COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19134, 31 March 1924, Page 4

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Saturday morning. Colman’s starch has been slightly reduced in price. South African apricots have arrived on the market and are quoted at Is 2d per lb. A shipment of seeded raisins and prunes, transhipped on the coast, ex Waiotapu, arrived by the Wingatui. A parcel of marrow fat peas has arrived from Auckland. These are quoted at lid per lb wholesale. Pearl barley is being- quoted at 23s per cwt. Supplies are still very scarce. Further supplies of Bryant and May, Bell vestas have been received during the week. Ovals are still unprocurable. Player’s tobacco, medium, 2oz, is again on the market. A _ shipment of Smyrna sultanas and Grecian currants is arriving next week. The Port Pirie and Mahana, due in the next few days, are bringing a number of merchandise lines. A further supply of instant postum has arrived on the market. There is no alteration in prices. LONDON TALLOW MARKET. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Limited) have received the following cablegram from their London house under date March 26: Tallow.—We quote present spot values for the following descriptions:—Pin© mutton, 49s per cwt; good beef, 4Gs per cwt; mixed, 42s per cwt. The market is quiet. APPLES FOE SOUTHAMPTON. Messrs Waters, Ritchie, and Co. (representing Simons, Limited, Southampton) have received tho following cablegram:—“We can easily sell three shipments of apples of 15,000 cases each Can you secure this quantity this season?” Unfortunately, this inquiry has com© to hand too late to arrange for shipment this season, but growers will have an opportunity of consigning to Southampton next year. SOUTHLAND MARKET REPORT. (Prom Odk own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, March 29. Oats. —During the week fair quantities have been offered by growers and prices for same have been on the basis of sales for prompt delivery, growers having secured prices averaging almost 4s for H grade and -4s Id to 4s 2d for A grade. Price to some extent depending on the distance from the port. Northern buyers are not now interested at such prices, but still some prefer to pay 4s 3d to 4s 3|d f.0.b., a,i. for B Gartons, which equals 3s 7Jd 0.t., sacks extra. The reports as to yields vary considerably, but it seems evident that the crops arc lighter than last year, though in some districts, the reverse is the case, the yield having been remarkably fine. Chaff.—This has been offering freely dnring

the week, and old chaff has found buyers at from £6 10s to £6 15s, o.t. in the country. Only trifling sales of new chaff have been made, and owing to special circumstances these, too, have been at the same value, though relatively new chaff is some 10s to 15s per ton ' less value. Wheat.—Up to the present week, owing to the shortage of supplies of fowl wheat, growers have been able to do better business with merchants than in the mills, but tho position has now somewhat eased, and buyers’ ideas at present are 5s per bushel for fowl wheat at average sidings. Ryegrass. —Tills is still being freely offered by growers, but with an almost total absence of any demand at payable prices. On recent values to growers merchants are by no means keen buyers, and prices to farmers have eased considerably. The best lines of seed to-day will not solicit bids in excess of 5® Gd per bushel, unless something really extra special is offered, when a few pence extra might be obtained. STOCK. During the past week the prices for ail classes of store stock have kept firm, in fact, young ewes have improved slightly. Ewe larablThav© also improved in price, although the numbers offering are very small. Forward lambs are in good demand and prices ruling in this class are quite equal to late quota tions. The fat stock market remains firm, both for sheep and cattle. The following prices may he quoted: Fat Cattle. —Extra prime ox beef, up to 30s per 1001 b; prime heifer beef, up to 27s per 1001 b; prime cow beef, up to 22s 6d per 1001 b. Extra prime bullocks, up to £l3; average prime bullocks, from £9 to £lO 10s; light and unfinished bullocks, down to £B’; extra prime heifers, up to £8; average prime heifers, from £5 10s to £6 10s; light and unfinished heifers, down to £4; extra prime cows, an to £7; average prime cows, from £4 to £5; light and unfinished cows, down to £3. Pat Sheep.—Extra prime wethers, up to 38s; average prime wethers, from 33s to 355; light and unfinished wethers, down ’to 39s l

