COMMERCIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19760, 10 April 1926, Page 13

COMMERCIAL.

Daily Times Office, Friday evening. Some references to the wheat question were made by the Hon. O. J. Hawken (Minister of Agriculture) at Rangiora at the official opening of the Northern A. and P. Association’s new hall. He said; “When I came into office I took a stand on the wheat question The growers were disappointed at the appointment, of a North Islander to the portfolio of Agriculture, and anticipated that they would not receive much sympathy hut New Zealand is not big enough to think in two pieces. 1 found that it was necessary to lessen the imports and strengthen the exports, and wheat fell into the former category. By giving help to farmers, we could very soon get sufficient wheat grown for the needs of the Dominion.’’ He hoped that the South Island would respond to the call to grow a large enough quantity. He knew' there was a difference with the millers, and he hoped it would he settled amicably. U was his wish that there should be no continuation of the dispute because the Dominion needed wheat, and farmers who held on to their wheat were less inclined to grow it the next year. If they did not grow it they would have no milling, os there would be nothing to mill. “I regard the Department of Agriculture as a very important one,” he said. ‘ Per bans our ideas in the past have not been quite on the proper lines. In a great producing country the department should teceive a great deal more support than barbeen accorded it, and it should “ a 'o 3 good deal more funds at its disposal. New Zealand had many farmers who had leeched no training as fanners, and might not have been brought up on the land. They should be trained As far as he was concerned they would have to wait for the argicultnval teaching of hoys—his concern was with the men already on the land More productivity was needed, and farmers would h nv e to be shown how to bring it about. The Agriculture Department must take n hand and give a great deal more instruction than in the past. In every way it should help the farmer, and show him by demonstration how to produce more. LOCAL MARKETS. The position in the wheat market u> mains unchanged. Practically all the locally-grown wheat has been sold forward, and for lines not placed farmers are holding out for higher prices than millers are prepared to pay. Some of the lower grades of these lines are being sold for fowl wheat at up to 6s 9d per bushel, sacks extra, on trucks. .... Reports regarding the wheat crops continue most satisfactory, and in several instances from 70 bushels to 80 bushels per acre have been threshed in the south. i.he quality is excellent, especially of the Ones now coming in these having been threshed out of stack. Millers have sufficient wheat to keep them going in the meantime They are finding that the demand for flour in New Zealand has fallen very considerably on the importation of Australian flour. The demand in New Zealand is much lower than for this time last year. It is estimated that about 1500 tons of Australian flour have been landed into New Zealand—the greater proportion going to the North Island —since February 1, when the embargo was lifted. This flour has to bear a duty of £3 per ton, and is being landed at the main New Zealand ports at £l7 10s per ton. . , , Millers’ prices for flour remain unchanged as follows: —2001 b, £lB 10s; 100’s, £l9 Ids; 50’s,. £2O 2s 6d l 25 ’ s > £V) W®- Bran > , £S 10s per ton. Pollard, £9 10s. Oatmeal 25’s. £25; 200’s, £24. The oat market remains in a stagnant condition. Offerings are increasing, farmers taking advantage of the present fine weather to thresh the grain as quickly as possible. Merchants are not keen to buy, as they are unable to place purchases. Prices now being paid to growers are 3s 6d on trucks, sacks extra, for A s and 3s 3d for B’s The few sales that are taking place are on an f.0.b., s.i. basis, most of them being made to forward se! lers who have to cover their commitments. The present quotations are 4s 6d f.0.b,, s.i. for A’s and 4s 3d for B’s. The chaff market continues weak, plies are plentiful in the stores in Dunodin, and as feeders are well stocked further consignments ■ coming forward are also being placed in the stores. The presentvalue is about £6 per ton, sacks extra, ex truck, for best quality. Medium and poor quality is practically unsaleable, and is also being held in the stores. The potato market has a firmer tendency. Best quality is worth £7 5s per ton, sacks included, ex truck. Digging operations will shortly become general. , Most of the potatoes have already been sold, and the outlook for the market depends on the Australian demand. At present there is no demand from Australia. Merchants are waiting to see how the firs shipment from New Zealand, which «dl he sent across next week, turns out. me shipment is a fairly big one and the transaction if-as entered into some time nacK. Although there was a fear that the continued wet weather might develop b igtn in the tubers, they are not so far slewing any disease. The crops are looking well, and good yields are expected. The seed market remains in a quiet state Offerings of ryegrass are now on the lignt side, but merchants are not taking niu interest in the market, as there is l”Le demand for machine-dressed seed. me prices on offer to growers for heavy weight seed range from 4s to 4s 3d on trucks. In ofcbf>r I in3s of seeds* business is quiet. Current wholesale prices for produce lines are as follow; Chaff, £5 nsr toll. Potatoes, £7 5- to £7 per on Dairy Butler.