COMMERCIAL

Southland Times, Issue 19735, 4 December 1925, Page 2

COMMERCIAL

FINANCE AND TRADE

LOCAL MARKETS. Times Office, December 3, 1925. STOCK MARKET. The live stock market still continues to be firm and active. Supplies of cattle and sheep are still very plentiful and the prices are on a par with those of last week. Up to now there has been very little growth, but with the amount of rain we have had of late the grass will come away very quickly once the weather becomes warm. The following is a range of prices:— Fat Cattle.—Extra prime heavy-weight bullocks are making from £22 10/- to £26 10/-; prime heavies £l4 10/- to £l9 10/-; mediums £lO to £l4; light and unfinished down to £8 10/-. Extra prime heifers are bringing from £8 10/- to £ll 15/-; unfinished down to £7. Prime heavy cows from £l2 10/- to £l6.

Fat Sheep.—The market for shorn sheep is still very good. Prime shorn wethers are realising up to 37/-, while extra prime woollies are making up to 49/-. Prime woolly wethers from 42/3 to 46/-; medium weights from 38/6 to 43/-; lighter and unfinished sorts from 28/6 to 35/-. Shorn ewes up to 32/6. Store Sheep.—Ewes and lambs are still the only store sheep that are changing hands at present and they are realising up to 26/for the best, and from 19/6 to 23/9 for inferior sorts. GRAIN AND SEED. Oats.—The market remains firm, although there is not a great deal of business passing at present. Stocks held by merchants are now down to a minimum and there is nothing offering from farmers. With the prospect of a fairly late harvest it seems probable that there will be insufficient stocks to carry through till the new season’s crop is available. Already merchants are interesting themselves in forward oats, and inquiries are being received for quotations for A and B Gartons, spread April to September, next year. B’s have been sold at 4/3, and there has been a northern quotation to-day to 4/44. As beforementioned, there is nothing offering from farmers, but prices are nominally about 4/- to 4/1 for A grade, and 3/8 to 3/9 for B grade. Wheat.—The only business passing is in local sales for fowl feed purposes. All farmers’ stocks seem to have been disposed of, and it is understood that the area in wheat this year is less than that sown last year so that it looks as if Southland will have to look to outside markets next season both for milling grain and fowl feed. Any lines offering by farmers at present would probably bring 6/10 to 7/- a bushel. Chaff.—Several lots have been on offer lately and most of these have been disposed of to merchants, as a short time ago stocks were very low. There are now sufficient stocks to meet the demand, and with large offerings from day to day it seems likely that the market will be kept supplied with Southland chaff for some weeks. It may be mentioned that good, bright quality Canterbury chaff can be landed in Invercargill at a reasonable rate, some of the quotations giving the cost at about £5 16/-, rail paid to Invercargill. Fanners have been receiving from £5 5/- to £5 10/- as the result of the recent shortage, but it is doubtful if merchants would now pay over £5 5/- on trucks as they mostly have fair supplies.

