COMMERCIAL

Hawera Star, Volume L, 27 August 1930, Page 8

COMMERCIAL

DISHONEST PACKING. fruit trade inquiry. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 26. The retail side .of the fruit, and vegetables inquiry, before a committee of the House was stated to-day by various- witnesses from the retail tradein Wellington. A good deal of the evidence centred on wastage, and into this came very prominently the question of dishonest packing, which, to judge from. statements made, is common. One witness, representing the Chinese traders, said it did 1 not occur with American packing, and the same was- true of Australian. One shopkeeper -said they could not get redress, as once the fruit had left the market it was impossible to get a prosecution. This was denied on the part of the department, which stated, 'however, that cases must be intact. If cases of dishonestly packed fruit were unopened when inspected at the shops a prosecution would lie made. CANTERBURY POTATOES. CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 26. The value of potatoes to-day is about £2 os on trucks and the market is very quiet. Sales have been made of Dakotas at values equivalent to below £2 os on trucks. The Waipiata is > loading at Timaru and is expected to take a fair-sized shipment. The Waikouaiti is loading at Lyttelton and -it is reported that she will take about 7000 . sacks. Opinions as to the immediate future of the potato market vary, hut the majority are far from optimistic. Small seeds, oats and wheat show little life. Millers are buying occasional lines of next season’s wheat.at os 9d f.0.b.. or 5s 6d to 5s 7d on trucks according to stations. Fowl wheat is firm at 6s 2d f.0.b.. sacks extra. LONDON MARKETS. HIGH COMMISSIONER’S REPORT: The Department of Agriculture has received "the following cablegram, dated August 23. from the High Commissioner for New Zealand, London: Tallow. Better demand for spot mutton at last rates- quoted. Mixed made 6d per cwt more,. but'little available. No auction will be. held until next week. C. i. f.. pri ces unchanged .• Hemp. Manila market easier, with more offering, but fair business has been done. “K” grade, August-October and October-December shipments sold £2O 15s. •'Sisal. —African sisal market quiet and easier. No. 1 fair average quality afloat and early shipment sold £2l 5s with sellers any shipment until the end of the year at £2l 15s. No. 2 neglected. at about. 20s lower. Good marks both grades 5s more. Sisal tow • idle. >Nominal values No. 1 £l7 10s. No. 2 £ls 10s. Mexican sisal ’reported further sales 75,000 bales to America at last prices. Market quiet; good white August-October shipment quoted £23 10s. New Zealand: Market idle and unchanged. No first-hand sales reported. Wool. , Bradford market quiet, only hand-to-mouth business being done. Merino tops quotations firm. Crossbreds a little uncertain. Fruit. Market for apples very slow. Current prices for New Zealand: Dougherty 8s to 10s; Stunners, 5s Gd to 9s : Tasmanian Stunners, 3s 6d to 6s ; bulk 4s 6d. Eggs. Market quiet and unsold stocks heavy. English, 17s to 18s per long hundred; Irish, 14s to 15s; Danish, Belgian and Dutch, 12s to 14s 9d; (French, 11s to 14s; Lithuanian, Chiniese and Polish, 7s 6d to 11s 6d. --