FERTILISER PRICES.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20374, 3 July 1934, Page 9

FERTILISER PRICES.

Revised Rates Increase Prices 3s 6d Per Ton. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, July 2 • Increased prices for superphosphate came into operation in Auckland to< dav. In announcing revised rates the North Island (N.Z.) Fertiliser Manufacturers’ Association issued the folio*/ ing memorandum: “The manufacturer# regret to announce that negotiation# with the Goverment with regard to the renewal of subsidy’ have been unsutcessful. In these circumstances an vance in price is unavoidable. The subrid v paid by the Government until June 30 was at the rate of 5s a ton, but as the cost of raw materials has fallen, representing a reduction in price cf ruperphosphate of Is 6d a ton, the manufacturers have decided that the price for superphosphate will be vanced only by 3s 6d a ton.” MINISTER THREATENS MANUFACTURERS. WELLINGTON. July 2. Interviewed to-day regarding fertiliser subsidies, the Minister of Agriculture said the position as stated in a Press Association message from Auckland ‘was correct, except the last sentence. Cabinet’s decision, conveyed by telegram to each manufacturer on June 30. was as follows: —“I am directed to advise you that Cabinet’s decision regarding fertiliser subsidy is that it oe 2s 6d per ton, conditional on selling price not exceeding £4 per ton. this to date from July 1.” . “ Cabinet does not agree with the manufacturers that it is impossible tot them to carry any additional burden,' said Mr Macmillan. “As a result of very careful investigation of the manufacturers’ costs the following conclusions. were arrived at: — “ There are four manufacturing companies, two owning one works each, one owning two and one owning four works. The total capital invested in all the works is £1,208,919. On sales equivalent to last season's, with 2s 6d per t >n subsidy’ and price and conditions the same, after allowing 6d 6d per ton commission on all sales in the North Island and 9s on all sales in the South Island, and adequate depreciation, the net profit available for distribution is £98,195, equal to 8k per cent dividend upen all the capital invested in fertiliser works. This should be considered sufficient profit. Owiqg to the various works not having the same proportion of sales to invested capital, of course the dividends each company can pay’ are different. “ In view of this, if the fertiliser companies charge £4 3s 6d without subsidy steps will have to be taken under the Board of Trade Act to compel the price to be reduced to £4 per ton, with 2s 6d per ton subsidy’.”

WOOL SALES. Timaru Allocation Fixed at 33,393 Bales. {Special to the “ Star.'*) TIMARU. July 2. The allocation of two wool sales to ' J Timaru on next season’s roster is defended by Mr A Anderson, president of the South Canterbury Woolbrokers* "j Association, in a statement. Mr Anderson said that the roster for the whole of the New Zealand wool sales was compiled by a committee comprising equal representation of buyers J and brokers wbb endeavoured to give each selling centre due consideration. Each season, nevertheless, there were some centres which were dissatisfied , and had they the privilege of choosing their own sale dates, would arrange them on dates perhaps more suitable / to the requirements of their particular district. “The Timaru Association has done its utmost to retain the dates allocated in previous seasons’ rosters, and it must not be assumed that it would not prefer dates other than those ar* j ranged for this season,’’ ssid Mr Andersen. In view of the comparatively small offering at this centre, however, it was very questionable whether the association would-be entitled to dictate the position. The Timaru brokers, said Mr Anderson, were naturally anxious to maintain a convenient roster suitable to the woolgrowers of this district and although only two sales had been allocated this year, figures could be quoted which would probably justify this action. Last season a total of about 631.000 bales was offered in the Dominion, Timaru’s share being about 33,000 bales. The actual offerings £t the various centres were as under, the total offerings being shown in the first column, the number of sales held in the second, and the average offering at each sale in the third:— ‘ -lin

“It will readily be seen that the average offering at the Timaru sales was altogether disx>roportionate to that offered in ether centres, and with the f allocation of only two sales to Timaru this year it cannot be stated that we have received other than fair treatment in the allocation of sales,” said 4 Mr Anderson. 4 DOMINION FIXTURES FOR NEXT SEASON. The series of wool sales, as arranged by the New Zealand Woolbrokers* Association, comprises twenty-seven fixtures, but the final sales in Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington, iti April, are tentative only’. They will be held if reasonable quantities of wool are available. The April sale at Napier has been eliminated. 1 The dates of the sales at the various centres are as follows: Christchurch—December 13, January 28, March 1, April 5. Dunedin—December 21, February 6, March 9, April 8. Invercargill—February 1, March 4. Timaru—December 17, March 13. Wellington—December 8, January 7, February 13, March 20, April 13. Napier—Decemlier 3, January 12, February 18, March 25. Wanganui -January 17. February 22, April 1. Auckland—November 27, January 22, March 29. As arranged, the selling season will open at. Auckland on November 27 and close with the sale at Wellington oil iji April 13.

Wellington .. 127 OGO 5 25.412 Dunedin .... 4 25.651 Napier . , 4 ... Christchurch . . 9S.10& .. SO .094 4 19.775 20,023 Wanganui .. 77,848 3 v 25.587 Auckland ... 3 21.078 Invercargill .. 48.902 2 24.451 Timaru .. 33,392 3 11,131