Ryegrass.—There is a steady demand for ryegrass, and several sales have been made locally as well as for shipment to northern parts. Stocks held by merchants are exceedingly light for this time of the year, and as it seems probable that next season’s crop will be a short one owing to the unsatisfactory conditions during the spring for sowing the grass, it seems likely that these stocks should increase in value during the next few weeks. There is no seed offering by the farmers, but prices are nominally 4/6 for clean, heavy-weight seed, and proportionately less for inferior and lighter lines. Potatoes.—Most of the Southland-grown potatoes seem to have been disposed of by the farmers, and supplies of these are short. There are, however, some supplies of Canterbury potatoes which are keeping the market well supplied. These, however, are not so attractive to buyers as the Southland potatoes, and the latter are usually taken in preference, even at a considerable advance in price. Prices to farmers are nominally about £7 to £7 10/- per ton, on trucks, country stations. THRESHING. It has been noticeable during the present j-ear that considerable proportions of the oats and grass seed received into store has been badly threshed. In some districts the threshing has been done carefully, in which cases the oats and seed has had a high saleable value. Bad threshing rebounds to the farmers’ disadvantage because the produce does not realise the same return as does well threshed seed. In a number of cases lines which, had they been decently treated, would have been graded as A’s or even super A’s, were graded only as B's, in which case the grower w r as the svaierer to the extent of 3d to 4d a bushel. BUTTER AND CHEESE. Butter—The London market is quiet with a downing tendency, the latest quotation being 204/-. The outlook for the market is not very cheerful at present owing to the large amount of butter scheduled to arrive after Christinas. At the same time merchants are also shipping large quantities Home to arrive early in the New Year. This is reflecting on buyers’ operations at Home, who are holding back with the hope of buying their requirements cheaper when all these stocks arrive on the market. This is also responsible for the fact that at the present time Home buyers are showing no interest whatsoever in the forward market. Cheese. —The outlook for this is a little better than that for butter. The present quotations of 114/- to 116/- are in respect to Canadian cheese only, as there is practically none of the New Zealand product on the market. Unfortunately, owing tQ the strike very little New Zealand cheese will arrive in time to bring these prices, the result being that quite a lot of cheese will arrive Home from January onward. Generally speaking, it is anticipated that lower prices will obtain after the New Year. At the present time Home buyers are not showing any interest in forward outputs. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. A heavy consignment of Raratonga bananas reached the market on Wednesday morning. The fruit opened up in good condition, but prices were not as high as is usually the case at this time of the year. There is every prospect of there being an acute shortage for the Christmas trade, owing to the bulk of the shipments being shut out in Auckland. Fiji pines also arrived and sold immediately. Tomatoes are now coming forward in increasing quantities. Prices of these are well maintained. Supplies of Canadian apples and oranges are available, and prices are comparatively low. There is a prospect of oranges and lemons firming in price as the Australian market is much higher, and only limited quantities are expected by the next arrival of the Manuka. Cherries and strawberries are now coming to hand freely, but .prices for both are disappointing and unless there is an immediate improvement there is every prospect of supplies being limited on the market as the better prices ruling at Dunedin on account of the Exhibition will attract supplies in that direction. Vegetables of all kinds are scarce and are realising high prices. New Zealand Stunners are fairly plentiful and only choice samples are selling, anything inferior being neglected.

