WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18332, 14 February 1920, Page 9

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL.

HARDWARE. The most important feature of the hardware market during the past week was the large number of notoworth-- pxJpe ohonges that occurred. Nearly all those" changes are advances .and were caused directly or indirectly by labour troubles and the increased cost of distribution. Plain galvanised fencing wire No. 8 has moved up to £62 10s per ton, and galvanised barbed wire to £62 10s per ton- basis. Galvanised corrugated iron has advanced to £67 10s per top basis and plain galvanised iron to £72 10s per ton for 24 gauge, £75 for 26 gauge and £77 10a for 28 gauge. Bar 'iron has hardened to £3l per ton for ordinary and £35 per ton for shoeing bars. Wix« nail* are now £4B per ton basis and gaivan*3ed staples £55 per ton basis. Black hoop iron is £6O per ton and galvanised hoop iron £6O per ton. Raw linseed oil is 13s tid per gallon and genuine white lead £95 per ton in lowt plugs. Galvanised tubes aro 25 per cent advance, and black 15 per cen,t on lift price. Sheet lead is £67 103 per ton basis. FRUIT AND VEGETABLES. Vegetates oontinue to be in good supply. There is very little demand ior tiiem at present, and prices are low. There has been a good suppiy of potatoes during tho week, meeting with a good domand. Stone fruits have been in good supply, and there has bean a good demand lor all sorts, prioes being high, witli the exception of plums. Peaches yesterday brought up to 7d and 8d per lb in cases —a record for this class of produce. Fair supplies are coming forward from Central Otago and Nelson. Regular supplies of oucumbers are coming to hand from Auckland, and tomatoes and' cucumbers from Nelson. Owing to tomatoes coming forward in great ' quantities, the price has dropped a penny or twopence. A shipment of Cook Island bananas was due in Wellington yesterday, and should be on tho local market on Monday or Tuesday. A consignment of bananas and l pines is due by the next Sydney boat. Quotations are as follows: —Apples; dessert, per case, 8s to 10s; apples, cooking, per case, 6s to 7s; apricots, per crate sid to 5Jd, per case Sid' to 4d per lb j ooconuts, per sack, 225; grapes, per lb, Is 6cJ to 2s 3d; lemons, San Francisco, per case, 47s 6d; nectarines, per case, 5s to 6s; oranges, Valencias, per case, 37s 6d; pears,, per case, 7s to 8s; peaches, per crate 6d to 6id per lb, per caso 3d to 44d per lb; plums, per case, 3s to 4s: raspberries, per lb, 8d! to lOd; tomatoes (JNelson), per case, 7a 6d to 8s 6d; tomatoes, local, per lb, hothouse Is to Is Id', outdoor 9d to lid; beans,, 3d per lb; beet, per dozen bundles, Is 9d to 2a 9d; cabbages, per dozen, 2s to 4s;, cauliflowers, per dozen 1 ,2 s6d to 6a; carrots, per dozen bundles, lOd to is; cuoumbers, per lb, lOd; celery, per bundle, 8d; green peas, local, Is 8d to 2s; lettuce, per dozen, 9d| to Is 6d; new potatoes, local, per lb, ljd; new potatoes, northern, per lb. Id; onions, local, per lb ljd to ljd; parsnips per dozen bundles, Is; radishes, per dozen, bundles, 4dl; rhubarb, per dozen bundles, 2s; spring l onions, per dozen bundles, 9d; turnips, per dozen bundles, lOd.