TRADE IN PRODUCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 311, 23 March 1928, Page 12

TRADE IN PRODUCE

ACTIVITY IN OAT MARKET

ONION VALUES EASIER The oat market has provided the greatest life to grain, seed and produce circles over the week. A strong inquiry has set in from England, and the business which has eventuated has had the effect of sending the market up. To-day, quotations ex store Auckland range around 4s lid for A gartons, and 4s 7d for B’s. The overseas demand is chiefly for A’s, but the lower grade oats have advanced in sympathy. Potatoes have been short on the spot right up until yesterday, when a shipment which came to hand by the Wingatui provided temporary relief. A shipment earlier in the week arrived by the Katoa. Only very limited consignments are coming up from the Wellington Province, and merchants are relying more and more on Canterbury shippers. At the moment quotations, ex store Auckland, for best quality tubers, range up to 13s 6d a cwt, but Southern forward quotations should allow for a drop within the next fortnight to 9s to 10s a cwt. Southern shippers of onions have been forcing sales a little more eagerly over the week, and the market has come back 10s a ton. Quotations ex store Auckland range up to 11s a cwt. The quality of the Southern onions is mostly turning out quite satisfactory, and on this account the locals, which are mostly held for higher prices, tend to be neglected. A big shipment of Blenheim chaff arrived by the Wingatui yesterday. A steady demand continues on the spot, and quotations through store remain unchanged at from £9 5s to £9 10s. Little movement of any note is reported in the market for bran and pollard. A steady demand finds merchants’ quotations for the Southern produce around 8s 6d for bran, and 10s for pollard, with the Auckland mill price sixpence cheaper in both cases. To say the least about it, the maize market is very quiet, and though the price on the Auckland wharf remains nominally around 6s, there is little business being transacted, Poverty Bay holders for the most part being content to hold for anticipated higher prices. The market for wheat has remained very steady over the past 14 days, leading many to assume that the bottom has been reached. Steady trading is reported, and quotations through store, Auckland, range from 7s 3d to 7s 6d a bushel. A fairly lively demand for seeds continues with little change in the market.

LEVY ON RAW WOOL

BRITISH RESEARCH PLAN NEGOTIATIONS GOING ON By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. Reed. 9.5 a.m. LONDON, Thursday. The annual report of the British Research Association on the woollen and worsted industries says it has been negotiating with trade federations regarding a statutory levy on all raw wool consumed in Britain. Assuming this average to be 480,000,0001 b a year, a levy of l-100th of a penny a lb would provide an income of £20,000. The British Wool Federation has promised sympathetic consideration. The report points out that Australian brokers and growers are raising £200,000 a year by means of a levy of 2s a bale. It adds: ‘/If this can be done at the raw material end, surely support ought to be forthcoming for investigations from fleece to fabric.”—A. and N.Z. MINING NEWS WAIHI.—The following mrormation has been cabled to London: For the period ended March 10, 18,951 tons of ore were crushed for a result of 6,476 fine ounces of gold, and 28,951 fine ounces of silver. This includes 2,872 tons of ore mined from the Grand Junction area, which yielded 3,126 ounces of gold and 4,235 ounces of silver. In- the No. 7 level at 17ft in the north crosscut, we have driven 40ft to the east in quartz 4ft wide, the assay value for this distance being 29s 6d a ton. At the No. 10 level of the Empire lode in the Grand Junction area we have driven a. further 20ft to the east in ore assaying 45s a ton. The lode was crosscut at 56ft and, measuring form the north wall, the first Sft averaged 40s 6d a ton, the next 4ft 13s a ton, being a mixture of quartz and country, and the last 9ft is country rock. In the West lode, west of the Shark crosscut, the drive was diverted slightly to the south and at 255 ft intersected quartz Sft wide assaying Is 9d a ton. In the No. 11 level in the Grand Junction area a further 16ft has been driven east on the Empire lode in ore assaying 39s a ton. The width of quartz is about Sft. In the No. 13 level in the Grand Junction area we have driven a further 39ft east on the Empire lode in ore assaying 33s 6d a ton. The lode is about 4ft wide.

BUTTER AND CHEESE New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company, dated March 21.—New Zealand butter,* choicest, 174 s to 1755; cheese, 99s to 100 s. Dalgety and Company, dated March 22. —Butter: The market is quiet. New Zealand finest salted, 172 s to 3745; Danish, 3945; Australian finest unsalted, 366 s to 168 s; salted, 166 s to 168 s; G.A.Q., 160 s to 3 625. Cheese: The market is firm. New Zealand white and coloured, 99g; Canadian white, 104 s to 108 s; coloured, 104 s to 106 s.