-Rest milled bulk, 1* and Is 4d per lb. according to qua.ity; f(v>iralcr oats, L= ?d t° I s ‘‘dPgsrs.—fUimned. ?» 6cl: vise, 4cl. Tto.-on.—T!o I >*. Is per lb. Hams, U 3d pt lb: bonelcs* Is 4d. Canterbury oivon*. I 3 * ner cut. FRUIT REPORT. The market is short of bananas. The shipment of Fiji bananas, oranges anil mandarines ex the Kawatiri wid piobabiy bo landed here in the middle of next wee*. A line of pm melons was landed ex the WaiUuaiti uho a tew cases of pineapples. The Waikouaiti would probably have brought a larger shipment of fruit, but wet weather was experienced in New boutli Wales just before the vessel was due to Supplies of outside grown tomatoes have cased off. A limited quantity of choice tomatoes is arriving from Canterbury There is a fair inquiry for sound dessert apples. Inferior sorts are hard to sell. Cookers are also slow of sale. A fairly heavy quantity of pears is arriving on .he market, chiefly from Central Otago. , . Vegetables have a normal sale. Current wholesale prices are as follow: Apples.—Cox’s Orange, 10s to 12s; Jonathans, 7s to 9s for prime; cooirers, 4s od tO oh-anges.—ltalian, 25s per half-case. Lemons.— ltalian, 25s per case. Tomatoes.—Christchurch, choice 3d to 4id; Central. 4d; cooking, lid to cd; local hot-house, fid to Bd. Poaches.—Crates, 4d to 6d per ib. Plums.— Dessert, in crates, 4d to sd; cooking, 2d to 3d per lb. Grapes.—Local, Is to Is sd; Australian, IBs per case of 241 b. Pears.— Dessert, 2d to 3d per lb; cooking, Ud to 2d. Peas, 2d to 3|d. Rhubarb. 2d to 3d per lb. Lettuce.— Choice, 4s per dozen. Blackberries, 7s per bucket of 12. b. Spinach Is 6d per dozen bundles. White turnips, Is per dozen bunches. , Spring onions, 2d per bundle of six bundles. ~ , , i Cabbages.—Choice. 2s 6d to 4s per sack of two dozen ; others unsaleable. Australian melons, 14s per cwt. , . Cauliflowers. 5s to 7s per sack containing a dozen (choice only). Celery, 4d to fid per hunch of four sticks. Parsnips, 8s fid per owt. Carrots, 8s fid per cwt. . . New Potatoes—Local grown, Id; laien, 8s to 8s fid per cwt. New season’s swedes. As to 5s per cwt. French beans, 4d to sd^. Runner beans, 3d to 4d. Broad beans. Id to 2d per lb. SOUTHLAND MARKET REPORT. INVERCARGILL, April 9. GRAIN. Oals. —This market during the last week or so lias now become somewhat stabilised, merchants being open for business in A grade Gartousat4s fid f.0.b.. s.i. Iheii buying prices from fanners are on the equivalent of this value, offers ranging from 3s 7c! to 3s 8d on trucks, sacks extra the prices depending almost entirely on the distance from the port B grade are relatively 3d per bushel less in both cases. A fair quantity of oats has been offered since the holidays, and the majority are in nice condition though naturally, as they have hardly had time to mature, just a trifle on the soft side. The yields are abnormally high per acre, instances of 80 and 90 bushels per acre being by no means a < raritj.

Chaff. —Supplies on merchants’ hands are ample for the small local demand, but a littie' business has been done in new chaff for later delivery at £5 per ton on trucks in the country. Ryegrass.—-In the almost entire absence of business from outside centres merchants are by no means anxious to increase their stocks. Buying values from growers have decreased materially, prices ranging round about 4s per bushel for 221 b to 231 b seed, higher weights and of a clean nature would bring probably 3d per bushel extra. A? with oats the yield of ryegrass per acre has been substantia! in the majority of cases, many crops having threshed out in excess of 50 bushels per acre. Recent germination tests of machine dressed seed are of a fairly satisfactory nature, but merchants refrain almost entirely from making any bids whatever for seed which shows a tendency of failure in this respect. STOCK REPORT. The Southland stock continues firm, and all classes offering meet with good sales The quality of (he majority of the fat cattle coming into the yards is not very good, a largo proportion being cows and light heifers, and any really well-finished cattle bring good prices. The fat sheep market Is rather over-supplied at present, the yarding being in excess of local requirements. while (he prices offered for freezing are hardly acceptable to those holding wethers. Store sheep are selling well, and notwithstanding the large yardings the prices are well maintained. We quote:— Eat Cattle.