COMMERCIAL

Southland Times, Issue 24655, 29 January 1942, Page 8

COMMERCIAL

CITY TRADING OATS CROPS MAKING GOOD PROGRESS ' OATS.—Crops are making good progress and heavy yields are expected. Up to the present the crops are standing up well. The quality of the crops will depend on the weather experienced for ripening and for harvesting. The price has become more or less standardized by the contract price of 3/6 a bushel 0.t.c.5., which was given to farmers earlier in fs)e season. WHEAT.—The wheat crops are not as extensive' as usual in the coastal areas. The crops generally are looking well, but the harvest will be late. In the meantime good whole fowl wheat is offering from South Canterbury on a wholesale basis of 6/6 a bushel o.t.c.s. at that centre. RYEGRASS.—The area saved seems to be about normal, but it is doubtful if some of the crops will be cut because of the weather. Some crops are already in stook in a northern district in Southland. The seed will come on to a fairly bare market and present indications are that last year’s values will be maintained provided overseas shipping is available. CHEWING’S FESCUE.—The bulk of this crop has been cut and is now in stook. So far no interest has been shown by overseas buyers. The future of the market will depend on the overseas shipping space available.

WHITE CLOVER—The market remains steady and all crops harvested uf good quality should find an outlet. POTATOES.—Up to the present merchants in Invercargill have shown no interest in this market as it is too early to ship potatoes from Southland. It is reported that the value in Canterbury is about £8 a ton f.0.b.5.i., which is about £6/10/- a ton o.t.c.s. in Southland. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES Supplies of stone fruit have been lighter this week and prices have been correspondingly firm. The demand for tomatoes also exceeds the supply and prices have advanced. Raspberries have been plentiful this week and the season is practically finished. A shipment of bananas arrived at the week-end and these have been disposed of. Lemons are scarce, but fresh supplies are expected at the week-end. A small shipment of oranges arrived this week and was rationed to retailers. The first apples for the season were sold on Monday the variety being Beauty of Bath. These will be followed by a consignment of Gravensteins, which should arrive before the weekend. A few pears, also the first of the. season, were sold yesterday. Vegetables are plentiful on the whole and prices are lower. x Wholesale prices were quoted as follows:—Peaches from 3/6 to 6/- a box, crates 3d to 5d per lb; apricots 4/- to 7/- a box, crates from 4d to 6d per lb; choice Christchurch tomatoes from lOd to 1/2 per lb, others from 7d to 9d per lb; plums 4/- to 6/- a box; cucumbers 4/- to 6/- a dozen.

SEPARATOR BUTTER AND EGGS Eggs (ungraded) were quoted yesterday by the Master Grocers’ Association at 1/5 and 1/6 a dozen wholesale and 1/7 and 1/8 retail. Graded eggs were quoted for wholesale prices as follows: —Heavy 1/9, standard 1/8, medium 1/5, pullets 1/3. Separator butter was quoted at from lOd to 1/- wholesale and from 1/- to 1/2 retail, according to quality. The prices of eggs and separator butter are subject to constant variation. The prices quoted were those ruling yesterday.

STOCK EXCHANGE QUOTATIONS

GOVERNMENT STOCKS IN -DEMAND There was a fair demand for some lines of Government Stock on the Invercargill Stock Exchange yesterday. Quotations were as follows.— Government Debentures.—4 p.c. Stock 1943-46, b £lO2/10/-; 4 p.c. Stock 1946-49. b £104; 4 p.c. Stock 1952, b £lO5/10/-; 3>/ 2 P-c. Stock 1953-57, b £lOl/5/ T ; 3’4 p.c. Stock 1956-59, b £lOO/5/-; 3>,4 p c. Stock 1957-60, b £lOO/5/-; War Loan 1953, b £B6/10/-; 3 p.c. War Loan 1951, b £9B/10/-. Banks. —Commercial, s 14/-; New Zealand, b £l/19/3, s £l/19/9; New Zealand Long "D” issue, s £l/10/6; Union of Australia, s £6/15/-. Breweries.— Dunedin Brewery Company, s £1; New Zealand Breweries, s £l/15/-. Coal.—Kaitangata, b £l/12/-; . Westport Coal, b £l/4/9; Westport Stockton (pref.), b 6/9. Insurance. — National, b 19/3; South British, b £2/16/9. Loan and Agency.— Goldsbrough, Mort and Company, b £l/5/9; Perpetual Trustees, b £2/10/-; Trustees’ Executors (Dunedin), b £4/4/-. Meat Companies.—New Zealand Refrigerating (10/- paid), s 9/2; Southland Frozen Meat, b £l/13/9; South Otago Freezing Company, b £5. Shipping.—Union Steam Ship Company (pref.), b £l/6/3, s £l/7/-. Woollen Mills.—Bruce, b £l/3/-; Kaiapoi (pref.), b 18/-; Mosgiel, b £lO/15/-; Timaru, s 18/6.

Miscellaneous.—Broken Hill Proprietary, b £l/15/6, s £l/17/6; G. J. Coles, b £2/15/-; D.I.C. (pref.), b £l/4/-; Donaghy’s Rope and Twine, s £2/11/6; Dunlop Rubber (Aust.), s £l/2/-; McDuffs Ltd., s 9/3; McLeod Bros’ Soap, b £25; Milburn Lime and Cement, b £l/17/-; New Zealand Drug, b £3/15/-; Otago Daily Times, b £l/18/3; Southland Ice Cream, s £l/5/-. Mining.— Big River, s 9d; Electrolytic Zinc (ord.), s £2/7/-; Mount Lyell, s £l/6/3; Nokomai, b 3d, s 6d. DUNEDIN Sales Reported,—4 p.c. Stock 1946-49 £104; Union Bank £6/7/6; National Insurance 19/7. CHRISTCHURCH Sales Reported.—Dominion Breweries (pref.) £l/11/-; Booth, Macdonald (pref.) (late Tuesday) 5/- (2); Booth, Macdonald (pref.) 5/-; Woolworths (N.Z.) (late Tuesday) 14/8; Woolworths (N.Z.) 14/8 (2). WELLINGTON x Sales.—3 p.c. Stock 1951-54 (2) £9B/10/-; National Electric £l/2/9. AUCKLAND Sales.—War Loan 1951-54 3 p.c. £9B/10/-; Union Bank £6/7/6; Booth, Macdonald (pref.) 5/-; Broken Hill Proprietary £1 15/6; Farmers’ Trading (B pref.) £l/2/-; Reid Rubber £l/5/- (late sale); Woolworths (New Zealand) 14/7, 14/8. SYDNEY There was an appreciable expansion of business on the Stock Exchange today, largely round yesterday’s price levels, as a result of Mr Churchill’s clarification of the position in the Pacific war area. Sales.— Bank of New South Wales £24/17/6; British Tobacco £l/19/-; Consolidated Industries £l/18/9; David Jones £l/10/-; General Industries 17/3; Adams 14/3; Newbold £l/2/9; Goldsbrough, Mort £l/5/-; Electrolytic Zinc £2/4/3; Broken Hill Proprietary £l/10/9; Kuala Kampar 5/5; Rawang 2/10. MELBOURNE

Sales. —Metropolitan Gas £l3/2/-; G. J. Coles £2/10/-; Mt. Lyell £l/3/6; Mt. Morgan 7/9; Electrolytic Zinc £2/3/-, £2/4/-; Emperor 6/3; Loloma 14/3.