CANTERBURY MARKETS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18636, 10 March 1926, Page 10

CANTERBURY MARKETS.

ACTIVE POTATO DEMAND. (BI OVS. COMMEECIAL EDITOB.) Tuesday Evening. As a result of further Australian enquiries and the approach of the iNorth Island season, potatoes have taken a spurt this week. Business at £8 5s for Australia is reported in one or two cases, and £7 os is the basis for marchants trading in northern shipments. This business is commencing later this season than usual, which may be explained by the tact that the x'ukekohe crop was heavier. Details of the output from that centre during the six months from July Ist to January 3ist show a total increase of 1093 tons, as compared with the figures for the corresponding period of the previous year. The total was 6877 tons, as against 576-1 tons. The increase is equivalent only to a fortnight's consumption for the city, but it has staved off enquiries, for that period. Prices are so high that Auckland merchants apparently are not prepared to operate forward, but will order as consumption arisesThe price to farmers on trucks is from £6 0s to £5 10s, a very high figure off the i rks for first of season main fcrop potatoes. There is a good deal of opinion that these prices will not hold next month. The Australian outlet is still promising, but to inasc any; impression on local supplies it will have to be handled better than last year. The total exports of potatoes in 1925, which included South America, were only 4000 tons, not a big hole in a crop which will probably be above the average—or about 125,000 tons. A good deal depends on the shipping conveniences,' and these, ;jo doubt,, will be better provided than laso year. The weather of the last month has improved the appearance of the crops very markedly, and Dunedin, instead of buying potatoes, is report*.-! to be a seller. In the aggregate, -Jitwe facts may not have a great deal of influence, but at the moment, growers might be wise to dispose' of part of their crop, and if determined *o Iwve a gamble with the future, confine such to the balance. Five pounds ten shillings off the forks is equal to over £7 out of pits, and the land is free for something else, and the possession ol the money is something. These reflations are based on a fairly extensive observation 1 of: the crops from Canterbury down to Otago. "Wheat Buying. The buying of wheat is small. Piesent offers are.6a.Bd, 6s lOd, ani 7s, f.0.b., for the respective varieties. Seeds and Oats. The seed market is vory dull. Standard cooksfoot is worth a lb, c? 7d to 7Jd for farmers' undressed. W.bite clover is worth lid on trucks- for best, and cowgrass 9d to lOd. Perennial ryegrass is weak, and is worth 4s to 4s 3d on trucks, and Italian is worth 3s '3d. The stocks bought eajly by merchants are passing into consumption very slowly. , Partridge peas have eased ond are now quoted at 5s lOd on trueks. There , have been Australian enquiries for onions, and these are now quoted on trucks at £9 10s a ton f-r prompt, and £lO for April. Quotations. The following are nominal quotation's, free"of commission, on trucks at way-: I side stations,'sacks extra,' ex 2 opt whoie otherwise stated:—• '• I' Wheat---(new season) millers' offers, |Cs 'Bd, 6s lOd, and 7s f.o'io.", ■ *acbs extra; fowl wheat 7s, \- Oats—Gartons (new season) ?A's 4s to 4s Id, B's 3s 9d to 3slod, Algerians 3s 9d to 4s,'Duns 4s'3d; i' ~ . Chaff— Good bright £5 5s to< £3 10s. White clover—(new season) ]() dto lid.. ;, Barley- : to lOd. • Italian'Ryegrass—3s3d. • Perennial Ryegrass—4s to 4s 3d. Cocksfoot-^Nomihal). 