HOUSEWIVES' COLUMN.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 45, 22 February 1929, Page 12

HOUSEWIVES' COLUMN.

WEEK-END PRICES IN SHOPS. SHARP RISE IN EGGS. DUE TO SHORT SUPPLIES. VEGETABLES NOT SO PLENTIFUL. FRUIT COMING IX FREELY. The feature of the week was the sharp, advance in the price of eggs. This, of course, its the natural outcome of the fowl moulting. Supplies of eggs have not l>ce:i equal to the demand, with the result, that some establishments are asking - .'5 per dozen for both duck and hen egus. while others ask 2 <j. Higher prices by lessening the demand will 110 doubt relieve the position.

Butter cheese, ham.s and bacon are unaltered in price this week. Demand continues good for hum during the hot hot weather, when so many families spend the week-end at the beaches. The dry weather is beginning to affect the supply of vegetables. Cabbages are not nearly so plentiful, and the glut of tomatoes is apparently over. Cucumbers continue in heavy supply, and sell at low prices. The Tofua arrived this week with supplies of fruit from the Islands. Pineapples are in good demand and sell from 1 upwards, according to size and ripeness. Peaches are still plentiful. but fewer nectarines are coming to hand. Passion fruit are now offering at IOiI per dozen. Some tine .Japanese plums are selling at (>d to 8d per lb, and smaller ones at 4<l per lb. English plums are scarce. Large quantities of loc-al apples and jwars are being sent in. Bon Chretien pears sell at from .'s(l to 4d per lb. California!) and also Valencia and Jaffa oranges' are in good supply. Quotations to-day are:—r Eggs. Hen and duck. 2/3 to 2 (i per dozen. Butter and Cheese. Superfine butter, 1,9 per lb; first grad -1 factory, 1,8; second. 1/7, cash across the counter, and Id per lb extra when book"!; farmers' butter. 1/3 to I. o; cluese (mild). 1/2 to 1/4 per lb; extra matured, l,o; old port, 1, 8. Bacon and Hams. Bacon, in cuts, B'/<d to 3/2 per lb; prime cuts, 1/3 to 1/5; in rashers, 1/4 to 1, <>; whole hams, 1/2 per lb; rashers, 1 (i per lb. Meat. Beef.—Rump steak, 1/2; undercut, 1/4; all beef steak, 8d; skirt steak, 8d; sirloin, lOd; prime ribs, 7d; wing rilxs, (three chine bones), 9d; topside (4lb and over), 7d; thick flank, 7d; bolars, 7.1; double top rib, 6d; chuck rib, ,sd; rolled chuck rib, 7d; corned round, 8d: corned brisket (boned), 7d; brisket and flat rib, ~> 1; thin flank, 3d; gravy beef or shin meat, <id; minced beet, Cd; tripe, 7d; dripping, 7d; suet, (id; sausages, (>d: s.insage meat, sd: whole shins or legs. 3d; half shins or legs (thick end), 4d; half shins or legs (knuckle end), 3d; ox kidneys, I.'; ox tongues, lOd; ox tails, 8d; whole loins. 9Vid.

Mutton.—Leg, !M per lb; leg (shank end). 1511> or under, 10d; hindquarter, IM; torequarter, Til; shoulder, 7 lid; shank end of forequarter, 7d; necks, "'.id; loin, I'M; neck and breast, (id; leg and loin chops, lid; neck chops, 8d: flaps, 4d; cutlets (trimmed), 1 1: side. 8d: kidneys, 2d each; tongues, 3d: sheep's head (dressed). Od; sheep's fry, 8d: sheep's brains, 3d. Spring Lamb.- Foreqnarters, 1/ per lb: hindquarters, 1 3: leg, 1 4; join, 1 3. \ eal. —Fillets, lOd per lb: loins, 8d; shoulderc. Gil; cutlets and veal steak, lid; chops, yd; foreqnarters, 3d; rolled veal, Bd. Pork.—Leg, Od per lb; loin. KM; forelpin, with blade, 8.1; pork chops, lid: corned hand, 7d; coined belly, 9d; pork sausages, 7d. Fish. Retail prices at Auckland: Fresh fillets, tarakihi, large. 3d each: scimappcr. 2d. 3: and 4d; trevalli, 3d: John Dory, 4d; kingfish, 4d; kippered fillets, 1/ per lb; lemon fish, 8d; roe, 1,0; gurnet, 2d each; cream fish, 2d; mussels, 1,(5 dozen; fresh schnappcr, small, 3d and 4d each; fresh tarakihi, 4d; trevalli, 4d; mullet, 6d: flounder, 3d to 9d; hapuka steaks, 9.1 per lb; hapuka fins, od; kingfish steaks, Gd; smoked best tarakihi, 7d: smoked best sehnapoer. 9d; smoked roe, 2 : tinoked ::;;i!iet, 7d; smoked trevalli, "xl; silver strip, Sd: crayfish. Od; whitebait, Od glass; rabbits, 1/ each. Fruit. Apples.—Desert, 3d to Oil per lb; cooking, oTU for 1, ; pears, desert, 3d to 4d per lb; cooking. 3d; hothouse tomatoes. Od per lb: outdoor tomatoes. 3d to 4;l per lb: bananas. 4-1 to Gd per lb; peaches, extra fine, 2 0 to 3/ per dozen: good. 2 per dozen: stewing peaches, 12 to 10 for 1 ; nectarines. 1/ jier lb; eating plum*. Od to 8d per lb; stewing plums, 4d per lb; lemons. 1 '6 per dozen; extra fine, 2 : American oranges, three for 1 ; Valencia oranges, 1 to 2 0 per dozen, according to size and quality; water melons, 4d per lb; Tahiti mangoes. Sd to Od each; blackberries. 8d to SKI per chip: rhubarb, 2d per bundle: Cape gooseberries. 7d to 10.1 per lb; passion fruit. 10d per dozen: hothouse grapes, 14 to 1.8 per lb; other grapes, 1/ to 1 2 per lb.

Vegetables. Potatoes, 10il per lb; kuniai'iis, 4d per lb; swedes. 121b lor 1 onions, 101b for 1 ; pumpkins. ]<1 to 1 Vfecl per lb; marrows, 3d to 8d each; cucumbers. 2d to 4,1 each; lettuce. Id to 3d each; cabbage,. 6d to 1 each: green peas. 3d to 4d per lb; French beans, 41b for (id; carrots and parsnips, lVzd per bunch; best turnips and spring onions. Id per bunch.