COMMERCIAL

Southland Times, Issue 19501, 16 March 1925, Page 2

COMMERCIAL

BRAY BROS.

Messrs Bray Bros., Ltd,, report as fol lows:—

Fruit, etc: —Supplies easing up and prices advancing. Apples: Delicious and C.0.P., first grade to 12/6 case, crated to s|d lb, secondary quality 7/6 to 10/-; Jonathans: Ribstone Pippins, etc., 6/- to 10/6 case, according to quality; cooking apples 5/- to 8/- case, pears 2d to 4d lb, plums 3/6 to 6/6 case, peaches 3/- to 6/6 case, blackberries 4d to 6d, quinces 2d to 3d lb. Bananas arriving end of week. Lemons (Italian) 37/6, cucumbers 3/6 to 6/- box and to 8/- dozen, beans (butter) to 3sd lb, cauliflowers 1/6 to 7/- dozen, green peas 2d lb, carrots (table) 9/- cwt.

Produce: —Potatoes £8 10/- ton, onions 9/- cwt., carrots (Red) for rabbit poisoning £7 10/- ton, wheat to 35/-, oats 20/- to 26/-, oat dust 5/6. Molasses arriving early. Hay prime clover arriving early. Chaff £6 to £7, straw £4 10/- to £5 5/-, rabbit traps 30/- for Sidebothams, rabbit nets 12/- to 15/- dozen, steel drums 9/-. Furniture:—Our Spey street showroom has a splendid display of Chesterfield moquette suites, which are being sold at astonishingly low prices. These suites are of first-class quality, newest pattern coverings and latest designs. A visit and comparison of prices will repay you. Property:—£B7s for six-roomed house and half-acre in garden, situated two minutes from Georgetown tram. THE RIALTO. William Todd and Co., Ltd., report the following sales at their weekly market on Saturday, March 14: — Poultry: We had an entry of 603 head, and sold at the following prices. Hens 1/to 1/6. Young hens 1/7 to 2/1. Heavy breeds 2/- to 2/3. Small pullets 2/6 to 2/9. W.L. pullets 4/9 to 7/-. A line of specially well-bred W.L. pullets realised from 9/- to 10/3. Roosters 1/5 to 3/6. Ducks 1/8 to 2/6. Geese 3/3 to 3/9. Pigs: Small entry, good demand- Small weaners 10/- to 13/-. Weaners 14/6 to £1 0/6. Stores £2 9/- to £2 10/-. Ferrets: Guaranteed workers 13/- to £l. Ordinary sorts 2/6 to 10/-. Ferret nets 10/dozen. Produce: Potatoes £8 to £9; onions £10; chaff £6 10/-; straw £5; oats 20/- to 23/-; , barley 25/-; wheat 32/6; partridge peas 22/6; crushed peas 20/-; oat dust 5/-; bran 9/-; Moose Nuts 18/6; Moose Meal 20/-; carrots 8/6 cwt; cabbage 3/- dozen; parsnips 12/- cwt; swedes 2/-. Miscellaneous: English barb wire 30/-; No. 8 galvanised wire 24/-; rabbit net,ting 23/-; fowl netting (3 feet), 13/6, 6 feet 25/-; totara posts £7 10/- hundred; horse covers 35/- to 37/6; cow covers 16/-; new saddles £4 15/-; bridles 14/6: Ceylon tea (in chests) 2/6 lb. D. W. UcKAY, LTD. Messrs D. W. McKay, Ltd., Exchange Mart, Invercargill, report as follows: Bacon Pigs.—Market easier, supplies equal to demand. Produce-Table potatoes, little better inquiry, supplies being hardly equal to demand owing to wet weather, prices slightly firm for same reason, but may be expected to fall soon, prime tables nominally £7 to £lO per ton; pollard unprocurable. Australian shipment arriving shortly; oats, 22/6 sack; grass seed from 5/- bushel; fowl wheat, splendid line 32/6 per sack; oat dust 5/-; prime chaff £6 to £8 per ton; carrots 8/6 cwt. Fruit.