COMMERCIAL

Southland Times, Issue 22297, 12 April 1934, Page 2

COMMERCIAL

FINANCE AND TRADE

LOCAL MARKETS. Times Office. Thursday Morning. GRAIN AND PRODUCE. Oats—A few samples of oats are now coming forward from fanners, and sales have been made on the basis of 1/8 for A’s and 1/6 for B’s. There is still a considerable amount of threshing to be done, and the bulk of the yield will not be on offer until sometime later. There is inquiry for shipment for April delivery, and about 2/6 is being asked for A’s and 2/3 for B’s, f.o.b.s.i. There is also inquiry for spread delivery, April-September. Wheat—So far there has been very little new season’s wheat offering. Lines suitable for milling will be saleable. of course, at the prices fixed by the Wheat Purchase Board, but other lines will have to be sold as fowl wheat, with the probable value to farmers being in the vicinity of 2/6, on trucks, country stations. Chaff—There is no business for shipment from Southland, and now there are sufficient supplies to meet the limited local demand. Good quality old season’s chaff should bring the farmer up to £2 15/- a ton, on trucks, country stations, but it is probable that the price for new season’s chaff will be about 10/- a ton lower. Ryegrass—Offerings from farmers are not large, but on the other hand the outlet for Southland seed is now limited as most of the buyers for shipment are asking for certified seed. The markets in New Zealand and Australia, which in past years took large quantities of Southland seed, are now confining their attention mainly to Government certified permanent seed. The value to farmers ranges from 2/6 to 3/-, but for a few lines of exceptional quality, up to 3/3 has been paid. Potatoes —So far these have not been offering very extensively, and it will probably not be until the end of this month and next month that offerings will be general. According to shipping values it seems likely that the

opening price will be in the vicinity, of £3, on trucks, country stations. Fruit and Vegetables. Business in the local fruit marts has been very good generally during the past week. Supplies of tomatoes have been gradually falling off, largely owing to the effects of frosts, and stocks are now becoming scarce. Prices eased during the week, with choice samples ranging from 2d to 31d a lb. and others from l/d to 21d. . Stone fruits are just about finished, with the exception of a few odd peaches which are selling at from 3/tO pears are moderately plentiful, with a steady demand for desserts at up to 7/6 a case, and others from 2/- to 3/6 a box. Supplies of apples are good. There is a good demand for Jonathans at up to 8/- for best sorts and 5/6 to 7/- for others. Delicious are more plentiful. Good lines are realizing 7/6 to 9/-. Over-sizes have been sold as cookers at from 5/- to 6/-. Cox’s Orange are scarce, so much so that small sizes are realizing 8/6 to 9/-, with preferred sizes bringing 9/6 to 11/-. Lord Wolseys are still available at 6/6. Cookers are in gcod supply. Good lines from Central Otago and Nelson realized 5/to 6/- and others 4/6 to 5/6. Oranges have been selling well. The last shipment of Navels has now been cleared, prices ranging in the vicinity of 44/-. A few Jamaicans, the last of the season, sold at 35/-. Stocks are now in small compass and until the first consignment from Australia arrives in June local marts will require to fall back on Californian Valencias. Bananas are in good demand. The next shipment of green bananas is due next Wednesday, and as stocks will be on the low side by then, a keen demand is anticipated. Lemons are very scarce. A small shipment of Californians is available at 56/- a case, while New Zealand grown lemons, due in Invercargill at the week-end, should fetch up to 25/-. Grapes are in demand at from 1/3 to 1/41 a lb. for best sorts, with others up to 1/-. Current prices for vegetables are as follows: Hothouse cucumbers, 3/6 to 4/6 a dozen; celery, 2/6 to 4/6; cauliflowers, now in regular supply, 2/- to 3/6, according to size and quality; carrots, parsnips and beetroot, Id to 2d; cabbages, scarce. General Merchandise.

The Union Steam Ship Company advises that the Wingatui with sugar and general cargo for this district, will leave Auckland on Friday and should reach Bluff about the 20th. Advice has been received from the Australian Dried Fruit Control Board announcing the new season’s prices for currants and sultanas. All. grades of currants are at the same price level as at the commencement of last season. Sultanas are a halfpenny a lb. lower. One crown are on offer at a farthing a lb. lower than two crown. Deliveries may be spread to June. According to cable advice from Singapore the sago and tapioca market is again unsettled. Medium pearl and tapiocas advanced 7Jd. and sago 4id. a cwt. The desiccated cocoanut market continues weak for immediate shipment, but June-July quotations show a small advance in price. CURRENT PRICES. Wholesale. Eggs, 1/7 to 1/8. Bacon, lOad. Bran, £5 5/-. Pollard, £6 15/-. Butter, factory, 101 d; separator, 6d. Flour, £l4 12/- to £l5 17/-. Oatmeal, £l9 to £23. Retail. Eggs, 1/10 to 2/-. Bacon, 1/1. Pollard, 8/6 per 1001 b. Butter, factory, 1/-; separator, Bd. Bran, 6/9 per 1001 b. Flour, 25’s 4/6; 50’s 8/9; 100 s 17/-; 200’s 33/6. Oatmeal: 25’s 6/9, 50’s 13/-. Onions, 121 b for 1/-. Distributors, Ltd. Distributors, Ltd., Invercargill, advise the following prices:—

