COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 76, 28 March 1908, Page 8

COMMERCIAL.

PHTJIT 'AND 1 PRODUCE MARKETS. Business on the local fruit and produce market has been rather quiet during the past week, the bad weather prevailing having a very detrimental effect oil the demand for fruit particularly. The late gales resulted in large quantities of pears and apples being sent into the auctions which should not have arrived for some time to come, and values for both of these lines fell considerably on late rates, yet all were sold at what may be considered satisfactory prices. In grapes, although none were imported, heavy consignments of local indoor and outdoor varieties came to hand, and for the former prices were lower than last week. Fair quantities of local lemons were offered at the auction sales and sold at extreme values. No fruit came from Sydney this week, and the late arrival of the Navua from Tonga has left the market absolutely bare of bananas. In proj duce full supplies of potatoes arrived from Tasmania and the South, the whole being sold at satisfactory values to the importers. The supply of onions was fully up to requirements, being chiefly imported, and values were firmer. Grain, chaff, and fodder were firm at late rates. In dairy produce the supply of farmers' butter at the auction sales was very limited and the prices realised were well up to the value of factory make. Fresh eggs were very scarce and sold at high prices. There was a fairly heavy supply of farmers' cheese sent in,- but the majority could only be classed as from poor to inferior, making it difficult for sales to be effected. Poultry ' were penned in fairly good numbers, and where the condition was good for the table rates were high, whilst poor and inferior were only quitted at low rates. Young I pigs were in fair supply, owing to the extreme scarcity of feed throughout the province, and prices were unusually low. The i following were the ruling rates at the auction sales yesterday:—• Field Produce.— Potatoes: Local, prime, S/ to !)/ cwt; do., medium, 7/ to 7/6 do., poor, 4/ to 4/6: do., Tasmanian, prime, !)/ j to 9/6; do., medium to poor 7/6 to 8/. Kumaras: Local, Id to Ud lb. Onions: Local. 7/ to 8/ cwt.: do.. Southern, 7/6 to j 8/-, do., Victorian, 7/6 to 8/. | Dairy Produce.—Farmers' and separator butter, choice pats, 1/2 to 1/3 lb; do., farmers' bulk. lOd to lid.: do., milled, in bulk, i for export, 1/; do., pastry, lid to 1/. Fresh aggs, 1/6* to 1/7 dozen. Cheese: Factory, large, 6d to 6Jd lb.; do., loaf, Gld. to 7d. Bacon: Factory. 9d. to Old. Hams: Fac- I tory, 9Jd to 9Jd.

Fruit.—Apples: Local, dessert, extra special, 9/6 to 14/6 case; do., good, 7/ to S/; do., medium, 5/ to 6/; do., cooking, superior, 6/6 to 7/6; do., ordinary. 4/6 to 5/. Pears: Superior, dessert, 7/6 to 10/; do., good. 5/ to 6/; do., poor. 3/6 to 4/; do., cooking, choice, 4/ to 5/; do., medium, 2/9 to 3/6. Grapes: Indoor, extra special, up to 1/3 lb: do., good, 9d to 10d.; do., medium, 6jd to Bd.; do., outdoor, large, 3d. to 5d.; do., small, 2d. Tomatoes. Sd to 1/6 box. Oranges: Island, 7/6 to 10/ case. Lemons: Local, prime, cured, 12/ to 15/; do., uncured, 8/6 to 10/6; do., medium, 7/ to 7/6; do., rough, 3/6 to 5/. Passion-fruit: Choice, 4/ to 5/ box; do., inferior, 1/6 to If. Walnuts: Local, 5d to 6d lb.

Poultry.—Hens, heavy. 1/6 to 2/ each; do., small and poor. 1/ to 1/3: table roosters, heavy, 3/6 to 4/9; do., medium. 1/G to 2/6; cockerels. Od. to 1/3: ducks, 1/6 to 2/3. Miscellaneous.—Young pigs, superior and fully grown, 7/ to 9/ each; do., fairly good, 4/6 to 5/,

Mr. j. Jones reports the, following sales: —Poultry came forward in very large supplies to fatting market, hens being mostly In very poor condition. We quote: Roosters, 2/ to 2/10 ; corkrells. lOrt tn 1/4 : hens 1/1 to 1/6; docks, 1/4 to 2/2; tnrker gobbler. 6/ to 9/; hens. 3/6 to 4/6 : pigs, 5/9 to 11/3 ; potatoes, £7 10/ to £8 10/ • onions, 7/6 to 8/6; butter, keg and ex. 10d to lid; cheese, 4»d to 55d; bacon sides, 7d to 8d; hams. 7Jd to S*d : fruit, choice dessert app'es. 6/6 to 8/9: cookers. 5/ to 6/3: pears, 8.C., 8/ to 12/9; cookers. 3/ to 4/6; passion fruit, 2/9 to 3/10 : maize. 5/2 ; wheat. 5/: oats. 3/; bran. £R 15/; sharp, £7 15/ ; chaff, £5 15/ to £6 5/. STOCK SALES. The Auckland Farmers' Union. Limited, report :—At Paparoa on the 13th lust, we penned the advertised number of cattle and sheep. For the cattle competition was not as good as reported from the other cen-l tres, consequently several lines failed to I find buyers. The sheep yarded were an exceptionally go.od lot, and the bidding throughout was brisk, nearly everything! selling at the hammer. We quote: Fat] wethers from 16/ to £1 3/6; fat ewes, 14/6 to 17/; good-framed, well-woolled 2 and 4i tooth ewes, I*/ to 17/6; fresh fuU-mouUi ewes. 11/ to 15/; lambs, well-grown, strong, woolly, from 8/ to 12/., others 5/ to 7/6; store wethers, 13/ to 15/6. Cattle.—3-year-old steers, £4 5/ to £4 15/; 2-year-olds, £3 to £3 12/6; yearling steers, £1 10/ to £2 2/6; good-framed young empty cows, £2 10/ to £3 15/, the latter price being obtained for a fresh conditioned lot. Calves. — 12/6 to £1. I Dairy stock.—Anything promising was keenly competed for. and prices ranged from from £3 10/ to £6 5/. I At Warkworth on the 20th inst. conslderI ably more tiian the advertised number of stock was submitted to a good attendance of local and outside buyers; competition j was spirited throughout, only three pens lof cattle falling to change hands. Dairy stock were yarded In limited numbers, and good prices were obtained for anything young and close to profit, and for these we quote: £4 10/ to £6 15/, others £3 10/ to £4 5/; steers, £4 5/ to £4 17/6; 2-year-olds. £3 5/ to £3 15/; good 12 to 18 months' steers range from £1 15/ to £2 15/. Cows: Empty, young and fresh were wanted, and brought from £3 to £3 17/6, others £2 to £2 12/6. Weaners: A large number of these were offered, and for the steers we obtained from £1 to £1 12/6 ; heifers, 16/ to £1 5/. Sheep : Fat», only a few of these came in, and sold from 15/6 to 17/6; 2-tooth ewes, 16/ to 17/6; 6-tooth to fresh full-mouth ewes, 12/9 to 16/: old ewes. 5/6 to 9/. Lambs : The most of these were small, and sold from 5/6 to 8/6.

