FARMING & COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 149, 19 March 1921, Page 10

FARMING & COMMERCIAL

NEWS AND NOTES

AUCTION SALES FORTHCOMING FIXTURES. TO-DAY. • 1 Taplri Street. Hataitai, 1.30 p.m.—Sale of furniture and property (Hodgkins, Carver). Courtenay 'Place. Wellington, 10.30 a.m.— Sale of Boots (Price and Co.). MONDAY. 141 Manners Street, Wellington. 2 p.m.— Furniture sale (Wheatley and Co.). TUESDAY. Levin. Yards, 12 noon.—Stock sale. 141 Manners Street, Wellington. 2 o.m.— Sale of crockery (Wheatley and Co.). MARKETING OF WOOL GRADUAL DISPOSAL OF STOCKS. Melbourne, March 18. The chairman of the Central Wool Committee, Sir John M. Higgins, makes an appeal to woolgrowers and brokers, predicting anxious times for the ensuing two or three years. The British Australian Wool (Realisation. Association would be. confronted during the period with more wool than the trade was capable of buying or absorbing. The closest attention was necessary to the simultaneous marketing of the old and new clips in order to ensure proportionate sales of the respective interests i nd to secure reasonable prices for the merino wools and at the same time minimising losses on crossbred.

Approximately half a million bales have been offered at the Australian auctions since October, and 55 per cent, has been sold. There are 800,000 bales of the 1920-21 clip awaiting sale in the Australian warehouses.

Tlie position was one of gravity. Sir John Higgins said. The directors, whilst advocating a temporary stabilising of the industry by allocating quantities of wool for auction, and by fixation of reserves and net’ prices, did not recommend any scheme of price fixing.—Press Assn. CATTLE TICK MENACE PENDING REGULATIONS. It is understood that a conference was held at Auckland last week by Die Director of the Live Stock Division of the Agricultural Department, Colonel Young, and other officers engaged in the work of coping with the cattle tick menace. The whole situation was thoroughly gone into from every point of view, and it is understood that certain recommendations were drawn up to be forwarded to the Director-General of Agriculture. Meantime stock-owners. who have the misfortune to have this parasitic pest upon their farms would be well advised to hurry on their preparations, in view of an early announcement that compulsory treatment will most likely com© into force within a very short time. LICE IN SHEEP ACTIVE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE PARASITE. For some years past the Live Stock Division of -he Agricultural Department has been under the impression, that lice in sheep in New Zealand was increasing at an alarming rate. Speaking in this connection to a Dominion reporter, yesterday, Colonel Young, Director of Live Stock, said that at the keginning of this season instructions were, therefore, given to all the inspectors in the division to pursue an active campaign against the parasite, with a view io bringing about a substantial decrease in the pest, if not eradicating it altogether. The number of applications now coming forward for approval of prosecutions went to show, commented Colonel Young, that the early opinion relative to the spread of the pest was more than justified, as .in. many parts of the Dominion the number of lousy sheep exposed for sale was naturally disquietening. Owners of sheep would, he added, be therefore well advised to carefully examine their flock, not only before exposing them for sale, but also ’ipon their farms, as the Department was determined to take energetic steps to bring about a better position of affairs. PRICE OF POTATOES FIXED BY GROWERS’ ASSOCIATION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, March 18. The executive of the Central Council of the South Island Potato Growers’ Association has authorised as the minimum price for April sales during the next week 115 s. per ton, f.0.b., S.I. This, it is considered, will give growers the reasonable price of 105 s. per ton 'on trucks, and should provide the consuming public in the north with potatoes during April at approximately 140 s. per ton. The Central Council considers that owing to the drought and the poorness of the crop the price authorised is the lowest possible to provide growers with a fair return. RAM FAIR AT CHRISTCHURCH BUYERS IN CRITICAL MOOD. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, March 18.

The annual ram fair opened to-day, when flock rams were offered. No J.incolns and very few Romneys found buyers. English Leicesters sold sluggishly, but Down 'breeds went off well. Corriedales were in good demand. Haltbreds met a weak demand. Breeders sought stock for lamb producing and breeds with good grade fine wool. The range ot values was: —Itomneys, ljgns. to Bgns.; Border Leicesters, llgns. to 71gns.; English Leicesters, llgns. to 6gns.; Southdowns, 4Jgn S . to lOgns; Shropshires 21gns. to lOgns.; Corriedales, llgns. io 30gns.; halfbreds, llgns. to 6gns.; Suffolks, 7gns. to lOgns.

