FARMING & COMMERCIAL

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 173, 18 April 1921, Page 8

FARMING & COMMERCIAL

NEWS AND NOTES

AUCTION SALES FORTHCOMING FIXTURES. TO-DAY. 157 Lambton Quay, Wellington. 10 a.m.— Hale of unclaimed, cargo (Johnston and Co.). Allen Street. Wellington, 11 a.m.—Sale of barley (Laory and Co., Ltd.). 3 Hay Street, Wellington, 1.30 p.m.—Sale of furniture (Sloane and Jones). 141 Manners Street. Wellington. 2 p.m.— Sale of boots (Wheatley and Co.). TO-MORROW. IB Telford Terrace. Wellington. 10.30 a.m. —Sale of furniture ■ (Johnston and Co.). 141 Manners Street. Wellington. 2 p.m.— Sale of boots, 2nd day (Wheatley and Co.). WEDNESDAY. 18 Telford Terrace, Wellington, 10.30 a.m. —Salo of furniture, 2nd day (Johnston and Co.). Allen Street, Wellington, 2 n.m.—Sale of linoleums (Townsend and Paul). Featherston Street. Wellington, 2.30 p.m.— Property sale (Bethune and Co.). LONDON WOOL SALES IMPROVED PRICES. (Rec. April 17, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 15. The free wool sales closed firm. Prices were the highest of the series, being about 5 per cent, above the opening Titles. Crossbreds met with strong German competition. The quantity catalogued was 52,250 bales, and about 75 per cent, was sold. Good stapled sound merinos were in strong demand throughout, and closed at about 5 to 7| per cent, below March rates. Clothing sorts were unsold. The chief operators were from the Continent, especially Germany. Carding crossbreds were in good demand, with a hardening tendency. Preparing wools received no Continental support, and in the absence of Yorkshire demands were often withdrawn. The reserves on combing and slipes were a'bove buyers’ ideas, consequently these sorts i/ere mostly withdrawn. —-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. The Bank of New Zealand has received the following cablegram from its London office under date April 15: —The sales hove closed firm owing to increased. competition. There is a moderate demand by Continental buyers, but Home buyers are quiet. Compared with the opening of this series there is no quotable change, but competition is keener. Current prices for wools of average condition are as follows:—Coarse crossbreds, ,%-40’s, 5Jd. to sjd.; medium crossbreds, 4.4-46’s, .#Jd. to 7d.; fine crossbreds, 50’s, !kl. to TOd.; merinos, inferior, lOd. to Ud.; merinos, superior, Is. Id. to Is. 4d.; hnlfbreds, Is. to Is. Id. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, have received the following cablegram from their London house, under date April 15: Wool —Average current London value of the undernoted descriptions of New Zealand greasy wool: Good merino, 15d.; medium merino, inferior merino, 9’d.; fine crossbred, 13d.; medium crossbred 8?d.; coarse crossbred (40’s), fid.; coarse crossbred (36’s), s}d. Sales closed. Tone of market better owing more active Continental competition. As compared with prices at April 6, merino and fine and medium crossbred are about 5 per cent, dearer. Messrs. Murray, Roberts, and Co., Ltd., have received a cablegram from Messrs. Sanderson. Murray, and Elder, Ltd., London, dated April 15, rending as follows:—Sales closed with hardening tendency Good general competition; 75 per cent, offerings sold. Germany principal buyers. Compared • with last London roles’ closing rptro,, tmerino, ;best descriptions, par to 5 per cent, decline; merino, good, par to 5 per cent, decline; merino, other descriptions, decline 10 to 15 per cent, crossbred, scoured, declined 15 per cent.; crossbred, greasy, fine market shows no change; crossbred, greasy, medium, par to 5 per cent, decline; crossbred, coarse, declined 10 per Levin and Co., Ltd., have revived the following cable from London, dated April 15-The wool sales have closed with a more confident tone, owing to German demand for 46 s and 4b s qualities. As compared with the opening sales, the closing sales show good and medium wools rather dearer, tine and coarse wools unchanged.

masterton A. & P. ASSOCIATION

DISCUSSION REGARDING HALFHOLIDAY.

By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.

Masterton, April IG.

