FARMING & COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 180, 24 April 1924, Page 10

FARMING & COMMERCIAL

NEWS AND NOTES

AUCTION SALES FORTHCOMING FIXTURES. TO-DAY. Sales will be held at:— Old Bushy Park Homestead, near Kai Iwi. \V anganui. 10.30 a.m. —Sale of Stud Hereford Cattle account Mr. Frank Moore (Freeman 11. Jackson and Co.). County Council Office, Trafalgar St., Nelson, 2 p.m. —Sale of Flaxmilljng and Sawmillifag Plant, also cutting rights (Dalgety and Co.). Featherston Street, AVellington, 2.30 p.m.—Sale of sections at Karehana Bay. Plimmerton Extension (J- H. Bethune.). 105 Customhouse Quay, Wellington. 2.30 p.m.—Sale of sections and 6roomed residence situate Rena Bay (S. G. Nathan). SATURDAY. Lowe Street, Gisborne. 11 a.m. —Sale of Fairlie's property known as Aard Motor Service of Gisborne, which includes all cars, coaches, and stock (F. Gray).

FARMING INTERESTS

ADDINGTON STOCK MARKET FAT SHEEP AND LAMBS IN KEEN DEMAND.

By Telegbafh—Pkbss Association. Christchurch, April 23. The strike did not seriously aftect the entries at to-days Addington’ Market, as the 24 hours' notice was sufficient to enable fair quantities of fat stock to be driven in from farms in clc*>e proximity to the city. There was an ordinary yarding of fat cattle but a smail entry of fat sheep and iat lambs. These brought “hot" prices, some classes of sheep showing an advance in the earlier part of the sale by up to 12s. per head. Later the deman Blackened, but the average improvement on the previous week's rates was from 7s. to Bs. Fat cattle sjed briskly at the outset, but also eased later in the sale. It is expected that there will be little difficulty in fully providing the fresh meat requi.rements of the city during the strike. Store sheep: A tery small entry, mostly Poverty Buy ewes. Mediumclass ewes were clieapei, but wethers and lambs sold at up to recent rates. Good four, six, and eight-toothed Romney cross ewes made 325. 6d.; ordinary, 275. Gd. to 275. 10d.; failing-moused lialfbred ewes, 275. Id.; two-toouied Romney cross owes, 31s. Bd. Halfbred wether lambs, 19s. 6d. to 215.; crossbred wether lambs, 18s. 6d.; inferior tour, six. and eight-toothed wethers, 235. Ski. Fat sheep: Little more than halt the ordinary yarding, including fat lambsThere was a very spirited sale, wetlieis making 9d. per lb. in some cases. Extra prime wethers realised 495., and a few special, 535. Ild-: prime, 41s to 455.; medium, 3<s. to 40s. 6d.; light, 3_s. 6d. to 36s- Extra prime ewes, 505.; prime, 345. to 375.; medium, 30s. to> 335 i., light, 265. 6d. to 295. Ed.; old, 21s .to 25 Fat cattle:. 342 were yarded, a heavy proportion being well finished. It was a good market. Best beef made 325. 6d. to 365. per 1001 b.; medium 2fe. to 3-s ; Extra prime steers real.sed £1655., prime JCI2 ss. to £lu; medium, £lO to £1“ ’light. £6 to £9. J*™ *>™o- - <£l2 Ds.; prime. «£7 15s. to xiu, XA to 10s. Extra prune COWS, Ell 17s. 6d.; prme, £7 to £9I sjn, medium, £4 ss. to £6 10s., old A 3 to A 4. Vealers: A small entry and a Lee demand. Mees advanced for all sorts. Runners made to A. 4 1-s. Go., B vealers, £3 10s. to £4; good calves, £2 to A 3 55.; small. 10s. to Al <s. 6(1. m“'m h..d The demand showed a slight f , ' i !®.!" g ’ mod springing heifers sold fanly well. K second and third culvers, made £7 to £8 10s.;. others Ao 10s. to A 6 155.; best springing heifers, A 8 to £11; others, £6 to M 10s.; backward culvers and cows in milk, Al 10s. to pi ’s: A small entry. There was a slack demand for baconers. and a keen demand for porkers at the fell away towards the finish. Choppers made £2 10s. to £4; I’ght baconers £3 io 3 to £4; heavy, Al ss. to £4 las. (average price per lb., 6jd. to /d.); l:g i porkers, £2 to £2 10s,; heavy, A2 Lss. to A 3 Bs. (average price per lb., ,7 s d. %tore' Pigs: A small entry, but the demand U. very slack 4s. to 10s.; extra good, 14s. medium stores, 255. to 28s. BOARD OF AGRICULTURE EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE FARMER. Lately the Board of Agriculture drew the attention of the Minister of ./s* 1 ' culture to the danger of the possibility of the introduction into New Zealand of noxious weed seeds and inf animal diseases by means of straw maize oats, etc., imported irpni other" countries. The Minister replied

