COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16156, 9 March 1918, Page 11

COMMERCIAL.

{By Cable.—Press Association.— Copyright.) MELBOURNE MAKKETS. MELBOURNE. March 8. Barky—Englit-h 4s lUd to os ;_d, Cape as ]cl to 3s 2d. Oats-Milling 3s 4d to 3s 3d. Iced .3s 2d to -Is M. Potatoes —i-o to i-3 l'-'s. Onions Lo 103 to £6. GEAJ.N' AND PRODUCE MARKETS. (BT OCR COMSrERCIAI. EDITOR.) Friday -livening. The February issue ot the monthly abstract, of statistics states that >!ie 'following estimated yields per acre of wheat and oats for the season 19*'" I •18 have been compiled front reports furnished by the Fields Inspectors of the DrparV"<?nt of Agntrultuie throughout the Dominion, and are now published for general information: — Wheat. Oats. Bi strict. Bushels Bushels per Acre, per Aero. Auckland ••• oi'fy ■£2& Bw :::p« | =|| f| Marlborough ... ££*■* ::: 8$ Southland »M» 4*BB Average ("estimated) for the Dominion, season 1917-18 , ... 21.30 30.26 Average (actual) for the Dominion, season . 1916-17 • ... 23.19 30.26 According to the above estimates, the total vie Id of wheat for the Dominion should be approximately 7.800,000 bushelsr~ars—agajnst an actual vield of 5.051,227 bushels in 191/. The vield of oats is much harder to estimate, as the proportions of the harvest respectively threshed and chaffed depend to a great extent on market conditions. In 1916-17, 31.44 per cent, of the oat crop was threshed, and it tho same percentage obtains this year the vield of grain should be approximately 5,368,000 bushels;• The oats 'threshed last' season yielded 1 'bushels. ... ~, Business has been exceedingly dull during the past tfeeeCdays, and offer- | ttcs of all classes of grains have been very small indeed. ■ Owing to tho relier afforded by the extra facilities for interisland shipping, some small amount of business has boon done in oats for the north, but generally speaking the market has boen very slack, and there is no quotable difference in prices to record, which are as .follows: — Milling wheat, according to Government price. South Island. JanuaryFebruary, and March 5s lOd, April os ,dOJd, May os lid, .Tune Ss llid. July '6s, August f.0.b., North Island lid additional ' Oats —Algerians, Duns, and Danish 3s 3d to 3s 6d, Gartons 3s 6d to 3s

• ;W. ' „ x Barley oa 6d to 5s 9d, extra prima to . 6s, medium 5s to os sd. .flour —£15 per ton: 1001b bngs £lo , HOs; 501b bags, £15 los; 251b bags, > £16. Bran—£3 10s per ton. Pollard—£6 15s per ton. <"!'- Oatmeal—2slb bags £23 per ton, ulb baRS, £26 per ton. • Oatsheaf Chaff—From £4 to £4 10s . ipcr ton, according to quality. - v ••Cocksfoot —IOJd to Is per lb. • < Ryegrass—23lb to 261b seed 3s 6d to •v4s, extra prime heavy seed to 4s Gd, lighter seed 2s 6d to 3s. . .^.Qnions —Main crop £3 los. j "'Potatoes—Early varieties £3 5s for • present or forward delivery. I x DAIRY PRODUCE. . [ Prices of*dairy produce remain steady '""i fct late rates. Values are as follows: — Vy' ; Butter—FaV-toryls 6d not, farmers' '.feeparator Is 2d, dairy Is. Cheese—Factory 10d, dairy 9d, loaf i Bacon —Sides Is 2d, rolls Is 3d. hams - i4s 3a. L ' '■ ,|j9ncy—Extracted 6d per lb. . Eggs—ls 8d per dozen.

