FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 115, 12 April 1933, Page 5

FARMING AND COMMERCIAL

GRAIN AND PRODUCE. * POTATOES FIRM IN PRICE,

ONIONS SLIGHTLY BETTER,

Por Press Association. ' CHRISTCHURCH, April 11. Tho potato section is occupying practically the whole of tho attention in the grain and produco market and there has beon a firming in the price of potatoes. Thoro are various contributory causes. Ir, is too early yot to forecast with accuracy tho quality return of the Canterbury crop as the digging of tho main crop has scarcely begun; but the prolonged poriod of dry _ weather has certainly reduced production, which will be lower than at first anticipated, rho effect of tho dry weather on tho quality and quantity is the subject of, some speculation in the market. In addition, the negotiations between tho New Zealand and Commonwealth Governments for a trade agreement and tho inclusion in tho discussion during the negotiations of a possiblo lifting of tho Australian embargo on Now Zealand potatoos have added interest to tho market quotations this week, and certainly partly account for tho firmness. Thoro is still an absence of North Island business in potatoes and no sign of ail inquiry in tho immediate futuro. Small quantities have been sent forward on consignment to test the market. Quotations to-day represented a distinct advance on lato ratos. For prompt delivery growers wero paid 35s to 37s 6d a ton on trucks on a basis of 57s 6d to £3 a ton f.0.b., s.i. Tho market was firm at the latter figure lato in tho afternoon. For Apru-May-.Tuno delivery tho quotation is 67s od to 70s a ton, f.0.b., _ s.i., and for July-August-Scptember delivery is 80s f.0.b., s.i. Offerings are small. The onion market is slightly firmer, with no great deal of attention being pnid to it. It is reported that tho quantities sont south this year havo been larger than for a long period, but there has been no volume of business with tho North Island. Tho quotation on trucks yesterday was £2 5s to £2 10s a torn In no other sections of tho grain and produco market are there any alterations. POTATOES RISE AT AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, April 11. There has been j fihnrp rise in the local potato market since last report, and Puke-kohe-grown, which had lioen selling for a lengthy poriod at the low figure of 2s 6d por cwt. on trucks, now command 4s 6d. It is questionable whether this rate will be maintained. Thoro is no change in the market for onions, which are slow of salo at 6s per cwt. through store. Tho market for pollard in Australia in slightly weaker, from which it may be assumed that regular importations from that source will continue in the meantime. Bran is still dull of sale. Quotations for both those linos are unchanged. Wheat is still selling freely at 4s 6d per bushel, and so far as can be judged the market is likely to be fairly stable at about this figure for some time to come. Maize, on the other hand, is rather dull of sale. Holders are firm in their ideas of value, and the relative higher price of this grain is cheeking consumption. Business in horse feed is very restricted, despite tho low prices. B Garton oats sen at 2s 8d per bushel, and oaten sheaf chaff at £6 5s per ton. STOCK MARKETS. JOHNSONVILLE SALE. There was little change in prices at the Johnsonville sale held yesterday, when Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd., and Abraham and Williams, Ltd., offered a full yarding of all classes of stock. Iho cattle comprised good quality bullocks, heifers and cows, with vealors in larger numbers than usual. There was a keen demand 'at last week’s rates. Sheep generally wero of good quality, and prices showed no alteration for both wethers and owes on last week’s rates. Lambs, if anything, were slightly firmer. Cattle.—Prime heavy bullocks, £7 Bs, £7 ss, £7 2s, £7, £6 17s, £6 15s; light and unfinished bullocks, £4 10s, £4 6s, £3 11s; prime heavy cows and heifers, £4 10s, £4 Bs, £4 ss, £4 3s, £4; heavy cows and heifers, £3-9s, £3 5s 6d, £3 4s, £3, £2 16s, £2 11s; light and unfinished cows and heifers, £1 17s, £1 10s, £1 3s; runners, £2 ss, £2 3s, £2. £1 18s, £1 16s; vealers, £1 10s, £1 Bs, £1 7s. £1 ss.