CANTERBURY GRAIN AND PRODUCE MARKETS

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Christchurch, March 18.

Millers have steadied down m their wheat purchases, and apparently are not going to stock up again for some time to come. Most'of them have already a month’s or six weeks’ supply on hand and as there is plenty of wheat in sight for ten or eleven months, at the fixed price, they are not likely to ’my except on a hand-to-mouth basis. The oat maiket is, if anything, weaker than was the ease during the past few weeks, due to Southland farmers accepting low puces for new season’s oats. Generally speaking Southland oats aro better m colour and heavier than those locally grown. Most of the oats offered here are unite grade and the quality is poor. Ihe ou side value of chaff is now given at about £3. .and some of it is £2 10s Y hite clover is quoted at from 10d. to 1-. - The demand for linseed in f l>e Dominion is small, and there is no export trade i view at present. A few sales have been effected at £lO per ton ing offered at lower rates in S°uthl a nd, consequently prices hero are affected.

LIVE STOCK SALES Messrs. Dalgety and Company, Limited, report having offered a fair entry of sheep at the Levin yards on luesday There was u good demand for fats, but storo sheep were very slow of sale. Quotations: Fat wethers and ewes, 145.; fit m.B. 2-tooths, 13a.; fat ewes. to Ils. 3d; forward ewes, 7s. 6d.; fat lambs, 15s. to 16s 5d.; small 2-tooth wethers. Ba. 5d to 9b. At Waffcanae. on Wedneday. mixed age ewes made from ss. to 8« 9d.; on" i lambs. 3s. Bd. to 4s. 6d. At Upper Hutt on Thursday.' a clearance win effected alruling rates: 2-tooth wethers Bs. 6d. to 9s. 7d.; mixed age ewes 4s. ss. 6a. to

7s. 3d.; fair lambs 6s. 6d. to 6s. Id.; small lambs 2s. 6d. to 4s. 6d.; fat bullocks £7 ss. to £8 10s. The New Zealand Doan and Mercantile Agency 00., Ltd., report on their Eketahuna weekly sale held on Thursday:— We submitted a good yarding of sheep to a small attendance of buyers. Vendors were willing to accept market values. We quote: 2-tooth ewes, Bs.; 4-year ewes, 65.; b.f. lambs, 4s. 6d.; w.f. owe lambs. 2b. Id. to 4s. Id.; w.f. wether lambs, 45.; Southdown rams, £2 2s. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., report on their Pongaroa sale held on Thursday. We had a fairy entry of sheep and small’ entry of cattle. There was a fair attendance of farmers and buyers, but prices were again very low. We quote: 2-tooth wetherg (small), 7s. 3d.; 2-tooth owes (small), ss. 6d. to 6s. Id.; fair lambs, 55.; 3»year steers, £3 Us.

COMMERCIAL ITEMS investment shares. A sale of Inscribed Stock, Discharged Soldiers’ .Settlement Loan, due 1933, was made on ’Change yesterday. The quota-

CUSTOMS REVENUE. Customs revenue rollected nt the port, of Wellington yesterday totalled £8743 10s. 6d-RABBIT-SKINS MARKET. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agencv Company. Limited have received the following cablegram from their London house under date March 17:-Rabbit-skins- There is a small demand for mirier,•' other sorts fairly good at an appreciation of 12i per cent. VICTORIAN PRODUCE QUOTATIONS. By Telegraph—Press A suociation-Copyrlght. Melbourne. March 18. Barlev. English. 4s. to 4». 3d. per bushel: Cane 3s. 2d. to 3s. 3d. Oats., 2s. 7d. to 2s B*d Potatoes. .£5 15s. to £6 per ton. Onions, £4 to £4 6s. ner ton. THE HIDES. MARKET. 1 Melbourne. March 18. Large catalogues of hides were offered at the sales. Pickled stouts and heavies were unchanged in price Lower grades showed a farthing per lb. decline. PRICES OF METALS. Anntralinn-Ncw Zealand Cable Association. (Rec. March 19. 0.10 a.m.) London, March 17. Copper.—On Spot, £67 2s. 6d. per ton: three months, £66 12s. 6d. Lead.-On spot, £lB 15s. per ton; three "^Spelter.—On spot, £24 17a. 6d. per ton; three months. £25 10s. Tin .-On spot. £156 2s. 6d. per ton; three months, £159 7a. 6d. , j j Silvern-Bars, 32id. per ounce standard. MINING NEWS WELLINGTON SHARE MARKET. The quotations yesterday for mining shores were as under: 811,1 Buyers. Sellers. £ a. d. £ s. d. Blackwater Mines - 0 3 Mount Lyell O’ 3 0 ~ STOCK EXCHANGE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland! March 18. Sales.—Bank of New Zealand, 425. 6d.; Auckland Gas (con.). 24?. 9d Reported Sale.—New Zealand Insurance, 245. 9d.

