RAIN BENEFITS WHEAT CROPS

Southland Times, Issue 23408, 15 January 1938, Page 10

RAIN BENEFITS WHEAT CROPS

Dry Weather Desired In Some Areas

CONSUMPTIVE DEMAND FOR OATS POOR

(United Press Association) DUNEDIN, January 14. According to reports from the wheat growing districts, the recent rains have materially benefited wheat crops, but in some areas there has been too much rain, and a spell of dry weather is now required to ensure the wheat being in good condition. . . x Supplies of fowl wheat are just about sufficient to meet demands, but stocks are on the light side. Best quality fowl wheat is worth 6/- a bushel, sacks extra, but some lines of soft conditioned and poor grade sorts have been selling at from 5/3 to 5/6, sacks extra. The oats market continues to show no change. The consumptive demand is very poor and only occasional oiders are being received from the North Island. Values remain practically the same, quotations being on a basis of 3/9 a bushel, f.0.b,. s.i, for A Gartons, and 3/5 f.0.b., s.i, for Bs. New season’s Algerians from Canterbury are reported to have been sold up to 3/- a bushel, sacks extra, on trucks, Canterbury stations. . The chaff market is still very quiet. The stores still hold stocks which have been on hand for some time ana sales are very slow, with prices unchanged at from £5 5/- to £5 10/- per ton, sacks extra, for best quality. GOOD POTATO CROPS EXPECTED The potato market is kept supplied with arrivals of new potatoes from the surrounding districts. A fair amount of digging has been done and. values are from Id to l£d lb. Indications for the future are that good crops will be available in most growing districts. A quiet period has been experienced in the seed market, as “merchants are waiting fpr new season’s lines. The first lines threshed in Canterbury indicate that quality will be good, but fine weather is wanted to ensure deliveries. The market for the new season’s seeds has not yet opened, and in the meantime any business that has taken place has been in last seasons seeds. Stocks of certified ryegrass are in short supply and the market is firm. New season’s apples are now coming forward, on the market in heavy supplies, mainly from Nelson. Prices are low for this time of the year, but the demand will probably improve as consignments come forward in riper condition. Stone fruit is in much shorter supply and prices have shown a marked improvement during the week. Up to 6|d a lb was obtained for choice quality crate lines of peaches, and case lines also improved sharply in value. Apricots were in better supply and met with a keen demand at improved prices. , „ , Dessert plums met with a better inquiry and nectarines were keenly sought, especially in small lots. There was a small quantity of red and black currants forward and these lines realized good prices. Loganberries and raspberries have met with a keen inquiry, but strawberries are finished. . Supplies of tomatoes continue to be erratic and prices fluctuated from day to day. The market was firm at the end of the week. Small lots of cherries are still coming forward but the season is now practically over. Marrows are now in full supply and low prices are ruling. New potatoes are plentiful, with the market easier. French beans and choice .quality green peas met with a good inquiry, but poor quality peas are difficult to sell. Cucumbers are now offering at low prices. Mushrooms were forward in good supplies throughout the week.

THRESHING OF OATS IN CANTERBURY SAMPLES OF BEST QUALITY (United Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, January 14. The bright warm weather of the week has enabled the threshing of oats to be proceeded with and several samples have been offered to merchants. These samples—so far of Algerians—have been of the best quality and offers have been 3/- a bushel on trucks. The trade is not disposed to state probable prices for Gartons until samples are submitted. It is expected that the samples will be on the same high level as that of the Algerians and as there has been a good clean up of oaten sheaf stacks by the spring demand for chaff, the new season’s white oats should come on a fairly responsive market. Chaff is nominally quoted at £4 10/— a ton, but with the warm weather that has set in little inquiry is being made for it.

The potato market has evoked no inquiry. There are no buyers and sellers are not keen. So far there are no “feelers” about export. A few samples of ryegrass have been submitted to merchants. Round about 3/- a bushel is indicated for seed of the best quality. No cocksfoot has been offered. So far an odd line or two of wheat has been threshed and the sample is a first class one. There is no inquiry for other classes of produce. WYNDHAM STOCK SALE MODERATE YARDINGS IN ALL SECTIONS Dalgety and Co. Ltd. reports as follows on the Wyndham stock sale:— There were moderate yardings in all sections. Competition was not keen for fat sheep, and light to medium quality ewes and wethers were generally easier. One or two lots of better quailty wethers attracted buyers at late rates. In the store pens, woolly ewes with good lambs sold under keen competition at 18/- and 18/2, with others lower in comparison, according to quality. There were several lines of two-tooth wethers offered, and these also met a good market, best sorts selling at up to 20/-. The fat cattle section comprised mostly medium quality cows and heifers, only a few heavier cattle being offered. Values were equal to those at recent sales, with a slight improvement for good quality sorts. The stole cattle were a nondescript lot, no quotable lines being offered.

