COMMERCIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 36, 10 February 1906, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

a ■ FRUIT AND PRODUCE MARKETS. The local fruit and produce markets Have been more than usually busy during the past week, and supplies generally were excessive. Supplies of potatoes came freely to hand, and prices fell fully £_: per t ton on last week's rates. Some special lines sold under the hammer up to £10 per ton. whilst the majority did not touch £7. and many poor samples sold below that Azure. Onions were in very heavy supply, and. there being no orders for export, only moderate quantities were quitted at an average of £5 pec ton. Cable quotations were sent to San Francisco during tbe week, but the replies show that the market there does not warrant shipments at this value, and the prospect for business is poor, and very much lower prices will have to be accepted. I The fruit market was again deluged, and ' consignments came in in increased quantity j day by day, with a corresponding decrease. lin values. With the exception of choice apples there, was a difficulty In disposing !of shipments at anything like fair values. I There was a marked falling off in the supi plies of plums, and peaches, nectarines, and I pears were sent in iv increased quantities. I Prices at to-day's sales ruled low throughout. The following were the ruling prices |at the auction sales to-day :— Field Troduee.—Potatoes: Local. superior, 9/ to 10/ cwt: ordinary. 7/ to 7/6; J poor. 4/6 to »6/. (These quotations cover ' consignments afrom Napier. Gisborne. and I Opotiki.l Onions: Local, £5 ton (nominal >. Chaff. £4 to £4 15/. Dairy Produce. —Dairy and separator butter, special lOd- to 1/I*4 lb, ordinary Od to 9*__. pastry 8d to B',_d ;, farmers' keg, 7d to S*-_d: milled, in bulk, for export., 10",4 d: factory rolls, lid. Fresh eggs. 1/2 to I/** dozen. Cheese: Farmers'. 3d to 4"/.d lb; factorp, s"id to s'_d. Bacon 6V_d to 6%d. Fruit. —Apples : Local dessert, special, 41 to 66: ordinary. 3/ to 4/; cooking, special 3/6 to **/. ordinary 2/6 to 3/, poor 2/ fall per bushel easel. Pears; Bon Chretien, 6/ to 8/: medium, 4/ to *"/: other varieties, 2/6 to 4/ (all per bushel case). Plums: All varieties, from Sd to 3/6 per box, according to class of fruit and size of bos. Peaches: Choice, 4/ to 5/ case: medium, 3/ to 3/6: small, 2/ to 3/. Grapes : Indoor, 8d to 1/ lb. Lemons: Local, prime. 6/ to 6/6 case; rough and coarse, 2/ to 3/. Cape gooseberies. 3/6 to 4/9 box. Nectarines, 3/ to 5/. Bananas. 1/ to 2/0 bunch ; repacked. 1 V_d to 2d lb. Pines : Queensland, 5/ to 6/ case. Poultry.—Hens. 1/ to l/S each: table roosters, heavy 2/8 to 3/9, small 1/3 to 1/6; cockerels, 6d h o 1/. Mr/ .T. Jones quotes: Roosters, 2/3 to 3/3; cockerels, 1/2" to 1/5; hens; 1/1 1/7: ducks 1/2 to 1/8: geese. 2/6 to 3/1 •; turkey, gobblers. 7/ to 9/3, poor 5/3 to 6/6, bens, 3/ to 4/1 : pigs, 8/ to 13/: potatoes. 8 to 9/6, poor 5/6 to 6/6: ODions, 4/6 to 5/3: butter, keg and bos, Sd to B%d: patts. BY.d to 9.d; eggs. 1/8 to 1/3%: bacon sides. 6d to 6"_d: ham, 6d to 7d: cheese. 4"Ad to sV_d. Fruit, according to size of box or case, and quality of fruit, choice dessert apples. 3 to 5/1; ordinary, 2/ to 3/1 : cooking, 2/ to 3/6; plums. 1/3 to 2/6; peaches. 3/ to 5/3 ; pears. 2/3 to 5/6; lemons, 5/6 to 7/: nectarines. 3/ to 4/1; maize. 4/3: wheat, 3/0: oats. *-/8: sharps. £5 15/: bran, £4; chaff, £3 15/ to £4 at station. SOUTHERN MARKETS. CHRISTCHURCH. this day. Owing to recent heavy rains and i.Lie fear of damage to crops, there is more inquiry for wheat, and severals sales have taken place, both for local consumption and for shipment north, the latter business ha v. ing been done by merchants out of stocks in hand. In view, however, of the heavy wheat crops and low price of flour in Australia millers are not inclined to make any advance in prices. • For prime Tuscan 'A/6 at country station or under would pr~Mbly be paid. A large line of pearl changed hands at 3/2V_, 1360 bushels of Hunter's at 3/1, 3000 bushels of the same variety at 3/ at country stations, and 680 bushels at 3/1 at the mill. A few sales of new oats have been made, but little has been offering since the late rains set in. A line of 050 bushels of fair quality Danish is reported to have been sold at 1/0 at Rakaia, and 200 bushels of light duns at 1/7 at a nearer station. Chaff is firmer in consequence of the wet weather. A few samples of white clover have been seen, but no sales are yet reported. FROZEN MEAT. The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company. Ltd., have received the following cable from their London house: "We quote present spot values for the following descriptions of tallow: Fine mutton 29/6, good beat 27/3,' mixed 26/3 per cwt Mutton market dull."