extra prime ewes, up to 28s; average prime ewes, from 24s to 255; light and unfinishec ewes, down to 30s; extra prime fat lambs, up to 355; average prime lambs, from 28s to 395; lighter lambs, down to 25s 6d. Store Cattle.—Forward three and. four-year-old bullocks, up to £6 15s; two and 21-yenr-old bullocks, from £3 5s to £4 ss; yearling and 18-months-nld steers, from 35s to £2 5«. Dairy Cows.—Extra good cows, up to £8; average dairy cows, from £4 to £5; cull cows, from £1 to 30s. Store Sheep.—Extra good two-tooth ewes, un to 42s fid ; average two-tooth owes making from 38s to 395; four, six, and eight-footb ewes, from 3ts to 365; average four, six, and eight-tooth ewes, from 39s to 32s 6d; s.m. ewes, from 32s to 345; f. and f.m. ewes, from 10s to 16s, according to condition; forward m.s. lambs, from 22« to 24s 6d; ewe lambs, from 35s to 375; wether lambs, from 20s to 22s fid; extra good two-tooth wethers, up to 28s; and four and six-tooth wethers, up to 325. _ THE OAMARU MARKETS, (From Oor Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, March 29. After a few days of dullness there came this week a time of brightness and warmth, and a nice growth of grass has taken place as a result of this following on the recent rain. The country now wears a cheering aspect, the brown tint having given place to green, and the bar© place® of a few weeks ago having become clothed afresh. With a little mote moisure and an absence of sharp frost there should he a fair supply of winter feed for stock. The catch crops sown for eating off are also making good headway, and all fours as to the final effects of the drought have been banished. This marked change in the outlook has restored confidence, and a strong demand for sheep has set in, particularly for good breeding ewes, with the result that values have firmed. There are not, however, many sellers of young ewes, and as a consequence others that can bo calculated upon to produce lambs find buyers. No ewca of the younger descriptions were yarded at the weekly market sale, and the aggregate offering was email. The range of prices for ewes was a® follows: —Sound-mouthed, 31a fid; fairly pood-mouthed, 23s to 265; a.god. 19a to 22a 6d: broken-mouthed and culls, 9s to 15s fid. The true position was, however, diecloeed at the fortnightly sale at the Duntroon yards yesterday, when between 5000 and 6000 sheep were submitted, consisting in the main of aged back-country ewee, with some young ewes and other descriptions of sheep. There was a large attendance of buyers, and under brisk bidding and keen competition prices showed an advance of about 2s per head upon those realised at the town.market. Tho ewes sold as follows; —Mixed two, four, six, and eight-tooth, 28s to 35a, according to mixture; good, freshmouthed fivo-ycar-olda, 15b fid to 25s 3d; medium quality aged descriptions, 10s to 15s; culls. 3s to 7s. Nearly all the business done in shoep by private treaty has been in ©wee.

and the range of has been as fol-lows;—Two-tooth, 363 375; mixed four and six-tooth of extra good class, 40s; 800 half and three-quarterbred, including a smiUl proportion of young ewes, 31s 9d; 700 six and eight-tooth Romney cross, 325; four, six, and oight-tcoth, 33s lid; four-year-old hadbred hill, to 29s 6d; up-country four, six, and eight-tooth, 255; sound-mouthed, 31s 6d, mixed ages, 28s. In other store sheep there baa not been much doing. At the Duntroon sale, store wethers realised from 22a 6d to 21s Gd; good rape lambs, from 22a to 23s Id; medium rape lambs, from 18a to 21s; and wether lambs, from 15s to ISs. A line of half bred hill wether lambs changed hands by private treaty at Ifis. Sales of fat sheep, with an exception to be mentioned, were all made at the weekly market, and the prices were as follows: Prime lambs, 27s 6d; medium lambs, 25s to 26s Gd; extra prime owes, 295; good ewes, 22s to 23s Gd; lightweight ewes, Us to 17s Gd. A special demand for fat lambs for freezing for export wm experienced, and sales on the per lb basis were made at IOJd for prime, lOd for overweights, and 9jd for second quality. There has been very little movement m cattle. At the weekly sale there was only a small offering, and the prices obtained were as follows:—Fat cows, 14 5a to £5 ss; fat heifers, .21 5a to £7; store cows, 31s to 11s; beat dairy cows, £5 15s to £7; cows in milk, £3 5s to £2 15s. Saks by private treaty have been very few. Light-weight fat. bullocks have been sold at £9, fat steers at from £8 to £lO, and dairy cows at £5. There has been only a small a.mount of business passing in the grain and produce market during the week, the quietness being due to the fact that little remains in the country to bo handled. Milling wheat continues to come on the market, and pass readily into the hands of the gristers. The offerings have been small lots, the only transactions of any note covering a couple of lines of 390 sacks each — one of Velvet and the other of mixed Hunters and Tuscan. On tho basis of prices oats appear to have weakened, A grade Gartons having changed owners at 4s and 4s 3d, net at country stations. On the other, hand an offer of 4s Gd for a heavy line of A’s was refused by the grower. No inquiries from the north for Algerians are being received, importations from Australia having apparently been closed to southern sellers. In this connection it may be noted that this week a selling agent from Canterbury was in Oaraanx endeavouring to do business, and met with no success. A couple of sales of Chevalier barley are reported—one of moderate quality at 4s 3d net and the other of discoloured last season’s production at 4s, both on trucks at country stations. Oaten sheaf chaff has been dealt in at £6 5s net, and £6 10s, less commission, all on

