COMMERCIAL

Southland Times, Issue 25310, 13 June 1935, Page 2

COMMERCIAL

FINANCE AND TRADE

LOCAL MARKETS Times Office, Thursday Morning. Grain and Produce. Oats.—This market continues firm and there is a keen inquiry for A and B grade Gartons, f.o.b.s.i. There is also a steady demand for oats on sample. The stocks in store are lighter than for many years past and now there are practically no offerings from fanners. Values to farmers are nominally 2/8 for A’s and 2/5 for B’s. Wheat.—Offerings from farriiers have eased off and probably the greater part of the past season’s production has changed hands. Lines of milling quality are saleable at 4/2 for Tuscan and Yeoman, 4/4 for Hunters and Montana King and 4/6 for Velvet. Fowl wheat lines are scarce and there is a shortage of stocks for local requirements. Chaff.—Offerings from farmers are not too plentiful, but supplies to hand are sufficient to meet requirements. On the prices being paid to farmers it is impossible to do any shipping business, and the quantity required for local consumption is not extensive. The value to farmers is £4 on trucks, country stations, for good bright quality. Ryegrass.—Shipping business is inclined to be quiet, but that is only to be expected as autumn sowing is past and it will be some time yet before stocks are required for spring sowing. Most farmers’ lines seem to have been disposed of and now very few samples are being submitted. The value to farmers is nominally 2/3 to 2/8 according to bushel weight and quality. Crested Dogstail.—There is a good inquiry for lines showing good germination. Machine-dressed lines of quality are worth up to 1/6 a pound to. farmers, with less attractive lines, but of good germination, varying in price between 1/- and 1/3.

Potatoes.—There has been fairly good inquiry, and considerable quantities of potatoes have changed hands. Farmers in many cases seem inclined to sell direct from the fork. Values have been running from £4 10/- to £4 15/for ordinary varieties, while King Edwards command about £5.

Fruit and Vegetables.

Mainly due to the abnormal weather conditions the fruit market has experienced a dull time during the past week. Values have remained steady for choice fruit, although inferior lines have gone out at very low prices.

There have been fair supplies of Jonathans and these have been selling steadily at 5/- to 6/6. There is less inquiry for Delicious, the bulk having been sold at 4/6 to 5/6, choice lines remaining steady, however, at 6/6 to 7/-. Larger quantities of Stunners arrived to a fair demand and realized 5/6 to 6/6. Supplies of cookers are more