The monthly meeting of the General Committee of the Mastertoii A. and P. Association was held this afternoon, Mr. W. H. Buick presiding. It was decided to ask Mr. W. cooper to take in hand the work of stocking the showgrounds with tf.’ock. The treasurer reported a credit balance of £252 Bs. 2d. The receipts during the past month had totalled A'JO-7 7s. 7d., and the expenditure .£2971 12s. 9d. It was resolved that a commit.ee consisting of the president, vice-president, and Messrs. Smith, M Gregor, and W. Perry should go into 'the question ot framing remits for the next confeience of agricultural societies. Mr. T. 0. Haycock (Greytown) wrote refunding the prize money won by him at the last show, and requesting that the association should retain Corriedale classes. . It was decided to do ns requested. Mr II G Perry stated that Messrs. 11. Toogood, G. C. Williams A. M’Donald C. F. Vallance, and himself had decided to give a silver cup, valued at Jl4O, to be called the R. 1), Morrison Challenge Cup, for competition a'„ the show and in memory of the late Mi. R. D. Morrison. The donors were accorded a hearty vote of thanks for the cup. It was decided that Mr. E. P. lenten be accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his services on the Luncheon Committee, and that a letter of appreciation bo forwarded to him. Mr.' \V. Perry moved that the Masterton A. and P. Association give its moral and material support, to the Thursday Half-holiday Committee in connection with the coming half-holiday poll. ’rhe Saturday half-holiday, no said, was a great mistake from the farmer’s point of view, especially those who employed a lot of labour. Jhe men on the farm were out late on Iriday night, and were not up to their work 'the next day. Under the old conditions, when Thursday was the half-holiday, 'the men had Sunday to recover. He was quite sure that Saturday did not suit either the farmers or their employe.*. Mr. W H. Buick agreed with Mr. Perry, and eiud that Saturday was no good to the farmers. He hoped the ‘‘hayseeds,’ as they had been termed, would give the Thursday advocates all their support and voto againbt Saturday half-holiday. Mr. D. Caselberg eaid that ho could not see eye to eyo with Messrs. \V. I’erry and Buick. It had yet to be proved whether Saturday was a. success or a failure. Marlinborough had had Saturday for years, and still retained lit. The Farmer's day was really Wednesday, not Saturday. He would like to see Saturday given a fair trial. It was only a question of time when the Government would make Saturday a universal half-holiday. Saturday was the best day for the half-holiday, both from the employees’ and the public point of view. Mr. W. Perry said that Saturday k might be good for cities, but for coun■tsj towns it waa a big mistake. With