—The rush of the stone fruit season is now practically over, though heavy consignments of tomatoes and peaches are still coming forward. Oranges are scarce. Lemons are available and bananas will be available next week. Plums are finished. Blackberries are wanted and we can still handle 100 to 150 buckets. Apples, both dessert and cooking are plentiful, but firstgrade dessert pears are not equal to the demand. Approximate values: Tomatoes 2d to 4sd per lb; peaches 2ld to s ld; pears lid to 3sd; lemons to 35/-; dessert apples 8/- to 12/6, cookers 4/- to 9/-; peanuts ssd, walnuts 10Id; cauliflowers 6/to 11/- per dozen. General: Horse covers 30/- to 42/-; cow covers 11/6 to 17/6; Exchange tea 13/6 per 51b box; side bottom rabbit traps 25/-; side bottom special wire trap 30/- dozen, good demand, supplies limited; gigs £5; drays £7; motor car £l6. Furniture: Demand fair for dining room and bedroom suites from £lO to £22, linos from 6/6 per yard, hearth rugs from 12/6, carpet squares from £4 10/-. We have also large showing of partially used furniture, including magnificent solid walnut suideboard in excellent condition, £25. F. BOWDEN AND CO. F. Bowden and Co., report owing to cold weather business is very slow. Heavy supplies of apples and pears have arrived, most lines of nears are hard and do not meet with much inquiry. Tomatoes have eased off and prices are firmer. Freestone peaches have also eased off. Late plums have made their appearance. Good supplies of quinces are on hand; grapes are plentiful. Nectarines have finished for the season. Good stocks of potatoes are on hand. Vegetables are slow of sale. Mushrooms are practically unsaleable. The week closed with prices ruling:— Apples, dessert, 8/- to 11/6, cookers 4/6 to 6/6 case; peaches lid to 3d; tomatoes lsd to 3-}d; pears lid to 2|d; grapes 1/4; plums lid to 3Jd lb; quinces ltd to 2ld lb; passion fruit 6/- to 11/- box; bananas 23/- to 36/- case. Vegetables, Produce, Etc.—Potatoes 8/to 9/6 cwt; cucumbers 4/6 half case; fowl wheat 32/- sack; onions 12/- cwt; mushrooms Id to 3d lb; cabbage 2/6 dozen; cauliflower 4/6 dozen; eschalots 4d lb. DAIRY PRODUCE. LONDON MARKET VALUES. Messrs Dalgety and Company, Limited, report having received the following advice from their head office, London, under date of the 14th instant: —62o,ooocwt butter imported into United Kingdom during month of March, 1925, as compared with 454,000cwts for the corresponding period last year. Quantity afloat 1,000,000 boxes as compared with 608,000 a year ago. Cheese: 110,000 crates afloat, as compared with 166,000 a year ago. NEW COMPANY. NEW ZEALAND FISH AND OYSTER CO. The Mercantile Gazette reports the formation of the New Zealand Fish and Oyster Co., Ltd. Registered February 25th, 1925. Office: Invercargill. Capital: £20,000 into 800 shares of £25 each. Subscribers: Invercargill—C. S. Trillo, T. .A Wallace, J. Waugh, J. Blake, R. M. Strang, W. F. Scandrett, T. H. Watson, D. J. Wesney. Objects: Fish and oyster merchants. DUNEDIN MARKETS. PRODUCE CONDITIONS. DUNEDIN, March 14. Fowl wheat is offering from Canterbury at 6/10 to 6/11 on trucks, and a fair quantity is being secured from local merchants at this figure. Dunedin, as a matter of fact, appears to be the only outlet for this Canterbury wheat, as the North Island will not be on the market for some time. The local price is -7/4. per bushel, sacks extra, ex truck. North Island merchants have fairly large stocks of imported to keep them going in the meantime. This wheat came forward before the duty of 2/- per cental was reimposed. It may be added that the duty on flour stands at £3 per ton. Dunedin millers’ prices are as follow: Flour: 2001 b, £l9 10/-; 100’s, £2O 10/-; 50’s, £2l 2/6; 25’b, £2l 10/-. Bran, £6 per ton. Pollard. 25’a £2B; ,200’s. £2L

The oat market is in a somewhat peculiar position, with growers receiving up to 4/3 on trucks for heavy Gartons. Sales have been made to millers and merchants at this figure, but on the other hand, the shipping market is quiet, with forward A Gartons offering at 4/5, f.0.b., s.i, April-Sep-tember delivery. This latter price is considerably below the present price being paid farmers, but the sales really represent “paper” oats, purchased at a cheaper figure earlier in the season.

