COMMERCIAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18296, 12 January 1923, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.

GOOD PROSPECTS REPOSED.

THE PRODUCE MARKETS. ;

Wholesale is rapidly assuming normal conditions again, but Mail is still rather quiet in town. Visitors are here in large numbers from all parts of the Dominion, probably even more than usual at this time of the month, but so far their addition to retail trade has not been very marked. It is expected to show itself indirectly, per medium of the various houses where they are staying. In the wholesale, however, there is a noticeable activity since the holidays. The travellers are all out, and their early reports are very favourable, fully bearing out the expectations of a really busy season. The farmers are quite cheerful over the unexpected improvement that is taking place in piactically all their products, even beef perceptibly rising, after a long period of dull prices. This will materially improve the conditions in the Waikato. Prices on the week show very few changes. The usual seasonal demands are reported in drapery, without any great bulk of sales, while in grocery the hot ! weather is responsible for increased busi- j ness in all tinned goods. Cooking will j evidently be reduced to a minimum dur- j ing the next few' weeks. Fruit preserving and jam-making will be conducted on a heavy scale, judging by the sales of jars, sugar and other materials. A remarkably heavy supply of vegetables this season is causing a decreased trade in various food lines in the shops. Probably never before " have gardens been as full of vegetables as ■. they are now. •"' '■".. '] Hardware merchants report a very satis- I factory opening in their business since the j holidays. There is a general demand for i all farm requisites, but building material ! is in special request for the numerous contracts lately let, and this autumn is going to bring a great, increase in trade. Potatoes and Onions. Potatoes.--Heavy supplies are still coming in. but the quality keeps very good, _ and sales are on a liberal scale. Quotation is 7s 6d ex store, but this hardly allows a payable return to growers, even though the yield : per acre has been a good one. Now that , supplies are more regular, after considerable . fluctuations during the holidays, the market ; has assumed a steadier tone. Large quantities are available from Pukekohe and surrounding districts, and the crop in the South ; Island is also promising well. . j Onions.— have . been rushing in their new crop rather hurriedly, and lately have been realising down to Bs, compared with 12s earlier in the season. The riot ' weather is ripening them off rapidly this . week, and larger supplies are expected tor , the future, unless growers attempt to hold ; up the market a little by restricting their , consignments, as they have during the past day Or two. The prospect does not appear very bright, for there will be some difficulty ; in disposing of the crop, unless export orders come in next month, and by the following month the Canterbury crop will be ready. Merchants are this week asking 10s to 12s ex store. * ', ~ Oats.—The market is a little weaker. Apparently this is partly caused by the sales that have been mads with the object of making room for wool, as the same people are rather firm in their ideas of forward prices. Local merchants are riot of the same opinion, although they know that the acreage now under oats shows a decided falling off this year. The uncertain, factor is the yield per acre, and further rain this month, followed by fine weather in February, will yery possibly produce a normal harvest. There is also the consideration that motor transport is every month cutting into the trade, and this will continue at. a fast raie when benzine is reduced in price, especially as there appears to be a reasonable chance of permanent roads being made in the neighbourhood of Auckland, hitherto the greatest market for oats in New Zealand. , ~ ." i Chaff.—Stocks are very low until arrival of a shipment from Blenheim, which, is due at Onehunga to-day., Merchants are importing sparingly, in view of the high cost, which necessitates asking 10s 6d ex store, as lower prices are expected when the new chaff comes in. The copious rain during the past few weeks should induce an abnormally heavy crop from the reduced acreage devoted this year to oats for chaff, and if fine weather continues there should he a good crop, • both local and in the South. Last year the local croj? was secured under.very unfortunate conditions, and the quality was consequently so low that it was practically impossible to sell it, •. Wheat and flour Wheat.—Fowl wheat has assumed an easier tone since the holidays, with larger quantities offering. This is no doubt due to the expectations of & good crop, which should leave an exportable ' surplus. • Flour.—Southern .mills are understood to have fair stocks, and they seem anxious to sell, in anticipation of a readjustment of the price when the new harvest is in. Local bakers are not heavily stocked, as deliveries recently have been much smaller. The local mills are doing a good trade. Bran and Pollard.— are in (good supply, with demand only moderate. The reviarkable growth of grass is held accountable for this. ' ' Linsoed.—The advance of the season has brought the usual falling-off in the demand for linseed, and no activity is expected again until the opening of the next dairy season. Maize.Arrivals have been smaller lately, and consignments have realised 4s 2d on •the wharf in' wholesale lines. ,No inconvenient scarcity has arisen, as' fairly large stocks are still held in store.

