COMMERCIAL

Southland Times, Issue 20147, 6 April 1927, Page 2

COMMERCIAL

GORE STOCK SALE. A SMALL ATTENDANCE. A QUIETER MARKET. There was a comparatively small attendance at the fortnightly stock sale at Gore yesterday, when the entry of sheep was one of the largest yarded at Gore this season. This, combined with the fact that many farmers have now filled their requirements was probably responsible for the quieter tone which prevailed throughout the sale. Prices all round were below those lately ruling, although the greater part of the offering was disposed of at auction. Old ewes comprised the bulk of the yarding, and these met with a dragging sale. There was a better inquiry, however, for fresh old ewes with a fair proportion of sound mouths, and these sold at from 17/6 to 20/1. The annual draft of six and eight-tooth ewes off Mr M. Hanley's property realised 27/4, while the older sheep brought 20/1, and 17/6. Very few lines of two-tooth ewes were forward, and the top price obtained for these was 32/-. Ewe lambs were not in keen demand and realised from 20/- to 22/-. lat and forward wether lambs brought from 18/9 to 20/-. Sales were as follow; Southland Farmers’ Co-operative Association Ltd.: 12 fat wethers at 25/-; 5 ram lambs at 21/-; 5 fat lambs at 22/6; 10 fat wethers at 23/9; 12 do. at 23/3; 40 f.m. ewes at 8/-; 40 ewe lambs at 20/-; 15 wether lambs at 15/4; 18 ewe lambs at 22/-; 1 wither lamb at 19/6; 89 f. and f.m. ewes at 14/2; 228, four, six and eight tooth ewes at 22/-; 165 two-tooth ewes at 32/-; 149 f. and f.m. ewes at 15/6; 25 do. at 13/2; 52 wether lambs at 18/9; 32 f.m. ewes at 9/-; 31 f.m. ewes at 12/4.

National Mortgage and Agency Co., Ltd.: 12 fat ewes at 13/-; 25 fat wethers at 25/3; 105 f. and f.m. ewes at 13/9; 59 cull ewes at 4/10; 4 rams at 5/-; 8 cull ewes at 3/-; 158 f. and f.m. ewes passed at 14/3; 22 cull ewes at 7/-; 28 wether lambs passed at 13/3; 2 rams at 9/-; 32 cull ewes at 5/-; 2 rams passed at lAgns; 1 do. at 28. four-tooth ewes passed at 26/6; 79 f. and f.m. ewes at 12/10; 10 do. at 18/3; 61 four, six, and eight-tooth ewes at 25/4; 214 wether lambs at 20/-; 116 f.m. ewes passed at 11/-; 103 do. passed kt 12/2; 106 f. and f.m. ewes at 14/6; 112 six and eighttooth ewes at 27/4; 59 f.m. ewes at 11/8; 101 ewe lambs at 21/7.

New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd.: 108 f. and f.m. ewes passed, no bid; 45 do. at 13/-; 15 cull ewes at 5/10; 12 m.s. lambs at 12/8.

J. E. Watson and Co., Ltd.: 21 full ewes at 4/3; 5 rams at 6/-; 20 f. and f.m. ewes at 13/-; 11 store wethers at 12/-; 39 f.m. ewes at 10/6; 13 cull ewes at 4/-; 6; f.m. ewes at 10/-; 30 f.m. ewes at 12/9; 42 f. and f.m. ewes at 18/1; 69 f.m. ewes at 12/-; 56 f. and f.m. ewes at 20/1; 15 do. at 17/6.

Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd.: 22 fat wethers at 25/6; 22 do. passed at 24/9; 3 fat ewes at 14/6; 65 f.m. ewes at 9/6; 2 cull ewes at 5/6; 6 m_s. lambs at 15/3; 120 two-tooth ewes passed at 31/3; 250 four, six and eight-tooth ewes passed at 24/3; 45 cull ewes at 6/-; 72 f.m. ewes at 10/2. Dalgety and Co., Ltd.: 116 f. and f.m. ewes at 14/10; 440 eight-tooth ewes at 21/6; 96 f. and f.m. ewes at 18/10; 20 cull ewes at 5/-; 78 f. and f.m. ewes at 16/-; 93 f.m. ewes passed at 11/-. CATTLE. Sales were as follow:—r Dalgety and Co., Ltd.: Two fat bullocks at £7 15/-; 1 empty cow at £5; 4 store steers and 5-heifers at £2 6/-. Wright, Stephenson and Co., Ltd.: 9 calves at 17/6; 1 bull at £4 10/-. Southland Farmers’ Co-operative Assosiation, Ltd.: 1 empty heifer at £5 12/6; 1 do. at £4 7/6; 1 empty cow at £4; 3 empty cows at £3 15/-; 1 do. at £5 10/-; 3 do. passed at £3; 2 fat bullocks at £8 12/6; 1 do. at £7 7/6; 3 calves at 24/-; 8 store at £2 8/-; 5 cows passed at i£2 2/6; 2 afore bullocks at £4 15/-; 4 do. at £3; 3 store heifers at £2 15/-; 1 calf at 30/-; 4 do. at 25/-; 4 dairy cows at £3 7/6; 1 do. at £9.

National Mortgage and Agency Co., Ltd.: 4 empty cows passed at £5 5/- 1 do. at £3 7/6; 1 do. at £5 5/-; 1 do. at £4 5/-; 2 store steers passed at £3 10/-; 2 store heifers passed at £2; 1 bull passed at £2 5/-; 7 store steers passed at £3; 1 cow at £3. J. E. Watson and Co., Ltd.: 2 empty cows at £4 17/6; 3 do. at £3 10/-; 3 empty heifers at £3; 1 cow at £2 7/6; 1 fat steer at £6 5/-.

LONDON WOOL SALES. Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co., Ltd., advise having received the following cable from their London agents, dated 2nd inst., giving quotations as under:— Fifty-sixes yielding 60 per cent 234 d; opening of present series —. Fifty’s yielding 65 per cent. ,194 d opening of present series 20d. Forty-fours to forty-sixes preparing, yielding 74 per cent. 15|d; opening of present series 16d. Forty-fours to forty-sixes carding, yielding 72 per cent. 14‘2d; opening of present series 15d. forty’s to forty-fours yielding 73 per cent. 14Ad; opening of present series Thirty-sixes to forty’s yielding 75 per cent. 13{d; opening of present series 13d. GRAIN REPORT. Messrs Donald Reid and Co., Ltd., Dunedin, report as under:— Wheat.—The quality of the grain offering is mixed, and owing to the changeable weather a fair quantity remains in stook. This cannot now be threshed for some time as it will be necessary to stack the sheaves and thus allow the grain to harden and mature. Values have not firmed and 5/4 to 5/6 is being obtained for Tuscan, with extra money for Hunters and Velvet, sacks extra, on truck, country stations. Oats.—There is little improvement yet to be seen in this market. A few sales have been reported both with new season’s and last season’s oats, but the prices obtained cannot be enthused over. Merchants are finding it extremely difficult to dispose of their purchases and this tends to keep the market quiet. We quote, A Gartons to 2/3; B’s to 2/1, sacks extra, on trucks, with a handy railage.

Chaff.—Prime oaten sheaf is wanted on this market. This is the only grade that meets with inquiry nowadays, and as the stores are bare of stocks a little extra money has been obtained for any trucks of prime quality coming forward. We quote, prime £4 10/- to £4 15/-, ex truck ;. medium to £4 ex store, inferior from £3, sacks extra, in each case. Potatoes.—Values in this market have fluctuated all week. Good lines were selling early as high as £8 per ton, and even at this price stocks were hard to procure. Consignments came forward more freely to the end of the week, and £5, sacks in, ex truck, is value to-day.

GRAIN AND PRODUCE REPORT. Messrs Dalgety and Company, Limited, Dunedin, report as follows: — Oats.—There is nothing fresh to report on this market, it is still remaining in a very quiet condition. The demand is practically negligible, and local merchants are therefore not operating, making sales very difficult to effect. The worst feature of the present state of this market is that there does not seem to be any likelihood of it improving in the near future. A few lines of A Gartons have been sold at 2/3 per bushel, and B Gartons at 2/1 per bushel, both on trucks, country stations, sacks extra, with approximately Id railage. Wheat.—Millers have all bought fair supplies of wheat from Canterbury, and have sufficient supplies on hand for their immediate requirements. Very few lines of local wheat are changing hands, as farmers are not disposed to sell at millers’ prices. Millers, on the other hand, are showing little interest in samples of Tuscan shown them. Sales of Tuscan have been made at from 5/4 to 5/6 per bushel, on trucks, country stations, with the usual increase for Hunter and Velvet varieties.

