COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17660, 22 December 1920, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

j THE WEEK'S BUSINESS. I RUSH IX RETAIL TRADE. ! | j J AXXIETY OVER IMPORTATIONS ! . j Business has opened up very well in ail i . j departments this week. Retailers report a ' ; marked improvement, buyers having a-D- j j parently again nut og their Christmas shop- ! ' ping till the last, in spite of the oft-repeated | id-vice to siiop early. The ■ ; weather has naturally helped matters con- ' j fiiderably. and it is now hoped that present ! i conditions will last over the holidays. Whole- ! i sale houses were expecting that the rush of • I business would be over by now. but this i week has been quite busy so far. This can- : not very well last, as distributors must have : secured most of their requirements ere this. ; ! and only acrtnis-cp orders are exj>ect~d j before the holidays. A few useful arrivals ; have given an extra spurt to business in ' t ! some lines, but the old shortages are being : t j rapidly overcome, so that each shipment is : " now of leas interest. Benzine is being dis- | 1 this week, and appears to be in un- ; a j limited demand for both town and country. : r ] Matches ana tobacco have also just arrived ! 3 ; in time to be distributed before the holt- | a | days. F j The interruption to Australian shipping i | has come at a particularly inopportune time ' j for passenger traSc', but goods tragic will | j feel it less than a; any time curing tea past I ; four or live years. The greatly improved \ | time-table of the Iwt lew months has apI patently overtaken ail the arrears oi cargo ; | awaiticg shipment in Australia, so that the ; present delay will cause a minimum of in- > j convenience. The only rexi.y big line that | is lUceiy to be siiort is i>onedusi. as a tew j . | thousand tons couid still bs urougnt across 1 j With advantage. t . iSritisn ana American goods are still landi us in abundance, and importers are getting i i Quite _ anxious about some imes, wfiich. aie 1 1 a.ready in over-supply-Proauce.—Nearly everything shows an ! j easier tendency except dairy produce as a re- ■ I suit ot increased supplies, mutter is being . : taicn up at fuli rates for export and selling 1 ; at the artificially reduced price for local l consumption. L/neese is rather scarce until next month, and full rates are Hams : <«"1 Oao-a are scums well. Etfss «r« -ei.- | t»ns scarce and iiavo sold, up to js retail. I Potatoes.—Heavy supplies have ccine in ! I agani, especially ■ a.3 some farmers have had ; to hurry on their dissmg in order to escape Mccr.d growth since the ram. Quotation is j /a to '<& 3d at country stations, but lees ; money is often accepted. ; Onions.—The last of the American sold I weLL, even against at about half ; I the price. ev.- Melbourne Globes are now j 1 selling at 22s 6d, and further quantities are oßering at much lower r*tea for next month. : t 3 recent liol<ungs should be good property if j the ehipptng is interrupted for any iengtu j of time, but, in any case, only limited Quan- ! tities will be imported, a>s local will soon !be ready. Some growers are already olier--1 ing for early delivery, but none are ripe ! yet. j Oats.—Demand keeps very small, and the i market is weak at os 3d ex store in small i lines. Stocks are quite sufficient for ail likely requirements, and the future appears : to depend on the weather between now and next March. With a reasonable harvest there ! should be low prices. Chaff.—This is also offering at lower rates i from Marlborough and Canterbury, and ! growers itprear quite anxious to seU. It is * vary clear that Australia is getting an extra- ; ordinary growth, and if they get in their I i grain and hay in reasonably tine weather ' j there will be no outlet whatever tor any tiling I | from New Zealand. Best quality 13 selling j - | in T small lots at 13s ex store. t Hay.