COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 127, 29 May 1919, Page 10

COMMERCIAL.

OUR IMPORTS. Auckland Star Office, Thursday, May 2), 1919The ngures available for the last quarter show an increase of over two millions on any of the previous three corresponding quarters, which is roughly a third increase. Food stuffs and beverages are the only divisions not sharing In the increase over 191S, but both lines are heavier than in 1917 or 1916. The total of the sort goods section is nearly double the average o£ the three previous quarters under review. The largest increases are: Cotton piece goods, fTOO.OOO; apparel, £1B5,OOO; silks, £95,0U0; and hosiery, fins. 000. The returns show that soft goods is easily the largest section or our import trade. TUe hardware division shows an increase at last. Compared with 1918, there is an improvement of 0)5,000. The heaviest increases are in tin, £76.000; iron pipes, £25,U00; dairying and agricultural machinery together, £43,000; hardware and tools, each £19.000; and nails, £13,000. Bar lroa shows a heavy decrease. Food stuffs show a much heavier total la the last two years than in the two previous ones. This is largely due to our having to import a considerable quantity of grain and llonr. also the other big item in this section, 6ucar, shows a very heavy increase this year. EFFECT OF AUSTRALIAN STRIKE. It iwould appear as if the future of the produce market in the Dominion this winter depends to a great extent upon the facilities afforded for forwarding shipments co Sydney. There appears to be a ■big demand at tie present time for produce for Sydney, at prices which would pay to erport "from New Zealand, hut fear of the steamers being hi'-ld up in consequence of tie strike in Australia is preventing shipping companies from sending boats across at the present time. As soon, however, as matters settle down over there it Is most ttkely that free shipments will be made of produce from New Zealand, with the result that prices will firm in tie Dominion. POTATOES. The greater portion of shipments of potatoes by the Walniarino was distributed from tie ship's side, and merchants will require to draw upon stocks in stores until tie next steamer arrives Tvith further supplies, in about a week or ten days' time. The consumption of potatoes in Auckland is very heavy at the present time, so stocks "will be pretty well cleared before the next lot comes to hand from the south. Large shipments of potatoes are reported to have been dispatched to Sydney from both Wellington and Lyttelton. Inquiries toes for the Sydney market. Tie only question is whether space can he secured for shipments to the Commonwealth. If it is available, then heavy export will take place, and. prices locally "should advance in consequence. A vleraand ias started for enriy seed potatoes, but it is a little too . soon for much business to be done in these ' lines. ONIONS. The market for onions ias again firmed, as stocks here are not heavy, and heavy shipments iave been made from tie south to Sydney. Supplies in Auckland at the i moment are scarcely equal to the require- i ments of this market. Supplies of local onions neing about done, this market has 1 to depend upon the south, and later Stocks ; bourne at higher figures. The quotation : to-day stands at 13/6 to 14/ per cwt ex store. : MAIZE. Small lots of maize came to iand since ' last report, and owing to colder weather ' havinir set in there is more consumption ' of this grain, "with the result tiat prices continue firm at S/ per bushel for wholesale lines on the wharf. OAT lIARKET FIRM. After the very remarkable fluctuations in price, during the past few months, the oat market is now pretty firm at higher prices than were asked a -n-eek ago. Locally no further supplies are expected. from the sotsth