COMMERCIAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18818, 5 March 1931, Page 10

COMMERCIAL.

METROPOLITAN STOC3C SALES. VALUES UNCHANGED AT ADDINGTON. By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, March 4. There was a better sale of store lambs at Addington market to-day, but the store sheep sale was dull. Store lambs.—s3oo were offered, and values advanced by 1/- a head. Good rape lambs made up to 9/10, ordinal y rape lambs 7/- to 9/-, small.and backward 2/- to 6/-, medium ewe lambs to 8/7, backward ewe lambs to 5/9. Store sheep.—ll,ooo head were entered, and there was a slow sale. Values were unchanged. Extra good ewes made 14/6 to 15/6, good do. to 11/9; ordinary four and six-tooth ewes 2/- to 10/-, ordinary two-tooth halfbred ewes 10/6 to 11/9, ordinary twotooth crossbred ewes to 8/6„ four ana six-tooth do 6/6 to 7/6, six and eighttooth 5/6 to 7/6. sound mouth do. 3/6 to 4/9, backward sound mouth to 3/-, aged and inferior ewes to 1/6 to 2/-, good Romney cross wethers to 10/10, ordinary to 8/7, backward 3/9 to 5/-. Fat lambs. —The yarding totalled 3200, and the sale was firm at late rates. Prime lambe made up to 17/1, medium 13/- to 14/6, light 10/6 to 12/6; stores j 7/6 to 10/-. Fat sheep.—The yarding of fat sheep I numbered 4650. The sale was dull with ) no quotable change in values. Show | wethers made up to 19/10, prime heavy wethers 15/- to 16/-. Fat cattle.—Choice beef made from I 32/- to 35/- per 1001 b, good medium weight beef 30/- to 34/-, plain heavy beef 26/6 to 29/-, cow beef 23/- to 26/-, secondary beef 19/6 to 22/-. Extra prime heavy steers brought up to £l7 12/6, prime heavy steers £l2 to £l4/15/-, prime medium weight steers £B/10/to £ll. medium quality £6/15/- to £B, light to £6/5/-; extra prime heifers to £ll/17/6, prime heifers £8 to £lO/5/-, medium £4/15/- to £7/10/, light to £4 10/-; extra prime cows to £lO/2/6, prime £7/10/- to £9/10/-, medium £4/10/- co £7, light to £4. Fat pigs.—4oo pigs were penned, and sold at an average for porkers of 6d to 7i per lb, and for baconers of 4d to 4:id. FIRMER VALUES AT BURNSIDE. WITHERS 1/6 A HEAD DEARER. By Telegraph—Pres* Association DUNEDIN, March 4. Values at Burnside sales to-day were slightly firmer compared with those ruling last week. There was a slight advance in the number of fat cattle penned, but the quality generally was not good, the proportion of prime bullocks being small. The market opened with values firmer by 10/- per head than those ruling at last week’s sale, but as the sale progressed values eased somewhat, the market closing with prices on a par with last week's. Extra prime heavy bullocks sold up to £ls/12/6, prime heavies £ll/10/- to £l3/10/-, medium £9/10/- to £ll, and light £7 {to £9. Extra prime cows and heifers brought up to £9/7/6, prime £6 to £B, and lighter sorts £4 to £5/10/-. There was a lighter entry of fat sheep. 1860 being penned, against 2300 in the previous week. At the close wethers were firmer than at last sale by 1/6 per head, whilst ewes were firmer by fully 2/-. Extra prime heavy wethers sold up to 15/9, prime 11/6 to 14/-. medium to 11/-, and lighter sorts to 8/6; extra prime ewes sold to 10/-, prime to 7/-, and medium and light to 1 Although the quality of lambs penned was lower than that ruling at previous sales, the demand was keener, and prices were firmer by 1/-. Extra prime heavy lambs sold up to 17/9, prime to 14/6, medium to 11/6, and light to 9/6. Dairy cattle met with a fail- demand. A medium entry of pigs met with a dragging sale, values being easier by 5/- per head. THE SOUTH CANTERBURY MARKETS. GRAIN, SEED AND PRODUCE. It has taken some time for people to settle down after the holiday period, but market values have always a magnetic influence upon business men and farmers. Returns so far to hand show that crops generally in South Canterbury are the best experienced for years. The wheat crops have yielded well, and of those which have recently been threshed, a majority are ahead of last season. On the lighter lands, the yields will not be so heavy. Quite a number of farms have produced 50 bushels to the acre, and in some instances over that average. Autumn sown oats have, yielded from 60 bushels per acre, and in one or two cases over 100 bushels per acre were realised?. There have been some exceptionally good oats produced, in fact better than has been seen in the South Canterbury district for a number of years. As has been the case with wheat, spring sown oats will not be so well filled as the autumn sown. The Pool price for Tuscan wheat is 5/10, Hunters 6/-, and Velvet 6/2. Quite a quantity of wheat has been sold forward at these prices. The present values are—Tuscan 5/4, and Hunters 5/7, less one penny a bushel to brokers, which represents a nett price of 5/3 and 5/6 on trucks.

