COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16850, 15 May 1918, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

SATISFACTORY BUSINESS --■■! t, ■„ PRODUCE 1 IN : SHORT SUPPLY-! The slock week of the month is rather heavier than usual with the wholesale houses, and this is partly attributed to the desire before the winter comes on *nd makes the roads absolutely impassable. Town trade as also satisfactory, buyers evidently being long as they can secure the goods. The ■mport returns for the March quarter have ,U« been issued, and. although nominally aecof/nJ known th , at ' be hi ?bex prices former t?i^li. nl! s °«w*ra produce. The the ciJ&ni?. Xs only - aa »«*ntuation of Ivft ?S e u,^ ceß - ever smc ? . tlr a war began. pat the latter is now existing in m Si form for the first time, and itWiU' no donh? sS*i Wo tl e u:tttil 6<18Q9 attempt is made to deal w ,th an awkward problem. maCO *° oii ? ea '■ 1^ 6 last steamer from the South brought very tew, so the market is not so rn B 8 ! ip ? * d thls w ,' 8e and - «* ope of the coastal steamers will be running a special trip for chaff, it seems likely that shipments ; of potatoes will be very limited. Local quo-™-w 18 -if? ex »*?"• an <* theforward market will largely depend on the amount ' of shi P p m g available. The fact that a shipmeat from Australia was condemned on arrival at Dunedra. although the document's were supported by the usual Government certificate is to the quality, is having a dis- : 822r5SS effect on local importers. Buyers have cancelled their- contracts rather than take the, risk under these conditions, and l^v.**!? ■ ° r^ as on the question as to whether New Zealand has sufficient potatoes i without importing. •""■». . 9 aionß i : ? rice remains »* £10 ex store, 1 and fairly heavy sales .are reported. The i mam trouble at present is over-forward supples. There is.a decided shortage in Canterbury, and « shippers who had sold ■at the Beginning of the season ere now anxious to cancel their contracts. It is evident that Auckland will be short of stocks earlier i than usual, and importation from Australia must then take place if possible. Oats: The local market is rather badly supplied owing to insufficient shipping accommodation on the coast, and the immediate outlook is not very hopeful. The .ascent, slackening in the Southern price is apparently due to the same cause, thousands cf sacks being held up for want of snipping space. A Utile business is passing at 6s 7d ex store for best feed. 7 ■ Seed Oats i No demand is -coming ' in-at present, but merchants expect that further quantities will be required from July onwards. . Wheat: Very little' milling is offering,' growers no doubt realising that in the pre. ' sent state,of shipping they. must be content' to wait, Fowl wheat is -offering * little i more plentifully, from' Australia, but ' there - IS the same. difficulty over , quality as in . potatoes. Shippers will not. guarantee absolately free from weevil, end there is the risk that a shipment might be condemned on arrival. Pair sales are reported at 7a 6d to-7a 9d ex store. . Bran and Pollard: The usual difficulty is being experienced in getting supplies. Maiae: Coastal maize is worth 7s 44 on the wharf, but the whole trade lately has been in Australian grain delivered ex store, arrivals from the Bay of Plenty being very' small. r »■ . | Chaff: The market is still very bare, ,in J spite ot a .shipment, of Blenheim that? recently distributed from Onebunga. A special steamer chartered ,to load a cargo of chaff from Lyttelton will relieve matters, but a large proportion of this is already booked for delivery direct from the wharf, and the market will not be at all overstocked. Price remains firm at £12 10s ex store. Barley: A fairly good demand continues at 7s ex store. / Fertilisers: The recent shipment .of bonedust has all been sold, and merchants are again looking round for further supplies. It .seems to be quite certain that the next vessel will have no bonedust, as the available space is being reserved for coroaacks and also for the large quantities of woolpacks that must be obtained in order to be in time for the coming wool «season. Flaa-t-Supplies have been coming in very freely during the last few weeks, and the stores are- full, export having been very limited. It is practically decided that mills will shortly be closing for the winter, j and thi3 may give an opportunity to ease ! down the local glut, although at present I the shipping outlook is anything but promising. Nominally good fair is worth £ 4€, high I point fair £44, and' low point £42, but, as America is at present taking nearly all exported, and 1b not in the market for low grades, this quality is » drug in the; market and the margin/ 8 ; 'difference in price is greater than usual. : SOUTHERN MARKETS. ; V fBT IEtBGBAPH.— ASSOCIATJOH.j ' CHBISTCHUIiqB:. Tuesday. The grain and produce ' market opened very quiet this week, and there is nothing fresh to report in connection with grain, chaff, or potatoes. The latter are not offering very freely since the price declined. Buyers are offering £5 to £5 10s at country stations. Clean white clover, is now worth only Is 3d to Is fid per lb. the market being easier in consequence of supplies : being larger than anticipated. On the other hand, red clover is firmer, and Is 3d to Is 6d is being paid. White ivory - and blue Imperial peas are also lower, and linseed is now quoted at £22 a- ton at country stations. PRICES OF METALS. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Becd. 8.80 p.m.) LONDON, May 13. Tin, £375. Silver, 48Jd per oz. Other metals are unchanged. AUCKLAND HIDE SALES. Messrs. Q. W. Binney and Sons report : — "We held our weekly hide sale yesterday, when prices ruled as follow:—B&st cow Bjd to Bfd, medium Bid to Bid. scored Bd, cut 7£d to Bd, damaged £Hd to 6d: ox. heavy 10id to lOid, medium 10id to = 10|d, light 9sd to 10cr> cut 8d to Sid. damaged 6id.to 7d; yearling 9d to 9id, cut 7id to Bd, damaged sid to fid; call, good 11$ d. medium 10a to 10£ d, cut 9d to 9Jdl horse, 9a to 10s, medium 8s to 8a 6d, small 5s 6d to 6s, cut 4s to 4s 6d. The market was active at above prices. - ggggj«— —T——^TT mm SB