COMMERCIAL NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15980, 7 May 1924, Page 2

COMMERCIAL NEWS.

HAMILTON MARKETS.

GRAIN, PRODUCE, ETC

Trade in general has hardly recovered from the depression caused by the strike, and fresh stocks arc just coming to hand. A feature of the produce market is the large quantity of imported lines being handled at the present time; oats from Canada, maize from South Africa and bran, pollard and potatoes from Australia. Large quantities, of manures which were held up by the strike are now being delivered in rotation of orders. There is little change in prices from those of last week. A cargo of basic slag and kainit is arriving by the King Howell about 17th inst., and deliveries will be welcomed by farmers, many orders being overdue owing to the dockers' strike at Home. Poultry, Eggs and Butter. Poultry was in small supply ana the demand for what was offering was fairly brisk. Ducks and drakes made 2s 6d apiece, 8.0. roosters 3s, and hens 2s. * Prices for poultry should rise towards the end of the month when the Winter Show and Jubilee week requirements will have to be met. There is no change in quotations for butter and eggs. Butter (Anchor) is retailed at is 7d and Daffodil Is sd. The retail price for eggs is 3s 4d, wholesale 2s lOd. Fruit and Vegetables. Fruit at present Is in fair supply but prices remain high. The shortage anticipated at the commencement of the season is now becoming apparent and prices are advancing accordingly. Apples: dessert, Sturmcrs 10s to 135,; Delicious 9s to 13s, Jonathans 8s to; 10s; cookers, Rome Beauties 9s to lis, Ballarats 9s to 12s, Wolselcys 8s 6d to Us; oranges 15s 6d to 20s; lemons 20s to 255; pears, Berre Dells 8s to 10s, Winter Nelis lis to 15s, cookers 6s to 9s. Vegetables are selling freely at late rates. HAMILTON STOCK SALE. The Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Co., Ltd., report: At Hamilton sale on Tuesday, May 6, there was a full yarding of cattle and pigs, a very few sheep being penned. Beef was easier than the previous market. Forward four and 5 year steers met with good competition. There was an exceptionally large yarding of fat and ■ store pigs, and all classes met with good demand from beginning to end. Beef, best fat cows £5 10s to £5 12s 6d, medium £4 10s to £4 15s, light £3 10s to £4 ss; good-framed freshconditioned cows £2 10s to £3; store cows 30s to £2. culls £1 to 255; 4 and 5 year forward bullocks £6 5s to £6 j 455, fleshy 2± to 3 year steers £4 10s J to £4 15s, others £2 15a to £3 15s; medium quality 2-year-old Shorthorn heifers (in calf) £3, Jersey cross calves 355, small to medium £1 to 255. Jersey heifers (in calf) made up to £8 10s. Sheep.—Forward-conditioned ewes 23s 9d, small fat woolly lambs to 245, store ewes 17s 7d. Pigs.— Heavy baconers, £4 Is to £4 9s, medium £3 5s to £3 15s, good porkers to light baconers £2 15s to £3 2s 6d, medium porkers £2 7s 6d to £2 12s, light and unfinished £2 to £2 ss, stores 30s to 355, slips 15s to 355, weancrs 8s 6d to 16s 6d, sows in pig £4 to £4 7s 6d. The N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., report: At Hamilton sale yesterday there was an extra heavy yarding of cattle, all classes being well represented. The demand for beef was slack and prices declined considerably. There was fair enquiry for steers of all ages, also fresh cows; calves were of little value. One of the largest entries of pigs here came forward and sold well Shetp were ir. moderate supply. We auote: Fat steers £9 to £9 10s, fat cows £4 5s to £5 :10s, forward cows £2 19s to £3 10s. store cows £1 16s to £1 ISs, speyed cows £1 12s 6d to £2 9s, veal calves £2 to £2 7s, 4 and 5-year-old bullocks £6 15s, old steers £4 15s to £5 Bs, 2\ to 3-year-old steers £3 9s to £4 7s 6d, IS months steers £2 18s to £3, steer calves £1 4s to £1 lis. Shorthorn heifers in calf £3 15s to £4, dairy cows £2 15s to £7 ss, rough fat ewes 19s 9d. Pigs—Baconers £3 18s to £4 10s. fat porkers £2 15s to £3 10s, light porkers £2 0s 6d to £2 12s, store porkers £1 lis to £1 18s, slips £1 3s to £1 17s 6d, weaners 12s to £l.

