PROMPT POTATOES WEAK

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 968, 10 May 1930, Page 11

PROMPT POTATOES WEAK

POSITION IN CANTERBURY Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Business on the local grain and produce market is still of comparatively small dimensions. The principal business that is being done is in potatoes. The forivard position is fairly strong, but the prompt position for potatoes is weak. The prompt quotation for whites is £3 to £3 ss, on trucks. The May-June quotation is £4 10s f.0.b., s.i.; June alone, £4 15s; July, £5 2s 6d; J uly -August- September, £5 12s 6d. It is not possible to buy freely at these prices. Two steamers will leave Lyttelton tomorrow night with about 11,000 sacks of potatoes for Auckland. The Northern centre does not usually take so many potatoes from the South Island at this time of the year as it is taking this season. The total shipments from Lyttelton to Auckland up to the end of April this year consisted of 47,096 bags, compared with 45,278 sacks for the corresponding period last y€ar. In addition to the shipments from Lyttelton, shipments have gone from Timaru. The wheat market remains about the same as at the date of the previous report, but there is very little wheat now offering. Pool wheat is still being delivered on account of contracts entered into earlier between millers and the pool, and prices remain unchanged at 5s 8d to 5s 9d for Tuscan; 5s 9d to 5s lOd for Hunters; and 5s lid to 6s for Pearl, on trucks. Fowl wheat is still in good demand at 5s lid f.0.b., s.i., but it is difficult to obtain supplies. It cannot be said that there is much business passing in oats, but the market is firm at late rates. A grade are worth 3s 6d on trucks, and B grade 3s 3d. The importation of chaff by the North Island from Tasmania has not detrimentally affected the price here. The local price has improved, today’s quotations being £ 5 to £5 2s 6d a ton for good quality. The market for Partridge peas is firmer, owing to a better demand from Home. No 1 grade are worth 4s 6d on trucks. It is difficult to obtain supplies. The area sown in peas last year was smaller than usual, and the yield was light. There is a slightly better inquiry for linseed, but the price is unaltered at £ls a ton on trucks. The bottom has dropped out of the onion market. Nominally the price is 30s a ton. There is nothing doing in small seeds, and prices of these are unchanged. MORRINSVILLE TOPICS A stack containing about 25 tons of hay on the Kereone Estate, owned by Kereone, Ltd., was destroyed by fire, due to internal combustion, on Wednesday evening. The number of Consumers connected to the Thames Volley Power Board’s mains now totals 7,278, which includes 1,074 consumers in the Thames borough, and 640' in the Te Aroha borough. Mrs. S. Dawson has purchased from Mr. G. F. Oates, the property known as Arklynn Private Hotel, with a frontage of 85ft to Moorhouse Street. Shooting in the swamp' at Mangateparu on the opening day of the season, Messrs. C. Flowerday and P. Brightwell secured 45 ducks. This appears to be the best bag obtained in the Morrinsville district this season. Seven degrees of frost were registered in Morrinsville on Thursday and Friday mornings, and five on Wednesday morning. The temperature has reached freezing point, or lower, on each consecutive morning during the past seven days. The cost of power purchased by the Thames Valley Power Board from the Public Works Department for the March quarter amounted to £9,587 3s 9d. This was the lowest account since September quarter of 1928. The full benefit of the peak reduction due to metering will not be apparent until the September quarter, when the Matamata supply point will be completely metered. * * * The presentation of a gold-mounted fountain pen was made to Mr. S. C. Snell at Putaruru on the eve of his departure for Morrinsville, where he has taken up a position in the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company’s factor}'. The presentation was made at a meeting of friends held on Wednesday evening.

A. farewell social was accorded Mr. and Mrs. Grinlinton at W'alton prior to their departure for Raglan, to which town Mr. Grinlinton has ben promoted as postmaster. There was a very good attendance, and dancing occupied the major portion of the evening, solos from Mrs. G. A. Fromm, Miss Ross (Auckland) and Miss Edna McLean, and a recitation by Mr. Grinlinton being interspersed between dances. Mr. McLean acted as master of ceremonies. Mr. McLean presented Mr. and Mrs. Grinlinton with a case o,f stainless cutlery.