COMMERCIAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 March 1930, Page 8

COMMERCIAL

GRAIN AND PRODUCE [Ppii PBESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, March 28. Wheat is now coming to hand more freely, and the stores are being filled. Values are still at 5/8 on trucks for Tuscan, 5/10 for Hunter’s, and 6/2 for Pearl, but at the moment there is not much buying. There is the greatest uncertainty in regard to the probable yield but a fairly general agreement prevails that it will be much lower than expected a few weeks ago. Bran has been reduced 10/- a ton in sympathy with the Australian movements. Oats are' offering to a very small extent but not very many are wanted. About 3/101 for A Garton’s, and 3/81 for B’s f.o.b. s.i. covers values. There is a little demand from the North Island for chaff, but offerings are small. From £4/12/6 to £4/15/on trucks, and up to £6/10/- f.0.b., s.i. cover values. The equivalent of 5,000 sacks of potatoes was despatched by this week’s boat to Auckland. F.0.b., s.i. sales for main crop are £4/12/6 for July, £5 /2/6 and for July-September £5/12/6. On the truck prices range from £3/10/ to £3/12/6 for whites and up to £3/ 15/- for Dakotas. The onion market has collapsed and quotations to trucks have dropped to £2/5/- a ton. As a result of the heavy Auckland crop no orders are coming from there, and there is no export to Sydney this year whereas last season several thousand tons were shipped. All classes of seeds are the same as previously reported. The market is still inactive.

AUCKLAND WOOL SALE AUCKLAND, March 28. The final Auckland wool sale of the season was held to-day, when 15,728 bales were offered. There was a representative bench of buyers, and bidding was as animated at the lower levels now prevailing. As at the second sale, Bradford was again the principal buyers. Prices ruled gd to Id lower than at the January sale in Auckland, and were about on a par with thise realised at the recent Napier sale. The quality of the wool offered was not so attractive. About 75 per cent, to 80 per cent, of the offering was sold under the hammer.

“It is evident from quotations given below, that wool is being sold below cost of production §it present, with resultant loss to the producers,” states a report from the Auckland Woolbrokers’ Association. The top price was 9.3 d given for lambs’ wool. The following table gives the range of prices realised, with the January 1930 prices shown as a comparison.— Halfbred 83d to 9d, medium halfbred (50/56), super average 7Jd to SJd (8d to 101 d); inferior GJd to 74d (74 to 83d). "Coarse halfbred (48/50), super 8d to 9d., average 7Jd to 84d (8d to 9d); inferior 6d to 61d (6d to 7£d); fine crossbred (46/48), super 7td to 84d (8d to 91d), average 6ld to 74d (71d to 81d), inferior 5d to.6Jd (6d to 7d); medium crossbred (44/46/,) super 73d to Sid, average 6|d to 7Jd (73d to B£d)> inferior 54d to 6d (6£d to 7d) coarse crossbred (40/44/), super 7d to 73d (8d to 83d); average 64d to 63d (7d to 7Jd); inferior 5d to 6d (6d to 6Jd); low crossbred (36/40), average 5Jd to 64d (6£d to 71d); inferior 41d to 51d (53d to .64); hoggets, fine 71d to BJd, (9d to lOJd), medium 7d to 73d (5d to 83d), coarse 51d to 6d (6J to 8d); lambs, fine (44/50/) 8d to 9|d (94 to lOld), medium (40/44) 51d to Gid (54 to 7d); seedy and inferior 3d to 5d (3d to 5Jd); bellies and pieces, crossbred, good to super 4d to 6d (44 to 6d); low to medium 21d to 3>d (2£ to 31). Crutchings: Medium and good 4d to 6d, inferior to seedy 2d to 31 (2d to 34), locks, crossbred 2d to 34 (24 to 3d).

STOCKS AND SHARES. AUCKLAND, March 29. Reported sale: Bank of New Zealand 57/-. WELLINGTON, March 29. Reported sales, 41 per cent. Inscribed Stock, 1938, £97/10/-, do Bonds £97/10/-. DUNEDIN, March 29. Sales reported: Bank of New Zealand 57/-.

LONDON WOOL. SALES. LONDON, March 28. At the wool sales, 6518 bales were offered, including 1988 New Zealand. About 4670 bales were sold. There was a fair selection of greasy merinos, chiefly spinners’ style, and a limited supply of crossbreds. Strong competition prevailed for all sorts at full late rates. New Zealand greasy crossbreds BH/C., ten and a-half and ninepence. NEW METHOD OF LOGGING.

That Caterpillar tractors are capable of carrying out logging operations with a high degree of efficiency was demonstrated early in the week on the property of Mr Gustav Hahn, Ahaura. The demonstration which was carried out by Mr J. E. Renton, of Renton and Co., Hokitika, resulted in the sale of This model will handle comfortably 700 to 900 feet of timber in log form, and, is capable of negotiating very rough country. Those people who require

larger machines the Caterpillar Co. have provided amply for in the Twenty, Thirty and Sixty. These machines can be fitted with the Willamette Ersted Hoist which consists of a winch with cither a double or single drum which is attached to the rear of the tractor. With this device of course any class of bush could be worked, for logs could be hauled from difficult sidlings and places where even the tractor could not go. No doubt in the future the Caterpillar will be a big name in logging on the West Coast. The splendid design of these machines, combined with the high quality of material used in their construction ensures that their owners will have years of trouble-free ■ service. —A.D. ;