a laile Friday night farm hands did not do tho same amount of work us when Saturday wa» the late night and they had Sunday to recover. Mr. G. 11. Perry: Perhaps town employees are more sober than country, as it appears to suit town employees to have the Saturday half-holiday. Mr. G. 11. Perry said that employees lin 'town deserlved consideration; it suited them, as it gave them a better holiday at the week-end. The employees were apparently satisfied with Saturday afternoon. Two or three other members spoke against Saturday, after which' the motion was carried. FARM LABOUR WAGES TO BE REDUCED. By Telegraph.— Press Association. , Napier, April IC. At a largely attended meeting of sheep farmers it was decided that a general reduction in wages for farm and station hands should be brought about, and It-ho following tscale Jvas agreed (to :— Crutchers, 4s. per 100; shed hands, Is. an hour; shepherds, 30s. per week; drovers, 15s. to -SOs. a day; station cooks, 30s. to 40s. per week; cowboys, 20s. to 255. per week; ploughmen, 40s. a week; station hands, <2os. a |veek; married couples, .£BO to £lOO per annum; casual labour,’is. per hour; harvesters, Is. 3d. per hour. PRICE OF CHEESE By Telegraph — Press Association. Dunedin, April 16. The secretary of the South Island Dairy Association is advised by cablegram that cheese shipped Home on consignment in the Orari was cleared at 140 s. to 1435. per cwt. for white and 1625. for coloured. The Armagh shipment is selling at 1465. for white and 1625. for coloured. THE FRUIT CROPS CONDITIONS AT END OF MARCH. The Director of the,Horticulture Division of the Agricultural Department has received the tollowing reports from his officers regarding the conditions of the fruit crops at the end of March:— Auckland South.—Month very dry throughout. Apples and pears in full supply; large quantities placed in cool stores. Tomatoes nearly finished; good crops at remunerative prices. Waikato.—Apples: Picking of mid-sea-son varieties proceeding. Lemons: Crops promising well. Nectarines and Peaches: Finished. Pears: Crops have turned out well. Plums: Finished. Tomatoes: Crops have been heavy; prices fair. Walnuts: Now being gathered. Poverty Bay.—Apples: An abnormal crop of very fine fruit in many orchards very free from black spot; other orchards, fair crops. Lemons: Good crops coming forward. Peaches: Good crop of late peaches being realised. Pears: lair crops of most varieties, very free from spot. Tomatoes: Heavy crops have been realised; season curtailed owing to prolonged drought. Walnuts; Only fair crops; bacteriosis pronounced. Hawke’s Bay: Apples: Delicious, medium heavy crops now being harvested, a large proportion being over-sized fruits; Stunner, medium crops well advanced, splendid colour and even sizes; Dougherty, crop in sight well below the average. Pears: Winter Cole, Winter Nelis, and P. Barry now being picked prove to be medium crop; the prolonged dry season has resulted in fruits well below the average size, particularly on the higher lands at Havelock North. A wind storm on the 2-Mi took a heavy • toll of P. Barry pears. Nelson.—Apples: The harvesting ot early varieties has been completed, and the bulk of the crop has been taken from such mid-season, sorts as Dunn’s Favourite. Jonathon, Allington Pippin, Cleopatra, and London Pippin; a commencement has been made with the harvesting of Delicious and Winter Pearmain. Nectarines and Peaches: A few fruits aie being gathered. Pears: The pear crop generally is of good quality; the following varieties have been gathered during the month: Beurre Bose, Winter Cole, Vicar of Winkfield, Elizabeth Cole, Doyenne du Cornice, Josephine de Malines. and Duchess of D’Angouleme. Plums: A moderate crop has been gathered; the crop of damsons and Golden Drop ipluniß has been very fair. Tomatoes: With this month the harvesting of crop from outside plants is about completed. Strawberries: A small autumn crop of Madam Melba berries has been gathered. The sample of fruit geneially is bright and firm; the land is on. the dry side for this season of the year. Motueka.—Apples: Early varieties gathered; export work well in hand. Cape Gooseberries: Now picking. Lemons: Looking well. Pears: Early varieties harvested; Winter Coles being picked; fair quantity keeping varieties being gathered and prepared for exportStrawberries: Finished. Tomatoes: Still picking. Walnuts: Being gathered. Colder nights are now being experienced, and signs of autumn approaching. Canterbury.—Apples: A good crop of dessert varieties; very light crop of cooking varieties. On the whole throughout the district there is very little black spot. Nectarines: A good crop; now finished. Poaches: A good crop; only lata varieties remain to lie disposed of. Pears: A good average crop: the percentage affected with black spot is very small. Plums: A good crop; practically finished; brown rot has been slightly in evidence. Plums (Japanese): A good crop; now finished. Tomatoes: Outdoor, a very good crop. Walnuts: A good crop. South Canterbury.—Apples: Good. Pears: Good. Tomatoes: Good. Walnuts: Fair; the season has been fairly good, but. the continued dry weather is affecting the size of late varieties, and rain is much needed. Pears and apples are Very clean of spot, and are, mostly showing good colour. Outdoor tomato growers are having a good season, although the fruit is mostly on the small size; wind during the month did some damage to varieties nearly fit for harvesting.

WAIRARAPA P. & A. SOCIETY

COMMITTEE MEETING. From Our Own Correspondent! Carterton, April ,16. A meeting of the General Committee of the Wairarapa P. and A. Society was held to-day at Carterton, Mr. J. Hodder presiding. The treasurer reported a bank overdraft at date of £lB5l 15s. sd. Accounts amounting to £67 7s. were passed for pavnient. The Wairarapa Rugby Union was granted the use of the grounds on the usual terms of 15 per cent, of the gate receipts. It was decided to bring tinder the notice of the Council of Agriculture tho ■charge made by the Railway Department for fodder carried for show stock. Sir Walter Buchanan and the president and vice-presidents were appointed to represent. tho society at the conference. It was resolved to ask Mr. Archibald Clark to represent the society at the conference in London under the auspices of the British Empire Producers’ Organisation.

Four resignations were accepted and one held over.

Tho question of alterations to the hall was left to the incoming committee.

