Count-down Begins For Christmas

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31196, 21 October 1966, Page 14

Count-down Begins For Christmas

(From Our Grocery Reporter) Labour week-end is the start of the countdown for Christmas shopping and it gives grocers the chance to limber up for the holiday week-ends ahead.

Today housewives will be stocking up for the three-day break and grocers will be busier than usual.

Labour Day week-end is followed closely by the Show Day break and then Christmas is not far away. This means that grocers and merchants are on the threshold of the busiest time of the year. Only nine weeks are left for trading before Christmas

and grocers are already stockpiling for the rush to come. It is hoped that there will be a reasonable selection of imported lines on the shelves this year, although import restrictions are more severe than ever.

Haricot Beans.— Haricot beans are now being offered in the North Island. These beans are grown in Marlborough and have been used by some canners of baked beans. The beans were offered in Christchurch last year for the first time. Local haricot beans save both import licences and overseas funds.

Flour. — A local flour miller will soon market pre-packed 12|lb bags of flour. These will be available to retail grocers in Canterbury. Until now only 251 b bags have been available and these are too large for today's housewife. Grocers have always had to re-pack flour. Today 41b bags are perhaps the most popular. If this size could be pre-packed by millers it should be a good seller. Latest news is that 12|lb bags are being withdrawn from the Auckland market.

Olive*.— Recent reports from America say olive prices artfirming again because of a shortage in this season's crops. Higher prices and a cut back in import licences could mean shortages on the New Zealand market. Olive oil could also be affected. Oive oil is already dear and could become dearer. Rice.— New season's Slam rice prices are now available and show an increase of about £l3 a ton on last year's opening price. Because of critical conditions in South-east Asia world rice prices have been firming, even in the United States and Australia. It seems prices could go higher than at present and this would mean a shortage. Licences for rice have been reduced and now prices are up further less rice will be imported.

N.Z. Tourist Air Travel (N.Z. Press Association! INVERCARGILL, Oct. 20. Net profit of New Zealand Tourist Air Travel for the year to March 31, dropped by almost 50 per cent, from £12,112 to £6505. Major reasons for the drop are said by directors to be poor summer weather and the loss of the Te Anau-based floatplane last December. During the year the company amalgamated with Southern Scenic Air Services and West Coast Airways, Ltd., whose accounts are for a 10month period. Directors say that revenue earned in April and May was substantial and in a normal 12 months profits would have made the group profit higher.

Rise In Price Of Copper (N.Z. Press Assn. —Copyright > MELBOURNE, October 20. The Australian copper price will rise by 100 dollars (£4O) to 1150 dollars (£460) a long ton from tomorrow the Copper Producers' Association of Australia announced today.