THE HEMP MARKET.

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3928, 9 April 1929, Page 2

THE HEMP MARKET.

MARCH GRADING RETURNS,

The grading returns for hemp, tow, stripper-tow and stripper - slips for the month of March have been issued by the Department ■of Agriculture as follows:—i

‘Sixty hales at Auckland, 112 at Wellington, 38 at Foxton, four at Dunedin and 28 at the Bluff were rejected. The number of bales in each grade Was as follows, the number for the corresponding period last year being given in parenthesis:— Good Fair 87G (664), High Fair 2,629 (3,653), Low Fair 2,584 (3,368), Common 538 (637), rejected 242 (382), a total of 6,869 bales, as against 8,704 bales graded the same period last year, a decrease of 1,835 bales. The number of bales graded at each port Was: —Auckland 1,604, Wellington 2,729, Foxton 1,312, Picton 59, Blenheim 41, Dunedin 32, Pt. Chalmers 68, Bluff 979, Lyttelton 42, Waikulku 3. The following shows the detailed particulars of the tow graded:—;

Thirty-one bales at Auckland, 25 at Wellington, and 15 at Foxton 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 ,375 (504), 2nd grade 1,085 (1,386), 3rd grade 482 (872), condemned 71 (108), a totail of 2,013 bales, as against 2,870 bales graded 'the sajrne period last year, a decrease of ,857 bales. The number of bales graded at each port was: —Auckland 566, Wellington ,630, Foxton 279, Picton 26, Bluff 500, Lyttelton 12. Stripper-tow:—Twenty-one bales at Auckland were graded 2nd grade. A total nuimlber of 21 bales, as against 126 bales graded during the same period last year 1 , showing a decrease of 105 bales. 'Stripper-slips:—One hundred and forty-five bales at the Bluff were graded 3rd grade. One hale at the Bluff was condemned. The total number graded was 146 'bales as against 202 (bales graded the same period last year, a decrease of 56 bales.

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLE. The Department of Agriculture has received the following cable from the High Commissioner for New Zealand, London, dated the 6th inst.: — Hemp.—All markets quiet over holidays. ' 1 Manila. —Market steady. Closing value “J” grade April to June shipment, £36 15/-. Good demand for manila afloat at £37 5/-. ' r ;. j Sisal. —Nearby No. 1 sold around £4O; for ship(ment £4O 15/-. Closing values, fair average quality, for March to May shipment No. 1, £4O market No. 2, £37 10/-. New Zealand market easy for higher grades. Nominal comparative values for March to May and April to June shipments unchanged.

Ports G.F. H.F. L.F. C Auckland 555 544 328 177 Wjdllingbon 215 851 1202 349 Foxton — 702 512 — Pieton 38 17 4 — Blenheim : 22 18 1 Dunedin 25 3 — — Pt. Chalmers — 59 9 — Bluff 43 350 494 04 Lyttelton — 21 17 4 Waiikufcu — — —, 3

Ports 1st 2nd. 3rd. Auc'kilaud 252 158 125 Wellington 45 449 111 Poxton 78 178 8 Picton — 26 — Bluff .. -— ’’ 262 238 Lyttelton — 12 —