until the Waimarino ar--rives in aT>out ten days' time. Supplies arriving from the south have not been Quite equal to requirements o? late, in spite of the fact that the high prices have apparently lessened the consumption of feed oats in tills district. The position of the oat market in the south is somewhat uncertain, line to the fact that, pending settlement of the strike on the other side, shipments of oats cannot be sent across, which demand 1; reported for oats for Australia If only shipment were possible while the market is good. SEED OATS. Machine-dressed clipped Algerian seed > oats are meeting with very steady sale. Only Southern grown seed is offering. i CHAFF. The market Is fairly well supplied with chaff at the present time, and the Kokiri brings another shipment from Blenheim but most of this has been sold for delivery from the ship's side- Tie quality of the ehnrr coming forward from Rangitikei of late has not been quite up to the standard Buyers therefore are now more inclined to ask for Blenheim chaff than was tie case a few weeks a;o. Quotations continue firm ar last -week's rates, with a tendency to higher prices in the near future. BRAN AND SHARPS. The demand for both these lines far exeeds zhe supply. This is particularly the position as far as sharps are concerned it beinz practically impossible to fill th= orders sent in. FOWL WHEAT. Ample supplies of good fowl wheat have been received from the South. As the harvest svas a good one this year in Nesv zealand. aud milling wheat purchased in Australia is still being brought across, there should be little danger of a sr-arcitv of milling wheat this winter. A wheatiueal Is now selling freely which is stated to be an excellent feeding article for poultry HAT. The demand for hay is not quite so keen since the rains set iv. No doubt a good deal or hay will he required for feeding stock as the new growth of grass require* a certain amount of dry feed with it to ke"e D cattle^ good condition. Local hay hriuss etation'. ' O Per toa on trucks at Auckland MANURES. : WHOLESALE CURRENT PRICES Farm and Dairy Produce Firtni-ir h * tvheat, < v ex store- imi™ a, ' • fowl Hnea on the wharf ' uuuze ' S/ - wholesale Chaff.—Best local £U i,-,, Southern, £12 10/ lu ' P<* ton; m lt>/ per ex°s I t I o O rt:- SOUthcrn ' MW to 14/ per C wt, FLAX AND GUM. Comparatively little • , done in these lines at the n 13 llein ~ As f*r as fanri ~um & eo£.J, re f en l Um e. cannot be overlooked tha £ J, Che fact earninj a irvmg hy diA'nl I " men are to the fact that workis m m;? Do doul « wajres which pay barter \ F<5 pleiulf ul at good gum v sent in'nnds to the comparatively a li^ tt^t£^S Floi is practicaUy ne-'lectPrt - " ffen "S. freights demanded preclude ™ h tLe bl^h of shippers being ab£ to n£ke » PUSSlblllt - v the prices now offerinc inTT. h pront at the market is very (Sf Xh "* cable advice. to latest WOOL TACKS. The Increased rates of exehan-p !„ t ~ bid fair to add considerably to th e .H^ 3 wool packs for our next season's eh %£' also applies to cornsacks. *" als ON 'CHANGE. Several investment lines sold at Who figures on the Exchange this week Wi'iSn N.Z. Cement sold very freely s iD ? e lL report from IS/2 to 15/6, and' new buyers offer 18/. bat no seller quoted under 17 Considerable numbers ot shares were during the week, several thousand changing hands at one call. Hikurange Coal shares again sold at 9/ and Northerns at SA while buyers of preference Taui'iri advanced to 24/, v.Hthout sales result' ll ?- Inquiry was made this week "or Corccercial Bank shares at i<3 4/, ami Ban'-

