COMMERCIAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 March 1929, Page 8

COMMERCIAL

GRAIN AND PRODUCE. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 22. There .is not, muqfi. change to record in the market, which is firm, and it is reported that the Southern mills are buying fairly freely. The local .mills are supplied for some time ahead. -From .5/7. to 5/8 a.bushel, on trucks, is quoted for Tuscan; 5/10 to 6/- for Hunters. Wet weather earlier in the week, has interfered with prompt delivery of potatoes, and shipments by the Kairanga fpr Auckland were not so large as had been, expected. , The Wingatui, which left on Wednesday, took about 1700 sacks, s .The market continues fairly 1 firm, ,£4 15s per, ton being paid for prompt delivery on trucks at country stations,and £4 for April—May— June delivery. Farmers are not keen sellers for forward delivery, but a fair number of potatoes for prompt delivery are being offered.

, .There has been no change in the price of onions, which are worth £5 a ton, on, trucks. A trial shipment to test the Sydney market left Lyttelton yesterday, and if this proves successful, Jt will be followed by other shipments. The oats market is slightly firmer. Quotations are: Gartons, 2/5 to 2/9 a bushel, on trucks, at country stations; Duns, 2/8 to 3/2; Algerians, 2/4 to 2/6. Little trade is being done in partridge peas, owing to the surplus of supplies from last year. Business in seeds is very disappointing at present, owing to the demand from the North Island being poor. TOBACCO GROWING. WELLINGTON, March 21.' Suiprise has been caused among tpbacco growers by the announcement that Messrs W. D. and H. O. Wills have commenced an export trade in New Zealand leaf.

The Hon. Mr Hawken, Minister for Agriculture in the Coates Cabinet, sawin tobacco growing a useful method of dealing with poorer class soils. Consequently he approved the development of the tobacco industry, particularly in Nelson, where it was founded. At the same time, Mr Hawken considered that the purpose should be to grow for export and saw no use in appointing instructors to teach growers how to raise and cure their leaf for a purely local demand. The Government guaranteed set prices for leaf for three years, but when the Nelson crop was almost ready for shipment it was purchased by Messrs Wills, who, however, consented to trial parcels of leaf being sent to test the London market. Now it is known that a firm of brokers stated to be acting for Messrs Wills have already sent 10,0001 b of last year’s leaf crop to the London market and are preparing to export more. Growers are now anxiously awaiting news of what is realised by this leaf. Meantime other parts of the country, particularly Rawhine, Hokianga, and Rotorua, are going in for tobacco-grow-fpg. Four curing barns are to be erected in Rotorua, and these growers intend to export, not to grow for the local market under contract as many Nelson growers do at present.

STOCKS AND SHARES AUCKLAND, March 23. Sales on the ’Change: Kuala Kampar Tin 14/7, Wilson’s Cement 40/6, Mt. Lyell 44/9. Reported: Renown Collieries pref. 2/11. Australian Bank of Commerce 37/3, Kempthorne Prosser Drug 81/-. WELLINGTON, March 23. Reported sales: New Zealand Breweries 61/3, Mt. Lyell 44/8. METALS MARKET. LONDON, March 21. Metal prices are again soaring. Copper, standard is £97 9-16 and £9B 28-32; electrolytic £IO7J and £1085; wire bars £108 1; lead £2BJ and £283; spelter £27 29-32 and £2B 3-8; tin £222 27-32 and £223 3-16. Silver, standard 26 l-16d to 28 l-8d per oz.

CANADIAN WOOL. OTTAWA, March 22. A Toronto message states that provided a guarantee is signed for three million pounds, which is slightly under the average handled during the past eleven years, wool will be handled on a contract basis, by the Canadian co-operative woolgrowers. This does not affect the present year’s clip., The organisation handled 3,626,0001bs in 1928, at the cost of about two and a-quarter cents per lb.

BUTTER AND CHEESE Copy of cablegram received by Dalgety and Company, Limited, from their London Office, dated March 22. — Butter —Market very dull. Danish 166/-, to 170/-; N.Z. finest 164/- (general quotation 166/- hardly obtainable); Australian finest unsalted 164/- to 168/-. Salted 162/- to 164/- G.A.Q. 156/to .160/-.. Cheese —Market steady at present prices. Australian White 86/- to 87/-. Coloured 87/- to 89/-; N.Z. White 88/to 89/-. Coloured 89/- to 90/-. Canadian White 108/- to 112/-. Coloured 106/.- to 110/-. WATAROA SALE

The National Mortgage and Agency Co. report having held a successful sale at Wataroa on Thursday, when some 550 head of cattle and a similar number of sheep were yarded, excellent prices for all classes of stock being realised, which prices hardened as the sale progressed. With regard to the larger lilies of cattle, a special feature of the sale was that of 112 head on account of Mr. Edward Cron of Haast, which, notwithstanding the long drive of 130 miles to the sale, were yarded in excellent order and condition. The highest price for grown bullocks was realised by Messrs .Eggeling Bros., Okuru, this being £l5/12/6, whilst the pick of Mr. Cron’s entry realised £l5 apiece. Fat cows heifers fetched up to £l3/2/6 each, and a line of 2, 4, and 6-tooth breeding ewes on account Mr. Maurice Patrick, reached 40/- apiece. Local graziers purchased most of the cattle entry offered, Mr. W. Diedrichs, of Kokatahi, securing 130>head, while Messrs Adamson Bros, of Matainui, purchased some 150 head between them. The following are a list, of the principal sales on account National Mortgage:— On behalf Edward Cron, fat and forward grown bullocks at £l5 apiece, F. and F. 3| year steers at £l2/10/-, F. and F. 2& year steers at £ll/10/.-, F. and F. 3 J year heifefs at £ll. F.

and F. 21 year heifers at £9, fat cows at £lO/15/- apiece. Account Eggeling year fat bullocks to £l5/12/6, 3J year store steers at £9, fat cows at £9/15/- each, F. and F. 2S year heifers at £7/10/-. Account John Cron, Hereford cows in calf to £7/7/6, aged fat cows at £5. . ; Account Messrs Dehn Bros, springers from £8 to £lO apfece.