—The rain has greatly damaged a good : I deal that was out, as tile spells of tine j 1 | weather were nespr long enough to enable j L the hay to be Sacked. The weather this ! week is tiierexore specially welcome, and all j l will now be got in. • Poor-quality hay will be j much in evidence this year, i Maize.—Market is irregular on account of i j heavy supplies. A very nice sample of Island ' mair« is n!so offering this week, and, as it ia free from weevil, it is getting a good 5 uea.l OI tile limited oemand that exists. : Fertilisers.— Donedust is getting c scarcer, but super is in full supply. t Flax.—Cabled replies to offers from Auck- j land have been quite unworkable, and it looks t as if a reduction in freight is tke only hope - of the industry. The. prasent position is very ' regrettable, as plenty of space is now obtain able. A little while ago, when the market was good. 110 space could be obtained, and fairly, large stocks are still _ held jn the city, practically unsaleable until freights come down. FOREIGN EXCHANGES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 12.5 a.m.) LONDON, Dec. 20. The following rates cn foreign exchanges are current to-day. compared with the cabled quotations on December 16 and par: — Dec. 20. Den. 16. Pa-r. Pari3 . . . . sS£r. SOc. 55.55 25.225 Stockholm . . 17kr. 83ore 17.74 15.159 Christiania . . 23kr. 53ore 23.50 13.159 Calcutta . . Is 4jd Is 5d 2a Montreal . . 4dol. 13c. 4.08 4.566 . New York . . 3dol. 49c. 349 4.866 . Yokohama . . 2s 9td 23 103 d 2s 0;d : LONDON MARKETS. Messrs. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., have re- ■ ceived the following cable from their Lon- > don oince, under date December 16.— Tallow.—lo4o casks offered. 430 sold, at about unchanged prices. Rather more con- . petition. We quote:'® Fine mutton. £2 18s 6d; good mixed, £2 15s; gut, £2 Is. CANTERBURY MARKETS. LBT TELEGBAPH. —PEESS ASSOCIATION".] CHRISTCHURCH. Tuesday. Until after the holidays there will be practically no business done in the grain and produce market, and there is little ' prospect of any impetus being; given to j trade until the next, season's crops become 1 | marketable. Poulterers have absorbed sup- £ I plies of fowl wheat and as there is none available at present they have to be coni j tent with mixtures of oats, barley, peas, iI or anj> other substitute obtainable. A few | small sales of oats have been made at 3a 3d f.o.b. South Island for B grade and I 3s 6d for A grade Garton3. but the sales i were so small that the above quotations 1 !-cannot be accepted a3 a criterion of values. • I There is much speculation as to the pto- - : spect for oats next year, and present indications are that the price to the farmers will be only about 2s 3d to 2 S 4d on trucks at country stations. Owing to the dry spring the Canterbury oat crops are not likely 1 1 tol be as heavy a3 last year, and between ! 1 ■ Chnstchurcn nnd .Ashburton many of the • Seids now ripening appear to be light I j There is very little business doin" iii i j and what inquiries do come from I the _ North Island appear to be only ■ 1 harvest " aßticipatioa oi tlle coming j PROPERTY SALES. r j SALE OF QUEEN STREET BLOCK. ! Samuel Vaile -and Sons, Ltd., will hoid 1 a sale, by auction of a Queen Street block; _ l at their rooms 63. Queen Street, at i nm. 3 | l°-f, ay - £ fje property is being Offered on behalf of the Bans, of Australasia, and comi P*t\ lses portion of the well-known Gcod- • H'-t corae JL o£ Q u,r «n Street a ? c .? rl i^ na ' rn A 1 "®* 5 ' - ln «re ia a frontage °1 t-c> _ Street, by depth of \" ou - anc i cn the land is a threestorey building occupied by Messr?. Phillinos and Impey. J. A. Pond, and other tenants. Messrs. Richard Arthur, Ltd.. sold at . auction yesterday, by order of the Public j Trustee.. Mjeral sections situated in St. ; Andrews Street, and MerivaJ Road, Epaom . j One lot realised £6 a foot, another £6 1= j | aaotxier- and. anotner £15.

STOCK SALES.

