COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16213, 16 May 1918, Page 8

COMMERCIAL.

♦ j 1 CULVERDEX MARKET. ; „ • was , an of 2000 sheep at the . Culvcrden sale on Tuesday, the majority ol the yardin? be.n- fats. .There was a . ; a!!:n ? ° n ln t!, <= quality of the fat sheep, but prices were v,cll maintained. Fat - u,atl ® to 30s id, wethers 25s to - 3as 6(1, and cvrca 23s to 3Cs. In the- store » pens ewe Jambs sold up to 27s Id, and - wether Jambs up to 19 s Id. There was a 1 S n f P '°Z ? business for fire minutes out "ir ? r tho lcem °rj of Mr Patrick . Kennedy, who was accidentally killed on Saturday night The nest f .]e, which is to take place on May 2Sth, a week earlier than ' date, J » mixed one of catti€, eheep, and jhorses. | A BIG LAND DEAL. ■Tr^i."^ aana W a t , Tim M" 6ays:_Mr John ) Kel ?bcll has sold his farming property, the , well-known To Kat a;v a Estate, Ohau, to ~r - m v F ° xtoa . tor £42,000 cash. . Mr Easton will probably take over the I ' !v° C w a "°l at , v 4 uat , ion - This is probablv I the largest cash land deal on this coast of 1 recent yeaTs. PETROL SUPPLIES. j THE POSITION REVIEWED. | (from a special correspondent.) WELLINGTON, May 15. , Correspondents in the country districts complain of great difficulty in obtaining petrol or benzine, and of the high rates ruling. These complaints appear to be gentral all over the Dominion. All sorts of fancy prices up to 45s per case appear to be | charged, and the only explanation vouchsafed is the shortage. From enquiries made in Wellington, the j shortage ia more artificial than real. The | imports of petrol by New 24? aland for 1917 j were considerably over a quarter of a million > cas?s moro than in 1916, and the totel im- ! port was nearly double what it was five j veers ago. The official figures for 1917 are not yet available, but the imports of various power oils in the previous three years were as followsl9l4, 6,832,G15 gallons; 1915, 8,256,229 gallons; 191G, 9,250,022 gallons. The imports for 1917 can only be guefsrd at", but they are probably more than ten millions. Of course there is increased consumption. The "Trade Review" states that the imports of motor vehicles for 1917 numbered M 672, for 1916 G174, 'and for 1915 3596, a total for three years of 14,442. During 1917 6679 care and 2314 motor cycles were registered. If there really is a shortage of petrol, then ■ there is a large consumption in unessential i running. There should be no petrol shortI ago with the quantities held in the Dominion by importers, merchants, and garages, and including shipments on the way. | Several large shipments are near at hand, and soon there ehould be available reasonable stocks for all legitimate essential requirements. For the time being, however, all users should be as careful ns possible in their consumption of petrol. That there is hoarding, especially in the country districts, appears to be highly probable. Holders can ask for any price they think a customer will pay, and 35s to 45s per case will be accepted if a customer will pay it, and sometimes ho is bound to have petrol, cost what it may. There is no control over the retailers' prioes.,

The Board of Trad© is understood to be looking into the whole matter with a view, if possible, to arranging for an improvement of the present situation from the point of view of the consumer ae distinct from the hoarder.

BURNSIDE MARKET. (press association telegram.)

DUNEDIN, May 15,

At Burnside market to-day, 218 fat cattle were yarded. Prices were on a par with last week's rates. Prime heavy bullocks brought £19 to £21, medium £15 10s to £18, light and unfinished £10 10s upwards, prime heavy heifers £14 to £16, medium £11 10s to £13, light and aged £9 to £11. Sheep.—l92o were penned. There were ■very fow prime sheep, the bulk being light and inferior. Good quality sold at an advance of -about 2s on last week's prices, and inferior realised lato rates. Prime heavy wethers 45s 6d to 50s 6d, prime 410 to 445, medium 37s to 40s, light and. unfinished 27s to 31s, prime heavy ewes 4Sa to 45s 3d, prime 38s to 41s, medium 32s to 375, light and aged 15s to 22s 6d.

Lambe.—2o74 were penned. The quality was fair. Freezers were buying at late rates. Specially heavy 46s to 535, prime 30s to 345. medium 27s to 295, light and unfinished 20s upwards.

Pigs.—A small yarding of all eorto sold under • keen competition. Best porkers BJd to Bfd per lb, best baconers 3d,

CHRISTCHURCH STOCK EXCHANGE. YESTERDAY'S TRANSACTIONS. Sales reported:—Union Bank, £56 2s 6d: Mutual Benefit,. £11, - LATEST QUOTATIONS.

YESTERDAY'S BUSINESS ON OTHER EXCHANGES. (press association telegbamb.) AUCKLAND. Sales.—South British, £6; Auckland Gas, 28s 6d; Talisman, 83 10d. DUNEDIN. Sales.—Mt. Lyell, 28s 6d; Talisman, 8s 9d; Huddart-Parker, 39a Bd, 39a 9d, 39s 10d, 40s; Now Zealand Refrigerating 38s Gd. Sales reported.—Paper Mills, . 21a; , Hud-dart-PaAer, 40b, 40s Id. y

Buyers. Sellers. £ a. «L £ a. d BANKS— New . Zealand (fully paid) 17*12 0 — New Zealand (£3 6s 6d paid) .. .. 12 2 6 12 5 0 Union 56 0. 0 — BREWERIES— Manning .. 3 0 0 ' — COAL— Taupiri .. .. 0 19 6 — Westport-Stockton 0 7 6 0 8 0 FINANCIAL— Mutual Benefit .. — 11 0 0 INSURANCE— National (cum dir.) ... — S 1 0 New Zealand 9 2 6 9 5 0 MEATS— N.Z. Refrigerating „ 1 18 0 1 19 6 SHIPPING— Huddart-Parker .. 2 0 0 — MISCELLANEOUS— Colonial Sugar (Fiji and • N.Z. prof.) .. — 20 7 6 Cooper and Duncan .. 0 12 6 — N.Z. Consolidated Dental (cum div.) .. 15 0 — N.Z. Drug Co. (£2 pd.) 2 12 9 — Farmers' Co-op. .. 2 2 0 2 3 6 MINING — Consolidated Goldfiolda — 0 6 0 Talisman .. .. 0 8 6 —