The Stock Market. Large entries of both fat cattle and sheep were forward at Lorneville on Tuesday, while the yarding of store sheep was only a few hundred short of the total at the previous sale. I he yarding of fat sheep was comprised chiefly of ewes of mixed quality, very few wethers being penned. Competition was quite good right throughout the sale, but values for prime heavy ewes showed an easing tendency, while there was a firm market for good freezing weights. The few wethers offered met with good competition and good sales of these were effected. The fat lambs on offer were a very mixed lot. Good prime sorts sold well up to the new schedule rate, while lighter quality were also disposed of at full value. The quality of the large entry of fat cattle was very mixed, there being quite a fair proportion of very medium cows, heifers and bullocks offered. Owing to the supply more than satisfying the demand passings were frequent, but taking into consideration the large entry the sale was quite a good one. Values showed a slight decline on those of the previous sale, this being more noticeable for prime cows and heifers. The yarding of store sheep could not be classed as a good one, most of the yarding being of inferior quality. Any good breeding ewes sold well, the top price being 34/- for a nice line of 2-tooth ewes. Taken all over values

were on a par with those ruling at country sales at the present time. Good forward conditioned store lambs met with a keen sale and prices obtained for these were very satisfactory. Empty cows and heifers comprised the chief entry in the store cattle yarding and there was quite a steady demand for any good sorts offering. Following is a range of prices ruling at Lorneville at the present time: — Fat Cattle.—Good prime quality bullocks £6 10/- to £7 17/6; medium weights £5 5/- to £6 5/-; lighter sorts £4 5/- to £5; good quality heifers £4 10/- to £5 10/-; medium £3 15/- to £4 5/-; with lighter sorts down to £3; good quality cows £3 10/- to £4 10/-; medium £2 15/- to £3 5/-; lighter and aged sorts down to £2. Fat Sheep.—Prime heavy wethers 26/- to 28/-; medium weights 24/6 to 25/6; with lighter sorts down to 23/-; prime heavy ewes 15/- to 16/-; good freezing weights 13/6 to 14/6, lighter sorts down to 12/-; prime heavy lambs 25/- to 26/-; extra good freezing weights 24/- to 25/-; medium 21/6 to 23/6. ADDINGTON STOCK SALE. LATE RATES BETTERED. A FIRM MARKET. (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, April 11. Normal entries in all sections met with a sustained demand at equal to, or slightly better than late rates at the Addington stock sale. There was a mixed entry of store sheep, including North Island, Chatham Islands and Marlborough lines. The sale was keen, with ewes averaging 1/- dearer than last week. Wethers were very firm. Lambs shared in the general firmness, especially forward sorts. Values were: Good 2tooth Romney ewes 28/9 to 30/6, ordinary 4 and 6 tooth crossbred ewes 20/9 to 25/9, ordinary 6 and 8-tooth Romney ewes 20/- to 22/3, good 2-tooth halfbred ewes to 32/6, ordinary 2-tooth halfbred ewes 27/to 23/9, ordinary 4 and 6-tooth halfbred ewes 23/- to 25/6, ordinary 6 and 8-tooth to 22/-, good four-year-old halfbred 23/- to 24/-, medium sound mouth halfbred ewes 19/- to 21/6, ordinary sound-mouth halfbred ewes 16/6 to 18/6, sound and failing mouth ewes 13/- to 15/6, aged and inferior halfbred ewes 8/1 to 12/6, forward halfbred wethers 19/- to 23/-, others 15/- to 18/6, merino wethers 7/6 to 8/3, good ewe lambs 19/9 to 20/9, medium 18/- to 19/-, ordinary 16/10 to 17/10, forward store lambs 18/- to 19/1, medium 16/- to 17/9, plain and ordinary 11/- to 15/6. The fat lamb entry totalled 3500 head. The export schedule had been raised by ; jd per lb. in all grades, causing increased prices to correspond with the new basis, exporters paying up to 8d per lb. Many sales occurred at over 8d per lb. Values • were: Extra prime to 30/1, prime 24/6 to 27/-, prime medium weight 20/- to 24/-, light 17/- to 19/6. The fat sheep entry numbered 4800 head. The quality was indifferent. Butchers’ wethers advanced by 1/- a head. Ewes were slightly firmer. Values were: Extra prime wethers to 29/1, prime 24/- to 26/6, prime medium weight 21/6 to 23/6, ordinary 19/- to 21/-, light 15/- to 18/6, extra prime heavy ewes to 23/7, prime medium weight 18/6 to 21/-, ordinary 15/6 to 18/-, light 11/- to 15/-. The fat cattle entry totalled 540 head. Lines from the West Coast and Southland were forward. There was a steady sale on a par with late rates. Best beef made to 24/- per 1001 b, good 18/- to 21/-, heavyweight 15/6 to 17/6, ordinary quality 13/- to 16/- and rough down to 10/6. Values were: Extra prime heavy steers to £ll 2/6, prime £7 10/- to £8 15/-, mediumweight £6 10/- to £B, ordinary quality £3 10/— to £6, light to £3 5/-, extra prime heifers to £8 17/6, prime £4 to £6 7/6, ordinary £2 15/- to £3 15/-, light to £2 10/-, extra prime cows to £8 12/6, prime £3 10/- to £5 5/-, medium £2 to £3 5/-, light to £2. There was a large entry of fat pigs. The demand was irregular, but values approximately maintained late rates. Values were: Choppers £2 to £4, baconers 46/6 to 54/6, heavy baconers 57/6 to £3 17/6, average price per lb 4!Jd to s!d, porkers 32/- to 44/6, average price per lb. 5d to 5Jd. Store cattle of class were scarce. Good three-year-old steers made £4 8/6, two-year-olds £3 to £3 15/-, heifers £2 to £2 10/-, and yearlings mixed sex 15/- to 27/6. Rough sorts met with a poor demand. Graziers took most of the later offerings. The top price of the market was £4 8/6. Store pigs declined by 3/- a head on late rates. Values were: Wear.ers 5/6 to 9/-, stores 11/- to 20/- and sows in pig to £3 3/-. BURNSIDE STOCK SALE. BEEF SELLS WELL. FAT LAMBS ADVANCE. (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, April 11. Heavy consignments of cattle were a feature of the Burnside stock sale today. The fats numbered 314 and there were 360 head of store cattle, as well as a good showing of dairy cows. The proportion of prime, heavy fat bullocks was small, but there was a selection of cows and heifers. There was a good inquiry for both ox and cow beef and keen competition, to which the country butchers contributed. They kept the rates for even medium and plain sorts at a very satisfactory level. Prices generally were very close to last week’s rates. Extra heavy prime bullocks made to £ll 2/6, prime heavy from £8 to £9 10/-, medium from £7 to £7 15/-, and light £5 to £6 1/-. Best cows fetched £6 7/6, medium from £3 10/- to £4 10/-, and light from 50/- to 65/-. The store cattle entry included several pens of well-conditioned four and five-year-old steers, which met with a ready sale at up to £8 4/- for the top pen. Other pens sold at from £6 to £7 10/- per head. Good dairy cows close to profit were worth up to £7 5/-, but late calvers did not attract much attention. There was a fair sale for vealers, but graziers’ cows and boners showed no change on late rates. The fat sheep entry numbered about 1700, and included a larger percentage of wethers than usual. There were a few pens of good freezing ewes and the quality throughout was good. The market opened with the rates for butchers’ sheep from 1/- to 1/6 higher than last week and exporters were opening on slightly better limits. The strength of the market was maintained-