that the position is being closely watched. Regulations have been framed entirely prohibiting the importation of oats, barley, maize, hay, straw, and chaff from the United States of America, and from Queensland and Western Australia, and permitting the importation of this produce from the other Australiann States only with the precedent consent of tho Minister. In the case of hay, straw, or chart packing accompanying goods imported into New Zeeland from Great Britain, Ireland, the Continent of Europe, United States of America, Queensland, or Western Australia, it is now required that the ■importer of the goods destroy the packin" by burning within three days of tho commencement of unpacking such goods. As regards Great Britain, it is provided that if packages from that country are accompanied by a sworn certificate to the effect that the packing has been propel ty disinfected m a manna- approved of by the High Commissioner for • New Zealand London, the ' packing need not be destroyed.. BURNSIDE STOCK SALE VALUES WELL MAINTAINED. By Tblegrafh—l’kess Association. Dunedin, April 23. The railway strike affected the entries of most classes of stock at the Burnside sales to-day The sales depended on stock coming forward by road transport. Farmers and graziers from the Taieri and adjacent districts practically supplied the whole of the entries. Butchers had anticipated a shortage of supplies and had token the precaution of buying a fair number of sheep, lambs, and fat cattle through other channels. Despite this fact, however, values were well maintained, and in some sections appreciated considerably. Fat Cattle.—A medium yarding, numbering 270 head, compared with 127 last week. Tho quality was up to the average of recent offerings and. inc-uded a few pens of extra well-finished animals. The demand at the opening of the sales was not very spirited, and prices showed a drop of 30s. per head, as compared with last week’s high rates. Values tor medium-weight cattle declined rather more. Prime handy-weight bullocks were worth from 355. to 365. per 1001 b.; medium quality 325. 6d. to 345. 6a., prime heifers to 275. 6d., cows from 17s. 6d. to 20s. Extra prime heavy bullocks realised up to AlB 155.. prime Al2 ss. to Al 6, medium to A 9 15s. Extra prune, heifers realised up to A 8 75., prime £o 10s to A 6 155., prime cows made up to A 8 12s. 6d. , Fat Sheep.—A small entry numbering 1064 head, compared with 1870 last week. Tho yarding included a few pens of good ivethers and ewes of somewhat indifferent quality. Competition was very- keen, with the result that values soared, being several shillings per head dearer for prime quality animals. Primo wethers, carrying tho best of skins, mado up to BJd. per lb. The best prices were obtained about the middle of the sale. Prime handy-weight wethers were worth 7-Jd. to BJd. per lb., medium quality and heavy-weights to prime ewes GJd., aged ewes 44d. to 51d. Extra prime heavy-weight wethers realised up to 525. Gd. prime 445. to 475., medium 30s. 3d. to 335. 9d. Extra prime heavy-weight ewes realised up to to 375., prime 245. to 285., lighter sorts from 16s. upwards. Fat Lambs.—A small yarding, numbering 207 head of mixed quality, compared with 809 last week. It was a quick sale, and prices were about on a par with last week’s rates. To-day’s values are on a basis of about 9|d. per lb. Butchers wore practically the only buyers. Extra prime lambs realised up to 325. 6d., prime 275. to 295. 6d.; medium 225. to 255., lighter sorts 20s. 6d. , Store Cattle.—About 150 head, mostly old cows and young animals were offered. Tho entry also included a pen of me-dium-weight steers. Cows were sold at cheaper rates, while values for other sorts were unchanged. Daily Cattle.—About thirty head wore offered, the entry including a pen or two of good quality animals. Best cows realised AlO, good heifers £7 10s. to A 8 10s.. and aged cows from E 3 to A 4. Pigs.—A medium entry which was in excess of requirements. Bacon pigs sold well, Tiut porkers met with a dragging sa’.e. Prices for prime baconers and porkers were easier to the extent of about ss. per head. To-day’s values for prime baconers were on a basis of about 7d. per lb., and for prime porkers of about BJd. per lb.

