COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17060, 3 February 1921, Page 7

COMMERCIAL.

THE POTATO CROP. ACREAGE PLANTED IN CANTERBURY. Mr David Jones, president of ttid Farmers' Union, has reecived from the Minister of Agriculture (tho Hon. "VV. Xosworthy) retiirns relating to tho estimated area in potatoes in Canterbury and North Otago. Mr J. Kerrigan, District Superintendent for Cantorbury, in estimating the area planted, or to be planted, in Canterbury this season ;it 9111 acres, status: "It will bo seen that the area is approximately 73 per cent, of Inst year s acreage." The figures are as follows: Cheviot, G5 acres; Amuri, 51; Waipara, 32; Ashley, ' 33; Oxford, 50; Ko\va.i. 202 ; Rangiora, 350: Eyre, 490; Wainiairi, 10CU; Paparua, 1050; Malvern, 200; Tawora, 31; Hoatlicoto, 100; Seiwyn, 100; Springs, 370; Halswell, !&S;' Ellosmere, 507; Mount Herbert, 17; Waircwa. S; Akaroa, 1; Ashburton, 9:30; Geraldine, GG2 ; Levels, 614; Mackenzie, 85; Waimate, 1900. Total, 0111 acres. In Otago 332 acres are planted in Oamaru, as against 413 last season. The decrease hero is stated by Mr W. D. Snowball, District Superintendent, to be due to labour and expenses ana uncertainty of prices. fho usual area of 40 acres has.been planted in Kurow, and there arc about' 80 acrea in Palmerston, the latter not being u potato-growing district. Many Pa;iner< Bton fanners grow scarcely sufficient foi their own requirements. "The area this season is about tho same as last year. FREIGHT, ON CHEESE. PROTEST AGAINST INCREAS& (rROil OTTR OWN COREKSPONDENT.) LONDON. December 10. At the time of writing, negotiations are proceeding with regard to the freight -which, tho shipowners have decided shall bo charged for cheese carried from New Zealand to the Home Country, but so far no new arrangement has been made. In response to a cablegram from Mr Massey, the Prodnco Department of the High Commissioner's office has taken up tho matter, but, in addition, an independent mooting of the Home and Foreign Produce Exchange, at which the principal agents for New Zealand cheese were fully represented, was held to consider the question. Some of theso agents have already sold a portion of the_ Dominion cheese, whioh has not yet arrived, on a c.i.f. basis, but subject to any rise in freight, so that they are duly protected. The object of their meeting was merely as a protest on bohalf of the producers whom they reprc sent and the consumers in this country. It was decided at tho meoting to for. ward a letter to tho Australasian Refrigerated Tonnage Committee, a Department of the Ministry of Shipping, asking them to receive a deputation from the agents and brokers, header! hj Mr Arthur J. Mills (of Messrs Mills and Sparrow, Tooley was chairman of the meeting. A reply is awaited. Under the system of control the shipping companies sold their refrigerated space to the Government on a basis of 132s 6d per 40 cubic feet, which, worked out at the rate of 1 6-16 d per pound. It has now been disclosed that the companies applied to the Tonnage Commit* tee in November, and were granted an increased rate of 144s per cubic foot, which represents 1 7-16 d per pound, this rate to be retrospective to March, 1919. It is on this latter basis that the shipping companies have arranged theif present charge of ljd plus* 10 per cent. This, however, is equal to'l 13-20 d pe* pound, a matter of 17-80 d more than the allowance made by the Government, or an increase of £2 per ton. Although tho rate is above the equivalent of the chartered rate paid by the Imperial Government to the shipowners, it is maintained that the Government rate did not include coastal charges. This, of course, is a moot pouit, as the agents here affirm that the Government's net freight included coastal charges. Then again, as one representative of tho shipping companies pointed out to me, in converting the_ cubic rate to a poundage rate a margin has been left for broken stowage. According to the same authority, the cost of shipbuilding is four times as much as in pre-war days. The cost of working is three times as much! Freight for cheese was Jd per pound before tho war, and the present increase, he maintained, .is