until the last race, when values slipped back to last week’s level, with several passings. Extra prime heavy wethers sold at up to 32/-, prime heavy to 28/6, medium from 24/- to 26/-, and light from 17/r to 23/-. Extra prime heavy maiden ewes made to 26/3, extra prime heavies to 20/-, prime heavy to 17/-, and medium from 14/- to 15/-. The fat lamb pennings totalled 366, and the quality was well up to last week’s high standard. The benefit of the recent increase in the schedule was fully felt, and prices for prime sorts advanced fully a shilling a head. Seconds, however, were not in very keen demand. Butchers bid well for good heavy sorts and an excellent sale resulted. Extra prime heavies made to 30/-, prime heavy from 25/- to 27/-, prime from 23/- to 24/6, and medium and light up to 22/-. A good even line of store lambs requiring a month’s feeding brought 19/5. There were 126 fat pigs and 63 store pigs. The supply of fats was hardly equal to the demand and the result was the clearance of the offering at slightly increased rates. Stores were very difficult to quit at any price. LONDON SHAREMARKET. (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) London, April 10. Share quotations:— Bank of Australasia, £lO. Bank of New South Wales, £26 12/6. Union Bank of Australia, £8 10/-. National Bank of New Zealand, £3 1/10J. Bank of New Zealand, 4 per cent. (100 shares), £2 5/-. New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, 4 per cent, debentures, £80; ordinary stock, £42 10/-. Bulolo Mining, £5 12/6. New Guinea Mining, 5/7|. (Continued on page 5).

Per £ Ton s d Flour— 200’s 14 12 0 100’s 15 7 0 50’s 15 12 0 25’s 15 17 0 Wheatmeal— 200’s 13 12 0 100’s 14 7 0 50’s 14 12 0 25’s 14 17 0 Bran— 150's and 200’s 5 0 0 100’s 5 5 0 Pollard — 150’s and 200’s 6 10 0 100’s 6 15 0