O. F. NELSON, LTD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19833, 31 December 1927, Page 7

O. F. NELSON, LTD.

REPORTED SALE OF CONCERN* LARGE ISLAND TRADERS* It is understood that .the business of 0. F. Nelson, Ltd., Island traders, with headquarters at Apia, Samoa, has been purchased by an English syndicate, the price mentioned being £150,000. No confirmation of the negotiation has been received in Auckland, according to Mr. F. R. Bentley, manager of the local branch. " I know nothing about it," ho said yesterday, " but at the same time I am not surprised, as there has been something in the wind for some time." The firm was established by the father of the Hon. O. F. Nelson about 30 years ago, and the present paid-up capital of ths concern is £150,000. There are branches of the business' at Auckland, Sydney, San Francisco and London. The sale is reported to have, been negotiated in London by Messrs. Turnbull and Company, and Lever Brothers are believed to be interested in the purchasing syndicate. Remarkable success has attended the operations of the business, and Mr. Nelson is reputed to be worth at least £500,000. The suggestion that the reported sale had any bearing on the recent deportation edict banishing Mr. Nelson from Samoa, was scouted by Mr. Bentley. Mr. Nelson had for some time contemplated retirement, he added. FRENCH BANK RATE. REDUCTION TO 4 PER CENT. (Received December 30, 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. IPAEIS, Dec. 29. Tho bank rate has been reduced to 4 per cent. ITALIAN WHEAT CROF. SCIENTIFIC STUDY MADE. A. and N.Z. ROME, Dec. 29. The Minister of National Economy, Signor Guiseppe Belluzzo, says there is every prospect that ib a few years Italy will be independent of all imports. There are 8000 experimental stations and 750 other stations equipped with scientific appliances, and with supplies of selected seeds, with the result that Italy's production of wheat could be nearly doubled without increasing the area of production. FROZEN MEAT PRICES. LONDON MARKET VALUES. Messrs. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., report having received the following cablegram from their London house, dated December 29 Frozen Meat.—New Zealand ■ prime Canterbury lamb, 281b to 361b, 9 5-8 d; North Island, 9£d; Canterbury, 361b to 421b, 9 5-8 d; North Island, 9 l-8d; Canterbury, second quality, North Island, 7sd; Canterbury, 421b to 501b, Bd. The market for New Zealand lamb is quiet, and the demand poor owing to cold weather. New Zealand prime Canterbury mutton, 481b to 561b, 6 3-8 d: North Island, 5 7-8 d; Canterbury, 561b to 641b, 5 7-8 d; North Island, 5 3-8 d: Canterbury, 641b to 721b, 5 3-8 d; Canterbury ewes, 481b to 641b, 4^d; North Island, 4 3-Bd. The market for New Zealand mutton is dull, and the demand is moderate. O.A.Q. Australian lamb, 281b to 361b, B|-d; Australian, third quality, 6jd. The market for Australian lamb is unchanged, and the demand limited. Pork: English pork, 9£d to lOd; New Zealand porkers, 801b to 1001b, 1001b to 1201b, 8d; New Zealand baconers, 1201b to 1701b, 6|d; 1701b and over 6d. Now Zealand pork nominal. New Zealand lamb, 281b to 361b, new season's, to exceptional, Is. Demand limited; do not expect present prices to be maintained. Beef: Argentino chilled hinds, 6£d; fores 4d. MARKET REPORTS, FRUIT AND PRODUCE PRICES. Thirteen varieties of fruit were for sile at the Auckland City Markets yosterdn.y. Peaches are now coming forward a.id some choico dessert specimens were sold. A fair quantity of local apples, chiefly cookers, is now coining on the market. The values of strawberries rose slightly yesterday, tho fruit bringing from 9d to is a chip, or'higher for extra choice. Tomatoes wore again cheaper. Good quality apricots sold well. Plums were popular and realised advanced prices, but lemons were distinctly cheaper. Choice dessert peaches brought up to 12s 6d a case. Bananas, 16,000 cases of which arrived by the Tofua. from Fiji recently, sold well, bringing as much as 30s a case. • No cauliflowers were sold in the field produce market, but most vegetables came forward in large quantities. New potatoes, however, were unusually scarce, selling at an advance of Is to 2s 6d a bag. French beans dropped, selling at l-j,d to per lb., while green peas were also cheaper. The demand experienced for all lines was only fair, as tho usual Christmas depression in the vegetable market i;; not quite over. Practically every lino suffered some decrease in value. Supplies of eggs were plentiful and tho demand was poor. Prices were much the same, hen eggs selling at Is 4d to Is 6id a dozen and duck eggs at Id loss. Fair supplies of farmers' butter met a moderate demand at similar rates to those prevailing last week. The poultry market was quiet, the sole exception to the. general rule being h keen demand for prime cockerels. Supplies were moderate. The following prices were realised: — FRUIT. Apples, Slurmers, 5a to ,8s a case; wineBaps, 16s to 17s; Astrachans, local, 3s to Ss; cookers, local, 4p to 9s. Strawberries, 9d to Is a chip. Oranges, Rarotongan, 15s a case: Australian Valencias, 12s to 245; American. 40s, Cherries, local, 15s to 18s a case; Sydney, 10s to 225. Tomatoes, hothouse, Cs to 9s a case; second grade, 4s to (is; small, 33 to 4s. Plums, Evan's Early. Ss to 9s a case: Wright's Early, 4s Cd to 8s: Halo's, Gs 6d to 7s Gd; choice dessert, 10s to 12s Gd. Lemons, cured. 2f>s a case; others, 10s to 18s. Peaches, choioo dessert, 83 to 12s Gd, a case; othera, 5s to Bs. Grapes, hothouse, Is 9d to 2s 7d par lb. Apricots, 4s to 10s a case. Pineapples, Sydney. 15s to 25s a case. Gooseberries, 4s Gd to 5s a case.' Black currants, fia to 10s Gd a 10lb box. Bananas, repacked, 22s 6d to 30s a case. FIELD PRODUCE. Potatoes, new, 6s to 9a Gd a bag; kumaras. Island, lis to 13s per cwt; pumykins, ordinary. 10s to 15s; onions, new season's, 4s to 5a a bag; American, 18s a crate; cabbage, 3a to 63. a sack; on benches, 2b to 3s a dozen; lettuce, Is to Ss a case; rhubarb, 2s to 3s a dozen; spinach, Oct; spring onions. Gd to Is 3d a bundle: marrows, Is Gd to 4s Cd a dozon; encumbers, outdoor, 1b Gd to 3a Gd a dozen; radishes, Gd a dozen bundles; French beans, lid to 2{d per lb: green peas, 3s Gd to 4s Gd a bag; carrots, parsnips, ' beet and turnips* Is Cd to 8s Gd a dozen bundles. DAIRY PRODUCE. lien eggs, Is 4d to Is 6*d a dozen; duck eggs, Is '3d to Is s|d. Farmers butter, in lb pats, Is to 16 3d per lb. POULTRY. Cockerels, prime, heavy, Gs to 9a 3d each; light, 3s Gd to ss; roosters, fat, heavy, -s (3d to Ss Cd; light, 2s to 2s Cd; hens fat, heavy, 4s to 5s r light, 2s 6d to <3s 6d, drakes, young, 3s to 4b 6d; old, Is 6d to 2s 6d.; ducks, old, 2a to 2b 6d,