The market from now onwards will depend on the supplies, and on the quantity of oats that have to be bought to cover forward sales. In the meantime North Island merchants are not showing any interest in the quotations, and are buying undergrade from Canterbury at 3/10 to 4/-, f.0.b., s.i., for Algerian. The chaff market has been bare of supplies, but during the week several consignments have come forward. These were placed at £6 10/- per ton, sacks extra, ex truck. The market is weaker to-day and the full value is now £6 per ton. Indications point to heavy arrivals during the next few weeks.

The shipping market is quiet, with Blenheim offering to sell at £5 10/-, f.0.b., s.i, forward delivery. The chaff position has not altered much, although oats have firmed as it is considered that no chaff will be sent from either Canterbury or Otago to the North Island in the face of the quotations from Australia and Blenheim. The accumulated stocks of potatoes are now beginning to be worked off, and today the market is firm with good quality worth £5 5/- per ton, ex trucks. Unless further supplies come to hand the indications point to an advance in price. Still it will not be long now before the main crop is being dug. The bacon market is firmer. Current local wholesale prices for produce lines are as follow: Chaff.—Old, £6 per ton, ex stora. Potatoes, £5 to £5 5/-. Dairy Butter.—Best milled, bulk, 1/1 to 1/3 per lb; separator pats, 1/1. Eggs.—Stamped, 1/9; case 1/8. Bacon.—Rolls, to 1/1 per lb; sides‘l/-. Hams, 1/2 per lb; boneless, 1/3. Canterbury onions, 9/- to 9/6 per cwt. TIMARU MARKETS. RULING CONDITIONS. TIMARU, March 14. With the completion of harvesting operations considerable quantities of grain have been coming forward, but owing to poorness of condition and other causes some lines have been hard to quit.

Wheat has been offering more freely, but growers have not been inclined to accept the prices which millers have been willing to pay. Prime quality wheat could be credited at 7/-, 7/2, and 7/4, f.0.b., and an odd miller can be found to take up parcels at this price, but a number of millers claim to be unable to pay more than the prices arranged—6/9, 6/11, and 7/1 f.o.b. —and it is possible that they will get some at this price before very long. Fowl wheat is quoted at 6/11 f.o.b. The quantity being shipped to the North Island is small. Oats have been somewhat quieter during the week, and good Gartons are still in demand. Quotations are 3/- to 3/9 on trucks, according to quality. The bulk of the local offerings is light and discoloured, and many samples are suitable only for feed. Good heavy dark Duns are wanted for the North Island trade, and are worth 3/9 on trucks. Algerian for seed purposes are retailed at about 4/- per bushel, and machine-dressed and clipped stuff at 4/9. Large quantities of potatoes have been coming to hand, and the market is somewhat over-supplied. Values have receded to' £4 10/- on trucks, bags in; for prompt April delivery.

Chaff is dull and hard to sell. Good bright'samples are worth £4, and inferior lines are down to £3, on trucks.

Linseed is now being threshed, and for small parcels merchants are offering in the vicinity of £l9 on trucks, which is below the price anticipated by growers. The bulk of the reasonably good grassseed supply is now in merchants’ hands, and what is left will turn out to be of light and inferior quality. FROZEN MEAT. LONDON VALUES. Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., report having received the following advice from their head office, London, under date of the 13th inst: — Quotation N.Z. prime crossbred lamb, Canterbury heavy, Hfd. Quotation N.Z. prime crossbred lamb, Canterbury light 12ld. Quotation N.Z. prime crossbred lamb, North Island heavy Hid; light 12d. Demand for N.Z. lamb fair. Quotation N.Z. prime crossbred mutton, North Island heavy 7d; light 9d. Demand for N.Z. mutton runs principally on light weights. Quotation N.Z. prime ox beef, hinds 5Jd; fores 4£d. Demand for N.Z. beef good. Market for N.Z. lamb weaker; mutton weaker; beef firm. Quotation good average quality crossbred lamb, Australian, heavy 10|d; light Hid. Demand for Australian lamb continues. AUSTRALIAN BUTTER. SUCCESS OF “KANGAROO” BRAND. MELBOURNE, March 14. The Minister for Markets and Immigration (Senator Wilson) stated that he had received a cable from the High Commissioner saying that during the past few days Australian butter was selling about 2/- per cwt better than New Zealand butter. The High Commissioner considers this an extremely satisfactory position, and that is due mainly to the institution of the “Kangaroo” brand. The Minister says this information justifies the action of the Commonwealth Government in co-operating with the Australian Dairy Council in insisting that the highest quality of butter must be placed before the British consumer under the Australian kangaroo brand. FOREIGN EXCHANGE. THE RULING RATES.