7Jd to sjd. Potatoes—£o 5s to £5 10s for April delivery. ..; Floiir—£lß a. ton f.o.b. nearest port; smaller packing, lOOltj £l9: cO's, £l9 12s 6d; 25'5,~£20. : Pollard—£9 f.o.b. nearest port, 10s extra for smaller packing. Bran—£B per, ton f.o.b. nearest port, 10s'extra for smaller packing. RANGIORA STOCK MARKET. Lata rates were . maintained in the fat sheep section at the Rangiora market yesterday, when 658 lambs, 96 ewes, «nd 29 wethers wero yarded. The highest price lor lambs' was secured by Mr T. Pulley, Loburn, with a line of 103 at 36s 6d. A fine pen of 24 wethero sold on account of Mr T. Rainey, • Flaxton, realised 35s lOd. The sales were: Fat lambs—For T. Shaw, Bat 25s 6d; John Miles, 42 at 235; A. Kennedy, 17 at 255; C. E. Graham; 8 at 25s'"6d; R. J Corbett, 22 at 25s sd; W. Matthews, 20 at 24s Id, H. MoKibbin, ll'at 23s 6d; C. H. Tallott, 82 at 265, 3d; O. 'E. .Nelson, 25 at 26s 4d;.G. T.- Hopkins, 30, at 25s 4d; F. "Wilson,-21 at. 25s Id; P. Pulley, 14 at ! 25s 7d; J. Hiaft, 24 at 23s 9d; H. T. Wetherell, 17 at 25s lOd. '- ■' Fat ewes—For R. J. Corbett, 10 at 15s 9d; W. Matthews, 4 at 16s sd; O. E. Neleon, 11 at 16s Id; J. Brosnan, 10 at 16s 2d; John Miles, § at 14s 9d. Store sheep were slow of sale, and-of a total of 1610 yarded, about half failed to change hands. Seventy-two tooth ewes sold for Mr H. M. Burgin, Swannanoa, brought 42s 3d, and 94 four and six-tooth ewes on account of the same owner- also realised 42s 3d. Other sales were: 45 five-year-old ewes at 325, 41 six and eight-tooth ewes at 26s 2d, 51 at 26a, 44 at 275, 30 at 275, 66 at 22a, 100 at 22s 3d, 32 sound mouth ewes-.at 20s 3d, 33 at 19s, 72 at l§s,9d, 20 at 28s, 63 at 17s, 18 failing mouth ewes at 15s; 47 at 12s' 7d, 43 at lis, 46 aged ewes at 12s 7d, 68- six-tooth wethers at 25s and 29 ».s. lambs at 20s. •' Cattle—Twenty-two' head were yarded and prices were:. Dairy-.cows; £6 to £7 15s, springers 27s 6d to 555, heifers £5 to £6 12s Gd. springing heifer £8 17s 6d, fat cow. £7 16s, and bull £4 7s 6d. There was 1 only a small entry of pigs, mostly small stores, which made from 20s to 26s 6d and weaners, which aold from 24s 6d to 275. Poultry—Roosters brought 6s to lis, hens 6s 4d, pullets 9s, ducklings Ba, and duckß 5s a couple. In the produce department the following prices were Tealised:— Chickwheat 24s to 27a a bag, oats 15s, Deaa 20s, tares 20s. meal 15s, oatsheaf chaff 5s 6d, straw chaff 2s 6d, potatoes Id lb, marrows to 12s dozen' onions 3s a petrol tin, tomatoes 4s 241b case, apples 2s to 4s half-case, pears 2s to 4s. , .. Skins, etc.—Halfbred sheepskins brought 6s 6d, crossbred 6s. hogget skins ss, pelts Is 6d to 2s 6d, calfskins 4s. hides 4Jd lb, wool lOd. crutchings 6d, pieces 7d, fat 2Jd, and horsehair 15d. DUNEDIN WOOL SALE. ADVANCE ON LATE BATES. (FBEBS ISBOCUT3OS TELEGBAM.) DTJNEDIN, March 9. The third Dunedin wool sale was opened to-night, the Continent buying strongly. Bradford was encouraging, -but America was quiet. - There was an exceptionally good sale, with an advance on late rates, especially in crossbreds and hoggets, on which there was up.to 2d rise. The range of prices was as follows: — d. d. Merinos -»« ■'&■' «. 15 to 19i Halfbredß ... W *. 16 to 211 - Crossbreds .« *3K •«« 12 o 161 Necks .. I**'*. 12 to 16J Pieces •»«: £? ». 11 to 14J Bellies ■»« .2? ». 9to 13

TRADE RETURNS. BIG DECLINE IN EXPORTS. The trade returns of the Dominion for January show that the exports totalled £5,037,981, as compared with £6,696,059 in January, 1925, a decrease of £1,658,078, or nearly 25 per-cent. In December there was a decline of £1,297,961. The items of exports showing the principal shrinkages, are given in the table appended. 1925-26. , 1924-25. Wool .. 1,658,927 3,364,724 Butter .. 1.136,180 1,253,538 Lamb .. 483,62:1 • #84,595 Mutton .. 234.258 ,: 27.7,071 Beef . • 33,384 ~ 42,222 Pried Milk .. 35,490 - : . 52,364 Tallow .. 40,605 65,211 Totals .. 