COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18364, 23 April 1925, Page 10

COMMERCIAL.

OAT CROPS. THE STATISTICIAN'S FIGURES. The Government statistics published in yesterday's "Press," givings,ooo,ooo bushels of oats a-vailable, will come as a surprise to many, but those who have given the matter close attention consider that even these figures are very conservative, and that over 0.000,000 bushels will be really available. It is pointed out that Mr Bollard has based his estimate on the average proportion of threshed area to the proportion of chaffed area, evidently taking last year into his average, but careful examination shows that last year only 15.30 per cent, of the area harvested was threshed, this being because of the shortage of chaff and the quantity of oats imported from Canada and Australia, whereas the average of the three previous years gave 31.64 per cent, of the area threshed, these years being more or less normal vears, and if this year the same proportion of the area is threshed, the area being 480,000 aeres, and the yield be the same as the March threshings have indicated, namely 40 bushels, then instead of 5,000,000 bushels of oats being available there will be over fi,000,000 bushels, against last year's total threshing of 1,964,511 bushels.-

RECORD WOOL SEASON. HAWKE'S BAY FIGURES. (r-BESS ASSOCIATION TILIGKAM.) NAPIER, April 22. Striking figures concerning the quantity and value of wool sold at the Napier sales in the 1924-25 season have been made available. These show that at the five Napier sales 97,995 balea were offered, and 88,695 sold, the value realised being £2,790,577. The average price per bale ranged from £36 2s 8d a* the November sale, to £23 13s 83 d in March. In the previous . season _ 4545 more bales, (the total being 93,240) realised £2,021,257, the average per bale improving from £lB 18s Ojd in December to £23 9s 10id in March. In the 1922-23 season 79,411 bales brought £1,214,123. The average per bale at. the November sale in the last-mention-ed season was £l3 9s 6d, and this increased to £l7 4s 7d in January. From then to the end of the season prices declined until in May the average per bale was £l3 9s sd. The pasV season has, of course, been easily a record for Hawke's Bay.

AUSTRALIAN MEAT.

PLEA FOR • CONSIDERATION.

(S* CASUS—PRESS ASSOCIATION— COPYRIGHT.) (austealian AKD K.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

LONDON, April 21

••.Mr J.. B. Cramsie. giving, evidence before the Imperial Economic. Committee,- mado a strong appeal that consideration.., should ■ be given to the Dominions' meat against foreign meat. He[ pointed out that the industry in Australia •' was tarried on by white labour working forty-eight hours a syeek for a basic wage. On the.other hand, cheap labour and longer hours enabled foreigners to reduce treatment ciosts by 50 per cent, below- the Australian cost.

Beferring to statements, that Australia would not always, be in a position to tender for canned goods, he explained that if it could bo understood that tenders would bo restricted to the Dominions, or that reasonable assistance would be . given, the industry would increase to such an to enable Australia to cater for 'all contracts, which was impossible at. present without a. measure of protection against foreign countries, who were prepared to tender impossible prices in ..prd&r to secure contracts and prevent future opposition. If assured of a , reasonable market for exportable surpluses;, there ; was no reason why Australia;- should not increase her export fourfold by a proper scheme of fodder conservation and an improved scheme of fattening . during drought times. Losses could largely be eliminated by artificial-: fattening which was. carried out in the. United States and Argentine. He conld see no reason .why with an assured 11 -market Australia would be unable to fatten equally as well.

AUCKLAND SAVINGS BANK.

' ' (PBXB3 ASSOCIATION TILBQILAH.) AUCKLAND,. April 21. Mr A. S. Bankarfc, president of the Auckland Savings Bank.Trustees, stated at the meeting to-day that the

amount for carrying forward, as a: result of the surplus for - the %ear, of . £60,548, and the £5949 brought for- .'"" ward last year, was £66,497. The directors had decided to. give a further sum of; £121500 to the War , Memorial Museum Building Fund, also to vote £IOOO to the Auckland Sailors' Home. ■ / . ■

TRADE TREATY NEGOTIATIONS.

(AV37BALUH AKD H.Z. CABLZ ASSOCIATION.)

,- (Keceived April 22nd, 7.55 p.m.)

OTTAWA, April 21

Mr Stevons, member of the House of Commons for Vancouver, to-day urged that some definite statement on tho Aus-tralian-Canadian treaty should bo made, ..'. stating that trade between the two countries was being affected by the uncertainty prevailing. The .Premier, Mr Mackenzie King, replied that it was hard to say definitely ~ when tho negotiations would be con--1 eluded. They were still continuing con- ,; cerning certain changes. The Canadian newspapers printed a dispatch quoting Mr Bruce as saying that he knew of no reason why Canada '. did not conclude the agreement. Mr ■ King, commenting thereon, said he could not. understand how Mr Bruce could ; have made such a statement, as he must ;'.. know that cables were passing daily be- : twflen the two Governments with regard to the changes mentioned.

■-•"." SYDNEY WOOL SALES. (bt.. cable—pbess association—copthight.) (austkaliah and if.z.. cable association.) (Received April 22nd, 9.50 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 22. At the wool sales finest wools were in keen request at late rates. Other merinos eokl freely, but prices showed irregularity compared with the opening rates. Broadliairfcd wools were neglected. Gresay merino sold up to 'SiTJd per lb.