Sales were:— Fat Sheep.—s wethers at 24/6, 6 do. at 21/-, 6 ewes at 20/-, 10 do. at 20/6. Store Sheep.—93 ewes and lambs at 18/2, 60 2-tooth wethers at 20/-, 12 do. at 18/6. Fat Cattle.—l bullock at £B, 1 do. at £7, 1 heifer at £7 5/-, 1 do. at £6 10/-, 1 do. at £6 7/6, 1 do. at £5 12/6, 1 do. at £5 10/-, 1 do. at £5 2/6, 1 do. at £4 15/-, 1 cow at £6, 1 do. at £5 15/-. Store Cattle.—Two cows and three calves for £B, 1 empty heifer at £3 12/6, and 2 do. at £2 15/-.

Wright, Stephenson and Co. Ltd. reports as follows: — There was a small yarding of fat sheep forward for the Wyndham stock sale, ewes predominating. For these, the demand was slack, but wethers sold well. The store sheep pens were filled mostly with ewes and lambs, which did not sell very Jreadily, prices being below those ruling at recent Southland sales. The store wethers yarded met with a fair demand, and were all quitted at prices in buyers’ favour. Consisting mostly of fat cows and heifers, the cattle pens attracted good competition, cows and heifers selling well up to and in several cases above late rates. The whole yarding was cleared at auction.

Sales were: — Sheep.—l 76 shorn ewes and lambs at 1271, 155 woolly do. at 15/9, 17 fat wethers at 27/6, 18 do. at 28/-. Cattle.—Fat cows at £8 15/-, £8 12/6, £7 17/6, £7 2/6, £6, £7, £4 10/-, £6 15/-, 3 at £6 17/6, 4 at £5 17/6, 2 at £5 15/-, £5 10/-, £5 5/-, 3 at £5, store cows at £3 14/-, £4 2/6, £4, £3 17/6 and £3 15/-. Henderson and Co. Ltd. reports as follows:— There was a fair yarding of sheep, the bulk being good woolly ewes and lambs. The fat sheep pens were fairly well filled with fair quality wethers, which sold at rates equal to late sales. Fat ewes were not wanted, most of these being passed at auction. Good ewes and lambs met with a ready sale and sold slightly in advance of late sales. There were a number of store wethers penned. Competition for these was keen, with the result they were cleared at auction at rates right up to late sales. The first pen of store lambs for the season was yarded. Competition was keen and they sold at 19 The cattle section consisted mostly of good quality fat cows and heifers. There was a good demand for this class and the market advanced 15/- to £1 a head. Very few steers were yarded, these being hard to sell at late rates. Sales were:— _ 7/ Sheep:—l two-tooth ewe at 27/-. 100 store lambs at 19/-, 134 ewes and lambs at 18/-. Cattle:—l fat cow at £8 15/-, 1 £7 2/6, 1 at £6 12/6, 2 at £6 7/6, 1 at £6, 1 at £5 10/-, 1 at £5 1 at £4 5/- 1 at £3 15/-, 1 fat heifer at £5 15/-, 1 at £5, 1 at £4 10/-, 1 store cow at £3 12/6, 1 at £3 7/6, 2 at £3, 1 at £2 12/6 and 1 at £2.

