Commercial.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 4697, 13 August 1904, Page 1

Commercial.

Grain Report.

Mr F. Pownall, of the New Zealand and Canterbury Farmers’ Co-operative Associations, reports as follows, all quotations being f.0.b., truck or wharf, Wellington, sacks extra unless specified : Oats.—Australian orders for the Cape, requiring compulsory filling by “ Louise Roth ” at Bluff, has tended to firm market for best grades, crops further North being held covered waiting spring threshing. B grade Danish and S-bills rule at Is lid, Gartons, Roseberys, and Tartars 2s, Duns 28 Id, Canadians 2s 2d, Rejects Is lOd, seeds 2a 2d to 2s sd.

Wheat.— Horae reports continue bright, and with Australian freights on increase against a lowering of our own, New Zealand exports should show good returns. Farmers’ deliveries are being restricted with weather interference, limited parcels offering finding ready clearance. Prime velvet and Tuscan call for 3s 9d, Hunters 3s 6d, G.W.F. wheat scarce at 3s Id, seconds 2s 9d.

Potatoes.—Table keepers are still over held, Derwents at 45s s.i. having most enquiry.

Maize has small request at 2s 10d,

Barley.—With wheat working upwards feed is receiving more attention at 2s 7d, malting dull 3s 4d, pearl barley £l3 10s, b.i. Beans.—Horsebeans are neglected at 3s 6d, stocks on light side. Peas.—Partridge are scarcer at 4s, blue Prussians nominal, £3 10s, whites 4s 6d, split peas £l3 10s, b.i., pig meal £4 10s, s.i. Bran.—Restricted output, with heavy exports, has further hardened cost to £4 ss, s.i.

Pollard.—Sales are regular at £5 1 Os, s.i., with feeling for a rise. Oatmeal.—Langdowns and leading mills quote £lO ss, s.i. for 25’s, and £l2, s.i., for rolled oats, “sub-con.”

Chaff.—Market keeps active for bright cuts, oat sheafs realising 955, s.i., straw chaff 57s 6d, s.i.

Hay.—Stores are full, rye-clover meeting fair turnover at 80s, all clover 105 s, pressed straw 47s 6d. Grass Seed.—M.D. rye is offering at 4s 3d to ss, cocksfoot rough 3 jd, dressed sd, ton 5 jd, cowgrass 67s 6d, wl-clover 92s Gd.

Dairy Industry.

It will he of interest to our dairymen to learn that the new butter export season commenced in Australia on the 2nd inst. with a shipment of about 20 tons. A fortnight ago most of the Victorian factories were making arrangements to begin operations, while some had already started their machinery. The outlook in Australia is excellent, and the output for the season will be much larger than last year’s. The advent of fresh Australian butter on the London market next month will make a difference to the stored butter, or rather the one will militate against the other. The new butter will not be allowed to advance much in price, while if it rules low the stored butter will be neglected. Home dealers will be able to appreciate the position, and there is now very little doubt but that prices will be lower. So far as can be ascertained no contracts have been made in the colony, and this is very likely, for both sides must be carefully studying the position to avoid a false move. There is unfortunately no continuity or defined policy in the business methods of the factories. One season they prefer to sell to the dealers, in the next they consign and accept the risks. Many of them find it difficult to decide what to do; in the long run it is found that the factory following a fixed policy makes the best average in a series of years. However, should butter decline even a penny per lb, there should still bo ample margin of profit to those who carry on the industry on a scientific basis and are not burdened with fancy-priced land.

Hemp.

The hemp market is falling, but millers do not appear to realise this, for their quotations for spot hemp are above the parity of London values. Advices from America indicate that prices will decline further, and there are two reasons to uphold this view. First, the shrinkage in the American crop and the consequent smaller demand for binder twine has left the manufacturers of this class of cordage with a great quantity of unsold twine which must be carried over to the next season ; secondly, owing to the slackening demand and increased production the value of sisal is going down, and sisal is preferred to New Zealand hemp. The present London quotation for New Zealand hemp is £29 10s for spot and future deliveries, but millers are asking as high as £26 10s, but they ask in vain. Were quotations reduced by £2 per ton a certain amount of business is possible. The history of the hemp trade is one of constant fluctuation. During the past four or five years values have been fairly steady and highly remunerative, but almost similar conditions prevailed ten years ago, when New Zealand hemp soared as high as £42 per ton. When the collapse came it went down to £9, and the industry ceased to exist for a time. Although it is not anticipated • that any such disaster is now threatened, still it is obvious that the

market is tending downwards, and it is as well to face the position. The absence of any real trustworthy information as to the position in the terminal markets is the cause of much blundering at this end, and the Department of Industries and Commerce might bestir itself to supply it. What is wanted is a plain statement of the position—not one coloured to create a sense of false security. The flax industry is of very great importance to the colony, and every effort should be made to uphold it. Stock Market. At Johnsonville there was a full entry of bullocks, ranging from prime heavy to medium and light weights. Bidding for best bullocks was keen. Beef made up to 22s per 1001 b. Best bullocks £lO 10s, others £9 to £9 158, light sorts £7 12s 6d to £B. There was a good yarding of sheep, and with the exception of a few pens the quality was only medium. Best wethers made 25s 3d to 26s 9d, others 20s 3d to 238, ewes 17s lid to 18s sd, small maiden ewes 18s. Tallow and Hides. (United Press Association.) [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] LONDON, Aug. 10. Tallow.—At the auction 1615 casks were offered and 1066 sold. Mutton, fine 26s 6d, medium 24s 6d; beef, fine 268, medium 23s 9d. MELBOURNE, Thursday. Tallow.—The demand is brisk. Shippers are operating. Prime mutton £23 (nominal), mixed £l9 10s, medium £lB 10s. Hides.—Supplies are heavy. Rates are from Jd to Jd lower for medium. Kips unchanged. Stouts firm. Foodstuffs. (United Press Association.) [By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.] LONDON, Aug. 11 Eight thousand quarters of Australian wheat sold at 32s 6d, and 5500 New South Wales at 32s 9d, both August-September shipments. (Per Press Association) Wellington, Thursday. A further rise of 10s per ton in the price of flour is announced, making the price £9 15s ex store at Wellington. It is probable that the master bakers will consider the question of raising the price of bread. TheFlourmillers’ Association, which embraces all the Southern millers, is now described as stronger than ever before. Another rise of 10s a ton in flour is reported. For this, the advance in wheat is no doubt in part responsible. Napier Skin Sales. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Co-opera-tive Association, Limited, Dalgety and Co., Limited, Messrs Wenley and Lanauze, and Williams and Kettle, Limited, held their periodical sale of oddments, wool, skins, hides, and tallow on Thursday, when they offered 245 bales and 119 packages wool, 8845 skins, 381 hides, 16 cases and 151 packages tallow to a fair attendance of local buyers. Bidding for wool and skins was at times animated, and prices for skins were about on a par with last sales’ values. Hides and tallow, however, did not command the same competition. Prices obtained were :

Wool. Crutchings (extra) 6d, crutchings (good) 5d to sjd, crutchings 4d to 4 jd, rough fleece 5d to 6jd, lambs’ 4Jd to 6jd.

Skins.—Well-saved and woolled crossbred 6d to 6Jd, cross-bred medium 4jd to 5 Jd, merino up to 6 Jd, hoggets up to sd. Hides.—Ox (heavy) up to 4Jd, ox (medium) up to 4Jd, cow 3Jd to 4Jd.

Tallow.—Rendered in drums and tins from ljd to ljd. The next tale will be held on September Ist.