COMMERCIAL NEWS

Waikato Times, Volume 96, Issue 15100, 22 November 1922, Page 2

COMMERCIAL NEWS

HAMILTON MARKETS. —----- * SUPPLIES DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN. The shipping strike has seriously restricted supplies of all classes of produce and agricultural machinery from the South. Merchants and consumers have both been greatly inconvenienced by the trouble, particularly in regard to supplies of seeds and machinery that are required for spring sowing. However, a big quantity of Southern produce, etc., is now landing in Auckland ex the Wanaka and the Wingatui, and the tension has consequently been considerably decreased. It is to be hoped that regular ship-loads will arrive from the South in future, as any sudden stoppage reduces the markets to a somewhat chaotic condition.

Oats. —Slocks of grade oats are becoming very short. This shortage, however, should be soon considerably relieved by the arrival of the steamers referred to. A’s at present are selling at 5s 3d and B’s at ss.

Flour. —Local supplies arc sufficient to cope, with all requirements. Three is sufficient milling wheat to carry on till January at least. Fowl Wheat. —This grain, is in very short supply. During the strike small quantities have been received by rail from Wellington and Wanganui. Today’s quotations are 8s 6d per bushel. Prices are likely to remain* Arm fo? some time.

Maize.—The market has had a very firm tendency during the last few days, and the price has now been increased to 7s 6d per bushel. Chaff. —Good samples of Blenheim are in very short supply, truck lots at Auckland having been sold as high as £9 ex store. B.lenheim chaff, however, is still obtainable in Hamilton at £9 10s per ton. Bran and Pollard. —-These products are in very short supply at late rates, with, however, a rising tendency. Fruit and Vegetables.

The fruit market is very low, supplies corning to hand being of very meagre proportions. It is-not expected that much more business will be done until about the beginning of December, when stone fruit should commence to come in. The first apples of the new season will probably make their appearance about the middle of the month. ' Present indications are for a very busy fruit season. Gooseberries are already coming on to the open market, and the quality being exceptionally good, are finding a veryready jgftle at from 1-ls to 12s per case.

Tiie only-old fruit that was received was a line of fair sample Dougherties, which realised from 9s 6d to 12s, a few Sturmers, which fetched 9s Gd to 15s, according to grade, and a good line of Commerce which sol dreadily at ‘xom 12s to. 13s Gd.' A .line of P. Parry pears also came to hand, and sold at from 7s to 8s per half-case. Potatoes.—Old potatoes are now completely off the market. New potatoes, however, are now arriving in regular quantities and, being of excellent quality, are- selling from 11s 6d to 14s. The market is extremely sensitive and fluctuates from day to day. Other Vegetables.—Cabbages are a glut on the market, and are selling slowly at from 2s 6d to 4s 6d per sack. Green peas are scarce, and are priced at from Is 9d 2s 4d per ''peck. Onions are advancing in price, having increased from 22s Gd to 26s per case within the last few days.\ Poultry and Eggs.

Prices in the various poultry marts were about on a par with those ruling last week, sales effected being as follows: Roosters 2s 6d to 4s 3d, laying hens 3s to 5s 6d, young cockerels Is to 2s 6d, and very small White Leghorn cockerels 6d,

Eggs. —Supplies continue to come to hand very freely, and as long as the market continues to be flooded in the manner it is at present producers will have to be content with the low prices ruling, viz., wholesale Is 2d and retail Is 6d.

Dairy Produce.

Bacon.—The price of bacon remains firm,' and this side of Christmas no change need be anticipated. Mediumsized sides are quoted at 9£d to lOd per lb wholesale, while the retail prices for back rashers approximate Is 2d and Is 3d per lb, and for shoulders Is per lb.

Butter.—As was anticipated in this column, butter has fallen in price, and is now quoted as follows:' Superfine Anchor brand Is 6.fd per lb nett wholesale, and second-grade Is 5d per lb nett wholesale; retail, fs 9d and Is 7d per lb respectively. WAIKATO MARKETS. The Farmers’ Co-operative Auctioneering Co., Ltd,, report:— - Beef.—Supplies are fairly plentiful in all centres, with values steady. Prime ox beef from 20s to 22s per 1001 b; cow beef 17s to 19s per 1001 b.

Mutton.—The market for mutton has improved considerably, and keen competition is accorded to all lots submitted. Supplies., however, are below requirements. Store Cattle.—Store cattle in general have shown improvement, and in many centres considerable briskness has observed. A good demand still obtains for forward bullocks and cows. There is an enquiry from the bush districts for younger steers, and this should have a strengthening ' effect. Empty heifers are still maintaining popularity, especially Jerseys, which are fast approaching former standards of value.

Store Sheep.—There is a strong enquiry for store sheep of all classes, with but few offering. Ewes with lambs are very popular, and eagerly snapped up when submitted. Wethers also are the subject of strong enquiry, but few lines are available in ibis locality. Business js still being done in breeding ewes for forward delivery, and most of the low land graziers have secured themselves against'a threatened shortage.- Quite a number of ram sales arc reported, and indications point to a better season for breeders of this article.

Dairy cattle still continue to sell well, but the supply is limited. Pigs.—Good competition still exists for fat pigs, and values have somewhat hardened.

