COMMERCIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1919, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

LOAN AND MERCANTILE AGENCY COMPANY. The New Zealand Loau and Mercantile Agency Co., Ltd., StraUord Branch, report as follows: Ou Tuesday I lie 4th inst., we held our usual forcuightlj -ale in our Stratlord 'yards. There ..ai a full yarding of cattle and sheejj, most of which changed hands at satisfactory values. (Store cows realised £4 17s (id to £8; freshconditioned £8 ltis Ud to £9 oa; la to 20-months empty heifers £4 Us to £4 10s; bulls £0 ios to £l4; cull elves 8s ad to 12a; f.m ewes 19s Ud; lambs 7s Ud to 8s for small sheep, IDs for fair [stulf; 2-tooth Lincoln rams ;igns. On Wednesday, uth March, we held our sale at Kohuratalii. This was the first sale held in conjunction with Mr Newton King in this district. There was a full yarding of sheep, but very few cattle. Buyers were in attendance from all over the province, and a most satisfactory sale resulted, nearly everything being quitted under the hammer. F.f.m. and l'.m. ewes realised 18s to 245; lambs 10s 9d to 12s 3d; 2-tooth wethers 24s to 2tis; 4-tooth wether's 25s Ud to 28s 3d; mixed 2-tooths 23s to 24s (id; cull ewes 8s 9d to 8s (id; Romney rams 2Jgns to 3gns. On Friday, 7tli March, we held our usual monthly sale in our Matau yards. Both cattle and sheep taxed the capacity of the yards to the utmost. There was fair competition, and nearly the whole yarding was sold at recent ruling values under the hamuier or immediately afterwards. Two and 4-tooth wethers brought 25s to 25s lOd; forward ewes 25s Gd; small lambs 8s to 12s 6d; 6-tooth and f.f.m. ewes 235; 2-tooth ewes 21s to 23a 3d; 4 and 5-year ewes 13s 5d to 18s fid; ; Lincoln rams 30s to 40s; forward conditioned cows £9 8s; in-calf heifers £7 Is; 18-month empty heifers £3 4s to £4 10s.

On Saturday, Bth March, we held a supplementary fair in Mr Thomas Hayes' yards at Punewhakau. The advertised uiieep came forward, and eve. I thing was sold at satisfactory values, except young ewes whieh failed to reach reserves in some cases. A line of 800 odd 4-ycar ewes made the satisfactory value of 245, and were divided among two Toko clients. Two and 4-tooth ei realised 24s 6d; f.m. ewes 13s fid to 17s fid; lambs 6s 6d to lis; 4-tooth wethers 24s 3d to 26s 8d; fat ewes 28s 3d; 8iooth and f.f.m. ewea 245. THE OAT MARKET.

A SUDDEN COLLAPSE. A sudden weakening of the market for oats was disclosed a week ago in the South. This has since developed into what almost becomes a complete collalpse. An article in the Chriateliurch Sun states: "The drop during the week has been easily a shilling a bushel, and it is apparent that merchants are in many cases heavy losers." As a matter of fact, the loss will not be confined to merchants in the South, for importers in the North Island are now receiving supplies of oats which cost considerably more than the present f.o.b. quotations in the South. It appears that previous calculations as to the probable oat yield this season was much under the mark, and that unless an outlet for export is opened there will be a surplus this year. Sixty to seventy bushels are, according to all accounts, quite ordinary yields this year in Canterbury. The Christchurch Sun states one farmer in Timaru has threshed 120 bushels of oats per acre, a Sefton grower secured 110 bushels, from Geraldine, 113 bushels per acre, and over 100 bushels at Aylesbury. Allowing an average of 45 bushels per acre, the yield would tot up to 9,000,080 bushels. New Zealand's requirements last- year are given at 5,142,000 bushels. It is thus pretty certain that there will be a lot of oats for export if a market, is available.