LONDON FROZEN MEAT MARKET Messrs. Levin and Co., Ltd., have received the following cablegram from their London agents, dated April 17, 1924“Quotaiions ex store: New Zealand prime Canterbury lamb, 28 to 42’s, 9Jd.; North Island lamb, 28 to 42’s, 9?d.; prime Canterbury mutton, 56 to 64’s, 7d.; North Island mutton, 56 to 64’s, 6J<l.; ewes, 48 to 64’s, 5Jd. New Zealand prim© ox beef, 160 to 220’s, hinds, none; New Zealand prime ox beef, 160 to 220’s, fores, none. The, market tendency is better, but mutton is very weak.” Tho New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, have received the following cablegram from thei» London house, under date April 17 :— New Zealand frozen moat: Lsmb, 9Jd. per lb. (average); better market. Mutton: Wether and maiden ewe, light, 7d. per lb.; heavy, &Jd. per lb.; ewe, light, sld. per lb.; heavy, sd. per lb. Market weak. SHIPMENTS OF MEAT FROM SOUTH AMERICA The New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board has received a cablegram from its representative at Buenos Aires, South America, advising the following shipments to the United Kingdom for the fortnight ended April 19, -from Argentine and Uruguay:—lls,s6l quarters chilled beef, 30,835 quarters frozen beef, 64,425 carcasses frozen mutton, 32,878 carcasses frozen lamb. The quantity shipped to the Continent of Europe during (die same period totalled 119,900 quarters frozen beef, 10,329 carcasses frozen mutton. JOHNSONVILLE FAT STOCK SALE Messrs. Wright, Stephenson, and Co., Ltd., and Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report on their Johnsonille sale held yesterday:—Owing to tho railway strike the yarding was limited. The quality of the sheep was fair, but the cattle were light. Bidding was brisk, and a good sale resulted, prices being considerably ihead of last week’s quotations. Our quotations are: —Ox, £6, £7 55., .1:7 155.. £7 17s. Gd., £8 17s. Gd. to £9; vealers, 275. 6d., £2 15s. to £2 165.; wetl.ers, 30s. 3d., 31s. 3d., 345, 9d., 355. 3d.. 355. 4d. to 385.; lanilis, 19s. 6d., 205., 235/ 9d„ 245. to 255. lOd.

FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE ALARM IN UNITED STATES EFFORTS TO STOP SPREAD OF OUTBREAK New York, April 22. The foot-and-mouth epidemic has become a matter of great seriousness throughout the country. New York is jOtTrhig with various other States, which have declared a state of quarantine against California. New Yoik, during the 1914 epidemic, lost cattle valued at 500,000 dollars. President Coolidge has asked tho Western States to meet in conference and devise means for staying the spread of the disease. There is an element of panic in various communities near the centres of infection, as is clearly evidenced by appeals to J. W. Weeks, Secretary of War, to send troops to enforce the California-Arizona embargo. Air. Weeks has declared that tho use of military forces for this purpose would be illegal. The Department of the Interior is considering the transference of large bodies of cattle from the danger zone to the national parks.

The Chemical Warfare Service has been striving to develop remedies, and has made announcements that chloride gas, which was found effective in respiratory diseases and animal distemper, may prove successful. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

COMMERCIAL ITEMS

THE RAILWAY STRIKE EFFECT ON PRIMARY INDUSTRIES It is not expected that the hold up of the railways will have any serious effect on the freezing and dairying industries. The season for dealing, with • mutton and lamb was just about closing, and the strike will bring it to an abrupt end, and there may bo some difficulty in getting inland supplies to the seaboard, 'out the storage at all such works would not under the circumstances be overtaxed. As for supplies for local consumption, no difficulties whatever are anticipated. Dairy produce is in very much tho same position, for supplies for shipment are running down, and if necessary, such produce can be brought by motor vehicles to tho seaboard, for they can be more easily handled than frozen meat.. Such transport would mean increasing the costs of marketing, and in view of the present depressed state of the market, it may be desirable to avoid this expense. The citv is not likely to suffer from any shortage of food supplies, even if the strike is prolonged.

AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE MARKETS. <BY Tet,ecuaph.—Press Association.) (Rec. April 23. 9.20 p.m.) Sydney, April 23. Oats. Tasmanian Algerian, 3s. 9d. to 3s. lOd. per bushel; Giants, 4s. to 4s. Id. Maize, yellow, 4s. Gd. per bushel; white, 4s. 3d. Potatoes, J? 6 to J:9 per ton. Onions, .£8 10s. per ton. Adelaide, April 23. Oats, feeding, 3s. to 3s. Id. per bushel. LONDON WHEAT MARKET. Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rec. April 23. 8.50 p.m.) London, April 22, Wheat cargoes are steady. Australian are well maintained, owing to good buying over the holiday. The Ortlirv’s sold at 48s. 6d. per quarter, and tho Indian City’s at 475. 3d. Parcels closed quieter. PRICES OF METALS. Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. (Rec. April 23, 8.50 p.m.) London, April 22. Copper.—On spot, £64 13s. 9d. per ton ; forward delivery. £65 Bs. 9d. Lead.—£32 15s. to’ £3l 2s- 6d. Spelter.—£32 12s. 6d. and £32 7s. 6d. Tin.— £247 17s. 6d. Bar Silver. —33Jd. per ounce standard. BANK SHARES. (Rec. April 23, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 22. Bank of Australasia, £l3 55.; Bank of New South Wales, £39; Union Bank, £l4 7s. 6d.; National Bank of New Zealand, £6 13s. 9d.; Bank of New Zealand, £2 10s., guaranteed stock £9l. CUSTOMS REVENUE. Customs revenue collected at the port of Wellington yesterday totalled £7799. ’