regular, but of insufficient quantities. The best of these are bringing 5/6 to 6/-; others 4/6 to 5/6. Supplies of pears are also easing off and values are firmer. Choice Winter Nelis are selling at 3/9 to 4/6 a box; i others 2/9 to 3/6. i A fresh shipment of ripe bananas ) reached the market on Wednesday, and . fair quantities were taken up in green r condition. The quality of all lines was j very satisfactory, especially as the ship- , ment had to be landed and transhipped r under very unfavourable weather conditions. j Only small stocks of Californian lemt ons and oranges are now left and the s market will be bare before the ar- • rival of the first Australian oranges 1 at tlie beginning of July. Supplies of i marmalades are increasing, but the det mand has been slack and choice quality > are realizing 13/- to 14/-. Fresh vegetables have been scarce. ■ Prices are as follows: Carrots, 4/6 a i bag; parsnips, 4/6; swedes, 3/-; pumpi kins and marrows, Id a lb. Melons are ; now practically finished for the season. ■ General Merchandise. , The Union Company advises that the ' Waipiata with sugar and general cargo for Bluff is scheduled to leave Auckland to-morrow and should arrive ’ about June 22. Quotations for new season’s Smyrna figs are now to hand. Prices for all ’ lines are about equal to last season’s ; opening quotations. ' Mescrs Lever Bros, have advised merchants of an increase of 2/- a case in the price of Sunlight 3’s. This advance comes into immediate operation. Canterbury onions are now quoted at 30/- a ton in advance of prices ruling a few weeks ago. There is every possibility of a record price being demanded for this line. The Sicily and Jordan almond market is very active and prices for Sicily almonds have advanced about 5/- a cwt. which is equal to 6/3 with exchange. Jordans have advanced about 8/- a cwt. during the past fortnight. The recent tea sale held at Colombo was well supported and common grades were in good demand and advanced in price. Medium and fine grades were not in such good demand and prices were slightly easier. Singapore cables advise an advance of lad a dozen in the price of lAlb pineapple; all sizes are firm. Sago and tapioca. prices remain unchanged. CURRENT PRICES. Wholesale. Eggs: Town, 2/-, country 1/11. Bacon 1/OJ. Bran: £5 10/-. Pollard: £7 for 1001 b; £6 15/- per 1001 b. Butter: Factory, 1/1; separator, 9d. Flour: £l4 12/- to £l5 17/-. Oatmeal: £l9 to £23. Retail. Eggs: Town 2/3 to 2/4, country 2/2. Bacon: 1/3. Pollard: 8/6 per 1001 b. Butter: Factory, 1/2 to 1/3; separator, 1/-. Bran: 7/_ 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: 41b 1/. The Invercargill branch of the New Zealand Poultry Federation quotes eggs at 2/- wholesale. COLOMBO TEA SALE. MARKET ADVANCES. (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, June 12. Mr L. M. Wright has received the following cabled report on the Colombo tea auction of June 11: The market for common teas advanced about ;'d, while other grades were firm to dearer. The quality of the offerings was plain. The quantity auctioned was 2,410,0001b5. At next week’s sale 2,510,0001bs are catalogued for sale. MINING REPORTS. OKARITO RETURN. (Per United Press Association.) * Wellington,' June 12. The Okarito mine’reports a wash up for the week ended June 8, of 320 z. Idwt. for 118 hours’ work. BURNSIDE STOCK SALE. LARGE YARDINGS IN MAJOR SECTIONS. FAT SHEEP INCLINED TO EASE. (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, June 12. At the Bumside stock sale to-day there were large yardings in the major sections. / Fat Cattle.—The entry numbered 313 and comprised only an odd consignment of extra heavy bullocks, the bulk consisting of medium quality bullocks and the usual proportion of cows and heifers. The quality of the latter was superior to that offered at recent markets. There was good competition throughout, values remaining firm at late rates; in a few cases where the quality was specially attractive slightly enhanced values were obtained. Store Cattle.— A. large yarding of store cattle included a fine line of Hereford cross three and four-year-old steers and heifers from Central Otago. These were offered in excellent condition. Steers sold to £5 18/-, and £4 9/- was obtained for the best pen of heifers. Any good quality vealers met a keen market, while values for graziers’ and poorer cows were unchanged. Dairy Cattle.—There were 40 cows submitted to auction and buyers confined their attention to young goodconditioned sorts, close to profit, this class selling to £5 15/-. Aged cows and late calvers were not in demand. Fat Sheep.—ln the large entry of 2290 fat sheep there were several consignments of prime quality ewes and only a small percentage of heavy wethers. The supply being in excess of requirements, all heavy and medium sheep depreciated fully 2/_ per head, but lighter descriptions, with the benefit of the freezing competition, remained firm. Over the final races values were inclined to ease slightly, but spectacular competition prevented the market from dropping any further. Fat Lambs.—The entry numbered 968

arid included qnly' odd trucks of good lambs, the majority being medium and light quality. All heavy grades met with good competition from butchers, and late rates were maintained. Fat Pigs.—There was the large entry of 220. The sale was fairly even throughout, although values were slightly easier than late markets. Store Pigs.—The small entry of 58/store pigs met with a keen sale, prices being firm at from 10/- to 15/- for good stores. ADDINGTON STOCK SALE. SHEEP ENTRIES SMALLER. HEAVIER CATTLE PENNINGS. (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, June 12. Entries in the sheep sections at Addington stock sale were smaller to-day because of the rough weather, but the cattle pennings were heavier. Store Sheep.—Only a few pens were forward, which retained recent prices. Fat Lambs.—Export buyers operated at an unchanged schedule from that of last week. Fat Sheep.—There were 4000 penned. Butchers’ sheep were unchanged, but export ewes were slightly lower, Values:—Extra prime heavy wethers, to 31/7; prime heavy, 24/- to 26/-; prime medium weight, 22/- to 23/9; ordinary, 18/- to 21/6; extra prime ewes, to 27/4; prime heavy, 19/- to 21/9; prime medium weight, 16/- to 18/-; ordinary, to 15/-; light ewes, to 12/-. Fat Cattle.—There were 575 penned, values easing by up to 15/- a head. Best beef sold at from 21/6 to 23/6 per .100 lb.; heavy, from 19/- to 21/-; medium, 15/- to 18/-. Values:—Extra prime heavy steers, to £l3 12/6; prime heavy, £8 to £lO 15/-; prime mediumweight, £7 5/- to £8 10/-; ordinary, £4 5/,to £6 10/-; extra prime heifers, to £9 2/6; prime, £5 to £6 15/-;-ordinary, £3 5/- to £4 10/-; extra prime cows, to £8 17/6; prime, £4 10/- to £6; ordinary, £3 to £4. i Fat Pigs.—Small and unfinished met with a hard sale, but better quality bacon and pork maintained late rates. Values Choppers, 45/- to £4 8/6; laconers, 45/6 to 51/6; heavy, 53/6 to £3 6/6; extra heavy, to £3 10/6; (an average price of sjd. per lb); porkers, 25/- to 31/6; heavy, 33/- to 39/6 (an average price of 51d. per lb.).