MARKETS AT A GLANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 210, 6 September 1927, Page 4

MARKETS AT A GLANCE.

GROCERY TRADE FAIRLY ACTIVE. FURTHER INCREASE IN SALMON. KN-GLISH COTTON TWLV£< V , JAJV ADVANCE. ''Auckland Star," Office, Tuesday, September 6. wS^iT™ 0 Sro , Cery houses °P ene d this «■«* to more active musiness. with general anticipations of prowesive 'improvement ■ provincial conditions as the new sea- ■ on s dally produce returns fe ea_

General. Some lines of Australian canned fruit are n rather short supply, which will be e eved when expected consignments due ..om Melbourne this week are ava.lable! < u rants are also very short at present and it ie hoped that supplies are on the Melbourne boat. Most of the local mer- ' I ants have cleaned up their stocks of all packed figs during the last month, and it is not expected that any further supplies will be available until the new season s arrive in November next Mer'•nants always endeavour to obtain'stocks "t -New Zealand walnuts in season but n>lß year supplies have not been at all plentiful, and many of the samples offered have shown the nuts to be much smaller than those offered during the previous .■> ear. Akaroa.*, which alwayse experience si i:ood demand, owing to their large size nave so far been unobtainable. A'comparison of merchants' local cheese prices with the quotations ruling on the London market to-day, show that local rates are very much in buyers' favour and good business is passing.

Drapery. All houses are now displaying new season's goods and already, it is reported, ;i Rood demand has set in, voiles, in particular, cutting very freely. In the warmer clothing, smart check suits and check and plain suits, are meeting the majority <>f requirements, but this demand will, of course, not last for more than about another month, as October usually heralds the change for warmer weather conditions and correspondingly lighter clothing. Crepe de chines, in small neat designs, are in splendid demand, and are likely to so continue. Some totally new colourings in repps, are showing and are selling well. The showroom is very attractive with the new bright colours, and illustrates the foregoing remarks. In the underwear section, the new colours available in art. silk are running very slose to fuji in popular favour. Indeed, we may say that these two materials constitute the principal features of this department. In millinery, the plain, untrimmed hate predominate.

Clothes Pegs. Cables received by agents for clothes pegs advise a fractionally easier market during the past week, the latest decline amounting to a reduction of 3d per box.

Canned Fruit. The market on American canned fruit has shown signs of increased firmness during the past week, and cables recently received from Californian packers advise that the pack of the lower grades ie likely tr> be short and that they are already finding it difficult to execute orders in hand.

Cocoa Butter. Cables received from London advise a weaker market on cocoa butter, the latest quotations given showing a decline of 4/6 per cwt in comparison with the rates previously ruling.

Prunes. The firmness previously advised in the forward market for prunes still continues, cables received last week adrieing an increase of 4/6 per cwt on the larger sizes, chiefly 30-40'e, 40-50's and 50-60's. Stocks of both the medium and large eizee recently landed from the Wairuna, and as these were bought on the market when the low prices were in force, the consignment should meet with a ready sale.

Twine. Cables have been received by agents during the past week advising a. further alteration in quotations for cotton twine. In the present instance all grades have been increased Id per lb, which makes the second advance in this market during the month.

Walnuts. Small shipments of Syrian walnuts recently arrived to this market and proved of excellent quality. Quotations have now been withdrawn, and it is unlikely that there will be any further shipments of walnuts or walnut halves made from London until the new season's are available in October-November. Business for that shipment will be mainly confined to French, quotations for which are listed at a reduction of 2/ per cwt.

Isinglass. Isinglass in bulk is being quoted at a reduction of 9d per cwt, as compared with the rates ruling during the previous year.

Tapiocas. Forward quotations on both tapioca and sago have remained unchanged for the last week or two (in some cases agents have not even been in receipt of cables), as it was considered very little interest would be displayed so eoon after the sailing of the laet direct steamer. Local stocks, in the meantime, have almost been depleted, but with the arrival of the Maheno during the week-end, which steamer ie carrying part of the direct steamer bookings ex the Garada, ample supplies should be again available. Mail ndvicee ju«t received from the Straits Settlements dkelose some very interesting fact* concerning this market. Penang stocks at the end of the six months etood at 9627 tone, being held as follows:— European merchant* 215 tons, millers 500 tons aand dealers 8912 tone. Were it not for the fact that the bulk of Penang stocks are held by a very wealthy Chinese dealer, who, from time to time, purchases from other dealers to keep up the market, juices would have come much lower. Therefore, whilst judging from the *tatUtical position one would be justified in anticipating a general decline, the Healer in question has been strongly hoWling on In hi« stocks for so long that thexo large stocks are having very little effect on th» market, and with moderate purchase* being: made by merchant* it in expected that the present scale o£ prices will 1«more or ies3 maintained.

