s, large to 265.

Ashburton County Sales. The following sales wejre made au the Addington market yiesterday on account of Ashburton County clients — Fat Lambs—Oh account of H. E. H. Richards (Methven), 8 at 20s to 22s 7d; J. W. M. Dart (Methven), 14 at 14s Id to 16s 7d. Fat Sheep—Wethers: On account of D. Campbell (Ohertsey), .58 at 17s 7d to- 21s lOd; 11. E. H. ‘Richards (Methvpn), 27 at- 20s to 23s 4d; estate J. iP. McQuilkin (Eiffelton),. 12 at 21s Id; F. Thompson (Winehmore), 14 at 18s Id to 20s Id; J. Bonifaint (Wakanui), 47 at 22s 4d to 23s 10dl; S. Cox and Son (Lyndhurst), 58 at 20s lOd to 27s 4d. Ewes: On 'account of R. E. Cairns (Barrhill), 68 at 11s lOd to 15s lOd; S. Cox and Son (Lyndhurst), 4 at 14s 4d to 22s lOd; F. Thompson (Winehmore) 26 at 12s lOd to 20s 10d; J. IH. Muirhead (iLagmhor), 90 at 9s Id to 16s lOd; A. S. Butterick (Greenstreet), 53 at 9s Id to 14s 4d; T. F’. B. Banks (Pendarves), 34 at 8s 7d to 13s Id; E. E .Amos £Lauriston), 10 at 11s Id to 12s lOd; estate J. P. 'McQuilkin (Eiffelton), 25 at 10s 7d to 11s lOd; J. Cnetney (Lyndhurst), 28 at 10s Id to 12s lcl; S. Cross (Newlands), 22 at 1.2 s 4d to 14s 4d.

Fat Cattle —Ashburton client, 4 steers at £lO 12s 6d to £ll 17s 6d, 6 cows at £7 12s 6d to £9 12s 6d; R. G. Gerard (Methvepi), cow at £7 12s 6d; J. C. Lochhead (Rakaia), 8 steers at £9 2s 6d to £lO 7s 6d; Colonel John Findlay (Eiffelton), 8 steers at £lO 7s 6d to £l4 12s 6d; M. Kermoclie (Winehmore), cow at £6 2s 6d.

BURNSIDE. DUNEDIN, May 17. Tho entry of fat cattle at Burnside to-day totalled 385 head, cows and heifers predominating with a sprinkling of prime heavy bullocks which were firm at late rates. Extra prime heavy bullocks mado £l9 7s Gd, prime heavy £l4 12s 6d to £l6 17s 6d, prime £l2 15s to £l4 7s 6d, medium £9 12s 6d to £ll 7s 6d, and light from £8 2s 6d, extra prime heavy cows and heifers to £lO 17s 6d, prime £7 to £9, medium £4 12s 6d to £5 17s 6d, . and light from £3 10s. Stores had the large entry of 300 head and a keen demand found prices firm. A pen of forward four-year-olds' made to £l2.

There were about 2000 fat sheep on offer, comprising mainly medium ancl light-weights. Best quality pens attracted chief interest and value,s appreciated by Is to Is 6d a head. Prime heavy wethers made 25s to 27s 6d, prime 22s 6d to 24s 6d, medium 18s to 21s, light from 14s, prime heavy ewes to 18s, prime 12s 6d to 15s, medium 9s to 10s 6d, and light from 7s. Only 640 lambs were penned, the majority being light to medium. Butchers competed for the heavier lambs and exporters kept the rest of the entry up to full schedule rates. Extra heavy sold to 28s 9d, heavy 23s to 2Gs, medium 18s to 20s, and light from 13s 6d.

A good yarding of fat pigs found the demand slacker, and though baconers were down by 5s a head, porkers were firm.

GERALDINE. About 1500 fat lambs met full schedule competition at Geraldine yesterday. A full yarding of fat sheep was -offered but met restricted competition. The yarding of store sheep comprised a mixed penning of lambs owes and wethers. Quality was indifferent and competition was accordingly restricted. Fat Lambs —(Prime heavy 17s 4d to 18 10s, prime 14s 4d to 16s 4d. Fat Sheep—Prime heavy ewes 10s Id to 12s 4d, light to medium 5s 4d to 7s 7d,, wethers, 13s lOd to 18s lOd. Store Sheep—Ewe lambs 12s 3d to 17s, medium lambs 6s 6d to 9s Id, MS lambs to 7s 6d, two-tooth wethers to 9s, wether lambs 3s 2d to 5s 6d. THE SHARE MARKET. The following sales were made on the Christchurch Stock Exchange yesterday : LISTED STOCKS.

Sales on ’Change. £ 8. d. 100 United Buildin 100 Broken Hill g ... Propty. 1 0 3 (cum div.) 3 G 5 3 G G 145 Cl. J. Coles (rights) (3) 2 10 G 2 10 9 100 Taranaki Oilfields 0 5 10 100 Woolworths (N.Z.) 0 19 0 100 Grey River 0 17 3 Sales Reported. 100 Broken Hill Propty. (cum div.) 3 C, 3 100 Woolworths (N.Z.) 0 19 0 UNLISTED STOCK > Sales on ’Change 300 Associated Gold Dredge (2) 0 7 0