COMMERCIAL.

Northern Advocate, 26 January 1922, Page 7

COMMERCIAL.

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL,

PIIODUUE MARKETS REVIEWED.

[AUCKLAND, This Day.

The wholesale houses arc busy this week with deliveries for February account, and a very fair turnover is reported, says the ''Herald's" commercial .editor. Town trade is a little quiet, the heavy sales before Christmas having apparently supplied most households with a little surplus, ,bu,t most of the country districts aire calling for full quantities, while th<s numerous vessels loading during the past fortnight have been responsible for exceptional activity in the export trade.

Tlie auctions are naturally doing a very heavy trade at this 'time of the year, thereby somewhat r educing the business that usually goes through other channels. Fruit an*l vegetables are in heavy supply at favourable rates.

Hardware.—Prices arc now more favourable in heavy lines, and a good demand is reported in fencing wire and corrugated iron: Engliisfli brands are again plentiful, and are so little higher than the' American that they are getting a big share of tihe trade.

Oils.—Kerosene and benzine are selling well at the lower prices now quoted. Tobacco. —A distinct shortage exists and several brands are unobtainable.

Matches. —Wax vestas are in fairly good supply again, all shapes being now obtainable. Fair supplies of safeties are on the market, but some of the brands that came in during the war have disappeared, to be replaced by the older favourites 1 of good quality. Potatoes. —Heavy supplies continue to arrive, and the price is unchanged at 7s 6d ex store. Growers in the neighbourhood of Pukekohe have been planting their second c»op, chiefly to provide seed for planting anid selling during the winter, as this meihhod of propagation has been found the surest way of getting good sound seed. There are indications that the output from the early crop is beginning to Vun short, and this is encouraging merchants to contract tor larger supplies of Southern for delivery from March onwards.

' Onions. —Price remains at 7s 6d ex store, the market having been held up by the heavy buying for export, whereas kist year no-export took place. It is expected that a further shipment will go by the nexit San Frfancisco steamer, and a substantial order so early in the season has had a strong effect on a market that was previously falling each week. Growers arc getting about £6 ss, which is not a very remunerative return.

Oats. —The ma'rket is rather bare just at prssent, but the Wanaka is due on Thursday with ample supplies, having regard to the small demand existing this season. The market is weak nit about 4s 2d ex store in small lots, and large lines are hardly selling at all. j Oatmeal. —Very quiet demand, witlh no change in price. Chaff. —The local oa.t crop has been - gathered in fair condition, so thiat there should soon be a good quantity offering. Practically none has .been cut from the field, as the quality is so mudh better after being in the stack for a few weeks. Meantime old Blenheim chaffis still in demand ait 9s 3>d ex store, and a faiir business has also been done in new chaff from Hawke's Bay for early delivery. Wheat. —With only a few weeks until the oiew prices come dr. for the mew wiheat business is naturally restricted to absolutely urgent requirements, but millers recognise that oven when the cheaper new wiheat is available they will still require a certain proportion of old grain. Fowl Wheat.—Very scarce, and all that is offering is eagerly picked up bv buyers who prefer this graiiin ait this time of the year. A few holders in the South arc taking advantage of the present high prices to unload all their old .stock, and occasionally a line of almost milling quality sells for fowl wheat, obtaining thereby a better price than to hold it for selling as milling wheat in March. Quotation for faiir quality is 10s to 10s 3d cx store, but the price is so high that quite a good trade has been worked up in mixtures, tihe lower price of oats and maize making this economical.

Tic. nr. —Bakers have been buying very sparingly, knowing that the price must conic dowiii, and their stocks aic now <<o low that they have tto keep on buying full quantities enoh week for their regular trade. The total demand appears to be as heavy as ever. Maize—Although ample shipping space has been available, the arrival ot maize from the Bay of P'leaity has been very limited, tajid the price is a shade Armed at 4s lOd to 5s on the | wharf in wholes-ale lines. The demand

is naturally very limited at this time of the year, but sewno will always sell, especitttlly with wheat scarce ami dear, and there lias not even been enough to ■supply this demand.

Grass Seed.—Merchants have been making thejr preparations for the autumn demand, there being very little spring solving in Auckland. It is anticipated that the requirements will be loss than usual. Bush-felling was not extensively carried out during the past •winter, so that surface rowing must be proportionately small, while there is no great inducement this season for farmers to plough and resow all (pastures.

Fertilisers. —Prices this season have been reduced pretty well all round, and this may induce a larger .scale. Otherwise merchants were looking for a fulling off in the demand this season. Potash manures are available in largequantity this year, and a fall of about 20s in phosphate manures will encourage a demand. Kainit has been reduced, and is now selling at £5 10s.