THE HEMP MARKET

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4449, 8 May 1930, Page 3

THE HEMP MARKET

APRIL' GRADING RETURNS. ‘The. gradin'’’ returns for hemp, tow, stripper tow and stripper slips have been issued as follows by the Department of Agriculture in re-

Fifty-live 'bales at-Auckland, 83 at Wellington, 26 at Foxton, and 14 at; the'[Bluff were rejected. Five bales at Wellington were.condemned.

The number of bales, in each grade was as follows, the number for the corresponding period last rear being given in parenthesis: — Good Fair 377 (432), High Fair 2,717 (3,012), Low Fair 1,347 (3,360), Common 352 (478), Rejected 178 (400), . Condemned 5 (nil), a total of 4,976 bales as against 7,082 bales graded the same period last year, a decrease of 2,706 bales. The number of bales graded at each port was:—Auckland 1,381, Wellington 1,383, Foxton 1,081, I'icton- 306, Dunedin 241, Bluff 584. 'The following shows the detailed particulars of the tow graded: —

Seventeen bales at Auckland, two at Wellington,, five at. Foxton and three 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 54 (155), 2nd grade 040 < 1,245) r 3rd grade 321 (56b), condemned 27 (71), a total of 1,342 bales as against 2,037 graded the same period last year, a decrease of 695 bales.

The number of bales graded at each port was: —Auckland 451, Wellington 294:, Foxton 240, Picion 41, Bluff 316.

Stripper-slips —Twenty-four bales at the Bluff were graded 2nd grade, 34 were graded 3rd grade and 22 were condemned. The total number graded was 80 bales as against 198 bales graded the same period last year, a decrease of 118 bales.

1 'Stripper Tow: —There a-yvas no stripper tow graded. A CRITICAL PERIOD. APPEAL TO THE GOVERNMENT. The Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. G. \V. Forbes, at Auckland on Tuesday, received a pressing- request that the Government should come to the help of the liax indus - try. Mr Coates, the principal spokesman for a large deputation, said that the current prices were beT low the cost of production and the industry desired the Government lo introduce a stabilisation fund, to see it over the winter, the cost be- . ing approximately £4,000. The workers in the industry were prepared to make a sacrifice by accepting a reduction iu wages. After hearing other speakers, Mr Forbes said that anything that would keep men employed would have serious consideration. He did not think the position of the industry had been overstated and promised to consult the Minister of Finance in regard to a subsidy.

card to'tbe-monish of April: Ports ■*’ f: u Q-jP. . ,H.P. L.1 1 . C. A.uelklnnd « '119 777 301 09 Wellington . 04 744 394 93 Poxton 48 . 712 235 00 Pic-ton 80 190 21 3 Dunedin. . GO 147 30 4 Bluff — 141 300 123

Ports 1st 2nd. 3rd Auckland i 338 90 Wtellington 13 235 44 Foxton — 222 13 Pieton 41 — — Bluff . . — 145 168