not in proportion to the increase in the costs of transport. Certainly the price of cheese had not risen proportionately to the increase in freight, but that fact could not be a prime consideration. In any case, they could; not be expected to charge less than it cost to cany the goods, and if they took anything off the proposed charge it would bo a sacrifice —a sacri'ficc which they might make on occasions to help to develop an industry, hut which tho present circumstances did not warrant. In spite of this assertion, however, another shipping manager was of opinion that some measure of reduction would eventually bo made. An unfavourable comparison has slso been made between tho freights charged , from New Zealand and those from otlior parts of tho world. Apainft tins it is asserted that the difficulty of obtaining outward freights to the Dominion is greater than in tho caso of many other countries, and some of tho steamers have to return with a limited cargo, and in some eases part of tho voyage is made in ballast. AUSTRALIAN WHEAT. (By Cable—Press i (Australian, and N.Z. .C»b»e Association.) LONDON, Feliuary 1. The celling prico of Australian, wheat has been reduced to 92a fid. SYDNEY WOOL SALES. (Received February 2nd, 9.15 p.m.) , SYDNEY, February 2. The wool sales were continue:! to-day. 1 There were sorno attractive offerings, but others showed tho effects of the drought. Japanese and American buyers were again active. SHROPSHIRE STUD SALE. An important sale of stud sheep ha 3 been effected through tho agenty of Messrs H. Matson and Co., Mr Rupert Parry, tho wellknown Shropshire breeder, of Timaru, hav- : i;i? disposed of tho cwo section of his atud .:n.i tho bulk of iho rams to Messrs J. and *'. Johns (Belfast;. Mr l'=rry'» r'.ud is viewed by breeders as one of the best in thf Dominion, and the disposal ij due solely to his advancing years. It 13 satisfactory to rots that his retirement does not tr.cim iydispersal, and that it i 3 going practically in its entirety to other l:=en Down breeders. The mirchnse made by Messrs Johns tiros, comprises 90 four, six, and eight-tooth ewes, 40 one-shear owes, 80 ewe hoygeta, and 3 rams. CENTRAL SYDENHAM BUSINESS PROPERTY. CraddccVa Agency Coy., Limited, eold yesterday, on account of James Howey, Esq., tiose valuable central Sydenham business premises, being >"*>•• 453 and 455 Colombo street, having a frontage of »bout 56 feet thereto by a depth of three chains. Tho buildings consist of two commodious shops, also dweljing-rooroa and storerooms, and a number of useful outbuildings. The ptnchaser is Mr F. Cusack, and tho price wa* thoroughly fiatiafactory to both parties. 7201 j BUHNSIDE MARKET. ' (PBESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAMS.) DUNEDIN, February 2. ' There were good yardings in all classes o. fat stock at Burnsido to-day. With the exception of pigs prices in most instances were well maintained, but sheep were back fuiiy Is per head. The sheep sale lurke-i epirit, and many pens were, hard to dispose of towards th& close. I lb* jig Ml* wt» sag «aiiai*dory» ©new

being much firmer than those ruling last week. The yarding of fat cattle included many animals of excellent quality, but towards the ' end these were hard to quit. The quality of. lambe offered was also very good, and competition was very keen for lambs. Freezing' buyers were operating' freely. Fat Cattle—The yarding numbered 214 head, of good quality. The sale opened with prices again a little lower than last week's Tates, with a falling "tendency. Towards the end of the day cattle were hard to quit. Extra prime heavy-weight bullocks brought up< to- £25, prime from £l9 to £23 10s, medium. £l6 10s to £lB 2s 6d, others from £l3. Prime cows, heifers, to £l4, medium from £ll 17s 6d to £l3, others, from £8: ■ Store .Cattle—A large yarding was offered. Very few pens of good cattle were forward. A number of young- steers and heifers were sold at very low rates, but prices for cattle in forward condition were equal to late rates. Sheep—There was a yarding of 2695 head of good quality. Competition, wae slack, and reduced prices had to be accepted in order to effect eales. Extra prime heavyweight wethers realised up to 43s 9d, prime 34s 3d to 39», others 28s to 345. No extra hoavy-weight ewes were forward. Prime ewes realised up to 28s 6d, and others from 22s to 25s per head. Lamb—There was ft- yarding of fair quality, numbering 479 head. Competition .