MARKETS AT A GLANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 121, 24 May 1932, Page 4

MARKETS AT A GLANCE.

WHOLESALE TRADE IMPROVES a { A in DATE MARKET ATTRACTIVE. <. Q MERCHANTS DELIVERING JUNE a, BOOKINGS. h "Auckland Star" Office, j, Tuesday, May 24. P Wholesale grocery merchants arc cx- ( | periencing some slight improvement sn si distributing trade this week; this inciease is apparently due to the fact that thej |, are now accepting business for immediate f, delivery as June account. Even with this fi incentive to place immediate business the J) retail grocery trade seem to be confining q their requirements more to foodstuffs for v which there is an immediate call, llepleu- e ishing requirements are also being ordered, ;i but it is very noticeable that tlie higher j, priced articles are being bought very r sparingly. 1 } General News. f< It was advised last week that the first h of the new season's supplies of Australian 1: sultanas and currants had arrived. Jn this t respect, although the majority ot mer- t chants received veiy heavy consignments t of all grades of botn lines. 111 most cases o stocks of sultanas particularly have gone n into distribution, which will leave- merchants' supplies very short until the arrival of the next Melbourne steamer, due to arrive about the end of this month. Jll some instances merchants forward bookings of One and Two Crown sultanas have accounted for almost the whole ol their immediate supplies, so that the following shipment "will be very eageil> awaited. Since quotations were withdrawn , there have been many anxious. inquiries as to whether any further supplied would be available, and although it is almost impossible to get anything definite, fiom the latest information received it seems j highly improbable that any further supplies will be available. In regard to cur- p rants the situation seems not quite so acute, and some further small parcels c have been ordered by cable tor urgent c shipment. By the same vessel that brought r new season's dried fruit, merchants also ] received further supplies of second and *] standard grade Australian canned fruit, „ which have also proved very welcome. t Macaroni and vermicelli are other lines r always in constant demand, and further ] substantial shipments have just been r landed from Melbourne. From Monday ,] last one of the large soap packers is j commencing a special scheme on v its large size packed washing powder, with a gift which falls in very well with ] the knitting craze at the moment, and therefore should have quite an appeal. A well-known line of English effervescent salts, previously offered under a special 1 bonus scheme, is now advised as definitely e terminating at the end of this month, r Another popular and well-known line of L cough remedy manufactured in the South Island, which has been on offer through- s out the retail under a special bonus f| scheme, has also been definitely with- I drawn. A well-known American pack of S liniment is now being offered throughout the trade at an attractive basis. A well- a known Southern packer of proprietary brand coffee has advised the trade during the week that the usual lib tin is now 1 being offered at a reduction of 2/ per dozen to the trade. Although shipping i, from overseas has been rather quiet during j the week merchants have been kept fairly ' busy with the arrival of consignments t from Southern ports which comprise ' breakfast foods, split peas, barley and other lines suitable for the winter trade at the moment. Overseas supplies com- ( prise shipments of arrowroot in 1« and Vs's, tea, tooth paste, cleaning polishes in block and powder, loaf sugar in bulk and cartons, mutton birds in kits, matches, , sheep tongues, bath salts, bi-carbonate of j soda, whiting, disinfectant fluid, meat essence, greaseproof paper, fine salt, door- ] mats, etc. Rennet tablets, previously in ■ short supply, are now available. One packer of processed cheese has advised a further reduction of Id per lb in bar packings, and 3d per dozen in the small cartons, during the week. Available for distribution this week one popular packer of carton laundry soap advised the inclusion of dish cloths with every carton, which should appeal to the trade generally. The special 5 per cent bonus offer on* a popular line of vegetable extract has now been definitely withdrawn. Dates. Prices for new season's dntos, Sep-tember-October shipment. have been named on a very low basis, and are on a parallel with the lowest quotations rilling during the severe cut that was experienced last year. In the meantime prices for direct shipment from London remain firm, so that the local market is . not likely to reflect any difference in quotations until new season's dates arrive in December next. A feature of the trade . experienced this year has been the in- ( creased demand that has been noted for stone dates. Sago and Tapioca. Following on the low levels advised on Penang sago and tapioca last week the market is now showing a much firmer tendency, to-day's quotations being about , 15/ per ton higher than the level at which a substantial portion of merchants' business went through last week. Desiccated Coconut. For some time now this market has been receiving supplies of desiccated coconut from Papua (British New Guinea) whereas formerly Ceylon catered for the whole of the New Zealand trade. Mills have been established in Papua for a year or so, and have been kept going by the sales made to Australia. Millers have now extended their activities to this Dominion as well, and as the product from l'apua compares in every way as favourable as Ceylon coconut, and as the cost is slightly less as well as a little less time taken for shipment en route, quite a fair share of New Zealand s business tor this product is being diverted to Papua. The ruling rate on offer at present represents excellent buying, the current c.i.f. prices being on a particularly low level, which is attracting good business. Jordan Almonds. ; In cables received during the week prices for Jordan almonds have been reduced 2/6 per cwt, and at this latest quotation is approximately £20 per ton lower than last year's opening rates. The lower price is expected to attract considerable interest for new season's offerings tor September shipment to arrive here early December. Almond Nuts. In cables just to hand Sicily filberts have been increased 6d per cwt. Resin. The market for French resin continues to remain firm, following the advances that took place last week. G w-as quoted at an advance of 7/6 per ton, N 2/b pei ton, WG 5/ per ton, and WW 7/6 pei b ton. Considerable business has been put 1 through during the past month prior to , the increases, the business booked being e f or immediate and forward shipment as far on as August next. Cabled quotations just to hand show the market remaining steady at last ruling rates. Turpentine. Cabled quotations have been issued on ' pine tree turpentine for shipment via ban ; Francisco, which are appreciably lower to . I the extent of 2d per gallon. This makes r the price quoted very attractive, although s rates are still 2d per gallon higher than the lowest level reached during the past twelve months. Ceylon Tea. At the usual weekly sale of Ceylon tea '' held on the 17th instant, 2,500,0001b of tea was placed under offer. Quality showed a slight falling off, but was very useful and about average. The result of the sale showed that good mediums and best Broken Orange Pekoes were in good Id demand, others, although fair, were irregu--1 lar *and easier.

