CITY MARKETS

Southland Times, Issue 24597, 20 November 1941, Page 3

CITY MARKETS

ACUTE SHORTAGE OF TABLE POTATOES

OATS: The oat crops are looking well at present, but sunshine is needed to bring them away. The statistical position shows that the area sown in oats this season is lower by 25,000 acres as compared with last year, but it is thought that in Southland there is a substantial increase in acreage. So far nothing further has been done about the rescinding of the price order and therefore A’s are nominally worth 3/11 and B’s 3/9 f.0.b.5.i., South Island ports. RYEGRASS: Reports to hand indicate that there will not be the same areas closed up for harvest this season. With the anticipated high price ruling for white clover, many farmers are refraining from closing up areas for ryegrass with r. view to saving the clover. As far as spot stocks of ryegrass are concerned there is very little more in merchants’ hands than will be required for retail trade. MONTGOMERY RED CLOVER: There is no surplus Montgomery left in merchants’ hands and many growers intend to close up areas for seed. The success of the crops will depend on the weather during the autumn months. This is a late flowering clover which requires a very favourable “back-end” season to produce seed.

CRESTED DOGSTAIL.—Export business has quietened down, but the market remains firm for bright coloured seed.

CHEWINGS FESCUE: The new crop will come on to a bare market. Reports from the Mossburn district are to the effect that the first cut, and newly skimmed areas, are showing promise, while older pastures are very backward. Growers whose areas show signs of capeweed will be well recompensed by putting a few hoggets over such paddocks at the end of the present month. POTATOES: There is an acute shortage of table potatoes. Retailers have resorted to selling seed lines as tables, the nominal prices of which are £l5 to £lB a ton, according to quality. This year’s acreage is estimated to be only 15,000 acres and assuming the yield at 5.9 tons an acre, which is the average for the last five years, the coming season’s crop will be about 5600 tons short of last year’s. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

A small allocation of oranges was rationed among the retailers this week. New Zealand lemons are plentiful but selling readily. Bananas are sold out of wholesale hands and there is no word of fresh supplies. The pear market has firmed and a consignment received this week will possibly be the last for the season. . Apple prices have been raised slightly. Sufficient quantities are still arriving, but another two or three weeks will bring the end of the season in sight. Supplies of tomatoes are increasing and prices have eased considerably this week. Fresh vegetables are scarce, with a keen demand and rising prices. The following are a range of prices: Cauliflowers from 20/- to 26/- a sack; cabbages 6/- to 8/- a case; lettuce 2/6 to 5/- a dozen; carrots 3/- to 4/- a dozen bunches; tomatoes, choice from 1/4 to 2/- per lb. SEPARATOR BUTTER AND EGGS

Eggs were quoted yesterday by the Master Grocers’ Association at 1/2 to 1/3 wholesale and 1/4 to 1/5 retail. Separator butter was quoted at fiom lOd to 1/- wholesale and from 1/--to 1/3 retail, according to quality. The prices of eggs and separator butter are subject to constant variation. The puces quoted were those ruling yesterday. WANAKA STATION SALE IMPORTANT AUCTIONS IN DUNEDIN Two important auctions of freehold blocks of the Wanaka Station property will be conducted by Dalgety and Co., Ltd. at the firm’s office in Dunedin next Tuesday, November 25, at 11 a.m. The properties are being sold because of the death of Sir Percy Sargood, of Dunedin. Lying as it does on the western shores of the lake, Wanaka Station might be described as one of the most picturesque in Otago. The wonderful response from the land to irrigation enables the owner to carry Romney cross sheep and dispose of most surplus stock in a fit condition for the freezing works. Possession in each case will be given on March 27, 1942. The first block to be offered will be of 1326 acres, comprising that freehold portion of Wanaka Station owned by the late Sir Percy Sargood. This area comprises all of the station property situated west of the Cardrona road, and includes Thomason's Homestead, Copse and Lake Front blocks. Irrigation has been carried on extensively on a portion of the land, water being obtained from the Cardrona river at the one end, and from the Waterfall creek at the other end, for all of which water rights are held, and will be sold with the property. This part of the station has on it most of the homestead buildings, which include the manager’s residence, wool shed, sheep yards and dip, men’s quarters, cottages, implement and storage sheds. Many plantations of beautiful trees afford shelter and shade, besides being a valuable asset in a district where timber is not plentiful. The land is conveniently and well fenced, and about 760 acres have been cultivated and sown down in permanent pasture, while some 578 acres of the improved portion come under irrigation. SECOND AUCTION The second auction will be of 1334 acres of the station property owned by Lady Sargood, whose freehold land is situated on the east side of the Cardrona road, and includes the following blocks: Dog Match, Lower Mount Iron and Mount Iron, all of which are well fenced and conveniently subdivided. It is estimated that 650 acres have been cultivated, about 550 of which come under irrigation. Water is obtained from the Cardrona river, and certain water rights for this property will go with the land. On the Dog Match block there is an orchard of 26 acres, orchardist’s cottage, and large concrete packing shed. Two good cottages and about nine acres of valuable plantations are also on this block. Situated as it is, adjoining the Wanaka township, this property appeals to anyone who wishes to farm in this charming locality. Under irrigation a very good flock of Romney cross ewes has been carried, and almost all surplus stock turned off fat. TOOTH AND COMPANY’S DIVIDEND (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 19. Tooth and Company have advised by cable that they have declared a final dividend of 12 per cent, per annum.