TARANAKI STOCK MARKET

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1930, Page 16

TARANAKI STOCK MARKET

COMPARISON OF THE'PRICES SHEEP LOWER THAN LAST FEAR. COMPETITION FOR STORE CATTLE. In a review of the stock market in Taranaki, aiul in the drawing of a comparison with the prices ruling .at this period last year, the figures' show the prices at present ruling for beef are almost on a par with those being obtained in the corresponding period, except that the demand for good quality cow and heifer beef may be a little firmer than it was last January, this being undoubtedly due to the fact that supplies of ox beef are of a more limited nature.

Newton King’s open markets are practically devoid of any beef of any consequence, resulting in butchers’ requirements being fulfilled by private treaty. Following is a range of the prices at which requirements are being fulfilled:— Heavy prime fat cows, £l2 to £l3;lighter prime sorts, £lO 10s. to £ll. The prices ruling for the small'numbers of mixed quality cattle coming forward to the firm’s yards range between £8 10s. and £lO 10s.

A comparison in the fat sheep section reveals that the prices at present ruling for wether mutton show a decline of between 4s. and ss. per head, while ewe n.utton has been reduced by from ss. to 7s. per head. Supplies are much more plentiful than those offering for beef, and no difficulty is being experienced in filling requirements for North Taranaki consumption. Butchers’ requirements are being fulfilled at the following prices:—Prime fat wethers, 265. to 285.; lighter wethers, 255.; heavy prime fat ewes, 20s; lighter o 18s. • Works buyers are still operating freely for fat lambs, but at about Id. per lb. less than the figure at which they were offering last season. The majority of the first drafts having been absorbed at prices between 225. and 245. The market for store sheep is much quieter than it was for this period last year. Greater numbers, however, will be on the move now, Of course there are fair numbers coming forward to fortnightly sales, and although these are not keenly competed for full clearances are being effected.

The numbers of store cattle offering are insufficient to meet the demand, resulting in prices remaining firm, this applying more especially to good-framed young store cows, and where any come under the hammer spirited competition ia in evidence.

Store bullocks are also fairly keenly sought after, but few are being quoted, and in a number of cases requirements are by no means easy to fill. Few grown bullocks are being yarded. In the sales effected through private .treaty prices have ranged from £9 to £lO 10s.

A good inquiry has set in for Jersey weaners, and numbers of sales have been effected. For the most part the inquiry is for good quality cattle, and prices have ranged between £3 10s. and £5. Heifers r.b.w. are being . quoted in good numbers for sale on a forwarddelivery basis. ' The prices for the best quality cattle range between £lO 10s. and £l2 10s., while others are. being quoted at from £8 10s. to £9 10s. Sales for delivery at the end of March have been effected at from £lO to £lO 10s., but as yet the sales on this basis have been few.

Pigs are being yarded, in only fair numbers, and it would seem there are insufficient to meet requirements. They are therefore selling at. more advanced prices than they were at thia period last year. Prices ruling are: —Large stores, 335. to 355.; smaller sorts, 28s. to 305.; slips, 245. to 265.; best weauers, 205.; others, 16s. to 18s. ’ •" . SHARE MARKET TRANSACTIONS, Wellington, Jan. 17. —Sales reported: English, Scottish and Australian Bank, £6 16s. 6d.; Union Bank of Australia, £l2 Is. 6d.; Gear Meat, £2 Is. 6d. _ Christchurch, January 17. —Sales: English, Scottish and Australian Bank, £6 17s. 2d. (2 parcels), Goldsbrough Mort, 355.; British Tobacco, 445. 6d. Dunedin, January 17. —Sale Reported: Staples Brewery, 555. 6d. DAIRY PRODUCE MARKET. . Mr. E. Griffiths is in receipt of the following cable from his London principals: The butter market is steady with New Zealand finest quoted at 153 s to 154 a, New Zealand first at 151 s to 1525, Danish at 16&s to 170 s, and Australian at 150 s to 1525. The cheese market' is steady with New Zealand white at 85s to 86s, and coloured at 83s to 85<s. SHAREMARKET SALES. Auckland, Jan. 17. Sales on Exchange.—Commercial Bank of Australia, 24s 9d; Bank of New Zealand, 57s 6d; New Zealand Insurance, 44s 6d; South British, 60s fid; Auckland Gas, 255, cont., 18s sd; New Zealand Breweries, 88s 3d; Wilson’s Cement (late sale Thursday), 41s; Ohinemuri, ss. GRAIN MARKET PROSPECTS. EFFECT OF RECENT RAINS. A SOUTH ISLAND SURVEY. Christchurch, Last Night. Although a little' wheat is now in stook, the rain of this week has delayed harvesting operations and it will be two or three weeks before grain is on the market in any appreciable quantity. Contrary to what some people thought would be the case/ the heavy rain of Wednesday did not greatly damage the crops. In view of the fact that millers have bought forward to a substantial extent there is a question as to whether there will be a/demand for the new wheat when it comes on the market in the early part Of- the season. To-day nominal quotations for wheat are 5 s 9d for Tuscan, 6s for Hunters, and 6s 3d for Pearl, on trucks at country stations. There are plenty of sellers of forward wheat, but few buyers at the moment. Fowl wheat is moving off steadily at 6s 14d to 6s 2d f.o.b. sacks in, the demand coming from the South Island as well as the North Island. So far as oats are concerned merchants are waiting for some to reach the market. There are very few oats in store and a lot of oats are now in stock. Reports from Marlborough are to- the .effect that the rain was much heavier’there than in Canterbury, and

that it did a lot of harm to the oat and barley crops, which are now in stook in the Marlborough province. The barley and linseed crops in Canterbury are looking fairly well, but it will be some time yet before either will be on the market. Oats which are intended for chaff promise to give a better financial return than oats, especially as it will be difficult to get good bright chaff from the Marlborough district this seaso'n. Old chaff is to-day quoted at £5 10s to £5 12s 6d a ton, on trucks, while new is worth £4 to £4 5s on the same basis. There is very, little doing in small seeds. Some sales of Italian ryegrass were made this week at 4s 6d per bushel for new season’s seeds, and Western Wolths seed is the same value. Red clover nominally is worth 4d to 5s per •lb. ■ White clover is worth round about lOd. Cocksfoot is quoted at' 13Jd per lb for machine dressed, farmers’ undressed lines being worth 8d 'to 9d for heavy weight, 13 to 141 b Akaroa seed. Plains cocksfoot is 1 quoted at Id to l£d less. The North Island has plenty of potatoes to supply the demand there until the end of February and it will be March before shipments to the North Island are- made from Lyttelton. The quotations for April-May-June delivery are £4 17s 6d for whites and 2s 6d more for Dakotas and the July-August-Sep-tember quotations are £5 12s Gd to £5 15s.