COMMERCIAL

Southland Times, Issue 17482, 24 July 1915, Page 4

COMMERCIAL

PRODUCE P SICES CURRENT. THURSDAY, JULY 22, 1915. W HOLES ALE. Fresh butter i,separator), 1/3. Factory butter. -2‘b prints, 1/6^4. Eggs, „!/ 6. Potatoes, 120, -. Flour, £ls 10/- to £l7 10/-. Oatmeal, £23. Pollard. £9 10/-. Bran. £S 15s tier ton. KET.yt. Fresh butter (.separator), 1/6. Factory butter, (alb prints, 1/3. Cheese, lid. Eggs, 1/9. Bacon 1/1. Potatoes, S - per cwt, or 121bs for 1/-. Flour, 2001b 35,-, 1001b 19/-, 501b 9/9, 25ib 5/-. Oatmeal, 501b 13/-, 251b 6/6. Pollard, 16/6. Bran, 15s per sack. Onions. 12!bs for I/-. SOUTHLAND STOCK: A3TO PRODUCE MARKET. TIMES OFFICE, Friday. LIVE STOCK.—Tiie demand for all classes, of stock continues to be very keen, and buyers are operating very freely. Tie freezing works have been compelled to again ease off owing to shortage of space, and for that reason fat stuff has eased somewhat. Buyers from the north, particularly from the Tah-ri have been busy during the week, and. t;;e demand for store cattle is good. There is plenty of feed available, turnips especially, the demand for store sheep continues to be brisk, and prices advanced from nd to 1 - per head. Dairy cows are in good demand, especially good young sorts, and the present glowing prospects in regard to butter and cheese mak- it certain that in tiie spring prices tvu;' ru;“ very high, and good young cows ar>- c.-rtain to fetch from £l2 to £l3. 1 ’o I! v v. ing arc the prices current; i 'AT CATTLE. —Ox beef. 4 0/- to 41/-; heifer. - to 39,'-: cow, 36.'- to 37/-. ’’AT SHEEP. —Extra prime butchers’ wethers, 32/- to :;4 -: prime wethers, 2 8 - to 30.'-; medium sorts, 25/- to 26 T; extra prime heavy ewes. 22/- to 25/-; medium and unfinished, IS to 20/-. STOLE CATTLE.—Three-year-old bullocks, £9 TO - to £ll TO -; 2’l--year-olds, £5 Li - to £ri: Ik months’ old, £4 to £! 13 -; curlings. £3 , )o.'- to -£4/-; calves, 23 to 35 -. ST''»RE SHEEP. —Two-tooth ewes. 24/6 to 23 ri: foul-u.ru!> s. 25 6 to 27--; sixtooths. 24 ri to 26 6; tdgh t-tooths, 22/6 to 23 ri;-sound ami failing mouth, good fresh sorts, 16 - to is. 6; broken-mouthed ewes. 12. ri to 14 6; older sorts, 9/6 to 1 n ri; boilers, ri 6 to 7 '6; mixed-sex hoggets. gn.id sorts, IS-6 to 19/6; ewe hoggets. to 2 1 -; medium mixed ewes, 17/to Is -; two-tooth wethers. 21/6 to 23/-; four and six-tooths, 23 6 to 25/-. ((ATS.—The market is easier, but solely because there is so little doing. Buyers in the .Vortli Island appear to be hanging hack, and tiiis is partly due to the fact that sonic importations of American oats are being made. These will land from 3d to 6d per bushel less than Southland grown, but the Auckland buyers will probably come to the same conclusion as Sydney grain merchants, ■u ho found that New Zealand oats were infinitely cheaper than American as the amount or meal procurable from a bushel is so much greater. There are no oats offering iron- farmers. Merchants are willing to buy on the basis of 3/9, 0.t., for A (lra.de Cartons, but this is a purely nominal quotation as no others arc being attracted by it. ("HA IT’.—The market is easier, but there is not very much offering at present, There ;;.'ts been a lot of trouble with i i.aff arriving at Bluff in a damp, mammy eondition, .and a good many lines have had to be turned down on this r.rvooii;. Growers should see that their stacks a’-e i horoiighly seasoned and dry before .-in ting. The price to-day is moilina li v from £ri to £G 3s. o.t. In fairness to merchants it should be mentioned that many northern buyers prefer prime ( antcrbnry chaff at up to £1 per ton higher than Southland. STRAW ('HAFF.—The Sydney and Melbourne markets appear to have collapsed. As Is usual when the market has fallen there have been rejections in both these centres, and merchants do not know exactly how they stand about this commodity. Most local merchants have ceased Inlying altogether or will only buy at a wry low rate. HAY AND STRAW.—The Sydney market has declined in sympathy with other Hues. POTATOES. Tiiis is also another line of produce which lias received at least a temporary setback in the Australian market. The Physa took 5400 bags, and the Korcmiko is now on her way from Ogmaru and Timaru with a cargo of