FRUIT AXD VEGETABLES. ," Supplies of all local fruits and vegetables are good at' present, but fruit ■;from.-Central Otago has been in rather .•■short-, supply recently. Tie-; wholesale average prices during " the week were: —Apples, per case, djoice, 5s to 7s; cookers, 2s 9d to 4s; 'Frisco lemons, 360's 50s; nectarines, P®r lb. choice, 4Jd to 5-ld, medium. 3d . v ' to ( 4d j peaches, choice, 4Jd to ssd; medium, 3d to 4d; pears, case, 3s 6d to • 9 s 6d; plums, case, 3s to 4s 6d; blacknf'o 6 ®*' l >er 6d; grapes, black, per °ld: white, 8d to 9d; tomatoes, per choice 2Jd to 3Jd, medium, l jd io Zd;kidney beans, per lb, 2d; l>road, 2s beet per doz bundles, 8d to Is S®;,"cabbages, each. 6d to od; caulinowers, p 6r 4s to 7s 9d, smaller! >fy<J 4s; carrots, per doz. trundles, 6d °.v"! cucumbers, per box, Is to Is 6d ; ■ **' ei 7> per doz. bundles, 5s to 7d; t "£k? a pcas - P® r P<«k, Is 3d to Is 6d; i JWtuce, per doz., 6d to Is; marrows, per f /"i t0 s : . °nions k per cwt., 4s 6d ™. os < . 6d ; Parsnips, per doz. bundles. 8d; * v ' a ' oes i O PP r cwt., 4s to os; pnmpjeins, I 1° v 6s l ; radis hes, per doz. bundles, 6d; rhubarb, per doz. bundles, 'onions per doz. bundles, 6d ! turnips, per doz. bundles. 6d. LEESTOX STOCK SALE. There was a fair attendance at yesterday s stock sale at Leeston, and an • a V ml^ y ? g ° f Cattle P'gs, but sheep' than # m l '" yarding included 60 fat I P'gs 160 store pigs and 90 cattle, mostIt h • C T es ; She ?P were well main--1 stained, both m fats and stores, the #: enquiry ior store cattle was less keen 3 lnan ,at recent sales, and a considerable §| number were passed. Fat pigs were fflfe?- , 1111 j aud stores showed an advance MV, , ® the fact that farmers have fe P 1 of feed on hand, the pea harvest having begun. Seven-weeks'-old W st^, es reached as high as 37s 6d. II'> _ Tile sheep sales included the foliowiflr SS : „^ or E. G. Hubbard. 67 fat ewes ■gjj. 295 : 6 d, 37 Jialfhred ewes 24s 6d, 43 ■g* .crossbred eives 2os 4d, <30 fonr-tooth. 40s 6d j' W. 0. Ronntc, IDS s.m. Im^" 63 Mrs J. Henderson j 169

store lsmbs 23s 3d, 4S ewes (aged) 10s '9d, .31 cull lambs lis 6d: J. J. Mediation, 20 fat wethers 29s 3d: clients. 00 aged fat ewes • los Sd, 27 store wethers 22s Id. 153 four-tooth ewes 31s 6d. 32 four-tooth ewes 335; W. Holloy, 75 lambs 2;js lid, 28 lambs 20s 4d, 92 lambs 24s Id, 3 at 17s 6d: Mrs dV. Moorhead, 57 ewes 28s lOd; Homebrook iEstato, 648 fat wethers 37s 3d: G. H. Gilbert, 80 ewes 30s, 4-1 lambs 295. ll> lambs. 265: W. .Wast bourne, 200 lambs 225, 06 lambs at 20s; T. J. Gilbert, 10 fat ewes 27s 3d, 4 s.ra. ewes j23s Id. Bacon pigs made 77s to 105s, porkers <50s to l>ls <>d. large stores 44s to 625, small from 255. Fat, cows realised £3 2s 6d to £11, fat heifers £13 os (two sent in by Mr J. Boag. junr., making the latter price), calvos 1)2 ISs to £4 4s, bulls £0 2s 6d lo £7 15?. TI.MARU MAIiKETS. (srECIAL TO "TH* PRESS. TIMAHTT, March S. Wheat is not offering in any volume, and the ;ew lines that are coming to hand show signs of weather. Fowl wheat is in good demand at tfio full maximum price for wheat inferior to good milling. Cats are strong, and offering very sparingly. A grade Gartons are worth 4s to *4s 2d per bushel on trucks, at country stations, and feed oats from 3s lOd to 4s, whilst Duns range from 3s lOd to 4s 3d. according to quality. Oat-n sheaf chaff is in good demand, but offerings are light. The value is from £4 10s to £5, on trucks, at country stations, sacks found by buyers. The demand for potatoes has not yet commenced, and meantime several growers are digging and show a little anxiety tc' sell The value • may be quoted nominally at £4, on trucks, at country stations. . Ryegrass continues to be in good mand, but is not offering very freely. POTATO CROPS IN OTAGO. (SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") PUNEDIN, March 8. The position in regard to the potato crops is none too bright. From enquiries made by a "Star" reporter it would appear that there is a great possibility of the supply of potatoes this year being" considerably short of the' average, as information which is being obtained from day to day proves beyond all doubt that the ravages of the blight have affected the potato crops very materially. This is further borne out bv the fact that growers are now hastening on tie gathering of their crops, which is about a month earlier than the usnal time.