tions were as follow;— Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ s. d. Inscribed Stock, 1939 ... — r 32 5 0 5 p.c. P.O. Stock, 1927 ... 86 10 0 — Bank Now Zealand ...... 2 2 9 2 3 0 Nat. Mort- (local) ex div — 4 2 6 Well. Invest. T. and A. — 0 12 0 Well. Trust and Loan... — 6 0 0 Well. Dep and Mort.... — 0 9 3 Auckland Gas 1 1 6 — Christchurch Gas (£6) ... 5 5 9 — National Insurance — 2 17 6 South British Insurance 1 10 10 1 11 0 Colonial Sugar (Aus.) ... 2 12 6 ~ Gear. Meat. •— 1 10 o 1 12 6 Well. Meat (£3 12s. 6d.) — 3 17 6 Union Steam (pref.) .... — 0 19 0 Huddart-Parker (ord.) cum div — 2 2 0 WelT Woollen (ord.) ... — 10 0 0 Waipa Coal. cum. div. ... — 0 17 0 Westoort Coal — J J 6 Leyland-O'Brien - ] 11 6 W.F.O.A. (£5) — J50 W.F.C.A. (£1) — 15 0 W.F.C.A. (pref.) — 1 W 0 Kelburn Trams (ord.) ... — 15 0 C. M. Banks Ltd (ord.) — 1 6 0 Sale on 'Change.—Inscribed Stock Dmcharged Soldiers' Settlement Loan. 1933, £88. COMPANY NEWS. The “Mercantile Gazette” reports that Macky, Logan, Caldwell, Ltd., have increased their' capital to £800,000 by creation of 200 000 shares of £1 each. The "Gazette" also announces registration of the following new companies:— _ The Victoria Electric Plating Oo., Ltd., private company, Wellington. Capital: £2000 into 2000 shares of £1 each. Bubscribers: Wellington—A. F. Eades, J. Wright, F. Johnson, A. Hogg, all bOO shares each. Objects: To acquire the business of A. T. Eades aid F. Johnson, silversmiths. tinsmiths, metal wcrkers, Hart. Pennington, Ltd., Wellington. Capital: £40,000 into 40,000 shares of £1 each. Subscribers: Henry 8. Hart IZ.tuu and 2750 preference, E. E. 12 500 and 2750 preference, J. P. Blair 2aUO preference, J. M. Herdhs 500 preference. J. M. Mason 1000 preference, 8. Baines 1000 preference, F. W. Berner 1000 preference. J E. Newbold 1000 preference, B. G. H. Burn 1COO preference. W. B. Bedstone 500 preference, G. A. Pennington 500 preference. E. A. Hart 500 preference. Obiect- To acquire business of Dimond and Hart, general dealers, wholesale merCh Bloomfield Farm Co.. Wd., Wellington. Capital: £25,000 into 25,000 shares of £1 each Subscribers: Wellington—W. E. A. Gill W E. Gill, W. A. Fuller, IL P. Pool* Napier—M. F. Bourke, C. C. Bnrke. Te Marua-J. Harris, all 1 share each. Obiocts: To acquire, take over, and carry on as a going concern the business of sheep farmers, dairy farmers, stock breeders, and stock dealers etc., now carBourke 11 style ’tof “(Bloomfield Northern Gum Co.. Ltd., Wellington Capital: £30.000 into 301)00 shares of f.1 each. Subscribers: Wellington w. Fitzrerald. C. Hninesi C. P. Knight. 1V. H * Rose. M. E. Fitzgerald. S. Klrkcaldie, all 1 share each. Objects: To acquire iands and extract gum and oil.