trucks at country stations. FROZEN MEAT MARKET. (Peb United P.eess Association.) ' WELLINGTON, March 29. The New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board has received the following cablegram from its London office dated march 26, advising Smithfield delivered prices at that date as follows: New Zealand wethers and maiden ewes; Canterbury quality, selected brands, 561 b and under 8d per lb, 57 to 6llb 7|d, 65 to 72ib 7Jd; other brands, 57 to 641 b T£d, 65 to 721 b 7Jd. New Zealand lamb; Canterbury quality, 361 b and under 9Jd, 37 to 421 b 9|d, 43 to 50lb 9id; second quality. 9Jd; selected brands, 361 b and under XOd, 37 to 421 b 10d; other brands, first quality. 421 b and under 9d, second quality 82d. New Zealand beef, not quoted; Argehtine chilled beef, ox fores per lb, ox mnds 5Jd; Argentine frozen beef, ox fores 4d, ox hinds sd. Frozen pork: 80 to 120 lb 7Jd, 120 to 1801 b 7d. Veal; There is none on. the market.

LONDON QUOTATIONS. Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, March 29. (Received March 30, at 5.5 p.m.) Sheep.—Canterbury light, 8d; medium, 73d; heavy, 7id. North Island light, 7|d; medium,. 7Jd; heavy, 7Jd. New Zealand ewes, 6d; Australian ewes, 5Jd; Argentine light 6Jd; medium, sid; heavy, sd. Lambs.— Canterbury, ftfd; medium, 9fd; heaw Old; seconds, 9£d; other selectcds, 9Jd. ' North Island firsts, 9d; seconds, Bfd. Australian firsts; Victorian, 9d; other States, BJd. Seconds: Victorian, 81d; others, Sid; thirds, BJd. Argentine firsts, light, 9d; medium, B^d; seconds, 7‘id. Frozen Beef—Argentine fores, 4d; Uruguayan fores, 3|d; chilled Argentine lores, Ifd; hinds, 53d; Uruguayan fores, 3|d; hinds, sjd; other meats unchanged.—A. and N.Z.

Cable. LONDON MARKETS. D veao Association—Bv Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, March 29. (Received March 30, at 5.5 p.m.) Cotton.— Liverpool quotation, American middling upland, April delivery, IG.OSd per pound. .... ~ Rubber.—Fin© hard para, Hid per lb; plantation, first latex crepe, and smoked ribbed sheet, 13Jd, to 12J6. Jute. —Native Indian first marks, April-