Batavia, guilders to £ . 12.00 12.00 LONDON WOOL SALES. RANGE OF PROICES. Dalgety and Co. report having received the following cable from their London house: — The wool sales continue animated, and Merino wools are in improved demand. Crossbred prices are rather lower as compared with opening rates. The sales close March 20. Ducroz Doxat and Company sell March 19, 62$ per cent, of offerings being sold. The following is the range of prices:— Merino, good to super, 30d to 33d; low to medium 22d to 29d.

Halfbred 56/58, good to super. 27d to 31 sd; low to medium 21d to 26d. Halfbred 50/56, good to super 25d to 28d; low to medium 20d to 24d. Fine crossbred 48/50, good to super 23$d loa-ta medium

[ Fine crossbred 46/48/ ; good to super 23d , ! to 24$d; low to medium 19d to 22Jd.

Crossbred, 44/46, good to super 2ld to 22$d; low to medium 18d to 20$d. Crossbred, 40/44, good to super 20$d to 22d; low to medium 17$d to 20d. Coarse crossbred, 36/40, good to super 19ld to 21d; low to medium 17ld to 19d. DAIRY PRODUCE SHIPMENTS. APRIL ALLOTMENTS. The South Island Dairy Association of New Zealand advise that April space for dairy produce has been allotted in the South Island in the undermentioned steamers as follows: TO LONDON. Bluff: Turakina-—l5OO boxes of butter; 12,000 crates of cheese. Approximate loading date, April 1. Approximate date of departure, Wellington, April 18. Argyllshire—looo boxes of butter; 9000 crates of cheese. Approximate loading date, April 27. Approximate date of departure, Port Chalmers, May 6. Dunedin: Tasmania—soo crates of cheese. Approximate loading date, March 28. Approximate date of departure, Auckland, April 18. Tainui—lsoo boxes of butter; 900 crates of cheese. Approximate loading date, April 17. Approximate date of departure, Wellington April 29. Argyllshire —1500 boxes of butter; 400 crates of cheese. Approximate loading date, May 2. Approximate date of departure, Port Chalmers, May 6. Lyttelton: Tasmania (West Coast Ports) 1000 boxes of butter; 500 crates of cheese. Approximate loading date, April 3. Approximate date of departure, Auckland, April 18. Tainui—l3oo boxes of butter; 500 crates of cheese. Approximate loading date, April 13. Approximate date of departure, Wellington, April 29. Ruahine —300 boxes of butter. Approximate loading date, April 22. Approximate date of departure, Wellington, May 16.‘

Timaru: Tainui —200 crates of cheese. Approximate loading date, April 13. Approximate date of departure, Wellington, April 29. (Transhipped to Lyttelton). Port Pirie—4oo boxes of butter. Approximate loading date, April 20. Approximate date of departure, Wellington, April 29. Karamea—soo boxes of butter. Approximate loading date, April 28. Approximate date of departure, Auckland, May 20. Argyllshire—3oo crates of cheese. Approximate loading date, May 2. Approximate date of departure, Port Chalmers, May 6. (Transhipped to Dunedin).

LONDON, March 12. Tlie exchange rates are as follow: — Paris, fr to £ . . . . Mar. 9 93.05 Mar. 12. 93.30 Brussels, fr to £ 94.80 94.65 Oslo, kr to £ 31.24 31.17 Copenhagen, kr to £ . . 26.63 26.53 Stockholm, kr to £ . . 17.70 17.72 Berlin, reichmarken to £ 20.03 20.06 Montreal, dol to £ . . 4.771 4.781 New York, dol to £ . 4.766 4.78 Rome, lire to £ . . . 116} 1176 Yokohama, st to yen . . 20 3-16 20 9-16 Hongkong, st to dol . 27j 278 Calcutta, st to roe . . . Amsterdam, guilders to £ 18 17 15-16 11.931 11.96