COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16672, 17 October 1917, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

the] wholesale trade. POTATO STOCKS FAIRLY HEAVY. This week has again opened well in the ( wholesale. Good orders are coming in from .country and . town, although some buyers are already showing s an inclination to hold off 'till booking commences for- next month's account. The buying now going on certainly shows confidence in the future, and the chief difficulty is in providing the goods that are required. It is recognised that the opportunities for getting imported goods wiil be further restricted, although at the moment -the tension has been relieved by the distribution of several important shipments to hand. America is gradually restricting trade in order to put a gigantic effort into the allied cause, and tradespeople must be prepared to find facilities reduced in connection with quite a number of articles of regular importation. Potatoes: Stocks are stilt" rairiy heavy, several largo shipments having arrived, ana there are further quantities on the way. lor-. I tunately the quality coming to hand is very I good, but potatoes can hardly be expected I to keep well at this lime of the year, so that buyers aro not inclined to take any more than they require. The best are selling at £ 10s ex store. . , ~„ Seed Potatoes: Numerous orders ore still coming in, as the weather lately has been perfect for planting, Any recently planted . are doing very well, but even under IM best of conditions they will be late. Uligat is appearing in Bome quarters, but is not making much headway against regular spraying. Good Btocks of seed potatoes are still hold by local morchants. , ... , Onions: None are to be had until American or Australian arrive. Oats: The market is well supplied, but no change in price is reported, best feed still being quoted at 5s ex store. There is no weaknees apparent in the South. A few holders of f.a.q. are rather eagerly selling in order to -mako room for wool, but graded oats are very firm, especially as there seems small likelihood of getting supplies from Australia in any quantity for the present. Seed.Oats: Several small lota nave been moving off lately, but the sale for the season has been rather disappointing, ana merchants have sold a good many of their Algerian seed for feed purposes. It is a matter for regret that more oats have not been sown this spring, as a good market (Or chaff soems assured, whereas, according to present appearances, importation from the South will attain take place. Chaff: The position in Marlborough is very strong. A few quotations for new chaff are already coming in, but the price is quite equal to to-day's rates- and there is so far no indication of the lower forward quotation that usually comes in at the beginning of the season. It was thought a little whilo ago that Canterbury would have large quantities to sell, but this has not come about. Holders aro only offering small quantities, and appear to Be looking for an advance. Best Southern is quoted at £10 ex 6tore., Whaat-: Very small quantities are obtainable until further importation from Australia can take place. Sales aro at present limited to a few bags. Nominal quotation is about ! 7s 6d. Bran and Pollard: Very little is obtainable. Local mills aw having their output picked up at once, while vory little is arriving from the South, as a good many mills »rn tint mi'fin or nt oil until' Can get I

are pot minng at an until mcy can gei, further supplies of Australian wheat. The date of this is very uncertain. Maire: Supplies last weak were very limited, and there was no difficulty in placin? consignments on the basis of 5s Id on tht wharf in who'esale lines, especially as tho demand was stimulated by the scarcity of wheat. This week, however, the arrivals are muoh heavier, and large consignments are now being placed, while advices are already to hand regarding furthor large parcels op the way. S<<ed maiza is also in. demand, and any particularly good samples are being reserved. , , , . Ferti'isers: A good demand is coming in. There may be a shortage of bonedust later on. but at present storks are very fair. Eastern Goods: Sago and tapioca aro scarce, and both lines show a substantia] advance. Stocks of rice are getting low. and j it is difficult to secure supplies.* , Tea: Th& latest advices from Colombo j show low grades two cents dearer, and othar descriptions , are firm. The present rate of I exchange, at Is Sid to the rupee, is also a i factor in increasing the cost, while from 1 November 1 the rate of freight is to be 16 1 rupees per ton higher, making the rate equal i to about ill 2s 6d per ton. Even then tho j rate is less than the cost to the United Kinadom. which is now £13 10s per ton, compared with £1 10s before the war. Flax: Owing to the uncertainty regarding | ' shipment, buyers are very chary about operating, and it is oxpocted that unless better I • opportunities occur t'oe local buying price 1 will have to come bade a little. Tho market in London is eood enough, but tho trouble is to got the flax there. 1 Fungus: Market is weak at fid for dry I samples. Kauri Gum: About the usual quantity is coming in, principal'y consisting, of 'low (Trades. ThtFO are dorided'y hanging fire, ■ the higher freight and the difficu'ty.in security space making it impossible to place all ' the parcels arriving.. On the other hand, good duality is moving off fairly well. RECORD PRICE FOR ONIONS. [BT TKLDOIUrH— ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON,' Tuesday. The market is almost bare of onions. A small consignment auctioned this morning brought the record price of £144 13s 4d a ' ton. CANTERBURY PRODUCE MARKET. [BT TELEGRAPH.—PRESB ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. , Trade in the grain and produoo markets is confined to email limits. Beyond the usual seed trade of the season, little business is being done. No grain is offering, and oatslwaf chaff, which still meets, with fair inquiry from the North Island, i* becoming more scarce. Prices are without change, prime jieavy being worth up to £5 at country stations. , Tho potato market is dull, and although , the price is nominally £2 7s 6d and £2 10s at country stations, "it is reported - that tho . best offers from Auckland will not admit of more that £2 5s being paid at country stations. Few potatoes are offering. —— r— ————r~ LONDON MARKETS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 7.4& p.m.) LOS DON, Oct. 15. ' Tin: On spot. £246 17s 6d; throe months, £244 2s 6d , Silver. 43Jd. Other metals are unchanged.