of Xew Zealand, fully paid issue, changed hands at £1S 10/. Sales of South British Insurance shares took place yesterday afternoon at £7 16/ C while Xew Zealands were asked for at £13 13/. .Loan and (Mercantile stock had buyers at £106. HuddartPar&er Steam firmed to buyers at £2 0/6 and P. and O. Deferred could now be placed J-' , Bn y e « came in yesterday for Kauri Timber contributing issue at £1 v>/s Woollen shapes had a good advance Since last report, Kaiapoi ordinary issue Ibelnnow wanted at £7 IS/, preference at £6 9/" %?^ o} per cent - debentures, either Oitv or Harbour Board, and £90 5/ for N Z \\Z B°nds (1030). al 3o £96 10/ for l£ zml % nt J pc V ent - stock sold at £00 10/ ana o per cent, were wanted at £3o r.,. AUCKLAND STOCK SALES. A^y^mp^rl^Tepo^- 11^ 11^ The*™' .""I, *&* ™« reaS. mere was a slight improvement in the soW an V? r StOre Cattle - aII ™nned beta? sold. Dairy cows and 'heifers closp tn proflt, best. £16 to £22, others ill 13/ backward cows and heifers, £6 to £9 10/ : empty cows £3 to £6: bulls, £5 to £U 10/; £20/ S helfers ' £3 5/ to £4; calves, £1 to At Tuakau on Thursday we had a small yarding, with prices on a par with other sales except calves, which were slightly We yarded more.than the usual number of cattle at Takapuna on Monday, all classes being represented. A good attendance of buyers resulted in spirited bidding throughout, practically everything changing hands. Best dairy cows and heifers, at proflt, £U2 15/ to £17 5/, good £9 to £12 10/, others from £o 10/; empty cows and heifers, £3 to £7 10'calves. 15/ to £2 15/; fat cows, Si 7/6 to £12 15/: bulls. £5 10/. Alfred Buckland and Sons, Ltd., report:— At Westfleld yards on Thursday we penned less than our average number or dairy and store stock, and these sold at late values. Best dairy cows made from £15 15/ to £1S 10/, second quality £12 10/ to £15, others £S 10/ to £12 5/. aged and inferior ±4 5/ to £7 in/: nice quality*heifers at proflt £10 10/ to £15, small and backward £5 to £8 10/; calves, £2 11/; two-year-old steers, £6 3/. On Thursday we held a clearing sale on account of Mr Ed. Bent. Aka Aka. Waluku. There was an extra large attendance, and we report a most successful sale, everything realising high values. Cows to calve July and August made from £14 to £1S 10/; three-year-old heifers, £13 10/ to £17 10/, two-year-olds £9 to £12 10/: pedigree Shorthorn bull, IS months old, Sjgns; IS-month and two-year-old steers, £5 13/ to £7; horses, £14 to £30. On Friday, in the Pukekohe yards, we held a special sale of cattle and sheep on account of Mr Jno. Kneebone, Waiplpl. Buyers were present and prices obtained were an improvement on late sales. Two to three-year-old steers £0 15/ to £S 10/, yearling to 18-month steers and heifers £3 to £4 15/; calves. £1 15/ to £2 10/; two to three-year-old heifers, in calf. £6 10/ to £10 15/; cows in calf, £7 to £12; 2 and 4-tooth ewes in lamb 19/ to £1 4/. full-mouth ewes in lamt> 10/ to 14/. 2-tooth wethers £1 1/ to £1 4/0; shorn lambs, 7/ to 12/; Romney rams, 41gns. We held our monthly sale at rukekohe on Monday, and, for the time of year, had an average yarding. Dairy stock and beef sold at ruling prices, but there was a slightly better demand for stores. Dairy cows and ing to quality, fat cows and heifers. £7 10/ to £13 5/: small fat steers, £10 10/ to £14: very fresh two-and-a-haH to three-year-old steers. £S 10/ to £10 1/; two-year-old to two. and-a-half-year-olds £f! 15/ to £S: eighteenmonth to two-year-olds. £5 to £6 10': heifers, same age, £5 to £7 10/: best calves, £2 to £2 12. good calves £1 14/ to £1 IS/, smaller calves £1 5/ to £1 1.5/. other calves 10/ to £1 1/: empty cows, £3 10/ to £6 10/. At Puni on Tuesday we ueirr a clearing sale on account of Mr Jos. Landon. There was again an extra large attendance, with competition spirited throughout. The dairy cows made from £10 10/ to £22 for best, others £12 to £15 10/; bulls. £5 5/ to £10 10/; horses, £11 to £18 10/; sows in pig. £8 6/ to £10 10'; light porkers. £2 to £2 5/; store ewes, 11/3 to 16/3; lambs, 13/6.

