WHOLESALE MARKETS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 197, 20 August 1940, Page 4

WHOLESALE MARKETS.

GENERAL IMPROVEMENT.

LIKELY RAISIN SHORTAGE.

ABSORPTION OF SALES TAX

Auckland wholesale grocery merchants report tliat tobacco and dispatch departments were extremely busy from Thursday of last week, and it looks as if it will be come dajjs yet before all orders are completed. With merchants having advised the trade that deliveries for September account commence to the country districts next Monday, orders for this delivery are already coming to hand in increasing volume, and before the week is out all departments are expecting to be very busy again. This is likely to continue throughout the following week as town deliveries commence on Uhe following Wednesday. Merchants have received during the past week notification of a decrease in many lines from numerous manufacturers who are absorbing the additional 5 per cent sales tax, with the result' that retail prices are remaining the same. The arrival of the Eastern steamer recently was welcome to the - trade generally, as this steamer brought further supplies of many lines of which merchants were only holding very limited stocks, and m many cases none at a!!. Advice was received during the week of an increase in price of 1/ per dozen on a well-known brand of cordial extract. Crystallised Cherries Scarce, Owing to the fact that practically all the supplies of primus prickers have in the past come from Norway, importations from this source are now impossible, with the result that most merchants are unable to supply. There seems to be every possibility of stocks of preserved ginger being well cleaned up before the big Christinas demand sets in, and storekeepers wouid be well advised to build a reserve by buyi ig now. Available supplias of crystallised and drained cherries are extremely scarce, with advices to hand indicating that no further supplies of drained will be available this season. A slight reduction of approximately bid per lb on lemon peel lias been made by ocai manufacturers. The bulk of the lemon peel business is usually done between September and Christmas, and some substantial orders have already been placed tor this delivery. Lexia Raisins. The Commonwealth Dried Fruits Control Board, Melbourne, advised that pending clarification of production figures no further supplies of lexia raisins will be available for salt? to New Zealand. It is understood that substantial shipments of contracts already booked are being made from Australia this week. London shippers advise that it is again possible to ship type of peanut kernels from i?r !?■' facilities being available to Wellington in the near future. Prices quoted are the same as that on which previous shipments were made. Arrivals from overseas and coastal port* during the past week were: Haricot beans, Singapore pineapples, Si am rice, Argentine canary seed, safety matches, desicca.ted coconut, pearl tapioca, sago, bulk dates, butter beans, peanut kernels, pitted dates, bulk Ceylon tea, English vacuum salt, cornflour, English poultry spice, medicinal salts s's. iodised salt, proprietary brand breakfast foods, malt extract, jelly crystals, cake powder, custard powder, baking powder, Southern packet tea, peroxide of i hydrogen, floor polish, wax matches, cigarette papers, Epsom salts, etc. Wholesale Current Prices, Butter—First grade, pats 1/4% lb. bulk 1/4% lb; second grade, pat*, 1/4% lb: whey, pate, 1/3% lb. . • Cheese.—Export (80's), crate lots, 9\d lb, less lOd lb; medium (40*8), crate lots lOd lb, leas 10% d lb; (20's), crate lots 10% d lb, less 10% d lb net; loaf, crate lots 10% d lb, less llttd lb. Bacon.—Ham, 1/2% lb: rolled boneless ham, 1/5 lb; cooked whole ham, 1/6 lb; cooked rolled. 1/8; cooked pressed ham, 1/10% and 2/0%; rcflled middles, 1/5%. Lord, bulk 8d lb, pats 3d. Dripping, pate, 4%d lb. Hor«ry.—First grade: lib cartons, 11/9 dozen; Jib tins, 23/3 dozen; 51b tins, 57/6 dozen. Flour.—Local: 2001b sacks, £14 15/6 ton: lOO's, £15 12/6: 50s. £15 17/6: 25's, £16 7/6; 12%'s, £17; 6%"5, £17 17/6. Malt.—Crushed. 11/6 bushel: whole I white, 11/3; whole black, 12/3 bushel.