With regard to fowl wheat, up to the present there has been little offering in this district, a considerable portion of

the exports going from Lyttelton. The values are 4/10 to 4/11 per bushel, nominally 4/7 on trucks, South Canterbury has not suffered to the same extent as North Canterbury so far as the wheat crop is concerned, consequently there is not a great amount of fowl wheat offering in this district. In oats, sales of A. and B. Gartons have been made at 2/75 and 2/6 f.0.b., s.i. respectively, equal to 2/1 and 2/2 on trucks, sacks extra. Earlier in the year sales of Duns were made at from 2/9 to 2/10 on trucks, but values today are round about 2/6 per bushel on trucks. Algerians have varied considerably in quality, and sales have been effected at from 1/5 to 1/10 on trucks. The exchange has affected the Algerians’ market, the difference being approximately 5d per bushel. These oats were landed in Auckland at 3/5, but Canterbury merchants are quoting machine dressed and clipped at 3/3 f.0.b., s.i. Most of the chaff at present being sent to the North Island is being shipped from Blenheim, and is quoted at £4 7s 6d, and £4 5s f.0.b., s.i., which is equal to about £2 17s 6d to £3 on trucks, sacks extra. There has been little change in the forward market for potatoes. Du Ing the last few days there has been a drop of from 2/6 to 5/- a ton. April-May-June deliveries are quoted at £4 ss, July-September at £4 12s 6d; equal to about £3 10s on trucks. The grass seed offering in the South Canterbury district is good, and for colour and quality is very much better than that produced last year. Western Wolths has been sold at from 2/- to 2/5, according to quality. There is a good quantity offering, but buyers are not keen on paying anything over 2/3 for best seed. A few lines of ryegrass —good clean seed —were purchased at 3/3 earlier in the year, but values are now back to 2/6 and 2/9 a bushel. At present there is no new cowgrass offering in this district, but it is expected that this season’s seed will open up at 4d per lb. There have been inquiries for good clean farmers’ dressed white clover, and one or two lines of good quality have been purchased at 8d per lb. There is little demand for crested dogstail, and farmers’ dressed is worth 2id to 3d per Jb. Large quantities of Canterbury Plains cocksfoot have been offering. Auckland is receiving its supplies from its own district. Values are about 25d to 3d per lb., with not a great demand at the price. Akaroa cocksfoot machine dressed is now being offered at 7d per lb. This shows a considerable drop on last year’s values, which were 1/- and lOi per lb. Generally the quality of the seed offering in South Canterbury is much better than in previous years. There is a fair demand for all green feed lines such as Cape barley, black barley, rye-corn, Algerians and Dun oats. THE AUCKLAND MARKET. Reports from Auckland dated Friday last, state: —Adelaide Chevalier barley continues to sell freely at 18 for March shipment, and 1/9 for AprilMay. Cape barley.—There is very little call for this, and merchants are finding it difficult to work off stocks carried over from last year. Onions.—Supplies of onions are fairly firmly held at Pukekohe, where the total available stocks are not considered to be very heavy, nor sufficient to carry this market on for any length of time. The few imported onions held in Auckland are being offered at 9/per cwt. through store. A further quantity of Melbourne onions is expected by rail from Wellington at the beginning of next week. A direct shipment of Melbourne onions is due at Auckland about the middle of March. The Melbourne quotation today is nominally £3 per ton f.0.b., s.i. Potatoes.—Although prices for potatoes have shown practically no movement over the past few days, supplies have tended to decrease. Pukekohe growers are expected to lift their final crop for the season in a week or two, and an increase in supplies can be expected then. At the moment the market is well supplied from Pukekohe, Palmerston North and the Rangitikei. The price on spot to-day is nominally £8 per ton through store. Southern potatoes.—There is not a great deal of interest being taken in the forward quotation. Over the past few days were sold a few parcels of April-May-June whites for actual shipment at 85/-, although in most instances sellers are asking 87/6.