Seeds.—The season is opening under favourable conditions, and Rood sales are expected. La3t year very few buah clearings were burned and surface, sown, this being generally attributed to the wet autumn, butthis year there has been very little bushfelling, and it looks as if this department will again have to eive . place to the increased quantity of seed reouired for ploughed land. Farmers are readily renewing old pasture, in order to make 'the land more productive, and thereby get a better return from their stock, so that seed merchants are looking forward to a good season. Prices do not materially differ from last year,' taken in the aggregate. Clovers are generally dearer, and. many of the fine grasses risen, as a result of an export demand, but this extra cost to the farmer is largely offset by a lower price for cooksfoot,, the principal grass in most mixtures. Danish cocksfoot has been imported* at a very favourable rate, and a . good crop is expected aJ, Akaroa, bo that the price should keep down to a low figure.

WAIKATO STOCK SALES. ... Dalgety and Company. Ltd.. report having held their weekly stock sale' at Frankton saleyards on ! Tuesday, as follows;—; There was a moderate yarding of sheep, i which sold under keen competition at in- ! creased rates. Fat wethers, 29s 3d to 29s lid; prime heavy ewes, 275; fat mixed sex sheep, 27a 9d; fat lambs. 24s to 26$ Gd. Beef sold under keener competition at ad-' vanced rates. Fat cows, heavy, £4 15s to £5 103; medium weight cows, £3 3a to £4 ss; forward-con tioned cows, £2 10s to £3 2a; backward, store cows, 30s to 40s; 2-year-old heifers, in calf, £4 10s yearling heifers, £2 In 6d; dairy cows at £8; bulls, £2 10s t0... £3. -Pigs sold at late rates. . On Saturday we held our usual To Awamutu stock sale, when- there was a fair ' yarding and practically all sold under the hammer at top market rates. Beet was well represented. Medium weight fat bullocks, made £8 10s, *£8 Is, £7 15b. £7: fat cow's up to £4 10s; forward-conditioned bullocks, 3i years-old, I' 6, £5 14s. £6 IDs, £ 6 03; 3-year-old steers. £4 16s 6d: store cows, ■ £2 12s; Jersey" l cross heifers, in calf, £6. Fat ewes, 275.. Store pig 3. 23s to 30s. Aged draught gelding. .£l3 10s. I On Monday wo held our Cambridge stook sale. There was. a fair yarding of all classes of stock, and a good sale resulted. Fat steers made £.7 16s, £7 9b, and £6 4s; fat cows. £5 14s to £3 15s, according to . quality: store cows, £2 to £3 5»; bulls. £4 2s Gel to £1 15s ; dairy cpws, £5. £4 2s ! (id; heifer, in milk, £8 ss; calves made , 275. 295. 265. 325; forward-conditioned lambs I made 18s to 17s 9d; small stores, 15s to i 14s 3d. •'•-■•■

The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Co., Ltd.. report:— At. Hamilton sale on Tuesday we had a small yarding of sheep and- cattle, but pigs were in good supply. The demand for sheep of all classes was exceedingly brisk, i and all lots submitted . were cleared at auc- ; tion. Fat ewes made from 25s to 27s 9d; good fat'- lambs to 30s Gd. The beef pent were 'well filled, and values advanced sharply, Competition was good throughout.... Steers made from £6 10s to £1 Gs for medium cattle: small steers, .£5 10s; forward cows, £3 17s. A good line of four-year store steers was penned,, and sold under excellent competition, at values much in excess oi previous sales. Shorthorns made from £1 7s to £6 2s 6d; P.. Angus. £6 7s. Empty cows also allowed improvement, a pen ol small-framed sorts making £2 10s. _ Bull* sold at from 17s to £2 18s, according tc size. A good yarding of pigs was offered, and all'cleared, heavy baconers showing n slight improvement on la3t week's rates, making to £3 ss. to £3 12s. Medium were £2 IGb to £3 Is; good porkers to light baconers, £2 lis to £2 15s: medium porkers, £2 53 to £2 9a: licrht, £2 to £2 3s; small and unfinished porkers. 27s 6d to 31s; ■choppers, £2 10s to £2 19s; slips, < 14V to 18a: best • weaners, 13s to 15s: small, Gs Gd to ICs Gd. Extra choice dairy Jersey hoifen close to profit made up to .£l4 ss; medium quality dairy cows, £1 to £5.

