COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17097, 28 February 1919, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

WHOLESALE VERY FAIR,

RETAIL RATHER DULL.

A very fair week is reported by tho whole- | sale houses, duo to the delivery of orders ; booked on forward account, and the distribution of several lines to hand by Australian t steamers. Retail is rather dull in most departments, but tho drapers aro busy with their summer sales. Shipping is still in an unsatisfactory state, and both importers and exporters are looking for an improvement. Potatoes: Tho market remains weak, the embargo on export having taken away any inclination to operate in largo lines, especially sb locally grown are known to be unreliable for keeping. So far the embargo has on y affected tho local article, but Southern will [eel the effect of it later on, as a good crop is practically assured. Quotation re.mains at £8 103, ex store, for primo quality, but poor grades are difficult to sell. Onions; Prico is weak at £9 10s ex store, with tho probability of still lower values when Southern arrive, aB quotations for forward delivery show an easier tendency. Thcro appears to be no possibility of export to »ancouvor as the freight works out at botween •£l2 nml £13 per ten weight, and this is prohibitive in viow of present values at tho other side of the Pacific. If freight wore low enough to allow of export, it h very probable that tho next few mail steamers would bo taking shipments. » Oats: During tho last day or two thero has been ti rapid fall in Southern values, equal to about fid per bushel as compared with hint week. Tho movo is apparently (luo to tho assurance of a cood crop, nvoragini: about three bushels per ncro better than last year's yio'd, according to present estimates. Besides tho actual yiold, thcro is the influence of a gradual decrease in tho consumption each year, duo to tho steady Mul constant introduction of motor traffic. There is also tho fact that chaff and hay are plentiful and cheap this year, whereas last year both were scarce and at record prices. All this will tend to restrict tho consumption of a crop which is known to bo greater than last year, and tho only feature in the position tondinfr towards a firm market is the depletion of stocks at tho beginning of tho season, whereas this time Jast /oar the new season opened with fairly good shells of old grain on hand. Local price is about 6s Gd to (is 8d ex storo for best feed. Oatmeal; Stock? aro low. Wheat: Australian fowl wheat is sellinfr at 7s 9d ex store, and abundant supplies aro on hand. It ii probable, however, that very little moro will como over, as southern wheal should coon bo ready. Barley: Market is steady. | Chaff: Southern shippers appear rather firm in their quotations, but practically no business is takinx place no doubt on account of tho largo supplies available in the North Island. T/oeal is worth £8 at tho station for best quality, sacks oxtra, but very little business is reported so far Seeds: Sales of grass seed continue disappointing. A poor season was expected, on account of labour conditions interfering with felling last winter. Fertilisers: Lower quotations are ruling in superphosphates, as comoared with values ft few weeks ago. Australian bonedust was inclined to weaken a little, but values havo hardened again, owing to orders not being filled. The troub'o is largely duo to tho position of Calcutta bonednst. No space is available at all for the March steamer, and according .to present advices tho rate of freight current during the war is to be maintained for nil consignments by tho JulyAitffust steamer. Maizo: Market ho'ds vory weak at 6s Gd on the wharf in wholesalo lines. A few consignments arrived in bad condition, and had to bo quitted at a reduction, but amplo stocks of good duality aro availablo also. Demand 13 dull at this time of tbo year. PROPERTY SALES. Smith and Halcombe will offer for Bale today at two o'clock, by order of the Public Trustee as administrator in the estate of the late Mr. Richard McGhan, a section of land, containing about 1 acre, and having 157 ft froutazo to Symonda Street, Royal oak. There is room for three houses, and tho block is ready to build upon and opposite the Zoo, within two minutes of tho tram.

A five-roomed house will be offered for salo by public auction to-day by Mr.. C. F. Bennett, Now Zealand Insurance Buildings. It is situated on a section in Orakau Road, Epsom. 63ft by 175 ft