FAJ? STOCK MARKET. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., report:— At the Westfleld. fat stock market beef was penned in scarcely average numbers, and competition -was keen, with prices better. Choice ox sold to £2 11/ per 1001b, others £2 7/ to £2 10/. Cow and heifer beef sold at from £2 3/ to £2 8/ per lUOlb. In some cases these prices were exceeded. Steers sold at from £12 10/ to £22 2/0. Cows and heifers sold at from £8 to £14 17/6. Some of the averages were: —Eight steers from Mr B. Held, Waerenga, £19 13/; 16 steers from Mr F. Bregmen Waiuku, £17 15/6; 12 steers from. Waikato, £10 7/6; four cows and heifers, same vendor, £12 17/6; eight small steers from Mr J. Glren. Waiuku, fl4 18/9; eight small steers from Mr H. Waring, Taupiri, £13 5/; nine cows from Mr W. H. Walker, Matamata, £10 5/6. Calves came forward in very small numbers, about one-half the 'usual being penned. Extreme prices ruled. No heavy runners were penned, the oldest being a choice 15 months heifer, which made £8 15/; heavy vealers, £5 to £6 10/, mefflum £3 15/ to £4 18/; light £2 12/ to £3 13/; lighter fat calves 18/ to £2 15/; fresh dropped, 7/ to 15/. Sheep were penned in more than average numbers. For those of good quality competition* was keen at last week's rates. Inferlorly-fatted sheep were neglected and hard to quit. Heavy wethers, £1 10/9 to £2 3/, medium £1 15/ to £1 19/3, light £1 11/ to £1 14/0, inte-riorly-fatted £1 6/ to £1 10/9; heavy ewes, £1 13/9 to £1 17/0, medium £1 9/ to £1 13/6. light £1 5/ to £1 S/9, inferlorly fatted, 11/ upwards. Lambs weTe penned in less numbers than usual, competition for good qual'.ty being firm, prices being slightly in advance of last report. Best sold from £1 7/9 to £1 13/3, for a pen from Mr. W. Batty, Karaka. medium 1/3 to £1 7/3, small 18/ to £1 2/9, inferior 0/ upwards. Pigs: An average yarding, with last week's rise fully sustained, in some cases improved upon. No choppers were yarded. Heavy baconers, £5 5/ to £R. medium £4 5/ to £5 2/R: heavy porkers, f3 10/ to £4 4/. medium £3 to £3 0/, light £2 to £2 10/. unfinished £1 4/ to £1 8/: weaners, good. 15/ to 19/, small 11/6 to 14/. Alfred Buckland and Fons report:— • Yesterday at our weekly Westneld fat stock market we sold beef to the number of 30S head, comprising 179 steers, 129 cows and heifers. The steer department included several trucks of extra prime cattle. There was an improved demand, and all prime beef was firmer by 10/ to 15/ per head. Choice ox sold to £2 11/ per 1001b; prime ox, £2 8/ to £2 10/; ordinary and rough beer, £1 15/ to £2 4/; cow and heifer beef, £1 19/ to £2 5/. Steers ranged in price from £10 10/ to £22 17/6; cows and heifers, £7 to £16 5/. The highest averages for steers were: —24 from the South, £20 15/; 27 ex rail, £20 11/6; 32 from a client, £20 7/6; S from Mr. Geo. G. Hull, Otaua, Waiuku. £19 2/6; 10 local, £17 10/1: 7 from Mr <Jeo. UiddeU's Marokopa property, £16 3/10: 17 cows from same place, £11 16/3: 30 from Mr W. T. Cox, Watta-karm-u. £14 11/9; 8 from Mr J. S Tretheway, Wathou, £14 5/11; 20 from Ohura, £13 13/7; 15 cows from same place, £11 17/8; There was a heavy yarding of sheep, and the quality was a decided improvement on last week's market. Competition was keen throughout, with a further advance in value of all prime mutton. Extra heavy prime