COMMERCIAL

Southland Times, Issue 17734, 11 August 1917, Page 4

COMMERCIAL

PRODUCE PRICES CURRENT. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST S, 1917. WHOLESALE. Fresh farm butter, 1/"-. Fresh butter (separator), 1/2. Factory butter, 1/5. Eggs, 1/3. Potatoes, £4. Flour, £ls 10/- to £l6 10/-. Oatmeal, £2l 10/- to £22 10/-. Pollard, £7 5/-. Bran, £4. RETAIL. Fresh butter (farm/, 1/2. Fresh butter (separator), 1/4. Factory butter, 1/7. Cheese, 1/1. Eggs. D' 6. Bacon, 1/4. Potatoes. 0/ - cwt, or 141bs 1/-. Flour —2001b, 34/-; 1001b, 17/6; 301b, 9/-; 251b, 4/9. Oatmeal —25’s, 6/3; 50’s, 12/3. Pollard, 13/6. Bran, 8/-. Bisto, 1/-, 1/6. Onions, 3d per lb. Camp eoi'fee, 1, 10. Kerosene, 8/6 and 16/6. Sugar of milk. 2/-. Mustard, 9d and 1/4. Cream of tartar, 3/-. Camlles (Rangoon;, lid. Lee 3: Perrin's sauce, 1/8 and 2/9. SOUTHLAND STOCK AND MARKET MARKETS. TIMES OFFICE, Friday. FAT CATTLE. —Prime ox beef, 49/- to 50/- per lOOlbs; heifer, 47/- to 4S/-; cow, 45/- to 46/-. FAT SHEEP. —Extra prime butchers’ wethers. 43. - to 44/6; prime do.. 40/- to 42/-; medium do., 38- • to 39/-; prime ewes. 35 - to 37, -; medium and lighter do., 28 to 33 -. STOKE CATTLE- Three and 3 A-year-old bullock.--, .‘/13 13 - to £ls 10--; i ;• yearolds, £l2 10, - in £l4 10/-; 2/ . ir-olds, £ll 15 - to 313 5 -; two year m is, £lO 10/- to £ll 15, ■; 18-months old. £8 to £8 15/-; yearling'. £5 15, - to £8; calves, £4 to £6, according to breeding and quality. STORE SHEEP. - Two-tooth ewes, 39/io 41/'-; four-la.ith. 12. - to 43/'-; six-tooth, 40/- to 41/6; eight-tooth paddock ewes, good sorts, 37, ■ to 38/6; medium sorts, 33/- to 34, 6 ; fresh aged ewes, 28/- to 30/-; older sorts, 24/- to 27/-; cull ewes, 15/- to 20 according to quality; extra good hoggets, 30 - to 32/-; decent sorts, 38/6 to 30/-: medium, 24/- to 27/-; ewe hoggets, 31/- to 33/ ; wether hoggets, 27/to 2.8/-; two-tooth wethers, 35/-to 36/-; four and six tooths, 37/6 to 39/-. OATS. —There is more enquiry, the contributing causes apparently being the Australian strike and the likelihood of shipping being scarce. Buyers, however, are acting witn caution. F.a.q. oats have been sold within the last few days for 3/91, Lo.b., s.i,, Bluff; B grade at 3/11, and A grade at 4/1 A, Sut merchants are now in- ■ ciined to ask higher prices. The values | mentioned would net fanners about 3/3 ior f.a.q., 3/5 for B grade, and 3/74 for A’s. Whether the market will mount any higher will mainly be determined by the ability of Australian merchants to ship to Kew Zealand. There is no question that there are plenty of oats in Australia, and th at they can be landed cheaper than are Southland oats, although they are hardly the finality. The high prices of oats are, of course, limiting the consumption to Home extent. CHAFF.—There is a strong demand for prime oatensheaf chaff, which would readfly bring from £4 15/- to £5, o.t.c.s. POTATOES. —The market is quiet, and ■there is an absence of enquiry for table potatoes, which are worth only about £3, 0.t., for prime quality. Seed tubers are also in much less demand than they were a month ago and prices for Up-10-Date seed Jiave receded from It)/- to £1 per ton. RYEGRASS. —There is a good enquiry for both dressed and undressed perennial and, as there is v. ry little seed now for >alo in Canterbury, buyers are forced to look to the Southland market. Merchants’ later purchases are costing very high when ■ dressed with the result that they are forced , to its); higher prices, and from 7/3 to 7/6 * is now the lowest wholesale quotation for heavy dressed .