LIVE STOCK SALES

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd Hawera Branch freport for week tending It pul 16 —AA Kakaraniea. on Monday we had only . small yarding. We quote :-Fat cows (trood) to £7 135.: Boners. 20s. to 325.. store pigs. 15s. 6d.; small ditto, to Bs. 6d.; weaners 35.; sows. 3>s. to £2 4a. On Wednesday at. Fltham we had a fair yarding. Prices were :—W oolly lambs. to 10s. 4d.; shorj, medium ditto. 7s. to Bs. Id.; store pigs. 13s- 6d. to 16s. 6d., small ditto, 9b. ; forward cows, to £3: boners, £1 to £1 10s.; bulls, to £2 5. At Hawera on Thursday we had a full yarding of young and grown cattle, and a fair entry of sheep. .The majority of the grown oattle consisted of forward and fat cows, and all of these were disposed of at Improved rates. Bidding was fairly brisk throughout, and the whole of the entry was quitted before leaving ths yards. We quote:—Fat cows, to £7 Is • forward cows to £3 12s. 6d ; boners, 27b’ to £2 25.; 2>i-year steers (good condition) £5 16b.: Shorthorn-Holstem springing heifers, £6 17a. 6d.: bulls. 205,. to £2 175.: Jersey weaner heifers. £2 18s. to £3: others 15a. to 365.; steers. Us. to 12s.* fat ewes, 9s. 6d., full mouth ewes. 2s to 5% 2d.; store pigs, to Us. 6d.; small ditto, to Sri. S weaners 3a. to 4s. Messrs. Abraham and Williams, Ltd., report that at Feilding on Ann!.ls, a fair yarding of sheep and cattle met with a ready sale at late nnotatlona. Sheen: Fat ewes. 7s 3d.. 7a. 7d„ 9" 3d 9s 4d. to 9s. 9d.; fat wethers. 13s. to 14s • maiden ewes. 125.; fat 2-tooth, 10"., 10s ’ 9d. to 12.". Id-: 2-tooth wethers. 10s. fid Us. to Us. 4d.: email wethers. Bb. 2d.; lambs. 6s. 3d., 6s. 9d., 7s. 3d. to Bs. S* empt* ewes. Tin. 13s. nd:. to jy. Cattle* Cows and calves, £2 65.. £4 16". to £6 55.; store; eowa. 10a. to 36s ; yearling steers, 135.; 3-yenr Jersey steers, £3 Dalcety and Company. Limited. Palmerston North, report on their Feilding Sale on Friday. April 15. aa follows:— A very fair yarding of both eheep ana cattle came to hand, shefp Belling at a-bout last week’s rates. 'Quotations:— Sheep: Medium lambs, 6s. lid., 7s. to 7s. 4d.; very fair lambs, Ba. 6d.: B.F. lambs 9s ■ mixed aged ewes in lamb, 9s. od. Cattle: Cull cows, 17a.; store cows, 325. 6d. • 18-month empty Shorthorn heifers 295.; 25-year empty Shorthorn heifers, £2 3e ; dairy cows at drop, to £l7 10s. The Farmers’ Auctioneering Company. Hamilton, report ai follows:—At Hamilton on April 14, we hah a full yarding of cattle and moderate yarding of sheen and pigs. Beef showed an improvement on the previous week, and all wa« cleared. Steers realised from £lO 15s. to £iz ss. for medium weights; fat cows, ££ 5s to £8; lighter weights. £4 16s. to £6. 4 line of store cows from the south made from 275. to £3 Other lines of Southern cattle yarded were 2i-year steers, which ranged in price from £5 5s to £7 55.; well-bred Hereford Bteera 18-months. best from £3 10s. to £4 65.; £2 10b. to £3 3a.; heifers, same breed, were not in keen demand., making iroilf £2 5s to £2 15s. for the tops; smaller aorts 365. to £2 2s. 6d.; 20 month heifers in calf, small and in low condition, £2 io £2 7s. 6<1.; calves showed no improvesnent on last week, but the beet making 20s. to 285.; small 3s. to 12s. 6d.; dairy cowa bent up to £l5 10s.: second quality £9 to £l2 10s.; best heifers £lO to £l3; backward cows and heifers. £3 ss. to £6 ss. Sheep were, much on par with last week’s quotation: Fat ewea mndo 18s. 7d • forward wether to 155.; forward ewee. Bs. 6d. to 12s. Pige showed some improvement, and realised up to £4 19s. foij baconers; porkers from 30s. to £3 155.; weanera, 3s. 6d. to 12s. 6d.