Messrs. Dalgety and Co., Ltd., report having held their usual weekly Frankton stock sale on Tuesday, May 6, as under: There was a very small yarding of s'aeep, consisting of light ewes and unfinished wethers, which sold at late rates. Cattle were yarded in large numbers, practically every pen being filled. Beef was forward in good numbers for which the demand was weaker than late previous sales, but the majority changed hands at late rates. Fair weight bullocks fetched up to £9 ss, light steers £5 2s 6d to £6 15s, fat cows £5 to £6 15s, light weight heifers £4 ss. Forward conditioned 4-year-old bullocks made up lo £6 lis; 2-year Shorthorn steers at £3 12s; store cows at 20s to 50s. Calves were plentiful, and sold cheaply at late rates. Dairy heifers and aged cows £3 5s to £3 10s. There was a record yarding of pigs, and a good sale resulted. Prime fat pigs sold at up 'to £4 13s for good baconers, porkers £2 15s to £3 9s, stores sold well at late rates. ADDINGTON MARKET. HEAVY ENTRIES. A GOOD SALE. Acting apparently on the assumption that the railway hold-up would mean small supplies and consequently good markets, vendors increased their drafts of fat stock. It is probably many years since there was such a quantity of stock on the road bound for Addington as during the past week. The result was an array much in excess of the ordinary standard, both in fat sheep and fat cattle. The fat stock markets were irregular, but the demand was sound, for all prime tock. Fat lambs met with a spirited