Java Kernels. Prices have just been named for new season's Java kernels, and in comparison .to previous offers show a reduction of approximately £2 per ton for June-July shipment. For the direct steamer JulyAugust a further slight reduction is indicated. Canary Seed. Turkish canary seed is now being quoted, and in comparison to previous advices shows a reduction of 2/ per cwt for prompt shipment. Californian Raisins. More interest is now being displayed in agents' offers on new season's prices for Californian unbleached sultanas than previously, this being probably due to the demand that is likely to be experienced should Australian stocks prove inadequate for local demands, which seems to be very likely at present. Low prices have stimulated the demand for Californinn. and forward shipments for spread delivery from October onwards are available, and notwithstanding the advanced exchange rates, prices are lower than previously. Golden bleached fruit also continues to be very popular, and as supplies ran out early last season, forward bookings so far for choice and extra choice have been normal. Up to the present oil bleached and soda bleached have been rather neglected, the demand passing from these to the golden bleached and unbleached Thompson's seedless raisins. A feature of the business so far this season has been the preference for supplies in fibre board containers at 1/ per cwt lower than the cased line. The unbleached fruit carries exceedingly well in this particular container, and has the advantage of a slightly lower ft eight rate on the measurement basis. Cream of Tartar. The bulk of the Dominion's requirements of cream of tnrtnr seems to be now piling to Australia. Whilst quotations for the main English brands are considered quite attractive, they at present are not competitive with Australian to the extent of about £5 per ton, which accounts for the preference for the Australian produet. The local market at present is fairly well supplied. New Crop Brazil Nuts. Mail advices just to hand from large English suppliers of Brazil nuts indicate that it seems absolutely hopeless to forecast the Para Brazil market this season. Cables received from main producing centres indicate that the Para crop will only be about 8000 tons out of a total crop of about 20.000 tons, whereas the Para crop usually equals the Manna cron. Their estimate is that there will be only about 10.000 tons of Para nuts. Out of total receipts at Para by the end of March of 3000 tons, 2900 tons were bought by local shellers, and the balance only exported. At the moment it looks as if the demand of the Para shellers is momentarily satisfied, and as European importers will onlv pay a price definitely below that ruling for large washed Manoas, a little business is being done for early shipment. Wholesale Current Prices. Butter.—First grade factory, booked', llVid per lb and lid per lb for prompt cash. Second grade factory, booked, 10'/id per lb and lOd per lb for prompt cash. Farmers' separator, 9d per lb. Cheese.—Fijist grade factory, export size fSO's), 7d to 7Vl>d per lb net. Best quality medium (40's), 7'/id to 8d per lb. First quality, 7%d per lb. Loaf, 7%d to 894 d per lb. Tinfoil, Villi pats, 1/3 per lb. Honey.—Bulk white, sMid per lb. Light amber. 4%d to 5d per lb. Bacon.—Hams, 9V&d to lOd per lb. Rolled hams, 11 '/fed per lb. Cooked ham, 1/ to 1/1 per lb. Cooked pressed hams, 1/3 per lb. Bacon sides. 7%d to B%d per lb. Rolled sides. 9'/4d to lOd per lb. Middles, OVid to lOd per lb. Shoulders, 5%d per lb. Rolled shoulders. 7!£d to 8d per lb. Lard, bulk, 6d per lb. Pats, 7d per lb. Linseed. —Whole. 10/11 per cwt. Linseed Meal. —17/3 per 1001b. Flour.—Local, 200lb sacks, £15 7/0 per ton; 100's, £10 2/6 per ton; 50's. £10 12/G per ton: 25's, £17 7/6 per ton; 12V4's, £18 5/ per ton; 6'/i's, £18 15/ per ton. Malt.—Crushed, 11/3 per bushel. Whole white, 10/9 per bushel. Whole black, 13/6 per bushel. Twines.—Seaming, first quality, 2/6 per lb. Second quality, 2/3 per lb. Binder, 7d per lb. Peameal. —10/6 per 1001b. Linseed Oil Cake Nuts: 12/6 per 1001b. Bluestone: 36/3 per cwt.