:■■::■ AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE. »\ Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 9.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Jan. 11. Oats.—Algerian, feeding, nominal, 4s 6d to* 4s 8d; giants, and New Zealand Gartons, 4s 6d to 4s Bd. . Maize.— African, 63 2d. Potatoes.—Taainanian, £13 to £14; local, £5 to £9. Onions.—£lo ADELAIDE, Jan. 11. Oats.—3a Id. . MELBOURNE HIDES SALE. Australian and N.Z. Cable association. (Reed. 9.30 p.m.) MELBOURTTT:, Jan. 10. At the hides Bale there was a keen, general demand, and prices were very firm, except for heavy-weight kips, which were slightly easier. . ... t LONDON TALLOW SALES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 9.5 p.m.) LONDON, Jan. 10. At the tallow sales 1314 casks were offered and 626 sold. Prices were unchanged. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., have received the following cablegram from their London office, under date January 10:— ■ Tallow.—Market rather quiet; offered 1310 casks, sold 600 prices unchanged. MELBOURNE PROPERTY DEAL. An important real estate transaction was concluded in Melbourne recently when the Southern Cross Assurance Company purchased the buildings known as Modern Chambers, in the heart of Melbourne. The building, is a six-storey one, and the price paid was in the vicinity of £80,000, which i .?™.. out at about £2000 a foot. The posi fiibihties of the property are considered ! unique, and the company believet that it j has seized one "of the "plums" of the • market at a propitious moment. The build- | ing, erected, in 1888, cost £79,100, including £38,000 for construction, £40,000 for the land, and £ 1100 for the electric installation. PROPERTY SALES. .T. Mandeno Jackson will offer for sale by public auction under conduct of the Registrar of the Supreme Court, at their rooms, i Customs Street East, at 11 o'clock this mornj ing, a dairyin~ farm of 80 acres, with five- : roomed house, four-roomed cottage, and usual I farm buildings, about three miles from Pukej kohe, and four miles from Drury. on the I main Pukekohe-Drury Road. ! William A. Home, Ltd., will offer for sale by auction at their auction hall. High Street, : to-day, at 1 p.m., the following properties:— ; Five-roomed house and section, situated 29, Alexander Street, Glenmore -. also, six-roomed villa and section, situated 109, Crummer Road, Ponsonby; and under instruction of the Registrar of the Supreme Court, onetenth perch, part of lot 45, portion of allotment 63 of section 1, suburbs of Auckland; and also, five and one-tenth perches, portion ! of allotment 63, section 1, suburbs of Auck- . land; also, .rough-cast bungalow, six rooms, and section, situated Upper Cameron Street, ; One Tree Hill. *' i The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile 1 Agency Co., Ltd., will offer .for sale by j public auction, under instructions from the ' registrar of the Supreme Court at their land salerooms, Lower Albert Street, to--day, at 2.30 p.m.:—Farm of 380 acres, in ' the Parish of Ruakaka, County of Mars--1 den. 4 miles from Waipu, with small house. Also, on account of owner. 254 acres at Waitakere, 300,000 ft. kauri, rimu arid to--1 tara, house 4 rooms. Samuel Vaile and Sons, Ltd., will hold '■■ an auction sale at their rooms, 83, Queen ! Street, at 2 p.m.. to-day, when three pro- . nerties will be offered under conduct of the Registrar of the Court. They include 88 ; acres at Razorback, 1045 acres at .Pokeno, i and 318 acres in Parish of Opaheke. I