sale at enhanced values. In spite of the wet day, there was a good attendance of the public. Store Sheep.—There was a fair sized entry of store sheep. With the exception of a few pens of wethers, most of the sheep were of very ordinary quality. A large number of old ewes were offered with a fair sprinkling of moderately good lambs. When the sale started heavy rain was falling and the attendance of buyers was very small. The demand accordingly was dull and lifeless. However, after about a dozen pens had been offered the attendance increased and the market went with a swing. Forward lambs particularly were in demand and serviceable ewes made good values. Wethers were much in same as at recent sales. Except in the early stages of the sale passings were very few. Values: Lambs forward 22s lo 25s 6d, halfbred wether 19s 5d to 20s 9d, small halfbred wethers 16s; ewes cull two-toothed crossbred 275, failing-mouthed 23s to 255, aged 8s 9d to 18s, four and five years old . Corriedale 27s 6d, sound and failing-mouthed three-quarter-bred 27s 3d; wethers good four, six and eight-toothed halfbred 30s to 30s 9d, four and six-toothed crossbred 28s Id, inferior four, six and cight-toothed 27s lOd, two toothed halfbred 25s 3d. Fat Lambs. —A yarding of 3240. Quality was very indifferent, the bulk of the entry being on the light side. The sale was a very spirited one, the companies' representatives and exporters operating at an advance on recent rates. Prime under 42's scld at a full per lb, overweights 93d, and light-weights 94 to 9|d. Values: extra prime to 38s 6d, prime 3is to 345, medium 28s to 30s 6d, light 24s to 275. Fat Sheep.—Heavier entries were forward than were expected. The quality was very mixed, and apart from a half race or more of particularly outstanding wethers the class was about the poorest entered for some months. There was a heavier proportion of wethers than usual. The market was most irregular. The wether entries, with odd exceptions, were a poor lot. Values: wethers extra prime to 51s, an exceptional draft from 55s 3d to 60s, prime 38s to 42s 6d, medium 34s to 37s 6d, light 30s to 33s 6d; ewes extra prime to 375, prime 32s to 355, medium 28s 6d to 31s 6d, light 24s to 28s, old 19s to 225. Fat Cattle. —As far as fat cattle were concerned, all roads this week led to Addington. Cattle were travelled from widely separated points, the entry being the largest for some months. It comprised 545 head, compared with 345 last week. Quality was decidedly good throughout the general entry. The large entry was well cleared, Prime beef sold at from 31s to 34s per 1001 b, medium 27s 6d to 30s 6d, light 25s to 275, and rough cow beef down to 15s. Values: steers extra prime to £l6 15s, prime £ll 10s to £l4 10s, medium £9 to £ll ss, inferior £6 to £8 10s; heifers extra prime to £ll ss, prime" £7 5s to £9 10s, medium £4 10s to £7; cows extra prime to £ll 12s 6d, prime £6 10s to £9, medium £4 to £6 ss,*old £2 15s to £3 15s. Vealcrs.—There was a fair-sized entry of vealcrs, and the quality was better than usual. The demand was good, and as butchers were short of supplies of veal, it was maintained until the end . Values: runners to' £5; vealers £3 16s to £4; calves good £2 to £3 ss, small 10s to £1 7s 6d. Store Cattle. —The store entry was relieved from a collection of odds and ends by the inclusion of a draft of 80 odd steers, heifers, and cows from the Langridge Estate (Marlborough), nineteen three-year to 3J-year steers sold at up to £7, 20 two-year heifers to £3 lis, 19 at £3 5s to £3 7s, and 23 cows at 355. Dairy Cattle. —There was a very large entry of dairy cattle. Few good cows were offered, and very few heifers. The yarding consisted mainly of nondescript cows in poor condition. Except for the good stuff, bidding was very dull, and sales were difficult to make. Values: second and third calvers, springing, to £l2; springing heifers, £5 to £9 10«; backward springers and cows in milk, £4 5s to £5. Pigs.—A medium entry of fat pigs met with a fair demand, but prices were somewhat easier. Values: choppers £2 10s to £5 7s, baconers light £3 15s to £4 ss, heavy £4 10s to £5, extra heavy to £5 2s 6d, average per lb 6d to 6Jd; porkers light £2 2s to £2 10s, heavy £2 15s to £3 Bs, average per lb 7Ad to BJd. A medium entry of store pigs were forward. No large stores were offered. Values:. weaners 8s to 12s, extra good to 17s; stores small 18s to 21s, medium 37s lo 425. LONDON MARKETS. The Department of Agriculture has received the following cablegram, dated 3rd inst., from the High Commissioner for New Zealand, London: — Butter.—New Zealand market quiet at the advance. The rise in Danish is principally due to Germany buying. Official quotations arc:—New Zealand, salted, finest 170 s to 174 s per cwl (Is 6£d to Is GAcl per lb); unsalted, 176 s to 182 s per cwt (Is 6:Jd to Is 7£d per lb) ; other qualities, 140 s to 158 s per cwt (Is 3d to Is Od per lb). Australian, salted, finest 100 s to 162 s per cwt (Is per lb); unsalted, 164 s to 166 s per cwt (Is s*d to Is s§d per lb) ; other qualities, salted and unsalted 130 s to 15'6s per cwt (Is 2d to Is 4|d per lb). Argentine, finest 148 s to 156 s per cwt (Is 4d to Is 4Jd per lb); other qualities 126s' to 146 s per cwt (Is lAd to Is 3Jd per lb). Danish, market slow; 202 s per cwt (Is 9Jd per lb). Cheese. —Market quiet at last quotations after the rise to about 90s per cwt early this week. Official quotations are:—English, finest farmers', market steady; 140 s to 145 s per cwt (Is 3d to :1s 3id per lb). New Zealand, market quiet; ,coloured and white 80s to 88s per cwt (9£d to 9id per lb). Shipments of New Zealand produce arrived this week per s.s. Port Sydney, Suffolk, and Matakana. Estimated cheese stocks available on May 1 at wharves and docks London, Liverpool and Bristol were: —• Canadian and American, 5050 boxes; New Zealand and Australian, 131,200 crates; against 14,100 boxes and 31,200 crates respectively for same time last year. Hemp.—Manila market closed dull with sellers J grade May-July shipments asking £37 10s. New Zealand market continues quiet, and no business reported. May-July shipments quoted at highpoints £36 15s, fair £34 10s. Wool- —Bradford market less active, but values generally maintained. Prices for tops are:—64's (merino) 5s lid, 56's (super-halfbrcd) 4s, 40's prepared (coarse crossbred) 2s 3Jd. Honey.—Market quiet, but steady. Present quotations are: New Zealand, white 77s 6d to 85s per cwt, light amber 65s to 75s per cwt; Canadian, 55s to 72s 6d per cwt; Californian, 64s to 70s per cwt; Jamaican, 40s to 60s per cwt; Cuban, 35s to 50s per cwt; Chilian, 40s to 60s per cwt.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., Hamilton, have received the following cablegram from their London house, under date 2nd inst.: — New Zealand frozen meat. —Larrib, 10 7-8 d per lb (average); mutton, quotations unchanged. Wether and maiden ewe. light 6 7-8 d per lb, heavy 6 3-8 d per lb; ewe, light 5 3-8 d per lb, heavy 4 7-Sd per lb. Butter: Choicest salted 170 s to 172 s per cwt; market slow. Cheese, 84s to 88s per cwt; quiet. FESLDING SALE. Messrs Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report on Feilding sale held on Friday, May ?: —A good yard.ns of siicep and ••' moderate entry of erotic came forward. Sheep sold w.-.1l at late market rates, 'i'hcee was a good demand for fat cattle and fresh empty cows. There were several pens of steers yarded but no enquiry. We quote:— Sheep.—Fat wethers 32s 3d to 3Cs sd; fat ewes 22s 8d to 235; fat lambs 21s to 24s 9d; store wethers 22s 6d to 31s: wether lambs 15s 8d to 23s Id; ewe lambs 17s Id to 18s sd; ewes in lamb 17s Id to ISs sd; ewes in lamb to R. rams 22s 6d. Cattle: Weaner heifers 12s 6d to £2 ss; fat cows £2 7s to £5 J.'is 6d; fat heifers £4 17s Gd to £r> J2s Gd; fat bullocks to £7 lis; vcalcrs to £1 12s; forward cows £1 13s to £2 10s; store cows 10s tolas; P.A. weaner steers to £2 7s; cows and calves £2 8s; heifers r.w.b. £1 10s to £2 15s; ■ cows in milk £1 15s to £1 17s Gd; springing cows £2 2s Gd to £5.