THE LONDON MARKETS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21115, 24 February 1932, Page 5

THE LONDON MARKETS.

PRICES FOR METALS. TIN FIRMER, COPPER DOWN. LONDON, Feb. 22. (Quotations on Feb. 19 in parentheses.) Copper.—Spot, £3B 8s 9d (£3B 12s 6d); three months, £37 8s 9d* (£3B 6s 3d). Electrolytic Copper.—Spot, £4l 5s (£4l 10s). WirelJars.—£4l 10s (£42 10s). Lead.—Spot, £l4 15s (£15); three months, £l4 15s (£ls). Speller.—Spot, £l4 2s 6d (£l4 7s 6d) ; three months, £l4 10s (£l4 7s 6d). Tin.—Spot, £l4O 13s 9(1 (£l4O ss); three months, £143 3s 9d (£142 3s 9d). WAIKATO FAT LAMBS. EXHIBITION AT SMITH FIELD. JUDGES PRAISE QUALITY. [FROM OUR OWN COItRESfONDENT.] HAMILTON, Tuesday. Very favourable comment on the condition and quality of the fat lambs recently exhibited by the Waikato Agricultural and Pastoral Association at Smithfield is made in the report of the three judges, Messrs. F. Denison, F. Goodchild and H. Stimpsou. The lambs, which were exhibited in the district group classes "at the association's summer show at Claudolands in November, were sent Home to lie judged "on the hooks." "It is the considered opinion of Smithfield that this exhibition excelled all previous Waikato shows," stales the report. "It again demonstrated to the trade bore what has been, and is being done in the Auckland district in the way of fat stock breeding for export. Experts were unanimous that the product displayed was as near as possible ideal for the trade of this country. Special mention should be made of the dressing—it was considered perfect. The condition of Ihe lambs easily justified the expense of double baggi'ig." The difficultv experienced by the judges is indicated by tliQ fact that it took them almost three hours to come to their decision, so closely mached did they consider the exhibits.

The first five groups as placed by the judges wore a& follows: —Raglan, 1; Kereone, 2; Hoe-o-Tainui, 3; Ngahinapouri, 4; Ruktihia, 5.

THE CITY MARKETS.

YESTERDAY'S AUCTIONS.