15,000 sacks. When one realises that potatoes are pouring in from Tasmania and Victoria into the Sydney market. It would appear as if this market has been rather overdone. The price in Sydeny has fallen over £2 per ton, and as the markets in the north have never responded readily to the prices asked In. the South Island of late. It would look as if potatoes must go back here. Merchants are not prepared to-day to give more than £5, 0.t., in new sacks, but it is very doubtful if sellers will respond to this price, although, after all. It is fully up to the average of late years. HEMP. —The market continues fairly firm, although it Is inclined to be easier in London. Prices may be quoted at about £2l, 0.t., for fair; £22 for high point fair; and probably as high as £24, 0.t.. could bo got for good fair. There is a fair demand from New Zealand twine millers, especially for liner qualities. RYEGRASS. —There is not much doing so far, but it is expected that the demand will be brisker next month, both for wholesale and retail orders. Many seeds have dressed out very high in cost, and at 7/- to S/- for dressed seed merchants will be making no profit on their dearer purchases. WHEAT AND FLOUR. —The wheat market seems rather easier, but there is really very little milling wheat offering, and a good deal of this Is only second class milling. Value ranges from 6/3 to 6/6, o.t. The fowl wheat market has declined slightly, and good whole fowlwheat is now not worth more than 5/9, o.t. The demand is somewhat slow. Flour has declined 10/- in price, and is now quoted at £l6 10/-, wholesale. MISCELLANEOUS. —The price of wax candles has advanced %d per lb., this being owing to the increased coat of wax and the difficulty in getting* shipments forward. Herrings in tomato sauce are in short supply, and as there will probably be none on the market for some time prices have advanced. There has been a good enquiry for cheese for export to Australia, and it is very firm In price. Epsom salts are about unprocurable. All classes of galvanised hardware are in good demand, and are advancing in price. CLEARING SALE AT WYHDHAM. Messrs Hunter Bros, and Rice report having held an exceedingly successful displenishing sale at the Farmers’ Club stables, Wyndham. on Thursday, when thev disposed of the whole of the carrying plant of Messrs Windloborn and Broom. There was an exceptionally large attendance of buyers and others, people being present from Otautau, Invercargill, Gore, and Riversdale. The day proved fine, and everything was well arranged. The sale commenced at 12 noon, and proceeded briskly until 5 p.m., when the office furniture was disposed of, bi'inging to a close one of the most successful sales It has been our pleasure to coduct. Bidding throughout was consistent, and good values were received for everything offered. The freehold properties were offered first, and sold as follows: —Section 12, block IV. town of Wyndham, with Farmers’ Club stables situated thereon, brought £607. the purchaser being Mr A. F. Rankin: and lot 10. McEwan Township. Tokomii. containing 1 rood 25 poles, £l2. Mr Norman Moffett being the buyer. The spring-dray, with tile goodwill and agencies of the business, were next offered. and realised £44. the purchaser being Mr John Ferguson, of Wyndham. Horses. These brought about very brisk competition, and realised the following prices; Spring-vanner, Larry, 7yrs, £32; do., Duke, 6yrs. £22: do., Nug-

