Maize Stocks Low on the Spot

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 257, 20 January 1928, Page 12

Maize Stocks Low on the Spot

TRADE IN PRODUCE POTATOES STILL DEAR Little change has taken placed in the potato position over the week. Though the tubers are coming forward more freely from the Pukekohe fields, values are still high. Maize has firmed up in price and the cereal is rather scarce on the spot. POTATOES are selling to the trade at £ll 10s f.o.r. Pukekohe, but the quality is not as good as could be desired. There has been no improvement in the near future position in regard to the tubers over the week and unless the dry weather breaks within the next week or so cheap potatoes will not be available till the Southern crop is ready. Ample stocks of local onions are held on the spot and these are selling through store up to 10s a cwt. The arrival of a shipment of Australian wheat on the Maunganui during the week relieved the shortage, though no alteration in price has taken place, and the ’ cereal still sells through store at from 8s 9d to 9s a bushel. A further shipment from Melbourne which is due this week-end will also go into immediate consumption. Maize is very scarce on the spot and a few small consignments which came „to hand early this week realised 6s on Mie wharf. Only small parcels are coming forward from the Bay of Plenty and indications are that merchants will have to turn to Poverty Bay, where the cereal is at present available at the moment at a price which will allow it to be landed in Auckland at about 6s Id on the wharf. Oats and dhaff are still scarce on the spot, but the position should be relieved by the arrival of a Southern boat on Monday. Stocks of both A and B Gartons are reported to be low in the South, but they should be sufficient to carry on till the new season’s crop is available. In spite of the fact that the price of bran was advanced £1 a ton there is still a erood demand for both it and pollard. This, no doubt, especially in the case of bran, has been largely brought about by the dry weather. Merchants’ ouotations are: Bran, £7 a ton; pollard, £9 5s a ton. OVERSEAS TRADE COMPARATIVE TRADE BALANCES Press Association. WELLINGTON, To-day. For the period of 12 months ended December, 1927. New Zealand imports totalled £44,782,946 and exports £48,496,354, compared with £49.889,563 and £45,275,575 respectively for the corresponding period of 1926. The imports during December, 1927. amounted to £3,949,198 and exports to £5,398,484, compared with £4,888,096 and £3,631,698 in December of the previous year. SYDNEY WOOL SALES PRICES FULLY MAINTAINED By Cable. — Press* Association. — Copyright. SYDNEY, Thursday. At the Sydney wool sales to-day Pie market closed firm, with prices generally ruling quite equal to the best point of the recent sales. There was keen competition and very full and satisfactory clearances were made. Greasy Merino sold to 33d.—A. and N.Z. AUSTRALIAN PRODUCE By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. SYDNEY, Thursday. The following are to-day’s quotations on the Sydney produce markets:— Wheat: At country stations, 4s 9(1 to. 4s 9id; ex truck Sydney, 5s sd. Flour: The export trade is at a standstill. Local, £l3 ss. Bran: £6 10s. Pollard: £7 10s. Oats: Tasmanian and Algerian, 5s 3d white, 4s 9d. Maize: 4s. Potatoes: Local, new, £2 to £5, Tasmanian, £2 to £6. Onions: Victorian, £9 10s. Quotations at -Adelaide are:— Wheat: Growers’ lots, 5s 2d to 5s 3d. Flour: Baker’s lots, £l3 10s. Bran: £6 10s. Pollard: £7 2s 6d. Oats: 3s 7d to 3s 9d.—A. and N.Z. WELLINGTON GAS COY. (Special to THE SUN.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. A net profit of £55,551, compared with is shown on the balance sheet of tne 'Wellington Gas Company for the year ended December, iy23. This, with a bnlance brought forward from the previous year, leaves £87.478 available for distribution. After provision for depreciation of buildings, machinery, and plant, £21,533, and' the setting aside of £15,000 for the debenture depreciation fund, the interim dividend of 4 per cent, on the ordinary shares - absorbed £11,152, and £4,228 was paid on the preference shares. This left a balance of £35,564, out of which the directors have declared r. final dividend of 4 per cent., making 8 per cent, for the year, and absorbing £11.152, and leaving £24,412 to be carried forward. It is stated in the report that the price of gas has been reduced by twopence a thousand feet from the beginning of the current y^ar. BUTTER-FAT PAYMENTS BAY OF PLENTY FIGURES (From Our Own Correspondent) OPOTIKI, To-day. The Opotiki Dairy Association will make a total payment to suppliers of £19,757 for December’s output, based on Is 2d a pound for butterfat. The figures for thfc corresponding period of last season were £12,007 based on Is a lb for butterfat. The amount for butter manufactured during the two periods was 187 and 133 tons respectively, showing a big increase for December, 1927. The Te Awamutu Co-operative Dairy Company, -which is making a cash payout of Is 3d a lb for finest butterfat, is advancing £9,200 to its suppliers this month. The company’s production has increased 24 per cent, this season, and during the first six months of the present season has manufactured 291 tons of butter. The company now has 145 suppliers, compared with 114 at this time last year. The Kakipuku Co-operative Dairy Company’s suppliers will receive £1,923 6s, based on ah average of Is Gd a lb for 25,6441 bof butterfat for cheese in December. The pay-out is considerably below the aggregate figures for the December advance, due to the dry conditions affecting production. BUTTER AND CHEESE Under date January 19, the London office of Amalgamated Dairies, Ltd., cabled as follows: Butter.—“ Anchor,” finest, 1545; firsts, 1525; Danish, 166 s f.o.b.- market active. Cheese.—White and coloured, 90s to 91s; market quiet. Cabling under date January 19, the London house of Dalgety and Co., Ltd. advised as follows: — Butter. —The market is dull. New Zealand finest salted, 152 s to 1545; Danish 172 s to 174 d; Australian finest salted, 150 s to 1525; Australian tiniest unsalted, 154 s to 1565; Australian G.A.Q., 142 s to 1465. Cheese. —The market is quiet. New Zealand white and coloured, 90s to 91s; Australian, SSs to 90s; Canadian, 9Ss to 10 IJnder date January 19 Andrew Clements and Sons, Ltd., London, principals of Norden and Coy., Ltd., cabled as fol--10 "Butter.—Salted, 152 s to 154 s (equivalent to is 2.78 d a lb f. 0.0.); uusalted, 15Ss; market quiet Cheese—lt hite and coloured, 90s (equivalent to S.o6d a lb., f.0.b.); market quiet.”