Sheep.—Prime extra heavy -wethers, 14s 6d, 14s 3rl: prime heavy wethers, 13s 4d; medium wethers, 12s, 11s 7d; prime heavy ewes, 10s 6d, 10s 3d. 10s, 9s lOd, 9s 6d; modium ewes. 9s 2d, 9s, 8s sd, 8s 3d, 8s; light and unfinished ewes, 7s 6d; heavy spring lambs, 13s 9d, 13s 6d, 13s 3d, 12s 6d; spring lambs, 11s 6d, 11s sd; light spring lambs, 9s 3d. PAHIATUA SALE. A medium yarding of sheep was offered by Dalgety and Co., Ltd., at Pahiatua. sale yesterday. All lines met with keen competition and a total clearance was made. B.f. lambs, 6s 6d to 8s lid; wether lambs, 5s 8d to 9s Id; ewe lambs, 4s 4d to 5s 7d; 2-th wethers, 9s to 10s 9d; 2, 4 and 6-th ewes, 8s 4d. Weaner Jersey heifers, £1 9s; m.a. ewes, 4s to 6s lOd. RAISING OF PIGLETS. In a cold spell steps need to be taken to keep the piglets warm at nights. My farrowing pons are all open-fronted, writes Mr Theo. A. Stephens, in the Farmer and Stockbreeder. They aro built in a row with the fronts and divisions boarded only 3ft 6in high. They are 12ft doep by 10ft wide. My plan, in cold weather, is to lay hurdles across the divisions at the. back of the pen and to cover these with a good thick layer of straw, so that the pigs have a covered roof 3ft 6in above their heads and for about 6ft from the back. It still leaves plenty of fresh air without any direct draught, and makes a very snug sleeping-place. With a little care and attention I find these early pigs thrive as well as, and often better than, summer litters. farmlngnotes. RURAL RAKINGS. A pineapple has been successfully grown by Mr W. S. Higgins, of Frankton. About five years ago he planted five tops of pineapplos in a glasshouse. The plants developed and now shoots grew. Four of them survived and ono is now surmounted |iy a ripe fruit which is about half the size of the overage imported article. Another plant' has bomo a fruit which has not yet reached maturity. The glasshouse ia not steanied-heated and m? special manure was used.

Conditions aro so dry in the Awatero, Flaxbourno and Marlborough East Coast districts generally that tho farmers are beginning to regard the depression as almost 6eoondary to drought, states the Marlborough Express of Friday last. Old settlors say it is more than 30 years since tho countryside has borno such a parched, bare appearance, and it is evident that winter pasturage is going to be extremely scarce unless thero is an early break in tho woathor, with a good soaking rain followed by reasonable growing conditions. The Awatero River is a mere creok at present, and although residents say they havo seen it as low or lower,' they doubt if tho country has been drier for many years past. Some long-established wells are recording a first failure. hemp And tallow. INCREASED GRADINGS LAST MONTH

There was a large increase in the greetings of hemp and tow last month over those for March, 1932. The figures compare as follow:—

Of the hemp graded last month, 21.61 per cent, was classed afi good fair, 30.74 per cent, high fair, 14.71 per cent low fair, and 26.12 per cent, common; 6.67 per cent, was rejected, and 0.15 per cent, condemned. Of the tow, 7.22 per cent, was classed as fust grade, 73.91 per cent, second grade, 118.32 per cent, third grade, and 0.55 per cent, condemned.

WELLINGTON STOCK EXCHANGE. YESTERDAY’S BUSINESS AND PRICES. Business was dono in the now Government '1 per cent, inscribed stocks, _ of the 1940, 1946, 1949, and 1955 maturities yesterday at £99 10s, a prico that indicates a marked firming on the rates quoted lost week. Moro wero wanted at prices a Bhado below tho sales, but sellers stayed out. Other Government securities showod little variation on Monday’s prices. There was a good demand for local body and other debentures at firm rates, but there was an entire absence of sellers. In the banks section New South Wales wore again sold at £2B 17s 6d and £29. Late buyers wore offering £2B 15s, sollors holding for £29 2s 6d. Now Zealands wero traded at 455, and closed firm at tllat figure, sellers 45s 6d. The long-term mortgago shares wero 3d up at 29s 3d. National of New Zealand gained 9d at 67s 9d. Little change was seen in other sections of tho market, prices being generally firm at late rates. Colonial Sugars advanced to £54 10s, but sellers wanted £1 bettor. YESTERDAY’S QUOTATIONS. Buying and soiling quotations at tho final call yesterday on the Wellington Stock Exchange wero as follow: — Buyers. Sellers.

CONFIDENCE AND TRADING. “And now just a few words with regard to trade generally,” said Sir David MilneWatson, chairman of the great D°? don Gas, Light, and Coke Company. Iron) the observations wo aro able to make in this company, in London at any rate, _ he went on, “there seems to bo a slight revival in trade and business—but only very, slight. “What we feel is wanted is confidence, and if only pcoplo would get that confidence and begin to spend money again i am sure that there would very soon be an improvement. As I said last year, it is a great mistako on the part of anyone who has monev at the present moment not to spend it wisely. Trade can never bo restored unless thoso who have money are prepared to exchange it for goods. “The banks are full of money at the present time, for which they pay very little interest, as thoso who leave it on deposit, with them are fullv aware. It would bo infinitely wiser for people to use their money in purchasing goods and giving work, as that is the only way in which trade can be set going in this country. BASE METALS MARKET. A SHARP RISE. SYDNEY, April 11.