MANAWATU STOCK SALES. The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. report:— fair at Palmorston North, At the bull fair at Pulmprston North, fi-year pedigree Bhorthorn bulls from mnKing strain. 30gns. 31irns. and 34gns- 2-year pedigree SLorthorn bulls from miming strain, Signs, 26gns, Signs, and 33gns; yeaning pedigree Shorthorn bulls. 19gns to 40gns; yearling grade Bhorthorns. 9Jgns, llgns. lHgns. 12igns, 16gns, 25?ns; 2-year grade Shorthorns. 16gns, 18gns. 181gns: 4-year pedigreo Priesian bull. 41gn&: 2-year pedigree Jersey bulls. 19gns, 12gns, 14gns: yearling pedigreo Jersey bulls, 7gns« and Bgns. At Palmerston on Thursday we had a fair entry of both sheep and cattle. All lots met with a. ready sale at late rates. Aged empty ewes. 18s 6d; f.m. owes with lambs, 84s lOd; fat ewes, 345: fat wethers. 3is, 88s; discoloured yearling steers, £3 7s, £4 10a: forward cows, £8 9s. £10 8s: good oows and calves. 10 17s 6d; cows in calf. £6 IBs 1 fat cowb. £12. £14: Jersey bulls. £6 15s. £8 ss, At the Feilding cattle fair we yarded 1100 head of mostly good quality cattle. lhere was a very large attendance of local and outside buyers, and we Have to report a very satisfactory sale, very few lines going out unsold. Compared with recent sales, young cittle showed a decided rise, but grown cattle barely held their own. Prime billJacks. £17: Hereford bullocks, £16 15s; 8-year Shorthorn, bullocks, £15 19s. Abrahams and Williams. Ltd.. report :- At Palmerßion North on. Thursday we had On average yarding of both sheep and cattle, Thero was good competition for all lines. and practically the whole yarding changed 1 hands, the high prices ruling of late being ' fully maintained. Full-mouth ewes with ■ lambs brought 35s lOd to !t7s 7d: fat and ' forward ewes, 355; forward ewes, 30s "to 82s; •I mixed hoggets, 333: forward cows, £10 17s . 6d; a line of store and forward cows, £9; store cows. £7 5s to £8; springing, heifers, £8 2s 6d to £12; small mixed yearlings, £6 2s; medium yearling heifers. £4 10s to £4 16s: weedy yearling heifers. £2 6s to £3 6s; 2-year bulls, £11: yearling Jersey bulls, sma'il. £6 7s to £7 2s fid. . _ .. ,1 At the Feildins cattle fair on Friday, we had a fair proportion of ihe entry. There ' was probably a record attendance at the I sale Bidding at the outset was rather slack, but improved considerably as the sale I progressed, and practically tho who'e of our 1 yarding changed hands before, leaving tho yards, young stock selling particularly well. I Sheep also sold very well. Four-year store bullocks brought £16 15s; 8 and 4-year ditto, 1 £lfi 18s; 3-year ditto. £15 10a; fij-year uteers. £13 to £14 7s 6('-: forward cows, £11 10s to ' £12 12s; fresh-conditioned cows, £9 10s to £1015s: 21-year smptv heifers, £9 ss: 2-year • ditto. £8 6s; 16-montb mixed. £6 10s. to £8 ; 12s 6d; Shorthorn yearling steers, iflO 7s; . pood yearling steers, £9 3s to £9 6s; fair r ditto. £8 8s to £B'l2s: small ditto. £6 7s 6d 1 to £7 158; good yearling heifers. £6' 14« to b £7 2s 6d; small ditto. £5 Is to £5 13s; tu'l yearlings. £3 10s to £4: small yearling bulls, ' £7 5«: fit ewes, 86s: fair mixed hoggets. 36s • to 87s 2d; fair owe hoggets, 86s; medium ) mixed hoggets, 29s 3d to 82s; small ditto, I 24s to 26s lid.