COMMERCIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 December 1926, Page 11

COMMERCIAL.

LOCAL MARKETS. SUMMER FRUITS VERY SCARCE. NEW 7 POTATOES DOWN. Local market prices this Meek were as fol io w s (spot ca sh): — Buying. Selling.

Supplies of spring and summer fruits have generally been more backward this season than for the past 20 years, according to information given by a dealer yesterday. It is due entirely to the exceptionally late spring and cold snap in November and December, and it will be well on towards Christmas before the fruite are on the market in anything like seasonable quantities. The trouble is general in every fruit-grow-ing district Gooseberries are on their last week and very few more cherries will be available. Not many peaches are coming forward, and the same applies to apricots. Tomatoes, usually in heavy supply, in the second week in December, are noticeably short, and it is not expected that any outdoor fruit will be available till Christmas. Loganberries are now coming on the market, and are keenly sought after. Outdoor eueumItcrs are very short. The first of this season’s grapes are coming in elowly. Lemons were less plentiful during the past few weeks and oranges are particularly short. There are fairly good supplies of old New Zealand apples and a new Canadian shipment is on the market. Early Christmas plums are being offered, but most of the dessert varieties are late and in very short supply. On the whole, the prospects for fresh fruit this season are not very bright. Vegetables are still arriving in fairly large quantities, and the demand is being met to some extent from local gardens. A good supply of green peas will be available right up to Christmas. A big drop in new potatoes was recorded early in the week. It is said that blight appeared in the stalks, necessitating digging immediately, thus producing over-supplies. The market has since firmed by 30s a ton. Fat poultry of all kinds is keenly sought after in view of the approaching festive season. The range of prices at auction in New Plymouth last week was as follows: —Hens, Is 9d to 4s; roosters. 2s lOd to 4s 9d; cockerels, 2s lOd to 4s Id; chicks,* 8d to Is lid; ducks, 2s 3d to 3s 3d; ducklings. 3s Id io 4s: goslings, 5s to 5s 3d; bantams. Is. Eggs have been firming during the past few weeks and buying and selling rates in New Plymouth are now Is B<l and Is 10d’. At auction on Friday last they realised Is 9d a dozen.

Flour is coming in a direct steamer from Australia about the end of this month, and the price will show a reduction of £1 per ton on ‘New Zealand rates. Though most of the New Plymouth grocers arranged for their requirements in Christmas hams several months ago, it is now practically impossible for them to secure any further quantities. Muscatels, huts, confectionery and similar Christmas lines are selling fairly well, but retailers are somewhat cautious in buying. DOMINION SHAREMARKETS. By Telegraph;—Press Association. Wellington, Dec. 9. Reported Sales. —Bank of New Zealand. £2 19s Gd; iti per cent. Inscribed Stock, 1933, £lOO 17s 6d; Now Zealand River Plate Co., 23s lid. Sale on Exchange: Wellington Gas (ord.), 26s 3d. Auckland. Last Night. Stock Exchange Sales.—lnscribed Stock, 1038, 4.} per cent., £97; Inscribed Stock, 1939. 4i per cent., £97: Auckland Hospital Board debentures. 1947, per cent., £101: Commercial Bank of Australia, 325; Bank of New South Wales, £45 2s 6d; Bank of New Zealand. 59s 6d; f ,New Zealand Insurance, 37s 9d; South British, 55s 9d; New Zealand and River Plate, 245; Loan and Mercantile. £9fi; Taupiri Coal Co., 21s 9d; Auckland Gas Co.. 245: Moanataiari (cont.), 5s 9d, 5s 9d. 5s Bd. 5s 7d, 5s 3d.: Lucky Shot (cont.), Is 3d. ADDINGTON MARKETS. Christchurch, Dee. 8. The fat sheep forward at the Addington metropolitan market were sufficient to fill about ten races, yet over the first half of the sale the prices were better than those of last week. The fat lambs yarded were more numerous than buyers required. Fat cattle prices fell appreciably, and many pens were passed. The store sheep entered were not numerous and the prices realised were on the whole satisfactory to ven-

Store Sheep.—-A small entry. Generally the quality was only moderate. Most of the ewes and lambs were of inferior cla-ss, with most of the ewes in the wool. The demand for ewes and lambs was better than last week and some good sales were made. In some cases prices were Is per head better than last week. Values were: Soundmouthed half-bred ewes and lambs, 22s 64 (all counted); aged ha If bred ewes with lambs. 15s 7<l to 18s 7d; two-tooth-ed crossbred ewes, 29s 7d to 325: four and six-toothed crossbred ewes. 28s Id: four, six and eight-toothed halfbred wethers, 31s; four, six and eight-tooth-ed three-quarter bred woolly wethers. 29s Sd; four and six-toothed halfbred wethers. 22s Id to 22s lOd. Fat Lambs.—The entry totalled 930, as compared with 670 last Week. Generally the quality was good. The light sorts were not in demand, but good handy weight lambs sold well at prices or a par with late rates and in some cases better. Freezing works buyers