Samuel Vailo and Sons, Ltd., will hold an ! auction sale at their rooms, 63. Queen Street, at 2 p.m.. to-day. when the following properties will be offered for sale:— residence, of 15 rooms, fronting Khybcr Pass, lCGft by a depth of 200 ft; 3) acres, with two houses, cornor Salisbury Road and Taylor Road, Mount Albert: and la 3r lip on Great North Road, with three houses thereon. Messrs. T. Mantteno Jackson will offer for salo by auction to-day the property in tho estate of the late Mrs. A. L. Wilson, situate nt tho top of Grafton Road, containing la 3r 17p and having 150 ft frontage to Grafton Road, by a great depth, together with an eight-roomed house erected thoreon. The salo takoa place at Messrs. T. Mandono Jackson s rooms, Customs Street En.it. at cloven o'clook. AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed 11.20 p.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 27. Oats; Algerian fending and millraj. 6s to 5s 2d; Tasmuninn, 6s. Capo barley, 5s to 6s 3d; malting, 5s 9d to 6s 3d. Maize, 7s 3d to 7s lid Potatoes: Tasmanian, £10 to £17. Onions, £15. ADmiDE , Fcb . » Oats, 4s 5d to 4s 6d. HIDES, SKINS, AND TALLOW. Mossrs. G. W. Binney and Sous report: Hides: Best cow, 10} d to lid, medium lOd to 10jd; rough cow, 9d to fljd; scored, 7id to 8!d; cut, 6',d to 7)d; damaged, ;j}d to Gd; ox, extra heavy 13{d to Md, heavy 12} d to 13d, medium ll|d to 12d. light lid to Hid out 9!cl to lOd; damaged, 6jd to 7d; yearling, 9Jd to lOd: cut 7jd to 8d; damaged sid to 6d: calf, good lGd to 18d, medium 14d to 15d. heavy lid to Hid, damaged 7Jd to Did. cut 91d to lOd. Horse 99 to 10s, medium 83 to 8s 6d, small 5s to 6s, cut •Is to 4s fid. Tallow: Casks, best 83s to 85s per owt, medium 31s fid to 335, ordinary 30s to 52s 6d: tins, best 30s, ordinary 27s Gd, dreggy and burnt, 25s Gd. Bones: Good, dry £7 10s to £8 per ton. WAIKATO STOCK SALES. The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Co.. Ltd., Hamilton, reports: — During tho last week wo held stock sales at Patetonsa, Mercury Bay, Taumarunui, Waingaro, Te Kuiti, Hamilton, Piopio, Opar ran, Ngaruawahia, Waihou and ManKaroa, and three clearing sales. Beef continued in koon demand at tho high prices ruling during the last few weeks. The store cattle market continued quiot, thero, being little demand for any classes, prices being correspondingly low. Sheep continued to be yarded at sheep fairs in large numbers, practically all linca being Quitted at satisfactory pricos. Good ewes, good wethers and extra good lambs sold exceptionally well. Pigs continued in Rood demand, with prices up to those ruling during the last few weeks. We quote: — Bulls, heavy, fat, £14 to £20; bullocko, medium £16 to £18, heavy £17 10s to £19; fat cows, prime £12 10a to £14, extra heavy £14 to £16 10s. medium £10 10s to £11 10s; fat heifert £10 10s to £13 10a; 3-year bullocks. £11 to £12 103: 2i-yoar bullocks, good £8 10s to £9, poor colours £G to £7 2s 6d; empty cows, fresh conditioned £8 to £9, ordinary £7 to £7 15s, old and poor £5 to £G; 18-months steers, extra good £6' to £6 10s, good £1 10s to £5 ss; medium £3 6s to £4; 18-monlhs fere, best £4 10s to £5 10s; mixed yearlings. £2 10s to £4; wcaner calves, best £3 to £3 ss, medium 30s to 455, poor 15s to £1: dairy cows, best £10 to £11, ordinary £8 to £10, backward and poor £6 to £3; extra choice 3-year-old Shorthorn heifers, in calf, close to profit, £11 to £13; 2-year heifers good (in calf) £7 15s to £8 18a, medium £6 15s to £7 108; fat ahorn wethers, extra good 36s to 37a, medium 33s to 355; fat 2-tooth wethers, 25s 6d to 28s 6d; store 2-tooth wethers, 24s to 275; shorn ewes, fat 27s 6d to 30s, fresh conditioned 22s 6d to 255; Lambs, storo lis to lis, rape 16s to 17b 6d; fat 23s to 265; 2-tootli ewes, good 28s 6d to 30s 3d small 23s to 255: 2-tooth wothors, good 24a to 25s Gd. small 18a to 225; 4-tooth wothers, stores 25s 6d to 275, forward 28s Gd to 32s 3d: 4 and 6-tooth cw»s, good 303; 4-ycar ewes. 24s Gd to 275: f.f.m. ewes, 20b to 235; cull ewes, lis '6d to 16s. Pigs— Weancrs, 25s to 30s: slips, 36s to 455; porkers, £3 10s to £4 10s; baconers. heavy. £5 10s to £8. Horses— Heavy .draughts, £28 to £33; good farm £23 to £28; harness horses, £15 to £18.