3,622,467 5,839,725 There were also shrinkages in the exports of hides and skins. Calf skins exported in January were valued at £17,423, against £24,263 in January, 1925, cattle hides £32,659, against £35,281, woolled sheep skins £42,891, against £59,287, and sheep skins without'wool £36,211, against £62,351. The heaviest decline is in wool, the decrease in January being as much as £1,705,797. It should be stated, however, that 11,316 bales fewer were shipped last January, as compared with January, 1925. The exports of cheese showed a very substantial increase, the figures being £933,876, against £281,000 in January last year. Other increases were: New Zealand hemp £48,655, against £40,858, and kauri gum £34,086, against £31,055. The imports in January totalled £4,660,816, against £4,808,442 in the corresponding month of last year, a decrease of £147,626. The motor vehicles imported were valued at £402,363, as compared with £404,175, and the slight decrease shown was entirely due to reduction in prices, as the number of vehicles imported exhibited an . increase, being 2615 against 1857. Tyres, tubes, and covers for nwtor vehicles,.,however, showed a substantial increase, the figures being £94,362, against ■ £51,703 and materials and parts £33,189, against £19,322. The reduction in the total imports though small, is satisfactory as showing that a start has been made to. cut down imports. With the January figures.-the returns for the first four months of .••■the produce year are available, and -the exports compare as under: — • 1925-26. 1 1924-25. October .. 3,95 £ 8,691 yJI°9S November .. 4.498,839 - ,2,716,956 December .. 4,613,488 "^l^ January .. 5,037,981 6,696,059 Totals ..£16,108,999 £18,251,562 The shrinkage in the four • months amounts to £ 2,142,563, equal to 11.73. per cent. The imports for the four months compare as under: — 1925-26. • 1934-25. £ £ October «i 4,745,369 4,082,671 November Z 41834,480 3,797,360 December ». 4,641,751 f-509-816 January » v -4,660,816 4,808,442 Totals -.£18,882,416 £17,198,389 For the four months the imports show, an increase of £1,68*;127, equal to. ■9 77 per cent. For the twelve months ended-, January 31st last, \the- exports' were valued at £53,604,194,- and the imports at £ 52,308,781, an excess of exports of £1,695,413. EWE, FAIR WAIAU. The Waiau Ewe. Fair, was held yesterday iu very hot weather, and under disagreeably dusty conditions. The entrv. totalled 13,308, as compared with 9QOO last year. .The ewes consisted largely of station- ewes that had .-travelled long distances, and they showed the effects. There were' very few lots in good condition, and most, were below the standard of former Waiau fairs. The prices, compared with those at Amberley and* Ha warden Fairs, were good considering quality of the sheep. Tho best two-tooth ewes made from 30s 6d to 35s Gd,|the latter price being realised for a lot'of -seventy sold for Mr F. J. O'Malley, of Lottery Downs. The top price for two-tooth ewes last year was '44s 6d. Messrs Little Bros, again topped the market for four-year-old ewes with a line of 284 which realised 34s Id. Last year sheep of the same class made 545. The older ewes sold readily, the five-year-olds making from 17s to 22s lid. There was a good demand for ewe lambs, the best price being 27s 4d for .215 sold for Mr J. J. Duncan (Waiau). The sale throughout had a brisk tone, and prices held firm .from start' to finish. Following are the details of;the sales, the ewes being half-bred exciept where otherwise described:— The New Zealand Farmers' Co-operative Association sold: —For B. C. Bean (Waiau), 347 four and five-year ewes at 19s lOd; D. Fechney .