wethers, £2 to £2 3/6 for a pen from Mr .T. Black. Opotlki: 120 from Mr R. J. Bell. Ranganui. Papatoetoe, averaged £2 0/3: heavy prime wethers, £1 17/6 to £1 10/9; 240 two-tooth ewes and wethers from Messrs. Dingle and Son, Waikteklc averaged £1 17/6: medium to heavy prime wethers, £1 15/ to £1 17/: light fat wethers. £1 11/ to £1 14/; unfinished wethers, £1 4/ to £1 10/; extra heavy prime ewes, £1 17/ to £2 0/9: S7 from Mr J. Flanagan, Ohura. averaged £1 19/5: heavy prime ewes. £1 14/ to £1 18/6; good fat ewes. £1 10/ to £1 12/: other killable ewes, £1 3/ to £1 6/: other ewes, 10/ to £1 2/ (1932 sold). The 271 lambs which came forward sold readllv. Best heavy, £1 6/ to £1 S/6: lichter prime, £1 3/ to £1 5/6: light, 18/ to £1 1/; stores, 10/f! to 14/6. 'Fat and young calves were again short of requirements. and prices were high. Runners mnde from £6 to £7 7/6; vealers, heavy, £4 13/ to £5 15/;

medium, £3 10/ to £4 14/; light, £2* 10/ to £3 8/; small and fresh dropped, 6/ to -£2 8/ (40 sold). Pigs came forward in average numbers. Competition was keen at ° prices slightly under last week's high rates, i Large choppers and heavy baconers made s from £6 10/ to £8 15/; small choppers and , light baconers, £4 10/ to £0 8/; porkers, : large, £8 10/ to £4 7/0; medium, £2 18/ to . £3 8/; small, £1 18/ to £2 10/; slips, £1 to ■ £1 15/; weaners. 9J to 12/. £180 sold). [ Dalgety and Company, Limited, report : having held their weekly fat stock sale at I Westfield on Wednesday, as under:— IJeef—A good yarding and prices about the same as last week. Prime ox sold at ' £2 9/ per lOOlu; medium quality, £2- 1/ to 1 £2 7/; cow, £2 to £2 4/; second quality cow, SO/. A good line from Mr. Troutbeck's ; Galatea Station averaged £18 10/, the top price being £23 17/6. Veal—A very small yarding and prices considerably better than last week. Runners made £6, ordinary suckers i 2 10/ to £3 10/, others from 10/ to 30/. Mutton—Medium yarding and prices about the same as last week. Good wethera taade from 37/ to £2 2/, medium 32 to 35/, light 35/ to 30/; heavy ewes 33/, medium 22/ to 27/. Lamb—Medium yarding, which sold at last week's rates. Good quality lambs 30/, medium 15/ to 23/. Pork—Fair yarding and prices about tho same as Jast week. Heayy croppers £7, porkers £2 10/ to £3 15/, choppers £3 to £0 5/. HIDES AND TALLOTW MARKET. Dalgety and Company, Limited, report having held their weekly sale of hides, etc., on Tuesday, as under:— Hides—Best butchers', ox, stout, 12Jd to 13d; medium, lid to 12d; light. IOJd to Hid; cow, best, IOJd to lid; light, 10d to 103 d; yearlings, 10d to lljd; calfskins, best, l<d; heavy and meaty, lod to 13d; cut, damaged and dirty hides, at 3d to fid less. Tallow—Tins, 21/ to 30/; casks, 2-3/ to 40/ per cwt. Hair—Tail, 1/5 to 1/6J; mane, 10d. Bones, £8 a ton. Horse hides, 5/ to 10/. Messrs Abraham and Williams report for 27th May:— ■Hides.—Cow, best, IOJd to 10? d; medium, iod to lOJd;" rough, 0d to OJd; scored, 7}d to SJd; cut, Sd to S»d; damaged 6d to GJd; ox. extra heavy l'jd'to 13d; heavy, 12d to 12* d; medium, lljd to 12d; light, lid to lljd; cut, OJd to IOd; damaged, tijd to 7d; yearling, 9jd to 10d; cut, 7Jd to 8d; damaged, s}d to 6d; calf, good, 16d to lfcid; medium, 14d to 15U; heavy, lid to Hid; damaged, 7jd to 1)J<1; cut, Ojd to IOd: horse, 9/ to 10,; medium, 8/ to S,(i; sinail, 5/ to «/: cut, 4/ to 4/O. Tallow.