operated with reserve and the bulk of the purchases were made by butchers. Values were: Extra prime lambs, to 30s lOd; prime lamb. 27s 6d to 29s 6d; medium lambs, 24s (id to 27®; light lambs, 20s to 23s 6d. Fat Sheep.—Good quality sheep were plentiful and some of heavy wethers were outstanding, a few lines of this class coming forward from South Canterbury. Some of the wethers were on the light side, being little better than forward stores. When the sale commenced there was very brisk buying over the first two races and the prices were from Is to Is Gd a head above those of last week, but values, steadied down and when half the sheep had been disposed of values were little better than was the case on the previous Wednesnesday. Values were: Extra prime wethers, 33s lOd; prime wethers, 28s to 31s 9d; medium wethers, 26s 6d to 27s 9d; light wethers, 23s to 265; extra prime ewes, to 28s 7d; prime ewes, 23s fid to 265; medium ewes, 20s 6d to 22s 9d; light and unfinished ewes, 17s to 20s. Fat Cattle. —The market was one of the worst for many months, despite the fact that the standard of quality was one of the best for some weeks past. The heavy yarding® that have been the rule lately have left butchers with fair supplies on hand, and the hot weather made big bodies unpopular. The yarding totalled 545 head, as compared with 610 last week and 557 a fortnight ago. When the sale commenced it was evident that big cattle would be unpopular, and this was borne out by the fact that they depreciated in price by fully £1 a head, and there was a much smaller fall than this on good medium quality animals. Both heifers and cows of the better grades sold moderately well, but there was a greater proportion of the yarding unsold at the close of the auction than has been the ease in the past couple of months. Prime mediumweight beef sold at from 32s 6d to 36s fid; heavy prime, 29s to 31s; best heifer, 31s to 34s 6d; best cow, 28s to 30s; and inferior, 24s to 265; extra heavy steers, to £l5 2s 6d; prime heavy steers, £l3 to £l4; prime medium weight steers,. £l2 5s to £l4 10s: medium quality steers, £9 10s to £ll 10s; light steers, £7 10s to £9; extra prime heifers, to £l3 7s 6d; prime heifers, £8 to £11: medium heifers, £6 10s to £7 15s; light heifers, £5 5s to £6 ss; extra heavy eows, to £l3 12s 6d; prime cows, £8 15s to £lO 10 s; medium cows, £6 10s to £8; light eows, £4 to £6. Store Cattle.-—A large entry and competition was active. Values were: Three and four-year-old steers, £8 10s Ic £9 ss; two-year-old steers, £6 ss; .yearling steers, £4 10s; heifers, £2 5s to £3 10s; good cows, to £5; medium cows. £3 to £4; inferior eows, 30s to £2 10s; bulls, £3 5s to £8 7s fid. Dairy Cattle. —There was a very small entry, only 44 head coming forward. The cattle were in far better condition than for some time past. Prices showed and showed better milking qualities a fair improvement on late rates. Values were: Best second, third and fourth calvers, £8 10s to £ll 10s; medium sorts, £6 10s to £8; inferior sorts. £3 to £5 10s; heifers, £5 to £9; aged eows and eows in profit, 50s to £4 ss. Fat Pigs.—Choppers. £2 10s to £4 10s; light baconers, £3 10s to £3 17s 6d; heavy baconers, £4 to £4 I0s: extra heavy baconers, to £5 (average price per lb, fild to 7Jd): porkers, £2 8s to £2 14s; heavy porkers. £2 18s to £3 4s (average price per lb. 7|d to BJd). Store Pigs.—Weaners, 15s to 20s; best sorts, to 255: small stores, 26s to 28s; medium stores, 30s and 28s; large stores, to 555.-; BURNSIDE STOCK SALE. Dunedin, Dec. 8. At Burnside to-day sheep and lambs were dearer, while heavy fat cattle and fat pigs were cheaper. Sheep.—A penning, of 338 of fair aver, age to good quality. All were shorn, except for about 200. Due to outside buying and the small entry, the market showed a better tone. Prices had improved a few shillings till a goodly proportion of the last race had been sold, when they eased a little, but finally all classes were about 2s better than they were last week. Prices: Extra heavy wethers, 32s to 35s 3d; prime, 28s 6d to 31s; light, 24s fid to 27s 6d; woolly wethers, to 38s fid; woolly ewes, to 30s. Lambs. —A penning of 300 well-grown cross and down crosses. A good opening demand, and rates firmed under steady competition by Is fid per head, hardening another Is later. Prices: Heavy prime, 33s 9d to 34s 3d; medium weight, 28s to 30s 6d; light, 25s to 275. Fat Cattle. —A yarding of 301. The average quality was good, and the entry included some extra well finished consignments of bullocks, with a fair sprinkling of finished steers and average cows. The opening demand was slow. Medium weight prime bullocks were firm at last’week’s rates, but heavy classes of cattle eased about 15s. Prices: Heavy bullocks. £l4 10s to £l5 17s fid: medium weight. £l2 5s to £l3 15s; light, £8 15s to £11; heifers, £6 to £8 15s; medium cows, £5 12s fid to £8; extra heavy eows. to £ll 7s 6d. Store Cattle. —About 240 were yarded. The entry was chiefly made up of fair to average cows, though there were a few pens of medium steers. The demand was fair. A pen of good two and a-half to three-year-old steers made £8 5s per head: a pen of fair two-year-olds, £6 7s 6d; and a pen of medium two-year-*olds, £5 ss. A pen of 18-months-old heifers brought £3 per head. Kil’able cows were unchanged. Pigs.—A penning of 100 fats and nine stores. At the start of the fat pig sale prices weye up, but they dropped con. siderably towards the end of the sale. Heavy baconers realised to £5 12s; medium. £4 10s to £5; extra heavy porkers. to £4 ss; medium, from £3 5s to £3 15s: lighter sorts, from £2 10s. Store prices were maintained.

Hams 1 3 Bacon (rolls) 1 2 Bacon (sides) 1 0 Butter (creamery) pats Butter (best separator) J G pats 1 ] 1 3 Butter (separator) lump 1 I 0 1 2 Egg® 1 8 1 10