Chaff.—At the moment the market is well supplied with Blenheim chaff, but the outlet is very limited. For shipment by the next steamer £4 5s f.0.b., s.i. appears to be the general quotation. However, buyers are showing no inclination to buy at present. Quotations have been received this week from Tasmania for chaff for MarchApril shipment. No. 1 prime oaten packed in New Zealand sacks being offered at £5 17s 6d c.i.f., and e.. and packed in hessians at £5 7s 6d. So far no bookings of Tasmanian chaff have been reported, and it is very doubtful as to whether our merchants will buy. The quotation for prime oaten packed in New Zealand sacks is equivalent to approximately £3 12s 6d f.0.b., s.i., South Island ports. Wheat.—As a result of uncertainty ■regarding the intention of the Government in regard to wheat duty the market for this cereal lacks strength, although a slightly firmer tone has been noticeable in the forward quote following an announcement by the Prime Minister to the effect that no change would be made until the present crop was marketed. At present the market here is really over-supplied with g.w.f. and ungraded lots. Quite a fair number of consignments are still offering ex steamers that arrived over the week-end, but sales are rather difficult to make. Prompt and March wheat is being quoted to-day at 4/11 f.0.b., and one or two parcels aboard the Waipiata due here to-morrow, are

quoted as low as 4/10id. An appreciable quantity of good serviceable under-grade wheat is being offered just now and selling at 3d to 6d per bushel under g.w.f. Oats. —A small amount of business is being done in prompt A’s at 2/8 f.0.b., and B’s at 2/6. No interest whatsoever is being taken in forward quotations. Quite a few parcels of oats were shipped on consignment on the abovementioned vessels and in most instances these have been selling under f.o.b parity. A’s have been sold this week as low as 3/- ex wharf, and super A’s 47/481b, at 3/1.

Dun oats. —The inquiry is a little brighter and some very nice samples have been sold here this week at from 3/- to 3/2 f.0.b., s.i.

Algerian oats. —There is practically no call for these. Stocks on spot are quite sufficient to meet immediate requirements. The latest quotation for the Australian article is 2/6 Melbourne for machine dressed and clipped. Bran and pollard.—Local mills’ quotations for bran and pollard have now been advanced 10/- per ton on the market of a week ago. The mills’ prices to-day are—Pollard £5 10s, bran £5 15s. A small shipment has been fixed with Adelaide for the next steamer on the basis of £3 7s 6d f.0.b., s.i. Seeds. —Merchants report a quiet seasonal demand for agricultural seeds, but the total turnover is not heavy. Akaroa cocksfoot. —This is gradually coming down \n price, and is offering very freely to-da-y at 7d per lb.

Wolths and Italian.—Good new season’s machine .dressed is offering from 3/7 to 3/9 f.o.b. However, most buyers here are more inclined to purchase clean farmers’ dressed lots, which are offering from 2/2 to 2/6 f.o.b. Some quite fair parcels have been purchased this week for immediate shipment. Ryegrass. —Stocks on spot are exceedingly light. Merchants are now showing more interest to buy for immediate shipment. Quotations today vary from 4/4 to 4/6 for 27/28 and 28/291b. seed. GERALDINE STOCK SALE. There was an exceptionally large attendance of farmers at yesterday’s stock sale in Geraldine. Fats met with keen competition, but stores sold at disappointing rates. There was an en - quiry for good rape lambs, but none were penned. The range of prices was as follows: —

Fat ewes—l 3 at 4/11, 17 at 4/4, 26 at 4/-, 4 at 4/4, 15 at 6/-, 17 at 5/-, 2 at 11/8. 2 at 9/-, 16 at 3/9, 4 at 4/6, 6 at 5/-, 26 at 4/6, and 10 at 5/5.

