NEW ZEALAND POTATOES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19452, 7 October 1926, Page 9

NEW ZEALAND POTATOES.

. EXPORTS TO SYDNEY. REQUEST FOR AN EMBARGO. A deputation of Now South .Wales potato growers waited upon the Minister of Agriculture in Sydney last week and asked for tho prohibition of importation of potatoes from New Zealand. Mr. J. Wahn submitted a sample taken from, a consignment of 100 bags of New Zealand potatoes and claimed that they were intended for seed, as they were too small for table use. Mr. P. J. Egan mentioned that although a distributor was willing to give an assurance that he would not sell New Zealand potatoes for seed, but only for table purposes, the purchaser could do as he liked with them. 1 Mr. M. P. Dunlop commented on the attitudo of Victoria as compared with New South Wales in having an embargo placed upon tho import. Tho Minister said that his department did not regard very seriously the probability of powdery scab spreading, but he would make inquiries and discuss it with his experts from an entirely new viewpoint. He would make strong representations to the Federal authorities for the prohibition of potatoes from New Zealand. NEW EXCHANGE RATES. NEW ZEALAND ON LONDON. In conformity with the revision of London exchange rates, the associated New Zealand banks have altered the rates for exchange on London, as from October 6, to the following scale: — Buying Sailing Discount. Discount, s. d. s. d. On demand k . 20 0 5 0 30 days 30 0 12 6 60 days 40 0 20 0 90 days . . 50 0 27 6 120 days fiO 0 Telegraphic .. Premium 5 0 Compared with the previous scale, which has operated since August 12, the exchange on bills on London (exports), has been increased and that on drafts (imports) has been reduced, in all cases by 2s 6d. NEW SOUTH WALES WHEAT. HARVEST PROSPECTS BRIGHT. A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Oct. 6. ft- is officially reported that the area under wheat this season in New South Wales is 3,657,000 acres, of which 3,331,600 acres aro intended for grain. Tho remainder will bo cut for hay. Compared with last year tho area sown shows an increase of 960 acres. Heavy rains in March, April and May considerably interfered with sowing, especially in the central and western districts. Harvest prospects are very bright. Tho State Cabinet announces that there will be no wheat pool this season. AUCKLAND COMPANIES. FIVE NEW REGISTRATIONS. Five new private companies have been registered in Auckland, details being as follow: Kawjvu Island Association, Limited, lodging-house keepers, and to acquire land and buildings. Capital, £2300. Shareholders : P. B. Fitzherbert, 1000 shares; J. H. De Marr, E. W. Lane and C. llenriette Ferouen, 500 each. Hayncs Catering Company, 'Limited, caterers, restaurateurs, etc. Capital, £3OOO. Shareholders: J. Haynes, 1750 shares; J. Deighton, 500; W. E." D. Sadler and Violet Effie Sadler, 375 each. Salesmen, Limited, land, house, estate, commission, insurance, shipping and general agents. Capital, £l5O. Daisy Winifred Furinci, 120 shares; J. L. Hanna, 20; R. B. Long and L. A. Thompson, 5 each. Marshall's Clothing Company, Limited, clothing manufacturers and vendors. Capital, £ISOO. Shareholders: W. Marshall, 1350 shares;' Margaret Marshall, 100; G. Vause, 50. Patersori and Efart, Limited, manufacturing brass founders and finishers. Capital. £I6OO. Shareholders: J. Paterson, 900 shares; W. Ashworth. 211; W. V. Burns, 212 ; and A. Hart,' 277. NEW PLYMOUTH SAVINGS BANK, HALF-YEAR'S OPERATIONS. The manager of the Now Plymouth Savings Bank furnishes the following figures for the half year ending 30th ultimo, the figures in parentheses being those for the samo period in 1925: During tho six months 795 (717) new accounts were opened and 7006 (6621) deposits received, amounting to £137,527 (£114,681), an increase of £22.846. On tho withdrawal side there were 272 (215) accounts closed and 4424 (3534) withdrawals, amounting to £87,856 (£83.861), an increase of £3995, the excess of deposits over the withdrawals for the half year being £49,671. HAWKE'S BAY CROPS. NEED FOR MORE RAIN. Within the last month Hawke's Bay, through its stock-buying farmers has exhibited a burst of optimism only to be followed by on equally severe fit. of pessimism. A local paper says:—"Stock in our saleyards, which threo weeks ago our farmers were tumbling over each other to buy, now elicits at best a timid bid or two at a third less price at least, if the farmer does have courage to bid at all. And what has caused this condition ? Merely that; as usual, we have had a fino dry September accompanied by the usual equinoctial winds. To be perfectly candid this is not really all, for the farmer knows better than anyone else perhaps that so far this year wo have had under seventeen inches of rain and the soil has no reserve moisture." After delving into Hawke's Bay rainfall records, and after noting that one has to go back forty years to find three dry seasons in succession, the writer proceeds, with great reserve, to express the hof>o that the last threo months of 1926 will send Hawke's Bay at least six inches of rain, most of if, in October. LONDON WOOL SALES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 0.85 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 5. At tho London wool sales to-day there was *a miscellaneous selection. Prices were firm and unchanged. Tho sales will close to-morrow. : LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association, (Reed. 9.35 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 5. On the London Stock Exchange to-day the following sales took place:—Bank of Australasia, £l3 ■ 15s; Bank of Now South Wales, £44 ss; Union Bank, £l4 1.7s 6d; National Bank of New Zealand, 14.55; Bank of New Zealand (debentures), £01; (shares), 62s 3d: New Zealand Loan mid Mercantile (debentures), £73 10s; ex cliv., stocks, £95 15s.