COMMERCIAL ITEMS INVESTMENT SHARES. A sale of Wellington Trust. Loan and Investment Shares at £5 was made, on ’Change on Saturday. The quotations .. —

CUSTOMS REVENUE. Customs revenue collected at the port of Wellington, on Saturday, totalled £4615 1b 9s. LONDON TALLOW SALES. Messrs. Dalgety and Company. Limited, report having received the following cablegram from their London House, under date of April 13:-T.allow: Market depressed, 'and small business can be done Fine mutton, 375.; good mixed, 335.; low sorts practically unsaleable. LONDON MARKET REPORTS. Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rec, April 17, 5.5 p.m.) London, April 16. Rubber:—Fine hard Para. Ud. per lb.: plantation, first latex crepe, lld : smoked ribbed sheet. 9j(d. . Copra:—April-June shipment, £25 10s. P< Jutec-Anril-Mav shipment, £34 per ton. jjp ra pApril-June shipment. £4O per toil. Cotton:— Liverpool quotation for American middling upland cotton, May delivery. 8.69 d. per It, Linseed Oil, £25 10s. per ton, equal to 2s. OJd. ner gallon. Turpentine. 555. 6d. per cwt; CQua.l to 4s. 2 l-3d. per gallon. ARGENTINE BEEF Australian-New Zealand Cable Association. (Rec, April 17, 5.5 n.m.) London. April 16. Argentine frozen beef is quoted at sd. per lb. for fores. and Old. for hinds; cliilloA, 6d. per lb for fores, and Hid. for hinds. NTW COMPANIES I NNEW SOUTH WALES. (Bt Tel«rra.ph-Pr»M Association -Copyright (Rec. April 16, 5.5. p.m.) Sydney, April 15. During the past twelve months 761 new companies were registered in New South Wales, with a total capital of £60,000.000. The increase in the capital of existing companies totals £10,500.000. MINING NEWS WELLINGTON SHARE MARKET. The quotations yesterday for mining shares were as under:— Buyers. Sellers. £ s. d. £ s. d. Blackwater Mines — 0 7 6 Talisman w ’ 9 (X 5 0 Waihi : 16 9 — Waihi Grand Junction... — 07 0

were as follow: — Buyers. £ s. d. Sellers. £ f. d. Inscribed. Stock, 1939 77 0 0 78 5 0 Inscribed Stock, 1938 77 0 0 (a 5 0 Inscribed Stock, 1933 88 5 0 89 0 0 War Ronds. 1939 77 0 0 — War Bonds, 1938 78 0 0 P.O.. Bonds. 1927 88 0 0 P.O. Inscribed Stock. 1947 88 0 0 — Bank Australasia (frac12 6 National Bank .550 — Bank New South Wales 29 0 0 — Bank New Zealand 2 5 3 Union Bank ....... 11 7 6 11 11 0 Abraham and Williams (ord.) 4 19 0 10 12 6 Goldsbrough Mort 1 8 6 Equitable Buildinc: Co. — 9 5 0 N.Z. Loan and Merc, (ordj 84 0 -0 — N.Z. and River Plate ... 0 17 0 — Well. Trust and Loan ... 4 15 0 5 5 0 Wellington Gas (pref.) — 0 17 0 National Insurance 2 15 0 N.Z. Insurance 15 6 16 6 South British Insurance 19 9Standard Insurance 2 3 0 2 4 0 N.Z. Refrigerating (10s.) 0 14 9 0 15 6 Well. Meat Export (£3) 12 r 3 10 0 Buddart-Parker (ord.) ... 1 19 9 2 0 9 Union Steam (pref.) ... — 0 18 6 Kaiapoi Woollen (ord.) . — 17 0 Westport Coal 15 9 16 0 ■■ ■ — 4 15 0 I.evland-O’Brlen Timber 1 9 0 1 10 0 Howard Smith — 2 0 0 W.iirarapa Farmers (£51 — 6 10 Wairarapa Farmers/(pref.) — 0 17 6 Ward’ k and Co — 12 0