-eed. There is a good enquiry for Italian, which is also selling to the North Island, good dressed samples being worth 7/-, t.o.b. HEMP. —The market continues firm, although the freight question is becoming increasingly difficult. A Homo liner which was fixed to cad Bluff had her itinerary changed at the last, mm •lit. with the result that her place is being taken by another vessel which, however, is carrying only half the quantity of hemp originally allotted. It is to be hoped that shipping facilities will be better in September and October, as otherwise tim position will become very acute. LINSEED. This is scarce and firm, be- •• - jng wort!: from 10 to 11'- per bushel, o.t. WHEAT and ITddT!. The position, under ( iovernni'Tii control, is unchanged. PROPERTY SALES. Messrs limiter Bros, and Hire report having lisposed of the following properties during the past month: 1. Account .Mr David Waters, the "Robinliood’' farm situated at Mataura Island containing 126 acres freehold, to Mr T. W. Davidson, of Mataura Island. 2. Account Mr W. G. Leckie, of Fouth Wyudham. his "Green Hill" farm of 212 acres freehold, to Mr William Dodd, of Glenhani. 3. Account Mr Robert Pulham, his interest in l.i.p. property at Fortification, containing 325 acres, to Mr William Murray, of Fortification. 4. Account Mr E. R. Hunter, his excellent freehold farm at Edendale, known as

‘Tvanhoe,” containing 250 acres, to Mr I James Columb. of Gore. 5. Account Mr V, . .1. Caldwell, of Edendale, his interest in Imp. farm, containing j 187 acres, with splendid up-to-date builil- j ings and improvements thereon, In Mr J. | R. Hamilton, of Dunedin. 6. Account Miss Man- Winter and Dir James Winter, their freehold property known as "Adams's Farm,” containing 75 acres (also part Edendale Settlement), to Mr R. Pulhani, of Brydone, who proposes to erect modern buildings thereon. 7. Account Mr Thomas McDonald, his interest in li.p. farm containing 114 acres, Edendale Settlement, all highly unproved, to Mr Alexander Stevenson, of Balclutha. S. Account Mr Andrew (Tosl.ue (who lias gone to camp on military service), his tourroomed dwelling and section situated in Cardigan Road, lownship of Wymlham, io Mr Frank McKeown, of Tuturau. 9. Account Mr Win. 11. Johnston, the lease of the Wymlham Morse Bazaar, together with the plant, to Mr Thomas Broom, who is now in possession. 19. Account Mr Peter Campbell, junr., Wymlham, his Redan property consisting of 694 acres freehold (known as Homestead block, late Redan Estate) at a satisfactory price, to Mr \\. G. Lcckic, of South Wymlham. Some of the foregoing properties comprise the best in the district. Those situated on Edendale Settlement brought excellent prices; but, as they arc noted for their productiveness, we have no doubt that they will turn out profitable investments for the purchasers. CHRISTCHURCH MARKETS. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, August 10. There is a little more enquiry for oats, though very few are available locally. One of the reasons given lor the improvement in the tone of the market is the strike in .Australia, which will prevent any further shipments from there at present. The demand from the North Island is not very active, and at ruling prices only a hand-to-mouth policy is evidently being pursued there. The potato market remains very quiet, and although merchants are able to make some sales, supplies are not coming forward very freely at the prices offered. The price is nominally £2 hi- to £2 10/- at country stations, but few growers are willing to soil at these figures. AUSTRALIAN MARKETS. (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) SYDNEY, August 10. Barley, Chevalier malting, 4/6 to 4/74; Cape, 