Fat lambs.—ss at 11/2, 47 at 11/9, 100 at 11/1, 81 at 11/-, 71 at 11/9, 80 at 12/2, 53 at 10/11, 88 at 13/10, 20 at 13/1, 141 at 13/2, 15 at 10/6, 7 at 11/1, 6 at 11/7, 2 at 14 1 (top price), 25 at 10/9, 24 at 12/10, 9 at 13/7, 18 at 13/8, 39 al 11/11, 48 at 10/6, 56 at 13/2, 34 at 11/-, 28 at 12/7, 23 at 13/6, 49 at 11/11, 36 at 11/5, 29 at 10/8, 40 at 11/2, 43 at 13/4.

Store sheep.—3s two-tooth ewes at 16/1, 78 at 10/-; 65 cull ewes at 1/7, 79 at 2/6, 14 at 3/6, 21 at 2/3, 34 at 30/-; 328 four, six and eight-tooth ewes from 3/7 to 3/9; 87 ewe lambs at 3/-, 102 wether lambs at 1/-; 17 rams at 2/-; 73 six and eight-tooth ewes at 7/9, 65

s.m. ewes at 5/-, 83 full mouth ewes at 3 5, 33 culls at 1-; 82 ewe lambs ac 4/4; 142 wether lambs at 2/10, 24 m.s. lambs at 2/-, 85 wether lambs at 5/3. FAIRLIE SALE. The fortnightly sale was held at Fairlie on March 3rd, before an average attendance of farmers and dealers, and saw a penning of some 3200 sheep. Of this number some 200 were fats and 25C0 store lambs, the balance being store ewes and wethers. Bidding was slack, but very few lots were passed. The prices were as follows: — Fats (ewes).—2l at 5/6, 9 at 3/6, 7 at 3/9, 10 at 6/-; wethers, 6 at 12/-, 1 at 8/-, 18 at 9/1, 12 at 10/-, 20 at 9/4, 2o at 11/9, 5 at 7/-. 12 at 12/8; lambs, 2 at 13/9. 58 at 11/3, 1 at 17/-, 3 at 11/-. Stores (wethers), 18 at 9/9, 70 at 7/1, 28 at 7/6; ewes, 34 at 1/-, 16 at 1/-, 13 at 1/6. 30 at 3/2; lambs, mixed sex, 60 at 2/3. 22 at 5/3, 98 f.b. at 8/2, 148 at 2/-, 176 at 3/3, 195 at 7/11; ewes, 204 at 8/2, 30 at 6/2; wethers. 109 at 7/3, 100 at 4 1, 54 at 3 11. 100 at 4/7, 101 at 4/6, 200 at 5/6, 100 at 8/2, 104 at 8/-, 100 at 5/-, 100 at at 5/6. THE SHARE MARKET. By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND. March 4. Sales on ’Change.—Commercial Bank of Australia, 14/8; Bank of New Zealand, 48 2; South British Insurance, 52 9 (2); Goldsbrough Mort, 20/7; Kings Solomon, 1/9 (2). CHRISTCHURCH, March 4. Sales on ’Change.—New Zealand Government 55 per cent. Bonds 1933, £99 2s 6d: Bank New South Wales. £26 2s 6d; Dalgety and Co.. £6 15s; Goldsbrough Mort, 20/5 (2); N.Z. Refrigerating (10/- paid) 2/4 (2); N.Z. Breweries, 35/6; Tooths Brewery, 21/1; British Tobacco, 29 6. 29/7; Mt. Lyell, 20/9, 21/- (4), 20 11. 20/10, 20/9; King Solomon 1/7; Mahakipawa. 9d, Bid, 8d (3), 75d (2), Bd, Bld (2), 8d (2); Mahakipawa (pref.) Bid. Sales reported.—N.Z. Breweries 35/6: British Tobacco, 29/9. DUNEDIN. March 4. Sales on ’Change.Waihi Grand Junction, 2/6. Sales reported.—Wilson’s (N.Z.) I cement, 39/3; 45 per cent, inscribed stock, £93 7s 6d.