Potatoes.—During the latter part of the week, supplies have been coming to hand more freely, with the result that prices have again eased. Good lines are realising to-day £5 per ton, ex truck, sacks in.

Chaff.—Prime chaff is scarce in the city. Very few lines of prime quality have been coming to hand, resulting in a fair inquiry from local feeders being experienced. These people will not use anything but the best quality, and other grades are very difficult to dispose of. No shipping is being done. We quote:—Prime oaten sheaf £4 10/- to £4 15/- per ton, sacks extra.

CANTERBURY MARKETS. NO DEMAND FOR GRASS-SEED. BETTER INQUIRY FOR POTATOES. (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, April 5. While there is any quantity of wheat about for millers’ requirements, only small lots are changing hands for the reason that there is a good deal in store. One miller claims to have at least six or eight months’ supply on hand. “Present prices are not to our liking,” he said to-day. “As a matter of fact we would be pleased to see an advance, which would give us a chance to make something out of the wheat we bought earlier in the season.”

The North Island demand for seeds has just about run its course this season, and a period of quietness may now be expected. New crops of cowgrass are coming on the market, and are turning out well. Growers however, are asking lOd per lb for seed that prospective buyers consider is not worth any more than Bd.

At the present time there is no demand at all for white clover, buyers not being interested in it at any price, most of them having a fair carry over from last year. With regard to cocksfoot a similar position obtains. A few odd lots are coming in from the growers who are prepared to accept 5d per lb for good quality seed on trucks.

Values for ryegrass are unchanged. Southern sellers have a big lot on hand from last season, and apparently North Island buyers are getting their requirements from them for the new season’s crop. Southern seed is being offered at 3/9 to 4/9, and 1926 crop at from 3/- to 3/9 f.0.b., mach-ine-dressed. These are regarded as giveaway prices, and business in seed as a result is disastrous. So far as Canterbury business in seed is concerned, southern prices are too low, while those ruling in Canterbury are too high. More interest has been shown in potatoes during the last few days, the quotation being now from £3 10/- to £3 15/- per ton. In fact a buyer was endeavouring to get a parcel yesterday at £5 per ton, while the demand for prompt is better than it was. It was possible a day or two ago to buy Ijack from Auckland purchasers at a lower rate than was paid. It is stated that owing to there being a good crop in Tasmania this season there is a possibility of potatoes from that country coming into the Dominion if local prices should advance beyond a certain limit. Not much digging has been done up to the present, and it is probable that it will not be indulged in extensively until after the Easter holidays. By the Kurow, some 600 sacks of potatoes were taken for Auckland, a similar quantity going away, by the Katoa. A bigger lot will probably be despatched by the Wingatui today, and a further supply will go north by the Waipiata on Saturday or Monday. The onion market is quiet, and practically the only stuff going forward was ordered some time ago. In any case there is not much offering at present.

THE SHAREMARKET. YESTERDAY’S TRANSACTIONS. Auckland, April 5. Sales on ’Change: New Zealand Insurance 36/9; Auckland Gas 23/1; Northern Steam Ship 12/9, cont. issue 6/-; Checker Taxicab Co. 18/-; Tonsob Garlick 15/-; Kawarau 3/1; Lucky Shot (cont.) 2/7; New Waiotahi (cont.) 1/-; Waihi 16/8. „ , Wellington. April 5. Sales reported: New Zealand Breweries’ 10 per cent. Bond 24/3; Bank of Australasia £l4 8/-; Bank of New Zealand 60/-. „ , Christchurch, April 5. Sales reported: New Zealand Government 4J per cent. Bonds (1938) £96 7/6 (2 parcels) ; Australian Bank of Commerce 35/9; E.S. and A. Bank £8 12/6; Goldsbrough Mort 49/7.

Sales on ’Change: New Zealand Government 5 per cent. Bonds (1927), £99 2/6. Dunedin, April 5. 24/ 68 ° n ’^ ange: Brewery Debentures

Sales reported: E.S. and A. Bank £8 12/6; P. and O. Deferred Stock £260.