(Cheddar Valley). .557 two-tooth ■ ewes at 32s 6d and 33s 6d, 380 four-year ewes at 21s, 592 halfbred ewe lambs at 22s 6d; J. E. Bell ("Glenfleld," Ward), 58 twotooth ewes at 26s 6d, 355. four, six, and eigth-tooth at 295; A. B. 'Wooding ("Te Mona," Ward), 178 four, six, and eighttooth ewes at 245, 15 two-tooth<at 20s 3d; AV. S. Morrin (Mirza), 128- two-tooth threequarterbred ewes at 30s 9d; A'.'M: Stewart (Wandle Downs), 249 four, six, and eighttooth at 24s Id, 100 sound-mouth at 17s; E. S. Butherford (Kekerangu), 60 two-tooth ewes at 315,-72' at 265, 394 four and five-year-old at 22s 7d; B. Smythe'(Kaikoura), 97 four to eight-tooth half and rthree-quarter-bred ewes at 20s 7d; A. Anderson (Tarako Downs), 70 ewe lambs at 19s 6<l, 309 at 23s 9d; C. E. Byder (Goat Hill's), 273 two to eight-tooth ewes at 23s 6d,. 20 cull ewe lambs at 10s 6d; F. Dale (Gost Hills), 295 two to eight-tooth ewes at 21s 3d; T. Stevenson (Spotswood), 388 two-tooth ewes at 26s 9d, 249 four-year at 23s 3d, and 109 at 18s 3d. Messrs Pyne, Gould, Guinness, Ltd., sold: For Harold Parsons (Mount Vulcan), 214 tvvo to' eight-tooth ewes at 28s; Milo Parsons (Kilgrove), 105 sound-mouth crossbred ewes at 22s Id; Freeborn Parsons (Ward), 272 two to eight-tooth ewes at 26s 9d,. 270 at 29s 3d; J. S. and G. Ferguson (Waiau), 100 five-year Corriedale ewes at 15s lOd; Griffiths and Ridley ("The Gates," Waiau), 295 five-year ewes at 22s 3d, 261- two-tooth ewes at 22s lid, 50 sound-mouth at 26s 9d; W. A. Banks (Waiau), 303 four, and fiveyear ewes at 21s, 71 four-year .at lis 6d; W. J. Hopkins (Highfield), 185 five-year ewes at 20s 4d; Dr. Palmer -(Kaikoura), 200 four and five-year ewes at 19s 7d; T. Capstick (Waißu), 80 aged ewe.s'at 10s 9d, 161 five-year ewes at 17s; clients, 39 Sound- ' mouthed ewes at 21s 9d, 14 at 15s, 30 at 18s, 20 at 18s, 30 at 10s, Messrs Dalgety and Company, Ltd., sold: For Little Brothers (Annandale), 284 fouryear ewes at 34s Id; F. S. Northcote (Highfield), 232 two-tooth ewes at 30s 6d, 81 merino ewes at 16s 3d; Harry. Sharpe (Ward), 254 four-year ewes at 26s 9d, 60 two and four-tooth at 26s 6d; Frank Sharpe (Ward), 128 ' two to eight-tooth ewes at 30s 9d, 25 two-tooth at 275; Estate B. A. Chnffey (Keinton' Combe), 152 halfbred wether lambs at 14s, 161 halfbred ewe lambs at 19s 3d, 82 four and five-year ewes at 25s 9d, 59 four and six-tooth Corriedales at 325, 39 four to eight-tooth at 19s, 69 four, and six-tooth wethors at 21s; J. A. Northcote (Highfield), 116 two-tooth ewes at 28s, 236 four, six, and eight-tooth at 23s lOd; Herbert Sharpe (Waiau), 41. twotooth ewes at 325; Colin Deans (Upper Highfield), 90 two-tooth ewes at 26s 9d; G. H. Roberts (Quail Downs), 460 four-tooth ewes at 25s 6d to 26s 9d, 82 two-tooth' wethers at 17s 9d; W..R. Gordon (Waiau),- 50 four-year ewes at 24s 6d. 30 two and four-tooth at 20s 6d; F: S. Northcote (Highfield), 300 fiveyear ewes at 24s 9d; F. J. O'Malley (Waiau), 70 twd-tooth ewes at 35s 6d, 154 ewe lambs at 24s lOd. 153 wether lambs at 17s 7d; 3. Lowe (Waiau), 100 two-tooth ewes at 33s 6d; J. J. Duncan (Waiau), 215 ewe lambs at 27s 4d; H. Parsons, 84 four-tooth; to sound-mouth ewes at 255; A. J. Sunckell (Waiau), 136 sound-mouth ewes at 245; H. Sunckell (Greenhills), 465 six and eight-tooth ewes at 22s 3d, 167 four and five-year at 18s 3d, H. D. Crampton (Hapuku), 30 ewe lambs at 20s 3d, 195 wether lambs at 16s 3d. In conjunction with the New Zealand Farmers Co-operative • Association —For D. M. Davidson (Glentoi), 170 two-tooth ewes at 31s 3d to 31s 6d, 279 four, six, and eight-tooth at 27s 6d, 16 sound-mouth at 17b. »- - .The National Mortgage and:--Agency Company, Ltd., sold: For R. H.. Chapman, 145 four, six, and eight-tooth 9d, 38 at 21s 7d. ?, ' ' - The New Zealand Loan Mercantile Agency Company sold: For at client, 79 ewe lambs at 20s and 91 wether !an\bs at 14s. .... *