AUCKLAND. Messrs. Alfred Buckland and Sons, Ltd report. — | We had an average yarding of horses at | the Haymarkei on Friday last. Competition i was slack and values unchanged i Wednesday we held a clearance sale a- Mr. F\ rfattawav'g, Waiau p a . when everv- | thms sola weil. Tha dairy cows brought troin if, V 3 IQs - s TH a! . I . f . arcl horses £-27 lOs vO —'10, Uvoyear-old cfilers £S. calves £1 to | £1 5s- J>iss: Sows. £5 as to £6 IOs; slips - | anc pcrice-9, £2 2s 6d to £'1 153 : i „ As sale of stock of the late Mr -J j Cummins, Eamarama. on Thursday, there I ; waa a large attendance, and satisfactory prices i were realised. The dairy cows sold at from r ■~' l 1 10s to £*20 IOs: two-year-old heifers, i —■& 12s: c&-ves. £1 7s to £2 Is; farm horsas. £21 r to, £21 10^ [ We held our monthly sale at Waitakaruru j on December 17. at Pokeno cn December IS, i and at on December 50. There i srer= average yardiag's at_ each place, and I values realised were similar to late sales, j Dairy cows and hsifars made from £15 to £25, 3 ! second quality £3 to £11 10s, a~e<i and m--1 ' ."no r £4- 10- to £3 10s: fat cows and heifers, e I £S to £13 lOs ; empty cows, £ I 30 £7 ICs; 1 iour-ysar-oid steers £11 16s to £13. three and ! to four-year-old steers £8 16s to £11 j IDs. two to th ree-yea r-otu steers £5 10s to e £3 10s, yearling to IS-ntonth steers £3 10s i, Ito £5 15s; hsjfers, same age, £4 to £7 10s; I good calves £2 to £2 lis. smaller calves £1 ■ 10= to £1 IS->; bulls. £3 10s to £16 16s - young piss. £1 10s to £2. There was an sveriOT yarding of dairy and ' =tcra cattle at Westfield last i cursdav. "Gcod t ; cows rt profit ere wanted. Store cattle sold Icw •» oar with otb«r sales. Be*t dairy cows ' j £18 to £26, -leeocd quality £12 XQs to £16, j otliars £5 to £10 ss -. best, springins heifers © 1 £13 to £19 10s, small and backward £S 10s 3• to £11; empty •"ows. £1 lOs to £7 ss; y«r- ---( 1 Üb* to ls-montb steers. £3 15s to £5 &= ; ' ; he I: era. same rr-ye. £4 to £9. according to i breed and qualitycalves, £1 to £1 15a.

1 Owing to the Christmas holidays w® held i ! ot2r weeitiy stock market To-jtorda y snci- i i penned fat cattle to the number of 374 head, f | comprising 500 steers, 121 costs and bcitera. 1 : and bulls. There was ~ imurored demand and values tor choice and pncifrci I j were firmer. Extra choice ox to £2 lis, j ccoice and, prime ox £2 lis to £2 lis. ordin; ! j ary and plain £2 Ss to £2 ICs; rougic beet j |£1 5s to £1 lis; cow and heifer beet. £1 j | 16s to £2 12s. Heavy prime steers ran sea in ' l price from £20 _ 10s to £22 17s 6d, lighter \ ] prime steers £17 to £20. light prune steers i ! £14 10s _to £13 10s, unfinished and j 1 steers £I<J 5s to , heavy prune- young 1 ! cows and heifers, £13 10s to £15 10s. lighter j j prime cows and heifers, £10 10= to £13: ! j other cows, £5 5s to £10. The highest aver- j j ages tor steers were; 30 tram iir Geo. j ! Riddeli's St. Hellers Bay property. £'35 Os 7ct; j ; S from Mr. F. Bngnian, Aka Alca. £19 16s sc; | j IS from Pigeon Mountain, i'akuranga, £18 i j 13s sd; IB from the W aikato. £13 os Id. i : 16 from Mangere, £1S 2a &i, 20 from Messrs. j | Death Bros.', Wa~ta.karuru. £1S 0s 6d. i • I trom Mr. W. J- Ralph's Taupiri property, , £17 Ilia 2d; 15 from Mr. A. W. Hayicck. 'Ie : : Waitere, £17 5s Id; 12 ex read. £17 4s 2d, 1 ! S from Messrs. Washboume Bros.. Kiwita&i. , ! £17 3s 9d. 12 ex rail. £16 17s 6d. ; | 25 from Mr. W. T.-Cox, Waitakamru._ £16 : ; 6s; 27 from Mr. A. J. Keighley, Te Kuiti. > £15 9s Sd; 9 cows, ex rati, £13 I4s_ Set. ' Sheep came forward in extra large nan. hers. ; The demand was less keen and g'?n-rally j ! values were easier, ewes _beins aSected nest. ; Extra heavy prime wethers, £1 17s &d to j ; £1 19s 9d; heavy prime wethers, £1 15s 6d ! to £1 17s; medium to heavy prune wethers. :£1 15s to £1 15*; light and unfinished : wethers. £1 6s to £1 10s 9d; extra heav« pr-xne ewes. £1 lis to £1 15s 6d; heavy prime ewes. £1 6s to £1 10s; good fat ewes, i £1 5s to £1 7s Sd: other ewes. 15s to £1 4s J (2555 sold}. We had the record entry ot ; 1727 lambs, alii with few exceptions they were I of first-class quality. t There was a keen j demand throughout and last week's advanced ■ values were improved upon. Extra heavy i prime. £1 17s to £1 19s 3d; heavy prime, £l I Iss to £1 16s 9d; lighter crime. £1 15s to I £1 14s 6d: light prime, £1 9s to £1 l'2s: i small and unfinished. 