—Heavy prime bullocks. £l4 to £l6 12s fid: medium weight prime do. 111 los to £l3 10s: prime heavy heifers. £8 10s to £10; medium, £fi 10s to £7 15s; heavy prime cows, £8 to £lO 10s; medium, £fi to £7 10s. runners, to £2 13s: vealers. to 30s: prime ox beef, 37s fid to 40s per 1001 b; prime heifer, 30s to 32s fid per 1001 b; cow beef, 22s fid to 23s per 1001 b. Fat Sheep.—Prime heavy wethers, 28s to 30s; prime medium weight, 20s fid to 27s fid; lighter, to 255; prime heavy ewes, 19s to 21s; medium, 17s to 18s 61; lighter down to 13s; prime heavy lambs, 28s to 30s; medium. 24s 9d to 26s 6d. Store Sheep.—Good rape wether lambs. 20s to 21s 6d; mixed sex, 22s to 23s 6d; ewe lambs. 24s 6d to 26a 6d; two-tooth ewes. Sis to 37s fid: extra good, to 40s; good two-tooth wethers, 22s 61 to 24s Gd t guar, s.m. ewes, 33s to 335; failing-mouthed, 20s to 255; old ewes, 16s to 18s (id; poorer sorts, 12s to 14s fid. Store Cattle.—Good three-year steers, fS to £10; two-year. £3 15s to £7; yearling steers, £3 10s to £4 10s; calves, to £2; old cows, to £3. PALMERSTON STOCK SALE. The monthly stock sale was held at Palmerston on Thursday, when there was an exceptionally large yarding of sheep and a good one of cattle and pigs. Prices, taken all round, were back considerably from those ruling at last sale. THE A.M.P. SOCIETY. It must be gratifying to the A.M.P. Society to be able to announce another record year. The new business secured for 1925 reached a total of £17,331,570* whilst £3,500,000 was paid away to members or their representatives during the same period. The amor, t available for cash bonuses is the largest ever distributed by the society for a single year, and represents 54.5 ner cent, of the premiums received during the year on participating nolicie? —a substantial increase over the rate for the previous year, which was 52.9 per cent. LONDON MARKETS. Messrs Dalgety and Co, (Ltd.) advise having received the following wire from their head office, London, under date April 8: Frozen Meat.—No forward sales are reported. The lamb market is unchanged. The following prices are for new seasons carcases; New Zealand prime crossbred light Canterbury, light 10R1, North Island light 9Jd, Canterbury heavy IOJd, North Island heavy 10|d. Good average quality crossbred lamb: Australian light IOJd, heavy BJd. New Zealand prime crossbred mutton: Canterbury light not quoted, light 7id, Canterbury heavy 7d, North Island heavy fijd Good average quality Australian crossbred mutton, light 6|d heavy old. New Zealand prime ox beef, hinds 4id. mand for New Zealand lemb is better. Ihe market for New Zealand mutton is weak, and transactions are small. The demand for New Zealand mutton runs principally on light-weights. The market for New Zealand "beef is nomital. Tno demand for New Zealand beef is limited. The demand tor Australian lamb runs principally on poorer qualities. The market for Austrahan mutton is weak. The demand for Australian mutton The butter market is quiet. Danish, 186si; New Zealand exceptional brands liGs, finest 1745; Australian finest unsalted 1745, salted X ‘New Zealand cheese, coloured 9Ss, white 063 ; Canadian cheese, spot 110 s, The cheese market is depressed. DAIRY PRODUCE. ' The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company (Ltd.) has received the following cablegram from its London house, under date April 7; . , New Zealand buttery Choicest 172 s to Irts, exceptionally choice 1765. Cheese, 06s to 98s. Both markets are quiet. Messrs Fraser airl Co., agents for the Otago Egg Circle, report as under: Eggs. Case eggs, 2s 4d to 2s 51: Egg Circle eggs, o, 01 Tiillouf: Market firm from 21s to ofis Honey: Slow sale; prime bulk, sd; undergrade, B}d to 4(1; 1011) tins, 5s Cd; sections. 9d to 10d. Butter: Bulk, Is 3d to Is 4d. Bee wax, Is 31 per lb. Pigs; Market firm: gohd bacon weights. Sd: porkers. 7id to SI. We are agents for Pareora Meat Meal. We stock Star P. Chick Food, lucerne meal, poultry meal. oats, maize, wheat, bran, and pollard, Champion egg crates 18s Cd, leg rings Is per dozen (special quotes for quantities). Potatoes: Oninaru and Taieri. 7s to 8s Per ™vt Poultry: We held our usual sale on VVedneslav nt 1.30 p.m„ when we submitted a full i anting, and sold as under :-Cii!l hens 2s Cl, white Leghorn hens 3s 4d to 4s. heavv breeds 4s to 5s fid, well-grown cockerels 7s to Ss fid. others from 4s to 6s; ducklings, 4s Cd to 8s: ducks, 3s Cd to 4s fi" : pigeons, is to Is Cd; nil at per pair Turkeys: Goblers, Is Cd; hens, Is 4d per lb ! ‘Consignors please note that pin■ and poultry must arrive not later than Wednes lav morning of each week. We have a stock of poultry crates on hanl for the use of clients. BRAY BROTHERS (LIMITED), AUCTIONEERS. DUNEDIN. Want Fruit, Farm and and Dairy Produce. Write them for market reports. Prompt attention given to correspondence. —Advt.