DAIRY PRODUCE MARKETS BUTTER FIRM AND CHEESE QUIET LONDON, January 13. The butter market is firm and cheese is quiet. Quotations: BUTTER Jan. 6 Jan. 13. Danish 1 40 /- 135 /- New Zealand— Choicest salted 112/- 1J 3 /- to 113/Unsalted 113/- to 114/- 114/- to 115/Australian— ± Choicest salted 109/- to 110/- 111/- to 112/Unsalted 110/- to 111/- 112/- to 113/CHEESE New Zealand— White 65/- 67/Coloured 66/-to 66/6 66/Australian— White 62/- to 63/- 65/Coloured 63/- to 64/- 66/THE WOOD MARKET BRADFORD TOPS DECLINE LONDON, January 13. The Bradford tops market declined on overseas advices. Quotations: Dec. 9 Dec. 16 Jan. 6 Jan. 13 70’s 31 33 30 29 64’s 30 31 281.2 27>/ z 60’s 30 30 27>/ 2 26>/ 2 58's 24 ¥2 — 2414 23 ¥2 56's 23 — 23 22>/ 2 50's '• 181/2 19 1814 1814 FOREIGN EXCHANGES (British Official Wireless) (Received January 14, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, January 13. The following mean closing rates of foreign exchange were quoted today com-

NEW ZEALAND CURRENCY BASIS The Bank of New South Wales, Dunedin, announces the following rates of foreign exchange on a New Zealand currency basis: on Buying Selling

pared with par:— Par Today Paris, fr. to £ 124.21 153% New York, dol. to £ 4.886 4.99 13-16 Montreal, dol. to £ 4.886 4.99% Milan, lira to £ 20.43 94 15-16 Copenhagen, kr. to £ 18.159 22.40 Oslo, fr. to £ 19.159 19.90 Vienna, «chgs. to £ 34.585 26% Berlin, rmk. to £ 20.42 12.40% Prague, kr. to £ 34.585 142% Helsingfors, m. to £ 103.23 226% Madrid, pesetas to £ 25.15 — Lisbon, escudos to £ 110 110% Athens, dr. to £ 875 547% Bucharest, lei to £ 318.6 672% Belgrade, dinars 275.31 216 Rio de Janeiro, p. to milreis 8.892 2 21-32 Buenos Aires, p. to dol. 45.577 — Montevideo, p. to dol. 57 25 Bombay, p. to rupee 10 18%

London— £N.Z. to £stglOO T.T. 124 124/10/O.D. 123/10/- 124/8/9 Australia— £A to £100 N.Z. T.T. 101 100/10/O.D. 101 100/10/Fiji— £F to £100 N.Z. T.T. 90/7/6 89 O.D. 90/7/6 89 New York— Dollars to £1 N.Z. T.T. 4.0387 4.0040 O.D. 4.0487 4.0080 Montreal— Dollars to £1 N.Z. T.T. 4.0383 4.0058 O.D. 4.0503 4.0098 Austria — Schillings to £1 N.Z. T.T. 20.95 O.D. —— 20.96 Belgium— Belgas to £1 N.Z. T.T. 23.939 23.629 O.D. 24.014 23.640 Czechoslovakia— Crowns to £1 N.Z. T.T. —— 113.34 O.D. —— 113.39 Denmark — • Kroner to £1 N.Z. T.T. 18.203 17.893 O.D. 18.263 17.899 France— Francs to £1 N.Z. T.T. 124.39 121.89 O.D. — 121.93 Germany— Relchmarks to £1 N.Z. T.T. —— 9.894 O.D. — 9.899 Holland— Florins to £1 N.Z. T.T. 7J312 7.162 O.D. 7.352 7.166 Italy— Lire to £1 N.Z. T.T. 76.12 O.D. — 76.17 Java — Florins to £1 N.Z. T.T. 7.287 7.137 O.D. 7.327 7.141 Norway— Kroner to £1 N.Z. T.T. 16.182 15.892 O.D. 16.242 15.898 Sweden— Kroner to £1 N.Z. T.T. 15.789 15.494 O.D. 15.849 15.500 Switzerland — Francs to £1 N.Z. T.T. 17.562 17.292 O.D. 17.667 17.297 Noumea — Francs to £1 N.Z. T.T. 125.64 120.64 O.D. — 120.68 Papeete— _ Francs to £1 N.Z. T.T. 125.49 120.69 O.D. — 120.73 Hong Kong— N.Z. pence to 1 dollar T.T. 18 29-64 18 53-64 O.D. 18 27-64 18 53-64 India and Ceylon— N.Z. pence to 1 rupee T.T. 22% 22 21-32 O.D. 22 11-32 22 21-32 Japan— N.Z. pence to 1 yen T.T. — 17% O.D. — 17% Shanghai— N.Z. pence to 1 dollar T.T. 18 11-64 O.D. 18 11-64