NEW COMPANY. The registration of tho following new company is announced in this week's "Mercantile Gazette": — Catholic Supplies, Ltd., private company, Wellington. Capital, £1500, in 1500 shares of £1 oach. Subscribers: Wellington, J. J. Burke, M. O'Kane, I>. Hopkins, and H. Flannery 300 shares each, G. M. Burke 90 shares, C. M. Flannery 60 shares; Ohristchurch, E. N. O'Gorman 150 shares. Objects: To acquire and take over the business of printer, etc., carried on at Wellington by M. O'Kane.

CHRISTCHURGH STOCK EXCHANGE. YESTERDAY'S TRANSACTIONS. Sales reported:—N.Z. Refrigerating (£1 sharo new issue), £2 Is. LATEST QUOTATIONS. Buyers. Sellers. £s. d. £a. d. BANKS— National »• J> 8 6 510 0 Union ~, 55 5 0 — BREWERIES— Manning 3 0 0 — COAL— Westport .. •• 110 3 110 9 Westport-Stockton (ex div.) . • —• 0 8 6 Westport-Stockton, pref. (ex div.) .. 010 9 011 3 FINANCIAL— N.Z. Loan and Mercantile .. .. 81 10 0 — N.Z. Loan and Mercentile (pref.) .. — 67 0 0 Wright. Stephenson and Co. .. .. 7 10 0 — INSURANCE— New Zealand .. 810 0 — Standard (ex div.) ~ — 2 0 9 MEATS— Canterbury .. .. 9 7 6 — N.Z. Refrigerating (£2 share, new issue) .. 2 0 0 2 0 6 WOOLLENS— Kaiapoi .. .. — 7 2 6 MISCELLANEOUS— Mason, Struthers (£1 paid) .. .. 12 0 — N.Z. Drug Co. (£2 pd.) 211 0 — Papuan Products .. — 0 3 3 YESTERDAY'S BUSINESS ON OTHER EXCHANGES. (press association telegrams.) DUNEDIN. Sales:—Mi. Lyell 30s 2d (three paroels); MiLburn Lime, 30s 6d; Portland Cement, 9a: Huddurt-Parker. 395, 39a M. P" Id. MINING 1

A NEW COAL MINE. In an editorial Wednesday's "Westport Xews" b»}"6 : — "It gives us much pleasure to learn that Mr P. F. ilun.ro, who is at present in Sydney, has been moving in the direction of securing the further development of the Taluable- coal deposits in this district, and that his efforts are meeting with success. Yesterday an application was lodged in the Warden's Court on behalf of Mr Munro, and a preliminary deposit of £300 paid in connexion with a coal lease of 2000 acres in tha well-known Blackburn district. Mr Sidney Fry has just oome from the ground and reports that the area marked out appears to be the pick of the generally acknowledged rich coal areas in that locality. We understand that a number of the moat prominent coal investors in Australia are taking the m&tter up. and that the personnel of the parly behind Mr Munro gives the utmost assurance tbut the capital necessary- to command success will be speedily available so soon a« necessary preliminaries are arranged. THE WAIHI MIXES. (PRESS ASSOCIATION telkgiuu.) AUCKLAND, March 7. The VYaihi Grand Junctiun Mine, for the 42 days ended February 23rd. trea.U<l 12,100 tons of ore for a Teturn oftTinllion valued at £20,101, a decrease of £6603 on the

corresponding period last year, when 15,250 tons yielded £27.708. The total yield to date is i'1.G61.C85, and tLe dividends amount to £240,000. The "Waihi Company for the period ended February "23rd treated 15,125 tons of ore for a return of bullion valued at £26,"07, compared with tons, yielding JE'21,137 for the corresponding period of laat year, nu increase of £2170. Tile- total va-luo of the zolcl won to date 13 i'l 1,880,115. and the dividends amount to £5,00:;,727.

110 IT XT WALLACE COAL MINKDevelopments arc likely to take pl«cr; at the Mount Wallace coal mine, near Stirling, in the near future (snys the ' vhitha i'reo Press.") ilr W. Stevenson, proprietor o! Stevenson's Pictures, has acquired a larg<» interest in the mine. ;)nd intends to push ahead development work, for which a lot of material is already on the ground. The roal has been thoroughly tested. and id seminnthractic in character, its steaming quality being; much superior to thut of tli<> other brown coal mined in the district, aticl although not =o quick in action as Kaitanga.ta. its qualities arc said to bo superior. Tiic coal :a present in practically inexhaustible quantity, and its nearness to tho railway will be a great factor in the Fuccessful devslopmcnt of the mine. It is understood that when the plans of the now proprietary mature fully a hundred men will be employed at the mine.