get. £32 10s; draught mare. Bell, syrs, £3l; spring cart mare. Jean. £2O; do., Kate. £l7; do.. Roany, £2O 10s; do.. Bell. £24 10s: do.. "Winn. £l9 10s; do.. Rose, £3O 10s; do.. Hector, £24 10s; do.. Sandy, £24;d0.. Dick. £l9 10s: do, Duncan. £l6; do.. Topsy. £l4: do.. Rummy. £11: do.. Punch, £l3 10s; <Jo.. Johnnie. £l2: Darby, £7 10s; Mag. £25; Kitty, £ll 15s: thoroughbred welding. Sir Patrick. £10; do., mare. Miss Kelly. £l7 ss: two filly foals, £6 10s and £5: harness mare, Bess. £l3 os; black Shetland pony, 2yrs, £l4 ss. Implements, etc, Hay rake £7. set tine harrows £1 15s, dray and frame £6 10s, do. £ls. do £l9 15s, do £l2 ss. mower £ll 2s 6d. gig £2l 10s. single buggy £26, do £S 10s, carriage £5. gig £7, spring waggon £3O 10s. do £3O, do £2O. A large quantity of harness, chains. covers, trees, sacks, tools, and other articles sold at good values, under keen competition. WmDEAM HOE.SE SALE. Messrs Hunter Bros, and Rice report having held their usual monthly horse sale iu tiie local bazaar on Thursday, when some 25 horses were submitted to auction. Bidding throughout was slow, and prices realised were not up to vendors’ expectations, though in most cases comparing more than favourably with values current at other markets. We sold a 6yr-old draught mare at £3O. 4yr do. gelding £lB 10s. aged mare £l6, spring-van mare £23, 8-months colt by General Miller £l9 19s, 7 other useful sorts at from £l4 to £5. A gig brought £l2, disc harrows £lO ss. CUSTOMS EETTTBNS. The following* was the revenue received at he Custom house for the period 16th to 23rd July; Customs duties £i33 11 3 Beer duty 19 0 0 Light dues 7 14 8 Shipping fees 0 10 0 Total .. £760 15 11 FROZEN MEAT EXPORT. A summary of the frozen meat trade, compiled by Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., for the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, Ltd., is interesting in view of the state of war. It shows an export for the year ended June 30 of 120,583,013 lb weigiit of mutton, 89,383,0851b of lamb, and 69,990,6051b of beef. For the previous 12 months the figures were; — Mutton 141,728,1301b, lamb 125,874,3471b, and beef 50,060,6651b. A further comparison is shown in a list of frozen meat exports for the January-December years right back to 188 2, and in this the figures for the six months of the present year quite hold their own against the highest yet recorded, which was in 1914. In that year 358,217,8421b of meat went out of flie dominion, and tiie tally for the six months to June 30, 1916, is 178,935,7041b. * SHEEPSKINS A NTS WOOD. (Per United Press Association.) OAMARU, July 23. A very successful sale of sheepskins, wool, etc., was held to-day, when large catalogues, comprising 6000 sheepskins and seventy bales and 250 bags of wool were submitted. Best skins brought lid to 11 and wool sold at advanced prices. Super crutchings, 12Ud to 13d; halfbred fleece, 13>4cl to 14 %d; crossbred fleece, 13d to 13(4d; halfbred fleece, 13(4d to 1494 d. The prices all round are considered highly satisfactory. CANTERBURY GRAIN AND PRODUCE CHRISTCHURCH. July 23. The local grain and produce markets are still in a very dull state. The fact that flour has been reduced another 10/per ton, and is now quoted at £l6, has naturally tended to make the tone of the wheat market easier. There is nothing doing in oats, and oatsheaf chaff is rather less in demand, while there is no enquiry for oat straw chaff. The potato market is quiet and buyers are now offering only £5 10/- to £5 15/-; but growers are still holding firmly. There is little enquiry from the North Island. The Auckland market is said to be still well supplied with potatoes from Wellington province. There is little demand for shipment to Australia as there Is still a large quantity in store—sufficient, it is said, to supply shipments at the present rate until the end of August. Onions are firmer, and are now quoted at £i 3, - at country stations. LONDON WOOD SALES. I By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright) LONDON, July 22. At the wool sales competition is keener. General competition all round is hardening except for shabbys. The following prices were realised for the fleece portions of New Zealand clips named: —Tokomaru, top 1.7 average 16 ] 4d; Gorald, 14d and 12d. The sale included 1233 - bales of English wool, which was mostly withdrawn . Washed Hampshire Down 23d; greasy IGV&d. Bradford —The market is steadier, and more cheerful in tone. Sixtyfour.s, 4 2d; super 60’s, 4iy a d; common 60 s, 40d; 56 s, Jad; 50 s, 31d; 45’s, 27d; 40’B, 26d.

Messrs Dalgety and Co. report having received the following cable from their head office, dated London, July 20, 1915: —"Owing to the weakness of the market and the congestion at the docks and warehouses importers decided to-day to close the wool sales on July 24. The sixth series opens on September 7. The list of arrivals closes on July 24. Good merinos and best fine erssbreds in good demand, other sorts dragging badly, especially shabby crossbreds, which are IVi to 10 per cent, lower than the highest point of the series.” LONDON PRODUCE MARKET. LONDON, July 22. Wheat—The market is quiet and steady. Flour.—The market is firm. Oats—The market is steady. New Zealand, 31/-; Bahia Blanca (July-August shipment, 25/3. Peas and Beans —Market firm, at full prices. ■t ___ MELBOURNE PRODUCE MARKETS. MELBOURNE, July 20. Wheat, 8/1 to 8/2. Flour, £l7. Oats, Tasmanian and New Zealand, 5/3 to 5/4l£; Chili, 4/9 to 5/10; Japan (nominal), 4/-. Maize, 5/- to 5/1. Bran, £lO 5/-. Pollard, £ll 5/-. Potatoes, £8 to £8 10/-. Onions, £7 10/- to £B. LONDON PRODUCE MARKETS. LONDON, July 22. Sugar is steady and unchanged. Danish butter is 'very firm owing to a strong demand from Germany and Holland, where foot and mouth disease is prevalent. Colonial is practically exhausted. Australian (nominally), 13S/to 142/-. Cheese is very slow. New Zealand, 76/- to 78/-. Queensland, 74/- to 76/-. THE METAL MARKETS. LONDON. July 22. Copper, £75 5/- to £75 10/-; three months, £76 12/6 to £76 17/6. Tin, spot, £165 to £165 10/-; three months, £l6l 15/- to £162 10/-. Lead, £24 10/l* £24 15/-. Silver, 22 7-16 d. BANK OF ENGLAND RETURNS. LONDON, July 22. The Bank of England returns show that the stock of gold coin is £58,460,000; reserve, £44,102,000; proportion of reserve to liabilities, 18.69; notes in circulation, £33,774,000; public deposits, £109,226,000; other deposits, £134,620,000; Government securities, £35,158,000; other securities, £154,567,000. There have been large changes in deposits and securities, due to subscriptions to the war loan. Short loans are discounted at 4% per cent., and three months' bills at 6 per cent.