COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16500, 28 March 1917, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

'GRAIN AND PRODUCE. ." r . > • ■ < 1 • BETTER SUPPLY. | As booking forward began earlier than ' usual this month most 'of the deliveries ' have : already taken place. The extra trade has been quite satisfactory, having regard to the number of storekeepers who are stock-taking at the end of the month. It is also well known that a good many . are well stocked out of recent arrivals, ' and are therefore now cutting down their buying to actual requirements. Produce: The low of the Otaki ami the Rotorua is ,*, serious blow *° the Alive industries, as these vessels would both have been here toward* the end of the season to assist m removing the accumulation Tpr£ ?" c<, '.. Al »ady large Quantities are awaiting shipment owing to the scarcity of over- "* &«««■ Exports during the last four months have been seriously curtailed as ompared with the previous year, the' M since December 1 being close on £5,000,tx/) botow the corresponding period of las year. £?.♦?" , im orU liav ? continued on a comparatively heavy scale it may be taken for granted, that the usual banking returns for the period ending this week will not show the'improvement l hat is usually recorded miring • the W, quarter. Nevertheless money is in plentiful supply, as a result of the profitable trading of . last season, and a though so far the Dominion has not been awe to register a heavy aggregation of funds irorn this season a produce that advantage may be expected to accruo later on in the winter provided that sufficient shipping is available. Grain and produce are ir. better supply on the local market this week, as a result of several vessels arriving almost at once. However this cannot be kept up, and in view of tho restricted service now running To?™} a <*rtainty that there will be a difficulty in getting sufficient goods up the coast during tho winter. Potatoes: Two vessels brought the first substantial shipments of Southern potatoes for „he season. Arriving to a bare market these were nearly all sold for delivery from the wharf, and merchants havo not much in store. The quality is better than local, and it is expected that supplies for the rest of the season will come from the South, as local are exhausted except for a few that producing districts are kecking lor their own use. Price is firm at £10 10s ex store, and the futuro of tho market appears to depend largely on whether an export trade to Australia will sot in. In any case the outlook is in favour of high prices, as the yield is known to be limited. Onions: Several small shipments have arrived, so that the market is better supplied than for eoine time. Merchants are already trying to get in stocks for export next month, and this will probably take up all that arrive during the noxt few weeks. Price is unchanged at £10 10s ex store. Oats: Heavy sales havo been made from the wharf out of the steamers from the South, as stocks wero exhausted on arrival. I Market is firm at is 7d ex store for best feed. Seod Oats: Selling better, as farmers are pushing on with their drilling for winter feed, and the weather has been perfect for j ploughing operations. Small supplies of 'Australian are being distributed out of a recent vessel. 1 Oatmeal: Another advance has taken 'place, local tow selling at 23s 6d in 251b I bags. Wheat: Very little interest is taken in the (market now that the price is settled, anc? millers are quietly buying their requirements. Fowl wheat is difficult to secure, hardly any being on offer. ! Chaff: Market is poorly _ supplied with ' Southern, and any to hand is quickly distributed. Blenheim thaff is keeping up in quality, and price is unchanged at £7 15s ex store. A little local is coming in, but buyers are giving only £5 10s for it. Maize: Heavy shipments have somewhat upset the market. Nominally the price is 4s 5d on the wharf in wholesale lines, but quotations are irregular, and in order to Quit consignments a concession is -often made. A good quantity is- still left on the coast, and Australian can, also be landed at prices that leave ft margin. _ Seeds: Grass seed is moving off better since the rain. All the bush areas are now 'burned, so far us this season is concerned, 'and tho last orders will soon be executed. 'The weather has been perfect for inducing 'an early growth. ~«•«• 1 Fertilisers: Calcutta bonedußt is selling well this week in a bare market. Most I of the shipment to hand is being distributed ex wharf. ~ , . I Fencing Wire; Stocks are rather low' again Verv little barbed wire is being im- ' ported except small quantities from America. Corrugated Iron: A little is selling, but price is very high, standard sizes being now Quoted at £45 to £46 per ton. . Iron and Steel: Advices from, America and Canada indicate tho difficulties under which trade is now being conducted, in an endeavour to keep pace with the world s in- ■ creased requirements. Pig iron, which several years before the war was selling at ,10 to 12 dollars per ton. is now about 30 dollars, and it is difficult to secure delivery before July at the earliest. The prices of labour and all raw material have advanced to such an enormous degree that manufacturers are advancing their costs considerably The railway facilities are at present inadequate to move .the great, amount of freight offering, especially to snipping porta, and some buyers are placing orders six to twelve months ahead, in order to secure deFlai" There is no change in the position. Fair' quantities are coining in, but very little is being shipped. . . ... Kauri Gum: The "duation is very similar to that of flax. The arrives are pwttv , well up to the average of the war period, but buyers'are not at all eager to. operate . ir, the face of restricted, opportunities tor shipment, and sales are largely confined to , the hotter qualities. i ■ —~ '

PROPERTY SALES. This evening »l eight o'clock Messrs. ; Samuel V»ite.»ud Sons, Ltd.,. will hold an auction, clearing sale, at their rooms, 87., Owen Street, of sections m the Murray 8 Bay Estate, routing,, the east coast, between Milford Beach and Brown's Bay. The estate rents two fine sandy baches, and a new wharf at which steamers call regularly, has been erected on the .property. There are a largo number of sections available, and buyers seaside home sites have a wide range of choice. CHRISTCHURCH PRODUCE MARKET. 'BY TELEGRAPH.— ASSOCIATION] CrmiSTCHURCH. Tuesday. Thero are still few offerings of wheat, although both millers and merchants are prepared to operate up to the Government filed prices The scarcity is said to be due mainly to delay in threshing. As was expected, the oats market is weaker in consequence of Australian oats coming into the North Island. Southland oats are being offered at cheaper rates than prices latciy ruling in Canterbury. For heavy Gartens and Algerians. 3s Gd to 3s Bd. and tor heavy duns 3s Sd to 3s 9d at country stations are now offered. More oats are now being submitted to buyers, and growers are more willing to sell.

TIMARU RAM FAIR. [D? TELHGK-U-H.—I'RKSS ASSOCIATION.] TIMARTJ, Tuesday. At the annual ram fair to-day the entry numbered 511. A good sale resulted. Border Lcicesters were most numerous, and fetched from 3pns to Slgne for flock, 12gns to 22Jgiis for stud. The highest price was given for a one-shear, bred by Mr. D. Grant. Timaru. English Leicester* brought to 6{gns, Romnoys 3gTis to 7}gns, Sliropshires 3sms to l*gns. WOOL MARKET FIRM. A. and N.Z. Cable. LONDON. March 26. 'Die Bradford wool market is very firm, but business is exceedingly limited owing to the shortage of free supplies. I : I LONDON BUTTER MARKET. I Dilgoty and Company,. Limited, advise having received the following cablegram from their London office under date March 23:— Butter: Maximum price unaltered. Prices still in favour of buyers. Australian, 196s to 2025: Now Zealand, 910s to 2165.