3/1 to 3/2. Oats, Algerian milling, 2/6 to 2/6 A ; feed, 2/3 to 2/3 V Potatoes, £4 hi- to £5. Unions, £lO. LONDON MARKETS. BANK OF ENGLAND STATEMENT. LONDON, August 9. Received August 10, 6.30 p.m. Coin and bullion, £50,809,000; reserve, £31.478,000; proportion of reserve to liabilities, 17.61; notes in circulation, £40.366,000; Government deposits, £47,465.000; other deposits, £130,424,000; Government securities, £56,559,000; other securities, £107,948.000; short loans, 4[ per cent.; three months’ bills, 4t per cent.; consols, £56; war loans, £B7 (cx dividend), ami £94 5/-. COLONIAL SECURITIES. New South Wales 4's, £B2; 3 Vs, £B7 10/(ex dividend) and £7O; 3's, £7l; Victorian 4’s, £95; 3 Vs, £B4 and £7l; 3’s, £63; Queensland 4's, £9O; 3Vs, £B6 10/-; 3’s, £62; New Zealand 4’s, £B6; 3Vs, £73; 3'?, 1 £64; South Australian, 3Vs, £72; 3's, £57; Tasmanian 3Vs, £72; 3’s, £65; Westralian 3 Vs, £74; 3’s. £69. GENERAL. Butter —Firm, at maximum prices. Wheat —None offering. Flour —Trading remains hand-to-mouth, owing to the prospect of officially reduced prices. Australian patents are nominally, 81/-. Oats.—Quiet, tending downward. Peas and Beans -Quiet and unchanged. Sugar—Unchanged. Tin —Spot, £247 2/6; three months, £243 17/6. Silver —42 l-16d per oz. Other Metals —Unchanged. ! Shares —Waihi, buyers 36/3; sellers, i 37/0. MACHINE VERSUS HAND MILKING. Milking Machines have been carefully investigated by officers of the Llnited States Department of Agriculture. As a result of the investigation, which related to nearly 300 dairy'farms in different States, the following conclusions have been arrived at:- — The time saved by the use of the mechanical milker increases with the increase of the size of the herd. With herds of ten cows or fewer the average time required to milk a cow by hand is a fraction over 7 minutes, by machine a fraction under 5 minutes. With herds of more than 50 cow/s the cost of hand milking changes very little, while the cost of machine milking decreases very rapidly. On 32 farms having herds of 15 cows or under the use of the mechanical milker was found to effect an annual saving in (tired labour of 10/- a cow. It is further pointed out that tests conducted in various States show that practically the same milk yields are secured from cows whether they are machine or hand milked. These tests were conducted by experts with special training for the work and their only object was to find out what system was best suited to the requirements of the dairy farmer; and their judgment was emphatically in favour of the mechanical milker. The men who conducted these experiments are highly qualified and highly paid Government officials, and their judgment, formed after exhaustive and impartial tests cannot be ignored. What is good tor dairymen in other parts of the world Is surely good for dairymen in New Zealand. If any reader of this article is still milking by hand will not the foregoing provide him with food for thought V Gan he afford to continue to do so? That is the question he has got to face, and the answer must he that he cannot. He must change his methods or lie left at the tail end of the procession. (laving decided upon adopting mechanical milking no further trouble need be experienced, A postcard to JOHN CHAMBERS it SON, LTD., of Stuart street, Dunedin, will bring by return of mail " THE REASON WHY ” Booklet, telling the story of the " AUTO Milking Machine. with it* unique Pulsator and improved Teat Gups. It does not cost anything to investigate the "AUTO.” Do it now! For Children’s Hacking Cough at night, Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. 1/6. 2/6.