f Current prices are:—Strawberries 9d to 1/5; cherries to 1/6; Christchurch tomatoes to 2/3; Canadian apples to 25/-; Sturmers (best), 18/-, (small and inferior) 5/- to 11/-; oranges 25/- (re-packs); lemons to 20/-; bananas (green to 27/6; pines to 22/-; gooseberries to 4d; green peas to 6d; new potatoes (wanted) to 6d; Auckland, to 34d; cabbages 4/- to 6/6 dozen; cauliflowers wanted. LOCAL CURRENT PRICES. Eggs, 1/6. Bacon, 1/4. Pollard, £lO 5/- per ton. Butter, factory 1/74, farm 1/-, separator 1/1. Bran, £9 5/*. Flour, £l9. Oatmeal, £3l 10/- to £35. —Retail.*— Eggs, 1/10. Bacon, 1/8. Pollard, 12/6 per 100. Butter, factory, 1/9 nett cash, 1/10 booked 1/2; separator 1/4. Bran, 11/6 per 100. Flour.—2s’s, 6/-; 50’s, 11/9; 100’s, 23/-; 200’s, 44/-. Oatmeal.—soib 19/6; 251 b, 9/3; 100’s, 37/6; 200’s, 69/-; loose 54d lb. Cheese, 1/2; matured 1/4. Onions (Canadian) 6d lb; Silverskins 4d pet lb. MARKET REPORT. Advice hag been received by wire from Auckland that the Wanaka is expected to get away with supplies of sugar about Monday next, so there is still an opportunity of getting supplies down in time for ’Xmas. The market for butter has declined by Id per lb as from the 2nd inst. There is a strong demand for 'Xmaf hams, and some 'buyers who have covered in the north have not yet received delivery and are getting anxious regarding supplies. A substantial advance has taken place in the price of Smyrna figs, stocks are said to be extremely short. The first shipment of new season’s Victorian onions are expected to be coming forward in the Manuka sailing from Melbourne on the sth inst. Supplies of English salt are again fairly short, but further supplies are expected on the Hertford, due about the 12th. New season’s fruits shipperl by West Cahokia have been transhipped to the Calm, and are expected to reach Bluff about the 9th. The Waihemo has also new season’s fruits, salmon, etc., on board, and she will reach Bluff about the same time as the Cahokia transhipments. MATAURA STOCK SALE. (From out Correspondent.) There was a fairly large attendance at the monthly stock sale at Mataura yesterday. There was a comparatively small yarding of sheep and for most lines there was a fair demand. Ewes and lambs, however, were slow of sale and some pens of these were passed in. There was a larger entry of cattle than usual, and the demand all round was slightly keener than at recent sales, the prices being a little in advance of those lately ruling. Sales were made as follow: — Wright, Stephenson and Co.: One empty cow at £4; 1 do. at £2 15/-; 1 at £4 17/6; 1 dairy cow coming to profit, £10; 3 fat heifers at £7 5/-; 1 do. at £7 10/-; pony at £2. Southland Farmers’ Co-operative: Thirty fat ewes at 26/-; 12 do. at 30/-; 80 ewes and lambs, passed in. Cattle: One fat cow at £9 15/-; 1 do. at £9; 1 do. at £9 15/-; 1 bull at £7 ISA; 1 fat cow at £6 5/-; 1 at £6 7/6; 1 dairy cow at £11; 1 bull at £8; 1 do. at £5 7/6; 1 do. at £5 15/-; 1 do. at £4 12/6; 1 do. at £8 15/-; 1 do. at £5; 2 cows at £4; 1 at £3 10/•; 1 steer at £4 10/-; 1 bull at £4 10/-; 1 dairy cow at £7; 1 empty cow at £4 10/-; 6 do. at £2 10/-. National Mortgage and Agency Co.: Sixteen 4-tooth wethers at 36/-; 2 fat woolly wethers at 44/-; 1 fat ewe at 37/-; 5 do. at 29/-; 1 empty cow at £2 15/-; dairy cow’s at £7 10/-; £5, £5 15/-; aged cow £1; bull at £2 12/-; pedigree Jersey bull at £l6 16/-; 2 empty heifers at £3 5/-; dairy cows at £3 17/6* £5 2/6, £6, £3 10/-; buU at £7 10/-; 8 steers at £4; 1 empty heifer at £2 12/6; dairy cows at £3; £5 5/-; bull at £6 6/-; 2 empty cows at £3, £5 5/-; bull at £6 6/-; 2 empty cows at £3 15/-; dairy cow at £5, £5, £6, £4; 5 yearling heifers at £2 2/BURNSIDE MARKET. EASTERN DISTRICT VENDORS. District vendors of fat stock at the Burnside market on Wednesday realised the following prices:— J. Howard (Gore), fat bullock £l5 10/-, fat heifer £l4 10/-; J. J. Mason (Arthurton), fat cows £lO 7/6 and £9; Thomas Ayson (Wyndham), fat bullocks £l6 2/6, £l5 10/-, £l4 7/6, £l4 2/6, £l4 and £ll 17/6; W. H. Smith (Clinton), wethers 46/9; W. Black (Clinton), wethers 39/3; W. A. Baxter (Pomahaka), wethers 43/-; A. S. Holms (Waimahaka), shorn wethers 40/-, ewes 36/3; A. McKinnon (Gore), wethers 52/9, 51/9 and 49/6; A. Mason (Arthurton), woolly wethers 53/3, 50/3, 47/6 and 43/6; Robert Oliver (Heriot), wethers 35/9 and 34/-; James Crawford (Mataura), wethers 38?-, 37/6, 36/9 and 36/3; B. Chittock (Waikaia Valley), wethers 36/3, 34/3 and 31/6, ewes 35/9; A. E. McDoull (Clinton), wethere 33/9 and 33/-. THE SHAREMARKET. YESTERDAY’S TRANSACTIONS. (Per United Press Association.) DUNEDIN, December 3. Sales on ’Change: Dominion Rubber 60/6; Kawarau 6/9. Sales reported: New Zealand Breweries Stock 25/-; Dominion Rubber 60/6 (three) ; Stilles Brewery 43/-. LONDON MARKETS. Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., report having received the following advice from their head office, London, under date of the Ist instant:— “Butter market continues very dull—prices are 6/- lower.” DAIRY PRODUCE. The secretary of the Southland Cool Stores, Ltd., reports the following quantities of cheese and butter handled through the stores during November:— CHEESE. Crates. Received into store during November, 1925 16,456 Received into store during November, 1924 16,770 Shipments of cheese during November were as follows: Crates. Matakana .. 3,995 Leitrim .. .. .. .. .. 620 Otaki 1,052 Tekoa .. .. 6,317 Pt. Hobart .. .. 7,999 Local .. 35 Total 20,118 The stores were cleared of all cheese on November 26, by the Port Hobart shipment. The total quantity of cheese taken into store up to December 4, is the same quan-