Rattans. Dealers' advise that the volume of business on rattans hae been comparatively •■mull, although the shortage of supplies h,i s enabled dealers to maintain their juices. More labour has lately been available for the collection of rattans, which Is inclining shippers to the opinion that prices will come lower on this account.

Salmon. Still further alterations have taken place in quotations for new pack British Columbia salmon, cables received advancing pink halves a fnrther 1/ per caee, being the second rise of a like amount since the new pack prices were first named. Quotations on Cohoes have also taken a very jsudden rise, the latest information on this jrrade showing an increase in packers' pi icee of 6,' per case, «nd with only a very limited quantity offered »t that figure. This eudden advance in eahnon quotations wae toUlly unexpected by the trade. It is now etated that the eudden increase has been caused by the uapre-

cedented selling of large parcels to Great ■Britain and the Continent and to an overestimation of the actual run of salmon. Ine lact that quotations in the first place opened up at a lower figure than those of the previous season caused a certain amount of hesitation on the part of buyers, many of them not covering on their lull quota. The first hint of an advancing market caused a wild scramble on the partoi those who were still in the market ror iurther supplies, but the great difficulty now is for agents to obtain confirmation oi the business on some of the grades required, and buyers, in some cases, are being forced to accept a variation of their order or risk a cancellation of same.

Kapok. The forward position on prime Samarang kapok, as advised by cable recently, is that the new crop quotations are showing signs of weakening slightly, a comparison oi prices with those previously in force showing a reduction of %d per lb for shipmeut, commencing October.

Liquorice. Recent cables received from London quote Solazzi liquorice on an advancing market, the last price received showing a very sudden and sharp advance of 55' per cwt.

Butter Beans. The latest cables received from London advised a further slight drop in the c.i f e price of Madagascar butter beans, amounting to 9d per cwt. This present quotation makes the cost to-day the lowest quoted this season. Business is also being offered for shipment from London commencing January next, but in this case the quotation shows a slight increase on prompt shipment rate*.

Ceylon Tea. At the usual weekly sale held at Colombo on the 30th ultimo, 1.500.0001b was placed under offer, the market showing the same strength as the previous week, although the Lva, .N'ewara Eliyae were slightlv mferior as to liquor and colour. The result of the sale showed an excited demand, with all market* buying, which was responsible for further heavy increases on the previous week's quotations. Commons advanced 2%d per lb, Price Broken Orange Pekoes advanced l%d, Plain 8.0.P.s Id, First Classic Broken Pekoes %d and Finest 8.0.P.e Yid per lb. Exchange was quoted at 1/6 o-32.- Russia bought largely, and London buyers-also operated very extensively, which gave the market additional firmness. There will be no sale held this week owing to holida\ - s.

Hardware. The majority of hardware merchants report the amount of business passing this week as very fair, considering that most of the month's heavy deliveries have been completed. Further arrivals comprise lawn mowers, cutlery, thermos flasks, foreign crockery, aluniiniumware, hoes, Takes, Imp eoot destroyers, foreign enamelware.

Wholesale Current Prices. Butter.—First grade factory butter, booked, 1/6% per lb, and 1/5% per lb for prompt cash. Second grade factory, 1/5% per lb, and 1/5 per lb for prompt cash. Farmers' separator, 1/4 per lb. Cheese.—First grade factory, medium size, mild, 9&d to 9%d per lb; loaf, ll%d per lb.

Bacon.—Hams. 1/1 to 1/3 per lb; rolled hams, 1/3 to 1/5 per lb; boned hams, 1/3 to 1/5% per lb. Bacon: Sides, 10% d to 1/1 per lb; rolled sides, 1/0% to 1/3 per lb; middles, 1/1 to 1/4 per lb; shoulders, 8d to lid per lb; rolled shoulders, 10d to 1/ per lb. Lard: Bulk, 10d to lid per lb; pats, lid to 1/ per lb.

Flour.—Local: 2001b sacks, £18 per ton; lOO'e, £18 15/ per ton; 50's. £19 5/ per ton; 25'e, £20 per ton; 12%'s, £20 17/6 per ton; 6%'s, £21 7/6 per ton. Southern: 2001b sacks, £18 per ton; 100's, £18 15/ per ton; 50's, £19 per ton; 25's, £19 10/ per % ton; £20 5/ per ton; 6%'s, £20 17/6 per ton, all less 2% per cent discount. Sharps and Bran.—Local Sharps, £8 5/ per ton; bran, £5 15/ per ton. Linseed. —Whole, 21/ per cwt; ground, 22/ per 1001b. Malt.—Crushed, 10/6 per bushel; whole white, 10/6 per bushel; whole black, 14/ per bushel. Twines. —Seaming, 3/9 per lb; binder. 8d per lb. Peameal.—l3/6 per 1001b. Linseed Oil Cake Nuts.—Moose, 14/ per 1001b. Blueetone. —3278 per cwt. Linseed Meal.—Moose, 15/ per 1001b.