The official London. (middle) quotations for Monday, as received by the Australian Mines and Metals Association, . compare as under with those previously cabled:- April 6. April 10.

Hemp . Tow Meli., 1932 Bales 1570 365 Mcb..l933 Bales 2638 1081 Inc. Bales 1068 716 Stripper slips 25 23 *2

N.Z. GOVT. LOANS— £ 6 d. £ a. d. 4 p.c. Bo;ids, 1940 ... 4 p.c. ditto, 1946 99 10 0 — 98 10 0 — 4 p.o. ditto, 1949 98 10 0 — 34 p.c. Stock, 1939-43 97 10 0 — 3j p.c. ditto, 1958-52 ... 97 5 0 — 4 p.c. ditto, 1940 99 7 6 — 4 p.c. ditto, 1946 99 5 0 — 4 p.c. ditto, 1949 4 p.c. ditto, 1955 99 5 0 DEBENTURES— Auck. City, 54 p.c., 1944 98 0 0 — Chch. City, 54 p.c, 1944 98 0 0 — Dunedin City, 54 p.c., 1944 98 10 0 — Well. City, 54 p.c., 1940 98 0 0 — Well. Harb. Bd., 54 p.c., 1940 99 10 0 — Eastbourno Boro., 44 • p.c., 1934 96 0 0 — Well. Racing Club ... 90 0 0 — BANKS— Australasia 10 0 0 10 7 6 Commer. of Aust., ord. 0 14 2 — 0 E.S. and A — *4 8 National of N.Z 3 7 9 — New South Wales 28 15 0 29- 2 6 New Zealand 2 5 0 2 5 6 Ditto, long term 1 9 3 — FINANCIAL— Goldsbrough, Mort. ... 1 2 8 — N.Z. Guar. Corp., ord. 0 4 0 0 5 6 N.Z. Invest.. Mort. and Deposit 0 4 6 — Well. Invest., T. & A. — 0 4 0 Well. Trust and Loan — 4 0 0 Well. Dep. and Mort. 0 3 6 0 4 6 Trustee & Exec. Co. 2 10 0 — GASAuckland 1 0 9 — 0 Wellington, ord 1 10 7 1 12 INSURANCE— National 0 16 3 — Now Zealand 2 8 6 — South British *3 4 0 — Standard 2 12 0 — MEAT PRESERVINGN.Z. Refrig., £1 paid 0 10 3 — WOOLLEN— . . V r ellington, prd 4 18 0 5 4 0 COAL— Westport 0 12 6 — TIMBER— ... . Kauri — 0 11 b Leyland-O’Brien 0 17 6 1 0 0 BREWERIES— 1 14 9 — N.Z. Breweries : 1 8 6 1 8 9 Staples and Co Tooth and Co 1 2 6 1 16 0 MISCELLANEOUS _ .. _ I'hilp — 0 Z 1U U Colonial Sugar 54 10 55 10 0 D.I.C., prof 0 19 0 Dunlop Perdriau 0 16 6 — Electro. Zinc, pref. ... *1 8 6 N.Z. Drug 6 6 0 N.Z. Fanners hertiliscr 0 16 U — N.Z. Paper Mills Wilson’s Cement 1 4 0 1 12 0 Hume Pipe 0 9 6 Milburn Lime 1 5 0 MINING— „ , Consol. Goldfields — U iU Golden Dawn — ii 0 3 0 Goldon Point 0 0 — King Solomon 0 1 9 — Mount Lvcll 0 19 1 0 19 0 1 2 0 — i Wailii Grand Junction 0 3 8 0 4 Big River 0 1 1 0 1 5 Gillespie's Beach — Waitahu 0 4 3 Freshford » 0 } *Cum. dividend.

Fer ton. Fer ton. Copper— spot £ 3 d 28 1 3 £ a 29 13 d 9 forward 29 6 10i 29 16 3 ♦Electrolytic to 32 15 0 33 0 0 34 0 35 0 0 0 Wire bars.33 0 0 35 0 0 Load— .Spot Forward 10 10 0 10 15 0 10 17 6 11 1 3 Spelter— 14 15 0 15 1 3 Forward 15 2 6 15 7 6 Tin153 16 3 156 2 6 Forward 154 13 9 156 16 6 Silver— per oz .. 17 7-16d 17 3-8d Fine, per oz 18 13-16d 18 3-4d t American , not quoted. ♦American, 5.37 cents a lb.