FARM & COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 165, 9 April 1926, Page 12

FARM & COMMERCIAL

AUCTION SALES TO-DAY. Featherston Street, Wellington, 1 p.m. —Salo of books and water colours (J. IL Bethune.and Co.). 11l Tasman Street, 1.30 p.m.—Sale of piano and household furniture (E. I’. Levien). 89 Ellice Street, 10.30 a.m—Sale of household furniture (E. Johnston and Co ) [•’eliding—Sale of live stock (The Associated Auctioneers.) SATURDAY. Corner of Cornwall Street and Knight’s Road, 2.30 p.m., sale of building section* (H. E. Leighton). 367 Main Road, Muritai, 1.15 p.m.—Sale of household furniture (E. Johnston and Co.). Martin Street, Upper Hutt. 2. p.m.— Sale of household furniture (L. Johnston and Co.) FARMING INTERESTS DAIRY PRODUCE MARKETS Messrs. Joseph Nathan and Co., Ltd., have received the following cablegram from their London house dated April 7. —New Zealand butter, 1725. to 1745.; New Zealand white cheese 965., coloured 975. , The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., have received the following cablegram from their London house under date April 7:— Butter.—New Zealand, choicest, l(2s. to 1745. per cwt.; exceptionally choice, 1765. per cwt. , Cheese—9 Gs. to 98s. per cwt. Markets quiet. GRADING FIGURES. . . The figures of the Dairy Division ot the Depaitiwnt of Agriculture show that the salted - butter graded tor March, 1926, totalled 6175 tons, and the nnsalted 164 tons, a total of 6339 tons, compared with 6142 tons salted and 6<2 tons unsaltcd, a total of 6814 tons *?}* March of last year; a decrease ot b.J per cent. For tlio eight months ended .March, 1926, the respective quantities were 52,318 tons and 2727 tons, a total of 55,015 tons compared with 580,924 tons and 4006 tons, a total of 62,930 tons for the corresponding period of the precoding season, a decrease of 1-..5 per cent. The cheese graded for March 19-6, comprised: White 5816 tqns, coloured 3310 tons, a total of 9126 tons, compared with 5307 tons white and 2521 tolls coloured. a total of 7828 tons tor March, 1925, an increase of 16.5 per cent, the quantities for the eight. months ended March, 1926, were: White 39,608 tons, coloured 22,255 tons, a total of 61,833 tons, compared with 38,255 tons wnitc and 20,070 tons coloured, a total .01 58 325 tons for the corresponding period of’ the preceding season, an increase or Converting' these figures into butterfat equivalent, there is a decrease or 6 9 per cent, in butter-fat produictio-i for tlie eight’months, as compared with (lie corresponding period of the 6C Stocks held in the various ports at March 31. were: Butter 11,129 tons, cheese 13,635 tons.

PRICE OF BUTTER RAISED IN SYDNEY. (Rec. April 8, 8.45 p.m.) Sydney, April 8. The wholesale price of butter has been increased by 9s. 4d. to 1965. per cwt. —Press Assn.

STOCK SALES Messrs. Dalgety and Comany. Ltd., Palmerston North, report having a fgir entry of sheep and a small yarding of cattle at their Mangaweka sale on Thursday. Quotations: Small lambs. 9s. 6(1. to Ils. xU.• medium lambs, 125., 13b.» 13s. 3d.; woolly w.f. lambs. 14s.*. 2-tooth wethers, 21s. 2d.; M.A. ewes. 95.; S.IM rams, sJgns.

