COMMERCIAL.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16403, 24 December 1918, Page 5

COMMERCIAL.

WHEAT TRADE BE GTJLATIONS. The Wheat Controller has issued the following ■ statement covering the operations of the wheat purchase eoneme up till December Bth:— , v , THBESHED. i Bushels. Tuscan or Longbcny ... -4,256,693 Hunter'fl .." ... 924,483 Velvet or Pearl .v ~.. 946,846 Seconds U« i.., *. 314,105 T»tal ■ .. .. 6,439,027 COiN'XEACTS. TO PURCHASE GOOD MILLING "WHEAT. Tuscan or Longberry ~ .. 3,365,741 Hunter's ... ... .. 896,833 Velvet or Pearl 693,248 Total .. .. .. 4,945,822 Contracts to purchase fowl wheat 7&i ) 9.t3 Ainouut paid to bruaors £1,466,013 18 3 ,

CHBISTMAS TRADE. CONDITIONS IN DUNEDIN. (SPECIAL TO "THE P2ESS.") DUNEDIN, December 23. Merchants and warehousemen are fairly unanimous in stating that the pre-Christmas trade, so far as they are concerned, has been considerably ufiected by the epidomio of November. Practically all the buai&C3 lost during that month will not be recovered, but the sales of the past few days hiive been, genorally speaking) quite "up to the usual CLiiatmas standard. One great drawback has been the unfortunate holding up of shipments of stuif which, but lor quarantine regulations and lack of snipping facilities, would h«/e been on the market, but which are now in ships' holds at various northern porls. ' These 9argoes include all kinds of goods usually in demand at this season of the year. This naturally ofiects sales. A point about which the wholesale people are quite unanimous is that no reduction in prices can be expected for at least twelve months; indeed, a further advance in some lines has been advised since the cessation of the war.

One warehouseman predicted that, on the whole, prices would be higher next Christmas ' than they are this year. Tho drapers say that the Christmas trade is fully equal to that of last year; that there is quite a rush for soft goods of the better quality; and that the demand generally is for the higher grades. Jewellers are finding business quite equal to that of last year, and booksellers are doing all right, the volume of business being as large aa ever.