We quote as follows:—Bullocks, heavy prime £8 to £8 15s, medium £7 to £7 15s, light £6 to £G 15s; cows, heavy £5 15s to £7, medium £4 {to £5 ss, forward £2 7s 6d to £3 ss; steers, four-year forward £4 15s to £5 15s, three-year £3 5s to £4 ss'; cows, stores £1 ‘2s Gd to £2; steers, two-year best £2 10s to £3, medium £2 to £2 7s Gd; heifers, empty two-year Shorthorn £3 10s to £4 10s, empty two-year Jersey cross £4 10s to £5 10s,«empty twoyear Holstein £4 10s to fGfdairy heifers, best Shorthorn £8 to £lO 10s, best Jersey £lO to £l2; yearling heifers, Jersey £7 10s to £lO, best Shorthorn £3 to £3 15s, medium Shorthorn £2 to £2 15s; steers, best Shorthorn n 15s to £2 10s; wethers, prime v.-ouny heavy 31s to 34s Gd, medium 20s 7b 30s Gd, shorn heavy 28s to 31s, medium 26s to 27s Gd; ewes, woolly 2*B t 0225, shorn 22s 6d to 255; store

hoggets, best woolly Ills to £1 2s, medium woolly 10s to 17s Gd, best shorn iSs Gd to 111, medium shorn 10s Gd to 18s; pigs, baconors, heavy £2 15s to £3 10s, light £2 5s to £2 12s Gd; porkers, heavy £2 to £2 7s Gd, light 32s 6d to 27s- Gd; good slips £1 5s to £1 10s, Small slips 17s Gd to £1 3s, weaners 12s Gd horses, heavy draughts £35 to £i<>, medium draughts /30 to £35, lightdraughts £2O to £2B, harness horses £lO to £l7, hacks £G to £lO. V LONDON MARKETS. The Department of Agriculture has received the following cablegram, dated 18th Inst., from the High Commissioner for New -Zealand, London; Meat. —Fair trade. New* Zealand wether mutton not quoted, ewes unchanged. Lamb demand slow. Majority of Australian lambs arc poor quality ami somewhat diflicu-lt to sell. Beef meets better enquiry, chilled in shorter supply. N.Z mutton: Not quoted. Ewes; 6Jd to 7d. N.Z. lamb; Best quality lightweight, Is to Is 0 l-8d; heavy-weight, lO.ld; North Island ordinary, Jl+d; second-class quality 11 id. Australian lamb: Thirdclass' quality, .9 id; second-class quality, lOd; first-class quality, lid, though very best would command a little more.' N.Z. lamb: Second-class quality about id weaker on account of Australian competition. Chilled beef: Fores 4 id; hinds, G 5-Bd. N.Z. beef; Fores, 3 3-8d;-binds, 4 5-Bd. Butter. —Market quiet, but steady. New Zealand: Salted, 212 s to 214 s per cwt (Is 10|d to Is’lid per lb; unsalted, 222 s per cwt (Is Hid per lb). Australian: Salted, 204 sto 208 s per cwt (Is 9|d to Is 10jd per lb) ; unsaltcd, 208 s to 210 s per cwt (Is lOid to Is IOJd-per lb). Argentine: Unsalted, 194fe to 204 s per cwt (Is Bld* to Is 9Jd per lb). Canadian; 186 s to 19Gs per cwt (Is 8d to Is 9d per lb). Irish: Creamery unsaltcd, 200 s to 206 s per cwt (is 9Ad to is lOd per lb). Danish: 212 sto 214 s per cwt (Is lOfd to is lid per lb). Butter ex s.s. Athphic all cleared, ana Ivaikoura shipment now on the market. Cheese —Market steady, and holders firm. New Zealand supplies very small. English: Finest Farmers, 130 s to 135 s per cwt (Is 2d to Is 2Jd per lb); fine, 115 s to 126 s per cwt (Is Oid to Is lid per lb. Canadian: Finest coloured, 126 s to 128 s per cwt (Is lid to Is lid per lb; fine, .coloured, 124 s per cwt (Is lid per lb); white, 12Gs to 128 s per cwt (Is, lid to Is lid per lb); white exceptional, 131 s Gd per cwt (Is 2d .per lb). New Zealand: Coloured, 126 sto 128 s per cwt (Is ljd to Is lid per lb); White, 128 s to 130 s (is lid to l s 2d per lb). Australian: Coloured, 116 sto 124 s per cwt (Is 0i<;1 to Is lid per lb); quality white, 122 s io 124 s per cwt (is Id to ls lid per lb). Casein. —French rennet, £62 to £7O per ton. Hemp.—Manila market quiet, but steady. '“J” grade November-January shipments and December-Fcbruary shipments sold up to £3l per ton. “C : ’ grade quoted at £34 per ton; “H” grade, £33 per ton. New Zealand continues without interest. Fair grade offered down to £3O per ton November-January shipments, but no business reported. Wool.—Large attendance at Liverpool B.A.W.R.A. sales this week, dll sections and two days’ offerings being cleared first day. Merino prices were from 5 per cent to 10 per cent below last London rates, crossbreds 5 per cent better on \ average. Prospects for next London series appear favourable.