May delivery, £27 12s 6d per ton. New Zealand Hemp.—March-May delivery, £36 15s per ton. ~ , » ~ Oopra.—Begged South Sea March-Apnl shipment, £27 5s per ton. Linseed Oil.—£3B per ton, equal to 3s Old —7Bs per cwt, equal to 5s IOJd per gallon. THE FRUIT AND PRODUCE WORLD. Reilly’s Central Produce Mart report: Tomatoes practically over for the season There is a keen comptition and high prices obtainable for choice dessert fruits—Dencions and Cox’s apples, Marie Loueie, Winter Nelis,

and Winter Cole pears, Coe’s late red plums, choice peaches, prime grapes, prime Canterbury onions. Stamped and guaranteed eggs realising 2s 3d per dozen to-day. \>e secured tho following prices for our consignors:—Peaches; Jam, 4d; dessert, sd, to. Grapes; Locals, Is 2d, 2s 2d; Oamarua Is 4d Is lOd; choice Australian muscates, Is. Tomatoes; Locals, 4'd, 6-ld; Christchurch, lid, .’id; Otago Central, 2d, 4d. Quinces, 2d, 2ld. Plums: Coe’s late red, 3d, 4id; green plums, 3d, -Id. Pears: Choice Conference, Bcurre Boas, Marie Louise, Winter Cole, 3d, 4d; cooking, 2d lb. Apples: Local cookers. ss’ed 7s; Jonathans, Bs, 11s; Delicious, 10s, 13s fid; Cox’s, 10s 6d, ISs. American lemons, 42s 6:1. Bananas; Ripe, 37a 6d. Prizewinner tinned pines; Slices, 7s 9d; cubes,

Rs Turban dates; Packets, ss. Peanuts: Choice quality, 7d. Walnuts, Gd, 9d, Is. Laver figs, Hid. Prunes, sd. Mushrooms; Choice, fid, Hid; stale, 2d. Green peas; Choice, sd, 6d; inferior, lid, 3d. Butter beaus; Choice, sd, 6d. French beans; Choice, 6d. Pickling onions, lid, 2d. Eechallois, 2id per lb. Vegetable marrows, 12s, Hs.’ Pumpkins, 18s. Jam melons, 9s Gd. cwt. Lettuce; Choice, 2a 6d. Cabbage: Choice, 4s, Bs. Cauliflowers; Choice, 6s, 13s. Cucumbers: Choice, 10s, 12s 6d; outside, 2a, 3s per dozen. Potatoes: Stirling Outram, S.s 6d; Oamarua and Waimates, 7s Gd; best 'ocals,' 10s. Carrots, 8s 6d. Onions: Choice Canterburys, 12s. Swedes, 4s, 5a 6d cwt. Parsnips, 7s 6d per cental. Tea: Broken Orange Pekoe, 2s 6d. Butter; Separator pats, Is 6d; dairy pate, Is sd; milled, Is 6d. Cheese, 10id, IHd. Beeswax, Is 6d,

Is 9d. Preserved ginger, Is Id. Hams, Is Id. Bacon, Is Id for choice. Pigs: Prime haconers, 7d, 7£d; prime porkers, 74d; heavyweights, to sd. Honey (urgently wanted): Choice bulk, njd; 101 b tins, 5s 6d, 7« 6d; sections, choice, Bs, 11s; broken, 6s per dozen. Sardines; “Pelican” brand brislings, 5a 6d; sild, ss, best quality. Eggs: Stamped, Is lOd, 2s, 2s 3d; cased, Is Bd, Is 10d; preserved, Is 6d, Is Bd. Egg crates: Champion 24-dozen, 17s Pd; Economic 29doze.n, 15s. Fowl wheat, 5s 9d. Oats: A Gartons. 4s 9d; B Gartons, 4s 3d. Oatahoaf

chaff; Prime qualitv, £7 15s per ton, ex truck. Bran: 150’s, lie. Pollard: EC’s, 13s 9d. Woodwool: Special quality. 28s per bale. Moose nuts, 17s per 1001 b bags. Molasses, 12a fid. Tallow, 23s per cwt. Poultry; Five hundred and sixty hens realised 2s 2d to ss; G pullets, 13s 6d; 165 cockerels, 2s 2d to Xl«; 96 ducks, 5s to 8s 6d ; 23 pigeons, Is 4d (all at per pair); 8 turkeys. lOd per lb. New Zealand agents for the Hannan-cloko air free case. South Island agents for W. D. Peacock and Co., London, Liverpool, and Hull; growers of export apples should communicate with ua at once. E, OSWALD REILLY, Managing Director, Moray Place, Dunedin.