PRICES FLUCTUATE GREATLY

Altlmugh 1110 majority of the lines of fruit '"ill vegetables offered at auction at the Auckland City Markets yesterday were dull of sale, prices increased in many instances on last Friday's values. Owing to the approach of the end of the season, peaches advanced from Is to 7s 6d a case to 2s 6d to 14s. The only nectarines now obtainable are those ex cooler, and yesterday's rates of 13s to 14s a case were about 5s to 8s higher than at the last. sale. A few plums met with :i good demand at about late rates. Tomatoes showed a marked firming tendency, selling at Is .to 6s a case, 6d to 2s 6d higher than previously. On the other hand, there was a glut of loth bananas and pears. Values for bananas fell even lower than last Friday's astonishingly poor prices. Highest quality realised only 8s a case, and medium, 4s to 5s 6d. Fears were difficult, of sale at 2s to 3s for ripe fruit and Is more for half-ripe. Apples remained practically unchanged. Fair quantities of mushrooms sold at Is to Is 6d a lb. In the field produce section green peas rose slurply. the prices of 5s to 7s being 2s to 3s higher. Beans, cauliflower, cabbages and rhubarb also realised appreciably higher prices. Good supplies were available. Other vegetables showed virtually no change. Only minor alterations occurred in the poultry section. Eggs, both hen and duck, receded Id to Is sjd for B grade. Farmers' butter was unchanged. Prices for average quality lines were as follows:—FRUIT. Blackberries, 3d to 4!d a chip; tomatoes, firm, ripe, Is (id to 2s lid a case; choice, smooth, 3s to (is; others. Is to Is 3d; plutcs, 3s to (is; peaches, Paragon, 4s to 7s, in tinys,' Ills to 14s; others, 2s (id to 3h (id; nectarine?, ex cooler, 13* lo 14s; apricots, 5s to 7s; grapes, hothouse, Mambiirgs, (id to lie a 11>: tiros Moruc. lOd tj 3s; Golden Queen, 7d to 3d; Column, la to Is ltd: Black Muscat, Is to Is -Id; Cape gooseberries, 4-ld a lh; pears. Bon Chretien. Ha\.'!;e';i Bay. lipe, 2s to 3s a case; local, ripe. 2s to lis; half-ripe, lis to Is; apples, (Iravenstein, 2s to 4s; Albany Beauty, 2s to 4s (id; Willio Sharp, 2s (id to 3s; cookers, 2s (id to lib; windfalls. ls v ,Cd; bananas, No. l'e, 8s; No. 2's and mediums, 4s to 5s (id; oranges, Australian, 12s to Jfis; California)!, 37s Gd to 38s (Id; passion fruit, 3s to (is; lemons, Gs to 10s; mushrooms, choice Quality, Is to Is Gd a lb; others, lower. FIELD PRODUCE. Potatoes, new, 2s 9d to 3s Gd a bag; onions, 8s Gd to 9s a cwt, 3e Gd to 4s a bag; knniaras, local,, new season's, IJd to 2d a lb; Tauranga, lOd to lis Gd a cwt; cabbage, 4s to Gs Gd a sack; cauliflower, 5s to 7s; swedes, 2s to 3s a bag; pumpkins, 4s to 7s a cwt; citron melons, -Js; green peas, 5s to 9s a bag; beans, 4s to 7s 6d; lettuce, Is to 2s Gd a case; cucumbers, 3d to 8d a dozen; vegetable marrows, Is Gd to 2s Gd ; water melons. 4d to Is each; rock melons, 2d to 8d; cabbage, loose, Is fid to 3s a dozen; cauliflower, 2s to Gs; celery, Gd to Is 9d a bundle; rhubarb, Is to Is (id a dozen: spinach, Gd to 9d ; pumpkins, loose, 4d to Is each; radish, 9cl to Is a dozen; spring onions, Gd to 9d a bundle; carrots, parsnips, beet and turnips, 6d to lOd a dozen; leeks, 2d to 3d a bundle. POULTRY. Cockerels, heavy breeds, prime, 2s fid to 4-i fid; not prime. Is Gd up; light breeds, prime. Is Gd to 2s fid; not prime, Is up; fat roosters, heavy breeds, prime, Is fid to 2s, light, breeds, 9d to Is 3d; fat hens, heavy breeds. Is fid to 2s 3d; ligjit breeds. 9d (o Is 3d; pullets, heavy breeds, best, 4s to 5s (id; light breeds, best. 4s to 5s Gil; heavy breeds, smaller, ]s Gd up; light breeds, smaller, Is fid up; drakes, young, prime. Is fid to Is 9d; smaller. Is up; old, Is (o Is fid; ducks, young, 2s fid to 4s; old, Is 3d to Is 9d. DAIRY PRODUCE. Tfcn and duck eges, special qualify. Is £': d; <A grado, Is 71cl ; "R crndc. Is s;d. Fanners' butter, 9d to Is n lb. LAND MORTGAGE COMPANY. THE DIVIDEND PROSPECTS. Reference to tlio dividend prospects of the New Zealand and River Plate Land Mortgage Company, Limited, \vas x made by the chairman of directors, Mr. A. M. Mitchison, at the annual meeting of the company in London last month.' Before moving that a dividend at the unchanged rate of 9 per cent, for the year, less British income tax, should be declared, Mr. Mitchison said lie admitted be had never thought the directors should have to contemplate tho possibility of reducing the dividend. They had always done their best in prosperity to prepare for a rainy day, but what now had to bo faced was more like a deluge than an ordinary rainfall. Tho company, like the individual, had to live within its means. ]t was not certain that it would be necessary to reduce the dividend during the current year, but nnicss the earnings for the year justified a continuation of the present distribution, then a diminution would have to come. Everything depended on the amount the company earned, and that in turn depended to a considerable extent on the course of exchange, so that it was impossible to forecast the future in the way previously possible.