THE HEMP MARKET.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3739, 10 January 1928, Page 4

THE HEMP MARKET.

DECEMBER GRADING RETURNS. The grading returns for hemp, tow, stripper tow, and stripper slips for the month of December have been issued by the Department of Agriculture as follows: —

Thirty bales at Picton, 3 at Blenheim were graded fine. Sixteen bales at Auckland, 146 at Wellington, 116 at Foxton, 2 at the Bluff and 7 at Lyttelton were rejected. Nine bales at Wellington were condemned. The number of bales in each grade were as follows, the number last year being given in parenthesis:—(Fine 33 (73), good fair 725 (845), high fair 3523 (4624), low fair 3892 (2725), common 934 (773), rejected’2B7 (213); condemned 9 (nil), a total of 9403 bales as against 9254 bales graded the same period last year, an increase off 149 bales. ' The number of bales graded at each port was: —Auckland 2013, Wellington 2952, Foxton 1756, Wairoa 150, Picton 78, Blenheim 240, Dunedin 15, Pt. Chalmers 232, Bluff 1882, Lyttelton 85. The following shows the detailed particulars of the tow: —

Twenty-three bales at Auckland, 11 at Wellington, 40 at Foxton and 8 at the Bluff were condemned. , The following shows the number of bales in each grade, the number for the corresponding period of last year being given in parenthesis:— Ist grade 373 (350), 2nd grade 1653 (1896), 3rd grade 795 (458), condemned 82 (43), a total of 2903 bales as against 2747 bales graded the same period last year, an increase of 156 b^les.'

The number of bales at each port was: —Auckland 659, Wellington 589, Foxton 457, Wairoa 68, Picton 39, Blenheim 117, fff. Chal J rners 61, Bluff 722, Lyttelton 29, Dunedin 6, Waikuku 156. iStripper tow: —Eighteen bales at Wellington, were graded Ist grade;, one hundred and eight at Wellington were graded 2nd grade. A total number of 126 bales as against 116 bales graded the same period last year, showing an increase of’ 10 bales.

• Stripper slips:—Fifty bales! at Wellington were graded Ist grade. Twenty-foui* at Auckland, 60 at Wellington and 45 at the Bluff were graded 2nd grade. Sixteen bales at Wellington and 3 at N the Bluff were cindemned. One at Auckland and 173 at the Bluff were passed for export. ' The total number graded was 372 bales against 269 bales graded the same period last year, an increa'se of 103 bales.

Forts G.F. H.F. L.F. C. Auckland 29 390 1107 471 Wellington 407 1501 759 130 Foxton 22 744 830 44 Wairoa -— ■ — 150 — 1 fcicton 21 27 — — 1 Blenheim 139 78 20 — Dunedin ; 6 9 — Pt. Chalmers — 145 150 249 Bluff 83 697 951 249 Lyttelton 24 35 19 —

Ports 1st 2nd 3rd. Auckland — 355 281 Wellington 203 306 69 Fox'ton 102. 297 18 Wairoa — 68 — Picton 21 18 — Blenheim ' 36 81 — Pt 'Chalmers — — r 61 Bluff — 358 356 Lyttelton 11 8 10 Dunedin — 6 ■ — Waikuku __ 156 —