—Advanced, market firm: Casks, best, 3C/9 to 40/; medium, CO/O to 3e/t>; ordinary, 34/ to 83/ per cwt; tius, best, 35/; ordinary, 33/0; dreggy and burnt, 30/ per cwt. Bones.—oGod, dry, £7 10/ to £S per ton. ADDINGTOX. OHRISTCHLIKCH. Wednesday. At Addinston market to-day there wero moderate yardings of fat cattle and fat lambs, and a small yarding of sheep. There were fair entries in other departments, except store cattle and pigs, in which very few were offered. Fat lambs and fat sheep ndvanced a further 1/ and ]/'j n bead. Prime and fat rattle wore also firmer, but much of* the yarding was unfinished. There was little or no change in the other classes of stock except vealers. whi'"h were dearer. Uange of prices was as follows:— Store Sheep—Two-tooth ewes, to 22/2 four, six nnd eifrht-tooLh c»«, 21/10 to 25/10; sound-mouth ewes, 17/4 to 17/11; two and four-tooth wethers, to 24/: four and six-tooth wethers. to i">/4; soundmouth wethers, to 21/; ewe lambs, to 17/15; mixed lambs, to 15/7; wether lambs, 13/1 to 15/2. Fat Lambs —Extra prime to 34/. prime 29/ to S2'«, medium 23/ to 2S/u, lighter 17/3 to 22/6. Fat Sh^ep—Extra prime wethers to 44/, prime 34/8 to 41/. medium 30/ to 34/. ■M/ 6 to 20/ C; extra prime ewes to 30/, prime 31/ to 34/0, medium 23/ti to 30/0, lighter 15/ to 23/Fat Cattle—Extra prime stores to £25 7/6, prime £14 15/ to £10 5/, ordinary £0 17/G to £14; extra prime heifers to £15 7/6,

prime £9 15/ to £14, ordinary £5 10/ to £9 15/; Prime cows, £10.5/ to £13 12/6, ordinary £5 10/ to £10; prime vealers £5 9/ to £7 7/, good £3 S/ to £5, fair £2 to £2 19/, small and inferior sorts 3/ to IX 10/; dairy cows, '.Pigs— Choppers, £6 to £S 2/; baconers, f4 5/ to £0 15/, equal to Sid a 11); porkers, £2 7/ to £3 10/, equal to IOJd a lb. LONDON MARKETS. I.OXDOX, May 16 (delayed). Wolfram.—lt is nnnoanced that producers of wolfram ore in the British Empire -will be compensated out of public funds for cancellation of their contracts with the Government on the basis of their output for the pant two years. Wool. —Competition was keen at the sales, to-day. Super eombinge made top prices, but carbonising sorts were slow.—(A. and X.Z.) N.S.W. WHEAT HARVEST. The final returns of the results of the wheat harvest for the season 191S-19 have been received, and the quantities produced of grain and of hay in the various divisions of the State are now available. «• The area harvested for grain was 2,410,530 acres, which includes 222,050 acres which failed entirely. The production of grain amounted to 5,825,845 bags, equivalent (on yie basis ot rhe operations of the Wheat Pool, which showed rather more than 3 bushels per bag this season) to 17,832,1)10 bushels, or 7.4 bushels per acre. Karller in the year it was estimated that the yield of grain would be 15,015,000 bushels. The production of hay was 510,200 tons, equal to an average yield of 0.8 tons per acre. The area which was fed-off was 185,0."0 acres or 54,520 acres less than was anticipated at the commencement of the year. Of the total wheat produced, viz., 17.5:i2,!)10 bushels, m,705,000 bushels, equivalent to 4,51)7,500 bags, have already been pooled, the balance representing the quantity which was retained for seed purposes, which wns destroyed or otherwise bandied by the farmers.