~~~ whs brisk, and prices were on a par with last week's rates. Prima lambs realised up to 31s 9d, medium 25a to 28s, light and unfinished sorts 20s. Pigs—There was a small yarding, consisting mostly of baconers. Competition was fairly keen, and prices were much firmer than last week. Prime baoonenj realised up £6 18s, and prime porkers up to £4 10b per ; head. ATTCTION' SALE OP CURIOSITIES. Auction sale of curiosities, conducted by Jcf>_C. Smith, of the City Market, account of Mr Soott, Wright's road:—Spears. 20s. £2 6s, £2 6s, £2 10s, £2 15s each; plaques, 328, £3 10b, £5 10s eaoh; Chinese ornaments, 22s 6di, 80s, £5 10s each; Eastern jars and vases. £3 16s eaoh; Chinese incense bowl, £2 15s; Pekin bowl, £11; bow], £8 ' * Ills; 2 Chinese pictures, £6 6s each; Eastern fire screen, £6 6s; Japanese fruit dish, 85s; small carved table, 455; qu£H work baskets, 87s 6d; Sideboard, £6 10s; wardrobe, £5 15a; suite, £7; duoheaso, £4; lawn mower, 555. Keen cormietition was displayed throughout the sale! At the weekly sale at the City Market competition was displayed throughout the day, and a good clearance ■was made. The enquiry for implements, traps, etc., combined with produce, poultry, and furniture, with 4 pens of pigs' registered the best Bale since the New Year H. C. Smith, Auctioneer- ~ . 7905 THE FARMERS' SALEYARDS. F P. Claridge and Co. report haying sold bv public auction:—Blk pony £l3, Vgeld. £lO lis, b mare £l9, g geld. £ll lCs, blk geld. £lO blk cob £8 lCs, b geld. £8 7s 6d, b sreld. £5, blk geld. £5, blk geld. £4 15a, grejf leld £4. saddle and bridle £2 ss, set harness £3 ss. collar 16s, set harness £1 6s,

set trotting l harness £2 ss, sad. and bridle £2 12s 6d, set harness £9, sei harness £7; four-wheeled buggy £9, s.p. dray £22, tip dray £39, dogcart £8 ss, gig £4, roller £6, garden plough £5, cabin trunk 17s Cd, 16-gal. copper 20s, B. rail bedstead 245, sacks la, 10<i, 9d, to 6d each; large quantity jam jars at 4s, 6s, and 8s per dozen. Also a great quantity of sundries that have accumulated during the past few months were sold without reserve to make_ room for tho ever-growing demand for grain and' produce space. Chaff from'- 2s 3d, 8s 6d, 4s, sa, to 6s'6d i>er sack, e.i.; oats from 6s 6d, 17a Bd, 17s 9d, to 21s 9d per bag, s.i. ;• large quantity of hay for shipping orders up £9 10s per ton. Pigs—Weaners, small. 14s to 19s each. Stores, no demand, so had to be passed in at 30s. Dogs—Sporting dog 20s, cattle dog 14s, gun dog 12s, cattle dog lis. Poultry—Hens from 6s 2d, 5s 7d, 6s 3d, 7s 6d, to 8s per pair. Ducks, 9s per pair. Roosters, 4s to 6s per pair. P. P. Claridge and Co., Auctioneers, Land and Estate' Agents, St. Asaph and Tu'am. streets. 7906 CHRISTCHURCH STOCK EXCHANGE. YESTERDAY'S TRANSACTIONS. Sales reported:—New Zealand, £2 8s 6d; Union (5J per cent, cum pref.), 19s; Kaiapoi (£1 paid), £1 7s 6d. Sale on 'Change—New South wales, £32 68 ' LITEST QUOTATIONS. Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ s. d. DEBENTURES— N.Z. Govt. 4J per cent. Bonds, 1938 .. 88 0 0 83 0 0 N.Z. Govt. 5* per cent. Bonds, 1983 .. 90 0 0 90 15 0 BANKS— , . Australasia .. .. 83 00 84 0 0 National of N.Z. .. New Zealand ..- ~ Union of Australia „ 12 2 6 12 4 6 INSURANCE— South British HOs pd.) 112 0 , LOAN AND AGENCYGhrifitchurch Building Society .. ' UlO ° Dalgety and Co. ~. 10 12 6 Goldshrough Mort (MeL) 114 6 116 0 ■FROZEN MEAT— Canterbury .. .. 11 10 0 12 0 0 N.Z. Refrigerating (£1 . paid) .. - 2 V 0 N. Canterbury Freezing 8 12 6 COAL— Westport-Stoekton .. Westport - Stockton (8 p.c. non-cum pref.) WOOLLENS— Kaiaooi (£1 paid) .. 1K 0 - Kaiapoi (10s paid) .. MISCELLANEOUS— Cooper and JDuncan .. OIS 0 018 0 N.Z. Farmers' ' Co-op. (£2 paid) .. - 2 4 6 AUCKLAND. February 2. Sales on 'Change—Union Bank, £l2 8s 6d- N.B. Insurance. 27<<: "Waihi. 295. WELLINGTON, February 2. Reported Bale—l93B War Bon-'a, £BB 15s. DUNEDIN. February 2. Sales on 'Change—Westport Coal, 27s 9d.