17a to £1 15=.,. To give • an idea of the evenness of the quality. there : were 1555 iambs which rold at from £1 6a | to £1 12s 3d and averaged £1 12s Id. These ; values are aOout 5s Higher than at oar I Christmas sale of 1919. Fat _ and young ! calves were penned in less than average 1 numbsrs. Competition was keen tor choice j light vealers at improved prices. Rough 1 calves were neglected. Runners made from j £6 5a to £11 6s for a choice heifer from ; Pigeon Mountain. Pakuranga; heaw vealers, i £4 10s to £6; medium. £3 7s 6d to £4 8s ; i light, £2 Ss to £3 ss; small. £1 to £2, j fresh-dropped, Ss to £1 (ICS sold). Fit pigs ' were yarded short of requirements, consequently there was a sharp rise m prices; no stores were varded. Medium to heavy : baconers. £6 15s to £7 ss; light baconers. £6 to £-3 12s; heavy porkers, £5 5s to £5 17s 6d; light to medium porkers. £4 to £5; small porkers. £3 to £o_ 14s (106 pigs sold). There will not be any market next week. ! The next fat stock market, will be held on Wednesday. January 5, 1921. ; The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. Limited, report:— At Westneid store sale on Thursday i last dairy cattle were keenly competed for. prices improving on late reports. Best ' brought trom £16 to £25 10s, others £11 to ■ £16 10s; aged cows and inferior heifers. £t' 10s to £10 10s. Store cattle were also better. Empty cows. £4 10s to £6 15s; ISmonths to two-year heifers, £5 ICs to £9. ■ bulls. £5 to £12; yearling to IS-months | steers, £3 10? to £5 103; two-year-old steers. £5 15s to £6 17s 6d. j We held sales during the week at Kaakapakapa, Waiuku. Taicapana, NRatea. and Tuakau, and report good sales. Dairy cows : and heifers, best £15 to £23. others £9 to £14 10s; aged cows and inferior heilers. £5 ; 10s to £S 15=; two to three year steers, £6 j 10s to £9; IS-months to two-year steers, i£4 15s to £6 7s 6d; yearling steers. :£3 to £4 10s; calves, best £2 to £2 12s. I others 15s to £1 17s fid; empty cows and j heifers, £4 to £S ss; bulls. £5 to £14: ' heifers, suitable dairy purposes, £5 10s to j £10 15s. _ Beef at WestSeld prices- . j At Alfriston on. Saturday we held Mr. John | Walker's clearing sale, dairv cows selling to | £25. I At Papakura on Monday, and at Puke- : kohe on Tuesday, we held special horse | sales. There were large entries at both j piaces. Heavy draughts brought £40 to I £63, medium £23 to £39, aged and worn | sorts. £15 to £22; light harness rsrta and j hack 3, £11 to £21; ponies, £3 10s to £10: I weeds, 15s upward. Unbroken: Heavy. £28 |to £40 10a. medium. £15 to £26, light. £6 to £13. At Weatfield fat stock market yesterday beet cattle were penned m extra large numbers. prices for good quality being better tiian lest report. Ordinary and unfinished cat-tie were lower. We quote:—Choice" oxen sold to £2 15s per 1001b. prime oxan £2 to £2 14s per XOOlb. rough and inferior oxen £1 13& to £2 5s per 1001b.; heifer beet, £2 3s to £2 9a per lOOlb; cow beef. £1 15s to £2 4a per lOOlb. Steers sold at from, for best. £17 10s to £20 15s, others £10 to £17 ss. tleifers sold at from £10 10s to £15; cows sold at from £S to £13 IDs; bulls, £3 10a to £10. Pigs were penned in small numbers. Being keenly competed for and improving in prices. Cnoppers, £7 ICs to £8 ss; heavy falconers. £6 15s to £7 9smedium baconers, £8 5s to £G 14*; light baconers and heavy porkers, £5 15a to £S 4s; medium porkers. £4 19s to £5 14s; light porkers, £3 15s to £4 18ft; slips. £2 10s to £3 ss; weaners. £1 10s to £2 Bs. Calves were penned in less than average numbers and sold readily: Runners. £6 to £9; heavy vealers £4 to £5 ss. medium £3 5s to £3 19s. light £2 10= to £3 43. smaller £1 5a to £2 Ss, small aad, fresh-dropped 9s to £1 4s. . Sheep were penned in large numbers, being mostly of gcod quality. Competition was good, prices being better than, last report for good quality: Heavy prime wethers £1 15s to £1 17# 6d. medium £1 13s to £1 14s Sd, light £1 10s to £1 12s 9d; heavy prime ewe? £1 10s to £1 14s 6d, medium £1 7s to £1 9s 9d, light £1 4s to £1 6s 9d. Lambs _ were penned in large numbers. Competition was keen, prices being on a. par with last report: Heavy prime £1 13* 6d to £1 Ifis 6d, medium £1 10s to £1 13s 3d, light £1 7s 6d to £1 9s 9d, small and unfinished 18s 6d to £1 6s 9d. Dalgety and Company, Limited report on yesterday's Weatfield sale as follows: — Beet. —-There was a heavy v&rding. prices for prime beef were slightly better than last we<»k, unfinished cattle being easier. Extra prims ox £2 15s, prime £2 13s to £2 Ss. unfinished £2 3s to £2; good cow and heifer £2 83. others £2 3s to 30s. Shaep.—A medium yarding. Prices were much the same a s the previous sale. Good wethers 375, prime 3os to 335, others 355. to 30s-. ewes, prime 30s. others 25s to 20s. Veal.—A moderate yarning. Prices were easier. Runners £6 10s '"to £5; vealers £3 10s to £2; fresh dropped 30s to 10s. Pork.—Small yardinjr, and the market was considerably better. Baconers £6 ICs to £5 10s. choppers £5 to £4. porkers £4 to £2 IGs. Lambs.—A full yarding, mostly good sort 3. Competition was keen right through. Extra 38s 6d. prime 35a to 30s. others 29a to 24s 6d. ADDINGTON. [BY TEI.EGKAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH. Tuesday. JThe_ Addington market to-day was a. "double" one in view of the holidays. The j entry was not up to the average-, except in. | lamba. Both beef and mutton showed a I slight recovery on last week and lambs j jumped 5s to 6s per head. The store mr- | ket was lifeless. I Store Sheen.—A small entry, mostly of j two-tooth wethers, which soicf at low prices !in _»me cases. Fair four and. six-tooth j wethers 23s Sd to 25a lid, cull four-tooth 17s | to 20s vd, cull two-tooth I3s to 16s 3d. two- | tooth ewes 22s Id, cull four and six-tooth. 13« 6d. i Fat Lambs.—l44o were yarded, compared j with 1150 last week. Not one lamb was I sold under 30s. Extra prime iambs 41s to | 435. prime 38s to 40s, medium 33s to 35s 3d, I lighter 30s to 32s 6d. j Fat Sheep.—Between seven and eight | races were penned, compared with 11 Last I week. The sale was freer all round, and j there was a slight recovery in values, par- ! ticulariy for lighter mutton. Extra, prime ] wethers 40a. prime 34s to 38s 6d. medium • 29s 6d to 33a 6<i, light and unfinished '27a | 3d to 23s 3d; extra prime ewes 3S&. prime' j 23s 3d to 3Ss, medium 24s 6d to 295" 3d, j light and unfinished 21s lid to 245. i Fat Cattle.—33o were yarded, compared with 370 ia.it week. The demand was better, particularly for heavy beef. Extra, prime ■ steers £28 ss, prime £21 to £-24. medium ; £16 to £30 10s. light and unfinished £8 to j £14; prune cows £13 15s to £15, medium I £10 10s to £13 10s, ordinary £7 5s to £3 j las; prime heifers £12_ 10a to £IS.' medium ! heifera £10 to £11 17s Sd, .light and unfinished j£B to £9 17a 6d. j Vealers.—A small entry and a reccvery jof the market, bidding being keen. Runi n?rs. £8: good vealers £5 iOe, medium £2 ; 10s to £3 ss. | Dairy Cattle.—A small entry and a i moderate demand. Fourth covers. £16 73; [ good springing heifers, £12; medium fourth j calvera, £14: heifers. £9 10s. i Store Cattle.—A small entry and s. Irteless ! sale. * ■ Fat Piss. —A small entry snd an indifferent ' demand for baconers. but keen for porkers. | Choppers. £6 to £3 li\: baconers. £5 lis |to £6 17s Sd. average pric--- r«r lb. Sd: light 1 porkers £4 to £1 10s, heavy £4 15 3 to £5. 1 Tire per lb. 11 td to 12td. St-re Pigs.—A small entry of moderate ! cnal'ty and a fair demand. ?Xedium stores I £3 as to £4 ss. small £2 8n to £3 3s; : weaners. £1 5s to £1 & 5 ; sows in pig, £7 17a.