NEWS AND NOTES

COMMERCIAL ITEMS THE BUTTER MARKET differences in prices There has always been a difiereiiec in the quotations for Danish and New Zealand butter, not because of any marked difference in n uallt y but 1Il ? lc ,’ to because the Danish butter reached the market in a fresh condition. In normal times Danish butter had an advantage of about 10s per cwt., and that was considered quite reasonable, but lAterly Danish buttci has held a great advantage and the following quotations will illustrate the Butter. Butter. s. S. S. s. March 6 .... 168 to 170 190 to 192 Marc 13 ... HO to 172 186 to 188 Marc 20 ... 171 to 173 193 io 191 March 27.... U 4 to 176 1M to 192 April 1 HO to I<6 DO Here it is seen that the margin of difference ranges from 16s. to _ts., and towards the end of February the difference was as much as 30s. in iavonr of the Danes. In explanation of this •disparity the Anglo-Continental Produce Co Lt/1., writing under date February Of ’states that about six weeks previously the Danes reduced their price of butter to below that pt the New Zealand product. By doing so they obtained the market, gave British consumers fresh butter daily,’ and Danish butter was quoted at a premium of 30s. per cwt This indicated that a large bortion of the British consumers preferred to have fresh butter, irrespective of price.' The company points out that in pre-war days, when colonial butter was sold as it arrived, .there was never anything like that margin in the prices of Danish, New Zealand and Australian butter, but with such a surplus of New Zealand - and Australian going into cold store every, week, consumers were getting “flat” goods of which they were becoming tired. Another point, the company states, is that, whether it is owing to the control in New Zealand and Australia or not, the grading of butter by factories this year has not been nearly so particular as that of last year, and the standard of New Zealand and Australian butter has declined. Writing on February 25, Messrs. Dalgcty and Co. state that the statistical position appears to be sound, although there are two opposite factors to be taken into consideration. Imports in Jantiary showed a very considerable increase, but, on the other hand, the average cargoes afloat were very much less than at the corresponding period last year. The total im.ports of butter into the United Kingdom in January totalled 672,651 cwt., an increase of 131,776 cwt. on the figures* for January, 1925. Three conn, tries in particular were responsible for the increase, the arrivals from New Zealand being 103,320 cwt., DenmarK 21,341 cwt., and Argentine 21,195 cwt. more than the quantities imported from those countries respectively in January of last year. Messrs. Dalgety and Co. add: “A good deal of butter has been taken off the market and is held In cold store under instructions from shippers, in addition to which the quantities being held back in Australia and New Zealand by order of the Control Boards are known to buyers. When large, quantifies are held under limits in cold stores it temporarily strengthens the market, but it has also the effect of making buyers very cautious in their operations."

TRADE BRIBERY An international conference on trade bribery and its prevention is to bo held in London in Juno, when the whole problem of tho prevalence of bribery in various countries, its effect on international commerce, and the best means of preventing bribery internationally will be considered. Traders and commercial men generally have, been endeavouring to combat the evils of unfair competition by people in business who may misdescribe articles for sale or offer commodities in such a manner as to deceive the purchaser. Trade bribery and sceiet commissions arc mutters of worldwide interest, and as far back as June, 1914, the International Chambers of Commerce in congress at Paris agreed to urge upon all Governments the desirability of passing special legislation, as uniform as possible, directed at preventing corruption, or the attempted corruption of any agent by whomsoever committed. Owing to the war the matter was hold in abeyance, but with commerce renewed between nations the need for action to protect the honest trader against any corrupting of his agents lias been revived. Competition now is so severe that temptation to _ offer, commissions often arises. The imitation of articles of one country’s manufacture may end in an inducement being held out by imitators, or their representatives, to induce the employees of purchasing firms to favour such goods.

ANOTHER RECORD YEAR FOR A.M.P. The A.M.P. Society announce another record year. The new business secured for 1925 reached a total of £17,331,576, whilst £3.506,060 was paid away to members of their representatives during tho same period. The amount available for cash bonuses is the largest ever distributed by the society for a single, year and represents 54.5 per cent, of the piwmiums received during the year on I'articipating policies, a substantial increase over .the rate for the previous year, which was 52.9 per cent. The annual report of this institution, as well as the actuary’s investigation report, may be obtained at any office ot the society. CHICAGO WHEAT QUOTATIONS. Chicago, April 7.' Wheat quotations: May. new, 1 dollar 58 cents per bushel; old, 1 dollar 57 cents; July, 1 dollar 36 s l cents; September, 1 dollar 311 cents. NEW ZEALAND APPLES IN LONDON. London, April 7. The Port Hunter’s New Zealand apples were mostly good, with occasional bitterpit. Price's fetched were: Cox’s, ISs. to 255.; Dunns and others, 14s. to 16s a case. The Arawa’s shipment turned out unsatisfactory. All were fully ripe, and a large proportion of Cox’s and Dunns bitterpitted. Some Cox’s were worthless.

AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE -MARKETS. (Rec. April 8, 8.45 p.m.) Sydney, April 8. Wheat is quiet on the basis of Gs. Id. per bushel ex trucks Sydney for farmers’ lots and bulk ss. lid. No large parcels are on offer. .Oats, Tasinahian Algerian ss. 3d. per bushel, white ss. 9d. Naize, local yellow 6s. 3d. per bushel, white’(is.; South African Gs. Potatoes, Tasmanian £l6 to £l7 10s. per ton; Victorian. £l5. Onions, Victorian, £23 net* ton. Adelaide, April 8. Wheat, growers’ lots ss. lid. to ss. Hid. per bushel. —Press Assn.

CUSTOMS REVENUE. The Customs revenue collected yesterday at the port of Wellington totalled £10,388.