tity as received up to the same date last season. BUTTER. Boxes. Received into store during November, 1925 3,891 Received into store during November, 1924 7,599 Shipments of butter during November were as follows: — Leitrim 181 Matakana .. » 1393 Port Hacking 265 Otaki 744 Port Hobart .. .. .. .. .. 1567 Local. 32 ’ Total 4172 With the* exception of butter held for local use all stocks were cleared from store by the Port Hobart on November 26. The total quantity of butter received up to November 30, shows a considerable shortage on last season’s returns, being as follows: Boxes. Season 1925, to November 30 6,070 Season 1924, to November 30 12,474 WOOL AND TALLOW. Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., report having received the following advice from their head office, under date of the 2nd instant: — Wool Sales.—The wool sales continue. There is a good demand for all crossbred and Merino combing, but opening prices are barely maintained. Short and faulty Merinos are irregular, and often 5 per cent, to 7 per cent, lower, as compared with opening prices. Tallow Sales.—At the tallow sales this week 1250 casks were offered, of which 515 were sold. There is a limited demand at unchanged prices. WOOL PRICES. LONDON, December 2. Prominent speakers at the Colonial Wool-buyers’ Association dinner, including Sir Arthur Goldfinch, Mr Emsley and Sir Henry Whitehead urged that growers should accept more reasonable prices, allowing every section in the trade a fair profit and permitting millions of people to Wear woollen garments and buy two suits where at present they were buying one. LONDON WOOL SALE. LONDON, December 2. (Received December 3, 5.5 p.m.) Sale prices were unchanged at the wool sales. There was a good selection of super

Merinos which met with strong competition. Prices generally were firm. The National Mortgage and Agency Co. report having received the underooted cable from their London office, dated the Ist inst.;—The auctions continue fairly animated, demand from the Continent not as good as opening. Market par to 5 per cent, lower. The following prices are current: — Per lb.

d. d. Greasy Merino 24i Scoured Merino 48 Greasy quarterbred 56’s super 20 to 22 Do. fine halfbred, 50/56’s .. 18 to 20 Do. crossbreds, 48/50’s .. .. 17 to 18 Do. do. 46/48's .. .. 14 to 164 Do. do. 44/46’s .. .. 15 to 16 Do. do 40/44’s .. .. 14 to 151 Do. do. 36/40’s .. .. 13 to Do. pieces crossbred .. .. 12 to 13 Do. bellies crossbred .. .. 11 to 12 Do. locks crossbred . - .. 8 to 9