At the Kamo sheep sale on the 20th Inst, the advertised number did not come forward. There was keen competition throughout, every pen being cleared except one line of fat wethers which did not reach owner's expectation. Full-mouth ewes realised 8/3 to 12/6; 2, 4. 6-tooth and fullmouth. 12/9 to 14/6: for a line of good framed and well woolled ewes, 16/3 was paid. Store wethers brought 12/9 to 14/9; fats, 16/. Lambs sold at 5/10 to 9/6; Bomney 2-tooth rams fetched from £2 2/ to £3 18/. LONDON CABLE. (Received 9.6 p.m.) LONDON, March 2L I The Bank of England returns show that the stoci of gold coin and bullion is £39,381,000; reserve, £30,951,000; propor- i tlon of reserve to liabilities, 35.64. Notes In circulation-.—£28,262,000. Public deposits, £ 10,843,000; other deposits, £43,703,000. Government securities, £13,760,000; other securities, £37,248,000. Bank rate, 3 per cent. Three months' bills are discounted at 2 11-16 per cent Consols, £871. New South Wales three per cents, £884. "Victorian fours, £1031; 3i per cents, £100; three per cents, £S9. Queensland three per cents, £S9. Other stocks unchanged. The wheat market is dull and inactive, owing to excessive Argentine shipments, the weak American quotations, and the ab- i sence of Continental demand. No improvement is likely till the quantity on passage has appreciably diminished. Cargoes are quiet but fairly firm. The Australian steamer cargo sold at 36/lg, holders asking 37/. A March-April shipment sold at a

shilling less. For steamer parcels there is a better demand. Australian spot sold at 37/6 to 38/. The flour market is depressed. Australian is quiet at £27.

The butter market is dull. Danish has lowered six kroner to 112/ to 114/. Australian choicest, 106/; unsalted, 10S/. A

large proportion was heated during 'the voyage. There is fair inquiry for New Zealand at 110/ to 112/. Some large retailers reduced price to 1/ per lb. Copper, on spot, £60 15/; at three months £61 2/6. Tin, on spot, £143 10/: at three months, £141 10/. Lead, £14 7/6. Spelter £20. Iron, 52/7. Sugar: German, 11/5; first marks, 13/. The Bradford wool market is stagnant. Quotations are nominally: Forties, 9Jd; forty-sixes, lid.; common sixties, ' 23Jd.; supers, 24Jd. At the London wool sales crossbreds suitable for the American trade are selling well. Merinos are unchanged. The sales included: Dacre 7Jd, and Petane PAEROA STOCK SALE. Messrs Read and Gillespie held a stock sale at Paeroa yesterday. They report the following sales:—Heifers, £2 to £3 10/----yearlings. £1 5/ to £1 17/6; empty cows, £2 15/ to £5; milkers, £4 to £6; springers, £3 ~ €?: Piis: Suckers, 4/ to 10/; hacoaers, £12/6 to £2 5A Hatted £110/ to £6,

WOOL AND TALLOW. Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., have received the following cable from London: -Wool sales continue Irregular Prices have declined since last cabling you 5 per cent. Merinos, fine crossbred, 5 per cent 10 per cent, medium and crossbreds. Sales shortened four days. Tallow..—Prices have declined since last cabling you, 3d, 6d. Buyers doing hardly anything at present. I Messrs. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., have also | received the following cable from London Mutton, market is firmer; New Zealand lamb, market weaker as a result of heavy arrivals; Australian lamb, market firm; beef, unchanged. CHRISTCHURCH PRODUCE MARKET. " (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Only small quantities of wheat are offering and changing hands, sales being made on the basis of late quotations. Among the sales reported are 1700 bushels of Tuscan and Hunter's, at 4/3s. 250 bushels of pearl at 4/4, and 300 bushels of Tuscan at 4/4, at country stations. There is no business doing in either oats or chaff. Potatoes are weaker, as Quotations sent to Auckland have been declined on the ground that Tasmanian potatoes are offering at £3 15/, f.o.b. The price now offered locally is '£4 7/6 to £4 10/, at country stations. Onions are quoted at £5 to £5 5/.